The Evergreen State, WA
One of my favorite states is Washington. The air is so nice and crisp there to the point you can actually SMELL the nature that you’re surrounded by. Everywhere you look there is green and it’s residents are some of the happiest we’ve met! Matthew and I have contemplated many times moving to that side of the country and I have a feeling one day we will end up there! The PNW or Pacific Northwest has some of the most beautiful coastlines on planet Earth. Let’s explore the great outdoors together!
1. Explore Olympic National Park:
Enchanting Olympic National Park encompasses almost a million acres of protected wilderness that includes several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier mountains, tide pools and the largest US temperate rain forest. You can also explore the Hoh Rain Forest which also holds “the quietest place on Earth.” Once in the park you can enjoy lodging, backpacking, boating, tide pooling. The park also has some night sky programs – sounds good right? You can spend an evening on a mountain peak, along the coast, or at your campsite leisurely viewing the night sky. You could easily spend a week inside the park without having seen everything there is to see and do.
https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/places-to-go.htm
Check Out Seaside Seattle:
Say hello to the Freemont Troll, a sculpture that lives under the bridge in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle. Visit the Pike Place Market where you can see the original Starbucks (which is always packed by the way) and explore the market with all its vendors. I always tell Matthew that when we do move to Seattle (see I fantasize about this sometimes!) that I expect flowers from the Pike Marketplace every weekend. The fresh cut flowers are so beautiful there! Check out the iconic space needle – an observation tower in Seattle for a perfect view of the city and the Olympic Mountain Range. If you love food – you’re in the right city to experience a ton of different eateries, wineries and restaurants. Ride the Seattle Great Wheel, visit the museum of flight or check out the underground Seattle tour. Seriously, so much to do in the city – and I hear the city isn’t as gloomy and rainy as people say.
Check a local site for upcoming events during your stay; click the link below. I also provided a link to a pretty good YouTube video showing you the space needle and the views from the top!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1wGabBTcgw
Say Hello To Mount Rainer
Ascending to over 14,000 ft above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. It is an active volcano – kinda scary right? Mount Rainier is also the most glaciated peak in the U.S. and wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystem. I would recommend finding out the road conditions in the park before you plan your trip especially if you are planning for early spring. Click the link to see a full page of experiences to be had at the park.
The single vehicle fee into the park is $30 – a small price to pay for a very big and beautiful adventure.
Visit Skagit Valley During the Tulip Festival:
Open from April 1 – April 30th is the annual Skagit valley tulip festival, which is in direct competition with Amsterdam’s tulip festival (in my opinion) anyway! For more information on the tulips and to check if they’re currently in full bloom, visit their website below! This event has seriously been on my list of things to do for years.
https://tulipfestival.org/
Enjoy The San Juan Islands:
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago in the northwest corner of the contiguous United States between the U.S. mainland and Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The San Juan Islands are part of the U.S. state of Washington and they are gorgeous! The Washington ferry system will take you to any of the islands with your car for easy access. We loved Orcas – Moran state park was incredible and we hiked Mt. Constitution. The little and quaint town of Eastsound is so adorable you won’t ever want to leave – and I had the greatest salmon burger of my life at the Madrona Bar and Grill. I’ve bought some of my favorite books at Darvill’s Book store and honestly, I can just go on and on about how perfect the San Juan Islands are. Matthew and I got mistaken for locals by many people and it made us feel so good inside. They also do this super great farmers market on Saturdays that I would recommend. A real gem, definitely visit the San Juan Islands.
Whale Watching:
Seattle is nestled right next to Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean – which is the third largest estuary in the US. You can expect to see porpoises, sea lions, otters and it is also home to whales. Minnke, gray, humpback and blue whales can all be spotted from the coastlines of the Evergreen State. However the most notorious sightings are that of the killer whales. There are many different places to witness these giants in the water and they include:
Anacortes
Seattle
Port Townsend
Friday Harbor
Port Angeles
Relax At Ross Lake:
Ross Lake is accessible only by hiking or ferry as it is a remote resort on the edge of Ross Lake – within the North Cascades National Recreation Area. The cabins are simply furnished and all include running water, electricity and either wood stoves or electric ranges. Some are directly on the water and have refrigerators and microwaves – yes please! The largest cabin can sleep 9 people and propane grills are shared between 2 cabins. Within the resort you can rent motorboats, canoes, kayaks and fishing rods.
