Washington

Sure it can be rainy, but Washington State boasts beautiful and varied scenery, from rugged Pacific beaches like Copalis and Grenville Bay to the snowy, craggy peaks of the Cascade Mountains. Don’t driving the rugged coastline on the Olympic Peninsula, hiking in a temperate rain forest at Hoh Rain Forest, or whale watching in the San Juan Islands, either. The state’s culinary scene includes wine made from cabernet sauvignon and albariño varietals grown in Walla Walla and plenty of seafood, especially Dungeness crab, sea urchins, mussels, and Kumamoto and Olympia oysters.

Seattle Washington

Overview

Planning your trip

Use these articles, resources, and guides to plan and inspire your next trip to Washington.

Read Before You Go
Bigger isn’t always better when it’s time to get away. Case in point: These smaller, off-the-radar enclaves across the United States are well worth the wander come wintertime.
Hotels
The wild beauty of Washington state and Canada’s British Columbia is luring in a fresh crop of outdoor-focused accommodations—from tented camps to Japanese onsen-inspired forest cabins.
How I became a Snow Peak fan-girl in one short weekend.
Live like a local in the Emerald City with these home-away-from-home Airbnbs in neighborhoods from Capitol Hill to Ballard.
These top-level properties are the places to stay.
Resources to help plan your trip
Seattle’s hotels cater to all sorts of travelers, from budget-conscious families to couples seeking a romantic getaway. Which hotel is best for you? The Four Seasons combines luxury accommodations with a central location in downtown Seattle. The hip Ace Hotel is in the heart of Belltown’s nightlife. Or you can explore Ballard’s artsy shops and restaurants while staying at the small, cozy Ballard Inn, just steps away from one of Seattle’s weekend farmers markets.
One writer on Samish Island, the family retreat that taught her the art of paying attention.
There’s no bad time of year to visit a national park, but these spots are truly at their best in the springtime.
The Great American Rail-Trail will connect 12 states from coast to coast when it’s finished.
This legislation, which is expected to pass in the House and be signed into law by the president, will protect 1.3 million acres of wilderness, expand several national parks, and establish five national monuments.
From Knoxville’s Tennessee Theatre to Pasadena’s Ambassador Auditorium, these concert venues hit just the right note.
Cultural institutions around the country are staging exhibitions that invite us to consider the timely question: What does it mean to be an American? Here are seven shows to see this year.
Just because temps get low doesn’t mean your drinking shouldn’t stay high-in-the-sky—these cooler-weather cities offer rooftop perches that are welcoming and warming, all winter long.
For the food-obsessed, these bookstores aren’t just places to buy the latest cookbook. They’re also community hubs, where you can meet with fellow food-lovers, learn a new cooking skill—or even meet your favorite chef.
Tales of the Cocktail just turned New Orleans’s always buzzy nightlife up to 11 as the drinks industry celebrated itself and looked to the future.
Need a cultural reason to travel across the country? Let these shows be your inspiration.
Food is about relationships for chef Chris Himmel—and his restaurants serve some of the best flavors in the business because of it.
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