I often get asked for the best things to do in Washington state, and I never know where to start. I don’t think people realize just how vast this state is. You can fit roughly 235 New York Cities here! But unlike NYC, there’s a vast difference in landscapes, from bustling cities to coastlines and serene nature.
Since receiving statehood in 1889, WA state has become a major hub for techies, nature lovers, foodies alike. Since there are so many must-do activities in Washington, I decided to round up some of my favorites.
Whether you’re into hiking, wine tasting, skiing, island hopping, or want to explore a new city, you’ll never run out of ideas with this guide!
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Best Things to Do in Washington State
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Visit Washington’s 3 national parks
Washington has three national parks: Rainier National Park, Northern Cascades National Park, and Olympic National Park. Each is far enough away from the other to offer something unique and give you new insight into this epic state.
Rainier National Park is best known for, well, Mount Rainier. But around this massive glacial-capped mountain are countless hikes leading you to wildflower blooms, alpine meadows, and scenic waterfalls to boot.
The Northern Cascades National Park is the most underrated of the three. Which is funny because it’s the only one that’s free to enter. It’s best known for its glacial peaks, rugged mountain terrain, and remote camping opportunities.
The Olympic National Park is the largest of the three, encompassing over one million acres of mountainscapes, coastline, and the only rainforest in the northern hemisphere, Hoh Rainforest.
Explore WA coast beaches
The Washington coast has over 3,000 miles of coastline with memorable beach towns, viewpoints, and sandy beaches dotted along the way. Many of the best beaches, like Kalaloch and Ruby Beach, are situated in the Olympics. As for beach towns, it doesn’t get more quintessential than Seabrook or Long Beach, two of my favorite summer vacation spots in Washington.
Go hiking
Washington is known for having some of the most well-kept hiking trails in the country, each offering a variety of sceneries. If you’re in the big city, there are plenty of Seattle hikes that offer a big payoff with minimal effort.
If you’re looking for an overnight backpacking thigh burner, get a permit to hike The Enchantments in the Alpine Lake Wilderness of the Cascade Mountains. You have to enter a lottery for day and overnight use. But the views are unlike anything else in the PNW.
Explore the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge consists of 90 miles between the Washington-Oregon border, meandering past cliffs, spires, and ridges set against the backdrop of the Cascade Mountain Range.
The Gorge is its own AVA, which means there are quite a few wineries, and it has one of the highest concentration of waterfalls in North America. Ideally you’d visit in the warmer summer months, but if you don’t mind dawning a raincoat, it’s a beautiful destination even in the rainy season. Use my Columbia Gorge itinerary as your guide for hitting all the sights!
Hunt for larches
Washington is one of the only places in the world to find alpine larches, AKA golden pine trees. They turn golden from late September through October before dropping their leaves. You won’t be able to find them just anywhere, so read my guide to find the best larch hikes in Washington.
Try snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing
I’ve been obsessed with finding the best cross-country skiing in Washington. Luckily there are well-maintained trails for skiing and snowshoeing all across the state, be it Leavenworth’s Lake Wenatchee State Park or Rainier’s White Pass Nordic Center. Personally, visiting Winthrop in the winter has proven to be the best cross-country skiing I’ve encountered thus far because it has the largest groomed trail network in all of North America.
Downhill skiing/snowboarding/tubing
One of the benefits of living in Washington is that come winter, you’re never more than a couple of hours from a ski resort. Washington has over 20 ski resorts offering different amenities at staggering price points.
Snoqualmie Pass is the closest to Seattle and gets the most foot traffic. Stevens Pass has better conditions because it’s at a higher elevation, though I’m partial to Mt. Baker because it has the longest season and fewer crowds. Crystal Mountain Resort at Mt. Rainier is one of the largest in the state, so it’s popular with serious skiers.
Visit the San Juan Islands
Puget Sound is home to over 35 islands, most of which belong to Washington state. My favorite cluster is the San Juan Islands, which includes three major islands: Lopez Island, Orcas Island, and San Juan Island. Each is worth a visit, and the Washington ferry system makes it easy since you only pay for the ferry traveling westward. That means if you visit San Juan Island first followed by Orcas and then Lopez, you can explore all three islands without paying multiple ferry fees.
Take the ferry to one of our many other islands
While the San Juan Islands are the most famous, there are more than 175 named islands off the coast of Washington. There are even more nearby if you count all the islands off the coast of British Columbia, too. For reference, you could be on Vancouver Island exploring Victoria in less than two hours.
Of all the islands near Seattle worth a visit, I’m partial to visiting Whidbey Island because there’s so much to do, be it hiking, dining, or wine tasting. I also like the chill Vashon Island because it’s only a 22-minute ferry from Seattle and has a lot of good restaurants. But probably the most quintessential island to visit is Bainbridge Island for its restaurant and winery scene that’s within 30 minutes of downtown Seattle.
Frolic in flower fields at the Skagit Tulip Festival
Every April the farmers of Skagit Valley host the Skagit Tulip Festival. The exact location of the festival changes as the tulips need to be rotated to avoid stripping the soil, though the headquarters remains the same and receives the most foot traffic.
Although the festival runs every April, you’ll want to check the website to make sure the tulips are at peak bloomage. After you snap your pics, grab a bite at any of the Valley’s best restaurants and fill in your itinerary with other fun things to do nearby.
Spend the day at the farms
Being an agricultural hub, many Washington state farmers will section off some of their land to offer community-driven activities like u-pick berries, flower farms, and pumpkin patches.
Skagit Valley has the most options, with over 50 farmer’s markets and farm stands. There are also countless u-pick farms and orchards, and you can find a full list here. Come late summer and fall, I love exploring sunflower fields and pumpkin patches. I have a full list of places to go in my guide to Halloween activities.
Go wine tasting
Washington is the second largest wine-producing state in the US behind California and there are multiple vacation-worthy wine countries worth visiting.
If you’re near Seattle, Woodinville is the closest and is considered the mecca for western Washington tasting rooms. Drive east and you’ll hit Yakima, the Columbia Gorge, and Walla Walla, the latter of which has the second-highest number of wineries behind Woodinville. I also love visiting the more under-the-radar wineries in Lake Chelan because it’s surrounded by mountain ranges and gets less foot traffic.
Explore the state capital
Olympia is the state’s capital and only an hour’s drive from Seattle, making it a fun, stress-free day trip with plenty to do. I usually begin by visiting the Olympia Farmers Market which is open year-round, then I’ll grab oysters at Chelsea’s Farms in 222 Market.
If you visit in July, make sure to check out the Evergreen Lavender Valley Farm and snag some locally-made lavender beauty products!
Spend the day in Tacoma
Over the years Tacoma has seen a resurgence in amazing restaurants, bars, museums, and venues. One of my favorite things to do in Tacoma is to visit the Museum of Glass which features originals from the Tacoma-born glass artist Dale Chihuly and offers glass-blowing classes.
Next I’ll grab a bite at one of Tacoma’s best restaurants then take a stroll through Point Defiance Park, the nation’s second largest urban park behind Central Park.
Attend one of the many state fairs and festivals
There are tons of family-friendly state fairs and festivals worth visiting in the spring and summer. The most popular is the Washington State Fair which runs from August to September in Puyallup.
Seattle’s major music festival is Bumbershoot and gets the most big-name performers of any festival in Washington.
If you’re into hot air balloons, Winthrop, Walla Walla, and Prosser each host a hot air balloon festival in March, May, and September, respectively. You can check out more seasonal activities around the state on my events calendar!
Visit the many breweries
The Pacific Northwest arguably created the craft beer scene, and Washington has over 400 microbreweries to show for it. One of my favorite things to do in Seattle is visit the countless craft beer bars, especially in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. I also have a guide to Seattle’s best breweries all over the city.
Explore Seattle and its famous attractions
Most people know Seattle for Pike Place Market and the Space Needle, and while those remain two of the most popular attractions, there’s even more beneath the surface. There are also endless amazing restaurants ranging from cheap eats to hidden gems.
If you’re into museums, there’s the Seattle Art Museum, the Museum of Pop Culture, and the Wing Luke Museum for Asian-Pacific American history. There are also tons of parks, gardens like the Seattle Japanese Garden or Arboretum, and beaches dotted all along the water.
Seattle also has a thriving sports scene and is home to the Mariners baseball league, the Seahawks football team, the Kraken hockey league, and both the Sounders and Reign soccer teams.
Need more convincing? Check out my guide to the best Seattle neighborhoods and what’s worth doing while you’re there!
Catch the Christmas lights in Leavenworth
website | get directions | best for: Bavarian-themed Christmas town
Leavenworth is one of the best places to visit in Washington if you want a storybook Christmas experience. It’s a Bavarian-themed town that’s easily walkable and dotted with great restaurants and wine tasting rooms.
I love visiting in the fall because it’s less crowded and has great hikes. Tthough it’s a prime winter destination thanks to the abundance of Christmas spirit and winter activities like downhill skiing and snow tubing.
Explore the historic pioneer town of Winthrop
I love spending winters in Winthrop for two reasons. First, they have the longest groomed cross-country ski trail system in the country. Second, they have a cool pioneer town that’s walkable yet lined with enough tasty restaurants and boutique shops to keep you busy after hitting the trails.
Spend the day beer tasting and biking in Bellingham
If you enjoy beer and bikes, you’re going to want to visit Bellingham. It’s an energetic college town minutes from the Canadian border that’s bursting with craft breweries and bike-friendly trails.
I usually wait until summer, when the weather is perfect, to rent an e-bike and head on the trails (I made two maps, which you can find here and here). Along the way I’ll stop at my favorite breweries, like Menace Brewing or Kulshan Brewing.
Go clamming, oystering, crabbing, or fishing
Washington’s pristine waters are perfect for harvesting seafood. Fall and winter are peak oyster and clam season, especially around the Hood Canal and Willapa Bay. Check out this guide to the best shellfish beaches.
Crabbing is available year-round, though it’s best to go between late summer and early winter for Dungeness crabs in the Puget Sound and San Juan Islands (guide here). Fishing is available across the state year round (list here), though salmon is typically fished along the Puget Sound, while rainbow trout are found in the lower Columbia River.
Get on the water
As soon as the warm weather hits, everyone rushes to the nearest lake. In Seattle, that entails renting a kayak or stand-up paddle board and heading to Lake Union. If you’re traveling with a group, you can’t beat renting an electric boat or, if you’re visiting in the fall, a hot tub boat!
If doing the work to paddle doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, there are also a bunch of boat tour options. Argosy Cruises is arguably the most popular.
Go waterfall chasing
Washington has the most waterfalls in the continental US and is even home to the tallest waterfall of any US National Park, Colonial Creek Falls in the Northern Cascades.
As I mentioned earlier, the Columbia Gorge has the highest concentration of falls, though most are on the Oregon side except for Lower Falls Creek Trail. Another popular spot in WA is Snoqualmie Falls. It was featured in the popular show, Twin Peaks! Many rooms at the Salish Lodge & Spa overlook the falls, making it one of the best PNW resorts.
Go camping
The precious few weeks of summer in Washington are peak camping months. Most state parks and all national parks offer camping with varying amenities like showers, potable water, and flushing toilets or pit toilets.
The North Cascades NP offers more primitive backcountry camping with little to no amenities, like Hozomeen and Stehekin. State Parks like Lake Wenatchee State Park and Deception Pass State Park are more well-maintained. They also have family-friendly campsites with showers, picnic tables, and fire pits.
Explore one of the many state parks
Speaking of state parks, Washington has over 140 state parks encompassing more than 400 miles of hiking and biking trails. Parks are scattered across all corners, from Larrabee State Park in the northwest to Field Springs State Park in the southeast, allowing you to explore the state’s vastly different climates and landscapes.
Being on the coast, Washington is also home to a number of abandoned military forts that have been converted to state parks with camping, like Fort Ebey State Park on Whidbey Island and Fort Worden Historical State Park in Port Townsend.
Check out the many small towns
Between bustling cities like Seattle, Spokane, and Vancouver are many small towns in WA, most of which are walkable, fun to visit, and often have good restaurants and boutique shopping.
Some of the best small towns in Washington state are Bow and Edison in the Skagit Valley, especially for local art and good food. Roslyn is near eastern Washington and home to one of my favorite resorts, the Suncadia Resort. Poulsbo is a fun visit for its “Little Norway” themed downtown and proximity to Bainbridge Island.
Visit the often-forgotten Spokane
People forget about Spokane because it’s tucked so far east along the Idaho border. But it’s one of Washington’s largest cities and has so much to do.
The historic downtown is massive and lined with good restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and boutique hotels. There are plenty of green spaces like Manito Park and Huntington Park, the latter of which is home to Spokane Falls and spills right into the heart of downtown.
Take a day trip to Vancouver BC or PDX
Living in Seattle, one of my favorite things is hopping in the car and taking scenic day trip. In three hours, you can either be in Portland sipping on locally roasted coffee and antique shopping or hop across the Canadian border to explore the hidden gems in Vancouver BC (not to be confused with Vancouver, WA…though that is near Portland!). Whichever spot you choose, make sure to come hungry because there are so many good Vancouver restaurants and places to eat in PDX!
More to do in WA
There are so many awesome things to do in Washington state that it’s difficult to fit in one article. Get every more ideas from my other guides!
