WA - State of Washington - Washington Travel and Tourism Guide

Travel Notes: North America: Washington State Travel Notes

Washington State Travel and Tourism on Travel Notes

Find Washington Travel and Tourist Information with links to official travel and tourism websites and state resources for visitors to Washington State.

About Washington State

Also known as the Evergreen State, Washington State is famed for its abundant evergreen forests.

The state capital of Washington is Olympia.

About Washington State - Washington Weather:
Find out more about Washington State before you travel there.

Olympia

Named after the nearby Olympic Mountains, Olympia was made the capital of Washington Territory in 1853 and became the state capital when Washington entered the union in 1889.

Olympia's State Capital Museum contains collections of Native American artefacts.

Washington Mountains and National Parks

The Cascade Mountains splits the state into rural dry-siders and cosmopolitan wet-siders.

If you're into hiking and biking, or swimming and boating, Washington has it all. It really is a state for the great outdoors.

Cascade Loop:
Those who don't even get out of their cars to get a hamburger will love this 400-mile scenic route that crosses the Cascade Range, as US 2 and Route 20; the North Cascades Highway.

Mt Baker

Breath-taking beauty beckons, in the Mt. Baker area. Weather changes can be frequent so visitors to the area are advised to prepare accordingly, by bringing both light and heavier clothing -- along with light raingear, even in summer.

The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest offers hiking, backpacking, mountain climbing, mountain biking, white-water rafting/kayaking, fishing (lake and river), skiing (downhill and cross-country), snowboarding, snow-shoeing and snowmobiling, not to mention phenomenal photography!

Mt Baker Lodging:
Located minutes from the Glacier Mountain Village, in a lush forest and scenic mountain valley. All properties are privately owned, completely self-contained and individually unique.

Mount Ranier

The king of Mount Rainier National Park is the dormant volcano, Mount Rainier. Native Americans knew a thing a two when they called it Tahoma, or mountain of God. To most Washingtonians today, its simply referred to as 'The Mountain'.

Enjoy hiking the hundreds of trails near and inside Mt. Rainier National Park, view the many waterfalls, or enjoy winter sledding and snowshoeing.

Alexander's Country Inn:
Located in Ashford, Washington, Alexander's Country Inn bed and breakfast and restaurant is just one mile from the Nisqually Entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park.

EZ Times Trail Rides:
The trails range from easy going to the harder ones for the more experienced horse riders; covering all terrains in the Elbe Hills, some up so close to Mt. Rainier that you can almost reach out and grab the snow off her.

Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad:
Climb aboard living history for a fun-filled ride through the Cascade Mountains at the base of Mt. Rainier, along the Northwest’s longest continuously operating steam railroad.

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park:
This 615-acre park has a little bit of everything: lakes, trails, meadows and plenty of animals. Located 55 miles south of Seattle, on the way to Mt. Rainier National Park. Open 9:30am daily mid-February through October, Friday-Sunday November through mid-February and selected holidays.

Rainier Lodging:
Seven beautiful vacation rentals nestled in the shadow of Mt. Rainier, just outside the year-round entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park in Ashford, WA.

Mount St Helens

Mount St Helens:
On May 18, 1980 this active volcano, in the Cascade Range, blew its top off. The blast was so violent it claimed at least sixty lives and destroyed all life within 70 square miles of area. The mountain is not so high now, although it was elevated to National Volcano Monument status in 1982.

Olympic National Park:
Get out of the car and enjoy the beauty of nature on foot; there's no scenic loop in this park. What you do have is rugged Pacific coast, temperate rain forests, snow-capped mountains, and plenty of rainfall.

Around Washington State

Washington State is named after George Washington.

States neighbouring Washington are: Idaho and Oregon. Washington also borders Canada.

Access Washington State:
Washington State Government and information services. Search Government web sites.

Anacortes:
Anacortes sits in the rains-hadow of the Olympic Mountains and is blessed with more sun and less rain than other north-west regions.

Dungeness Wildlife:
The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is located near Sequim in Clallam County, Washington, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The 631 acres of the refuge include Dungeness Spit, Graveyard Spit, and portions of Dungeness Bay and Harbor.

San Juan Islands:
Lime Kiln State Park is where it's at for whale watching. Ferries depart from Anacortes, and San Juan Islands is the last stop, after Lopez, Shaw, and Orcas Islands.

Sunset Marine Resort:
A beach resort on beautiful Sequim Bay. The cabins are set among the trees along a private road that meanders down to the beach.

Washington Tourism:
A warm welcome for visitors to the State of Washington.

Seattle

Seattle is built on a series of hills between Puget Sound and Lake Washington. Two floating bridges connect Seattle with the east side of the lake, and ferries connect the city with the Kitsap Peninsula, islands in Puget Sound, and Victoria, British Columbia.

The marvellous setting is crowned with the mountains of Olympic National Park to the west, and the Cascade Range, which includes Mount Rainier, to the east.

As the most important city of the Pacific north-west, Seattle has a thriving culture for all tastes.

Accommodation in Seattle

Hotels in Seattle, Washington State:
Find hotels in Seattle, Washington State with special online rates.

City of Seattle:
The City's guide is designed to give travellers and tourists the necessary information they need when visiting Seattle.

Pike Place Market:
Winter, spring, summer and fall, the Pike Place Market (often called the soul of Seattle) is open seven days a week, closing only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and NewYear's Day. The site offers a nice audio-visual Flash presentation of the market and its traders. You can almost smell the fish.

Salish Lodge & Spa:
Slip away to Salish Lodge & Spa where a romantic mountain retreat awaits you. A mere 30 miles from Seattle, this elegant escape nestled in nature features all the finest amenities of a luxury hotel.

Seattle Aquarium:
Get face-to-fin with marine life in Seattle and discover the natural wonders of the Puget Sound. Located on Pier 59.

Seattle Center:
The site chosen for the 1962 World's Fair is rich in local history. Since the early pioneer days, there have been three significant phases of redevelopment, which have transformed The Prairie into Seattle Center; home to the finest cultural and educational organizations, sports teams, festivals, community programs and entertainment facilities in Seattle.

Seattle Dining:
Find a restaurant in Seattle by type of cuisine, price or atmosphere.

Virtual Tour of Seattle:
While it's hoped that you enjoy this virtual tour of the city, remember that nothing beats seeing the real thing on a visit to Seattle.

Visit Seattle:
Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau.

VR Seattle:
Through the use of Quicktime VR, you can interactively view over a thousand locations throughout Seattle and Washington State.

Washington Park Arboretum:
A spectacular urban green space on the shores of Lake Washington, just east of downtown Seattle and south of the University of Washington.

Flying to Seattle

Bellingham International Airport: (BLI)
A full-service commercial airport located south of the U.S.-Canada border, BLI is 90 miles north of Seattle, Washington and only 39 minutes by commuter aircraft to SeaTac Airport.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: (SEA)
Public transit bus routes serve the Airport outside Door 6, by Baggage Carousel 5.

Seattle to Vancouver

If you're in Seattle for a while it could be worth visiting Vancouver, in Canada. It's only 3-4 hours on a bus. You could also go to Victoria by ferry (2hrs 45mins) or let the train take the strain.

Amtrak Cascades:
The train actually runs from Vancouver to Eugene, Oregon (466 miles) and passes through Seattle's historic King Street Station, in Pioneer Square.

Quick Shuttle:
Provides affordable and reliable transportation from Seatac Airport, Downtown Seattle and Bellingham Airport to Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and Cruise Ship Terminals. Also door step service to most major hotels.

Victoria Clipper Ferry:
For a fast trip from Seattle to Victoria or the San Juan Islands.

Methow Valley

Methow Valley:
Find out what's happening in Washington's Methow Valley.

Washington Municipalities