Washington State destinations, parks and attractions

Are you going on a road trip to Washington State, looking for tips about the destinations so you and your party can enjoy it, be comfortable and not spend a fortune?

Here are some of the top destinations in Washington State and tips about visiting them

National parks and monuments in Washington State

Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Coupeville, WA.

This stunning landscape at the gateway to Puget Sound, with its rich farmland and promising seaport, lured the earliest American pioneers north of the Columbia River to Ebey’s Landing. Today Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve preserves the historical, agricultural and cultural traditions of both Native and Euro-American - while offering spectacular opportunities for recreation.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Vancouver, OR,WA.

Located on the north bank of the Columbia River, in sight of snowy mountain peaks and a vibrant urban landscape, this park has a rich cultural past. From a frontier fur trading post, to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest, history is shared at four unique sites. Discover stories of transition, settlement, conflict, and community.
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, WA,OR,ID,MT.

At the end of the last Ice Age, about 18,000 to 15,000 years ago, an ice dam in northern Idaho created Glacial Lake Missoula in Montana. The ice dam burst and released flood waters across Washington and down the Columbia River back flooding into Oregon before eventually reaching the Pacific Ocean. Happening perhaps a 100 times. Forever changing the lives and landscape of the Pacific Northwest.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historic Park, Seattle, WA.

Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in Alaska. Today, the park is your gateway to learn about the Klondike Gold Rush, explore the area's public lands, and engage with the local community.
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, the Canadian border going to Coulee Dam along the Columbia River, WA.

The ancient geologic landscape of the upper Columbia River cradles Lake Roosevelt in walls of stone carved by massive ice age floods. Come explore the shorelines and learn the stories of American Indians, traders and trappers, settlers and dam builders who called this place home. Swim, boat, hike, camp, and fish at this hidden gem in Northeast Washington, created by the Grand Coulee Dam.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Sixteen States: IA,ID,IL,IN,KS,KY,MO,MT,NE,ND,OH,OR,PA,SD,WA,WV.

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is approximately 4,900 miles long, extending from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River, near present day Astoria, Oregon. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the preparatory section from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Wood River, Illinois.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, Long Beach to Cannon Beach, OR,WA.

Explore the timeless rainforests and majestic coastal vistas. Discover the rich heritage of the native people. Unfold the dramatic stories of America's most famous explorers. The park encompasses sites along the Columbia River and the Pacific Coast. Follow in the footsteps of the explorers and have an adventure in history.
Manhattan Project National Historic Park, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, NM,WA,TN.

This site tells the story about the people, events, science, and engineering that led to the creation of the atomic bomb, which helped end World War II.
Minidoka National Historic Site, Jerome, ID,WA.

The Pearl Harbor attack intensified existing hostility towards Japanese Americans. As wartime hysteria mounted, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 forcing over 120,000 West Coast persons of Japanese ancestry (Nikkei) to leave their homes, jobs, and lives behind, forcing them into one of ten prison camps spread across the nation because of their ethnicity. This is Minidoka's story.
Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, Enumclaw, Packwood, Wilkeson, WA.

Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. A lifetime of discovery awaits.
Nez Perce National Historic Park, four states ID,MT,OR,WA.

Since time immemorial, the valleys, prairies, mountains, and plateaus of the inland northwest have been home to the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) people. Extremely resilient, they survived the settling of the United States and adapted to a changed world. Nez Perce National Historical Park consists of 38 places important to the history and culture of the Nimiipuu. Explore these places. Learn their stories.
North Cascades National Park, Marblemount, WA.

Less than three hours from Seattle, an alpine landscape beckons. Discover communities of life adapted to moisture in the west and recurring fire in the east. Explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers. Listen to cascading waters in forested valleys. Witness a landscape sensitive to the Earth's changing climate. Help steward the ecological heart of the Cascades.
Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, WA.

With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline. Come explore!
Oregon National Historic Trail, Various States ID,KS,MO,NE,OR,WA,WY.

Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states and serve as reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers.
San Juan Island National Historic Park, Friday Harbor, WA.

San Juan Island is well known for splendid vistas, saltwater shore, quiet woodlands, orca whales and one of the last remaining native prairies in the Puget Sound/Northern Straits region. But it was also here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over possession of the island, the crisis ignited by the death of a pig.
Whitman Mission National Historic Site, Walla Walla, WA.

The 1847 attack on the Whitmans horrified Americans and impacted the lives of the peoples of the Columbia Plateau for decades afterwards. Was killing the Whitmans justified legal retribution, an act of revenge, or some combination of both? The circumstances that surround this tragic event resonate with modern issues of cultural interaction and differing perspectives.
Wing Luke Museum Affiliated Area, Seattle, WA.

More than a museum, the Wing is an experience. A chance to truly understand what it was - and is - to be Asian American in the Pacific Northwest. Take a guided tour of a historic hotel and learn the inside story about what makes the local Chinatown-International District unique. Visitors explore thought-provoking exhibitions of real stories, including actor and martial arts master Bruce Lee.

Washington State parks and historic sites

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Washington State Seasons, bugs, topography and climate

Washington has both a coast and mountains, which means it also has two distinct climates. On the western side of the Cascades Mountains to the Pacific coast, the summers are mild, humid and rarely rise above 26°C (79°F), and winters are equally mild and rarely drop below 8°C (46°F) while the east of the state is arid with warm summers and cool winters.