Washington, United States

State guide with cities, regions, and key information.

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Introduction
Washington is the green corner of the United States — a Pacific Northwest state split by the Cascade volcanoes into a wet, forested, island-studded west and a dry, sunny, wheat-and-wine east. It holds three national parks, an active volcano that erupted within living memory, and one of America's most liveable cities in Seattle. For travellers the draw is the contrast packed into a short drive: salt water and orcas on Puget Sound, temperate rainforest and wild beaches on the Olympic Peninsula, glaciated volcanoes for hiking, and high-desert vineyards just over the mountains.

Discover Washington

Seattle is the gateway and a destination in its own right. Pike Place Market — the oldest continuously operating farmers' market in the country — tumbles down to the waterfront with fishmongers, flower stalls and the first Starbucks across the street. The Seattle Center, legacy of the 1962 World's Fair, holds the Space Needle, the Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Frank Gehry-designed Museum of Pop Culture, strong on the city's grunge and Jimi Hendrix heritage. Pioneer Square's brick streets and underground tour cover the early city; the ferries from the downtown terminal cross Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island in 35 scenic minutes. Coffee is a civic religion, the food scene leans hard on Pacific seafood, and on a clear day the white cone of Mount Rainier floats on the southern horizon.

Travel Types

City & Coffee

Seattle's Pike Place Market, music heritage, glass art and the coffee culture it gave the world.

Volcanoes & Hiking

Mount Rainier's wildflower meadows, the 1980 blast zone of Mount St. Helens and the alpine North Cascades.

Rainforest & Wild Coast

Olympic National Park's Hoh Rain Forest, Hurricane Ridge and the sea-stack beaches of the Pacific.

Islands & Orcas

Kayaking, cycling and whale-watching across the San Juan Islands on Puget Sound.

Wine & High Desert

Walla Walla and Yakima Valley wineries, Bavarian Leavenworth and the wheat waves of the Palouse.

Frequently asked questions

Summer, roughly July to September, is the sweet spot: the mountain roads and meadows of Rainier, Olympic and the North Cascades are open and the famously grey weather lifts. Autumn brings wine harvest and colour east of the mountains. Winter is wet and mild in Seattle but heavy with snow in the Cascades (great for skiing, but passes can close); spring is green and quieter with lingering mountain snow.

Yes, but allow time — they are on opposite sides of Puget Sound. A classic week loops from Seattle south to Mount Rainier, then west and around the Olympic Peninsula (using the Bremerton or Bainbridge ferries to save driving), before returning to the city. Both parks reward at least a full day each; the high areas of Rainier are only reliably open in summer.

By Washington State Ferry from Anacortes, about 90 minutes north of Seattle — the ferries carry cars, bikes and foot passengers to the main islands (San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, Shaw). In summer, vehicle reservations are strongly recommended. Many visitors leave the car behind and explore by bike or local shuttle, especially on flatter Lopez Island.

Cities in Washington

1 city with detailed travel information

Seattle