Washington

Washington state is the heart of the Pacific Northwest. With that title comes everything you'd hope for, from the lush, green Olympic Peninsula to the wild white peaks of the Cascade Mountains and the relaxed, kayaker-friendly San Juan Islands. Head east and you'll see another side of the state: aridly beautiful, with upscale wineries and cowboy-style breakfasts in equal measure, plus orchards, wheat fields and pioneer history.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

Pike Place Market
Downtown, Pike Place & Waterfront
A cavalcade of noise, smells, personalities, banter and urban theater sprinkled liberally around a spatially challenged waterside strip, Pike Place Market…
Museum of Pop Culture
Belltown & Seattle Center
The Museum of Pop Culture (formerly EMP, the "Experience Music Project") is an inspired marriage between super-modern architecture and legendary rock-and…
Museum of Flight
Seattle
Even people with absolutely no interest in aviation have been known to blink in astonishment at Seattle's Museum of Flight, which takes visitors on a…
Discovery Park
Ballard & Discovery Park
Hard to beat on a sunny spring day, this former military installation has been transformed into a wild coastal park, laced with walking trails and…
Olympic Sculpture Park
Belltown & Seattle Center
This ingenious feat of urban planning is an offshoot of the Seattle Art Museum and it bears the same strong eye for design and curation. There are dozens…
Chihuly Garden & Glass
Belltown & Seattle Center
Opened in 2012 and reinforcing Seattle’s position as a leading city of the arts, this exquisite exposition of the life and work of dynamic local sculptor…
Space Needle
Belltown & Seattle Center
This streamlined, modern-before-its-time tower built for the 1962 World’s Fair has been the city’s defining symbol for more than 50 years. The needle…
Hiram M Chittenden Locks
Ballard & Discovery Park
Seattle shimmers like an impressionist painting on sunny days at the Hiram M Chittenden Locks. Here, the fresh waters of Lake Washington and Lake Union…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Transportation

Whether you're embarking on the road trip of a lifetime or navigating the glorious Pacific Northwest without a car, getting around Washington is a breeze.

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Free Things to Do

From open-air art galleries to natural wonders, there's no shortage of ways to experience the best of Washington state for free.

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Best Road Trips

Step on the gas and explore the mountains, forests and scablands of Washington State.

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Articles

Latest stories from Washington

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A couple speeding along a two lane road in their convertible jeep.
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Destination Practicalities

Getting around Washington State

Apr 17, 2024 • 5 min read

Whether you're embarking on the road trip of a lifetime or navigating the glorious Pacific Northwest without a car, getting around Washington is a breeze.