Whether you are on a small-town getaway or driving through and want to do some exploring, check out these epic things to do in Ellensburg, WA.
If you're looking for different and unusual but amazing things to explore, check out our list of favorites off the beaten path!
Here are the 50 most beautiful places in Washington state, with a map and photos. Categorized by location, this list is perfect for your trip!
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
This Washington State road trip itinerary is for someone who has 7-10 days, is NOT an advanced hiker & has never visited Washington State...
The best places to visit in Washington State will leave you wanting to see more of its stunning scenery and wonderful cities.
Looking for somewhere new to visit in Washington? Check out these 17 adorable small towns in Washington State for your next trip.
Deception Falls is the best spot to stop on your drive along Highway 2. Explore the hiking trails and waterfall viewpoints here.
Looking for the best hikes in Washington? We’re sharing our favorites, ranging in skill level and full of alpine lakes, views, & waterfalls!
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
If you are attending a show at the Gorge, here are the best things to do near the Gorge Amphitheater before the music starts...
A guide to things to do in Sliema, Malta's second-largest city, including top attractions, Sliema restaurants, and places to stay.
Travel Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, a Washington State and a National Forest Scenic Byway stretching over 57 miles. It provides some of the most scenic areas in all of the United States. Reaching 10,781 feet, Mt. Baker’s snow-covered peaks offers spectacular views of Mt. Shuksan and the Cascade Mountain range.
Experience the best road trip in Washington State on the Cascade Loop scenic byway. This Cascade Loop itinerary features world-class hikes, views, and more!
Travelers who visit Washington State in the fall will have some pleasant surprises that include good weather, fewer crowds and a choice of fall festivals.
A tour at Sunnyside Cemetery is not only a walk through the small town of Coupeville, Washington's history, but a learning experience about graveyards.
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
The Dutch-themed town of Lynden, Washington makes for a great small town getaway with two unique inns, including one in a windmill, foodie stops, unique history, outdoor fun, and much more.
Need a dose of color this spring? The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival has tulip fields, kid-friendly events, & helicopter rides throughout the month of April.
Check out this Pacific Northwest Gem. This post covers 10 reasons you'll like Tacoma along with my tips and guides for visiting Destiny City.
Click HERE to find out the Best Washington Beaches! This includes maps, tips, what to pack, camping information, and much more!
A guide to things to do in Sliema, Malta's second-largest city, including top attractions, Sliema restaurants, and places to stay.
From the alpine forests to the glacial peaks, the Cascade and Olympic Mountain Ranges in Washington state have some of the best hiking in the continental
From the top trails to soaking in natural hot springs, here are some of the best things to do in Olympic National Park.
Top things to do (attractions, places to see and landmarks) during a weekend in Bucharest. Plus a free checklist with itinerary and opening hours!
Even though Walla Walla is most notable for being Washington state’s wine region, there are many more things to do in Walla Walla than just wine tasting.
Olympic National Park is one of the most famous of the national parks. This is true for good reason. The Pacific Northwest has beauty unlike anywhere else in the states. So, while every national park in this area is beautiful and unique, Olympic National Park could be considered the most diverse. Olympic National Park has everything from mountains to rainforests to beaches. There’s a little something for everyone. If you’re going, I would definitely recommend getting a car. You can take a tour from Seattle, but you won’t be able to see everything you might want to. It’s pretty easy to do a circle around the park via Highway 101. You can circle the park and make as many stops along the way as you want. We only had about 2 days there on our road trip. To read more about our entire road trip in the PNW, click here: Adventurous Pacific Northwest Road Trip | Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. This was definitely doable, especially if you want to do other national parks in the Pacific Northwest. If you want to really take your time and stop at everything, you definitely could. This would be good if you want to do some camping or spend more time in the cities around the park. Anyway, while there are tons of things to do in and around Olympic National Park, here is my list of some of the top things to do: 1. Mt. Ellinor Trail I feel like a lesser-known side of Olympic National Park is on the east side of the park. There’s definitely a lot less to do on that side, so it makes since. But, it is the closest area when getting there from Seattle. In fact, the Mt. Ellinor Trail is not technically a part of Olympic National Park. It is, however, part of Olympic National Forest. This was our first stop after arriving in Seattle and picking up our rental car. Because we were staying in Olympia for the night, we weren’t ready to head all the way to the coast-side yet. Mt. Ellinor seemed like a great first hike after flying and driving. The Mt. Ellinor Lower Trailhead is about a 2-hour drive from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. If you’re going to be on the east side definitely add this area of the mountains to your list. The hike can get steep at points, and depending on the weather, can be covered in snow. We went in May, so we were unable to see the views, but the hike eventually leads to a view of the lake far, far below. While there, we met snow probably about halfway up. We even had gear to go in the snow, but far more experienced hikers appeared from ahead, and even they were struggling. That was our sign to turn back around. The last part of the trail does get a little more treacherous and requires quite a good bit of climbing. This area can get crowded at peak times of the year, but it’s far less crowded than the other more well-known hikes at the Olympic mountains. 2. Lake Cushman & Hoodsport, Washington This area was definitely not on our radar when visiting the Olympic peninsula. Again, located on the east side of the park, it’s located near Olympic National Forest rather than the national park. But, like mentioned above, this doesn’t mean it is lacking in scenery and beauty. Lake Cushman is a popular spot in the area for water activities, and it does get really crowded. The lake has plenty of beautiful lake houses all along it that have their own docks. This being said, you can also take a boat out if you live in the area via the boat ramps. They also have a place open for public swimming, if you’re visiting in the warmer months. When approaching Lake Cushman from Seattle, you will pass through Hoodsport, Washington. This little town was a great place to spot. They have plenty of little souvenir shops right on the Hood Canal. We were able to browse lots of local gift and art shops, as well as buy some delicious homemade wine. They also have a brewery, Potlatch Brewing Company, where you can grab a beer after doing some hiking or hanging out at the lake. It is a very small little town, but we just happened to pass through it, and it was perfect to get out of the car and hang out for a couple of hours. The restaurants here looked delicious, and you can even get ice cream from the coffee shop. This is a great place to support local businesses and find some gifts to take with you. 3. Visit Olympia (the capital of Washington!) If you didn’t know, Olympia is the capital of Washington state. To be honest, we didn’t remember that when visiting. We a tough time finding a place to stay that wasn’t a crazy price, and Olympia had the most options. Trust me, this doesn’t get you closer to the park, so just be aware! Olympia is located southeast of the park. It is only a 40-minute drive from the Olympic National Forest area, but you are looking at about a 3-hour drive to main areas of Olympic National Park. If you are spending a while around the Olympic peninsula, this would make for a great pit stop or day trip while doing a full circle around the park. Olympia is located at the bottom of Puget Sound and is home to Capitol Lake. There are places to walk all along the water, as well as restaurants and seafood. Also, the Capitol building is actually pretty stunning. There is no shortage of art and history in this area. Also, the downtown historic district is so fun to walk around and grab drinks at the different breweries or bars around the area. The Olympia Farmer’s Market is also a hot spot. We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Olympia, and it was close to everything. This is a great place to stay for location, being on the water, and distance to plenty of good eats. 4. U.S. Highway 101 I’ve mentioned U.S. Highway 101 already, but it is the road that circles Olympic National Park. It’s not a perfect circle, because it turns into a couple of different roads on the southern side. But, it does form a loop around the west, north, and east sides of the park. In my book, this makes for the perfect road trip. Simply plan to drive this highway and make it a circle. You can save all the spots you want to hit, and just stop as you go. There are tons of little viewpoints or turn-offs that you can stop at while on your drive. Especially as you get to the coast, you can admire the ocean or turn inward and see the massive trees. We stopped at one called “Big Cedar Tree” and it was supposed to be one of, if not the largest, cedar tree ever. They even had a little picnic table there to sit! All in all, a road trip is made better through the journey (cheesy, I know). But when you’ve got good views the entire drive, good company, and good music – that’s a perfect road trip. 5. Rialto Beach/”Hole-in-the-Wall” You can’t go to Olympic National Park and not hit Rialto Beach. And because of this, yes, it is super crowded. We did a 3-hour drive to get there, and still arrived pretty early. Thankfully, we were able to get a spot at the parking lot, but by the time we left, people were parking all along the street to get there! You take a turn off the main highway and head down through the Quillayute region (yes, like from Twilight). What they say in Twilight is true, and you can’t currently go to La Push Beach. When you look it up, it is currently closed to the public. It is home to the Qulieute Nation. When you pull up, La Push is on the left, while Rialto Beach is to the right. They are divided by the Quillayute River. As you arrive, you will see public bathrooms, and you just continue toward the beach to start your hike. You don’t have to hike if that’s not for you! You can jump in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, or you can just hang out on the beach. If you choose to hike, head on down to “Hole-in-the-Wall”. It is about a 3.3-mile hike, but it is no joke because of the sand! Also, in some spots, you may have to walk through water or find a way across some pretty strong current. Just make sure you are prepared, and don’t do anything to put yourself in danger. At the end of the hike, you’ll see a tall rock with a little archway in the middle. Take pictures, enjoy the gorgeous coastline and the massive rocks in the water. 6. Forks, Washington Ah, yes. My middle-school dreams come true. Visiting Forks, Washington was really fun. We didn’t spend a ton of time there, but we did make sure to stop and take some pictures. Forks is located on Highway 101, so if you go to Rialto Beach, you’ll definitely pass through it. Because there aren’t a ton of towns on this route, this is a great place to stay if you’re looking for somewhere close to everything. Just book well in advance because it does fill up and can get expensive! One of our first stops here was the Forks Timber Museum. We didn’t actually go inside (it was closed), but they have a sign saying “Forks, Washington” and I had to get a picture. They also had a picture of the Twilight cast in the window. This is a good local museum highlighting the history of the area, so if you have time definitely check it out! If you’re looking for more of the werewolf side of things, head to La Push and stop at Three River Resort Restaurant and Convenience Store. They have an iconic sign showing you the vampire threat in the area that day. Forks overall is a pretty quiet town. It has a ton of local, smaller restaurants – definitely stop here for a bite to eat! 7. Hoh Rain Forest Like I mentioned above, Olympic National Park is one of the most diverse of the parks. This includes having a literal rainforest. I mean, how cool?! Unfortunately, our road trip did not give us enough time to visit here. The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is located quite a ways off of Highway 101. If you’re going, definitely make sure you add enough time! It is essentially in the middle of the circle of the park. The Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center is the best to start your experience there. You can learn more about the area and get a guide for where to go. It is also the start to 3 shorter hikes: Hall of Mosses, Spruce Nature Trail, and Hoh River Trail. Heck, do all 3 if you want! You already made it all the way in there. Because it is located in the middle of the park, the wildlife and unique trees make this spot unique. They also have a small campground! Obviously, Seattle and the surrounding areas are known for the rain. If you’re looking to get a taste of that life, just head here. 8. Lake Crescent If you’re a national parks lover and a true crime lover, you should definitely check out the podcast “National Park After Dark”. My sister and I discovered this podcast a while back. I don’t listen anymore (personally, I would rather just not know), but she did make me listen to the episode “Bodies in Water. Olympic National Park”. This episode is all about Lake Crescent and people who have died there and the bodies that have...
Couer D’Alene is the perfect spot for family travel. The town has everything from a lake to great shopping and huge playgrounds. Couer D’Alene is close to Washington State and close to Glacier National park. If you are looking for a good mix of outdoor activities but close staying close to a city
Looking for a small town destination with lots of eateries, art, and museums? Here are three reasons love La Conner, WA and put it on your travel list.
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.
Looking for some of the best hikes in Washington state? No matter your skill level, here's where to go hiking in Washington!
Looking for things to do in Rotterdam? You've came to the right place! In this article you can find the best things to do in Rotterdam, from popular sight seeing spots to lesser known places in our city.
From sunrise hot air balloon rides to fun festivals to sipping at show-stopping tasting rooms, here are 10 fun things to do in Walla Walla Washington.
Find Your Path
This Palouse Photography guide shows you some of the best photo spots in Washington state. Come along for a full day of adventure in the Palouse region on the southeast corner of Washington. This post contains affiliate links. This website earns a small commission for items purchased through these links with no additional cost to ...
A PNW local's list of must-try restaurants.
Everything you need to know about Marymere Falls Trail. Only head to Marymere Falls after reading this first.
