The Best of Washington

Despite what you might have heard to the contrary, there is more to Washingtonstate than lattes, rain, and Microsoft. Washington is actually such a diverse state thatit could have served as a model for the song “America the Beautiful.” In the easternhigh desert country, beautiful spacious skies are as big as Montana’s (part of the RockyMountains reaches into Washington). In the western part of the state, the Cascademountains turn majestically purple at sunset. In the Palouse country of the southeast-ern corner of the state, amber waves of grain stripe the steep hillsides. In the Yakima,Wenatchee, and Chelan valleys, the fruited plains produce the world’s most familiarapples (and some pretty good wine, too). With an inland sea across the OlympicPeninsula from the Pacific, the sun in Washington also shines from sea to shining sea.Washington is indeed beautiful country.

The diversity of this state goes far beyond mere song lyrics, however. There’s anisland archipelago as beautiful as the coast of Maine (without the harsh winters).Beaches are long and sandy (though the waters are too cold for swimming). There aregranite mountains as rugged as the Sierra Nevada (but with fewer hikers). Desertcanyons are like those of the Southwest (though not as hot). Vineyard-covered hill-sides resemble those of the Napa Valley (without the crowds). There’s even a bayfrontcity with dauntingly steep streets (but no cable cars).

With such a complex and diverse landscape to be explored, planning a trip can bea daunting task. Where should we go? Where should we stay? Where should we eat?Planning a trip involves a lot of decisions, and, if you only have a week or two for yourentire trip, you’ll want to get the most from it. To help you get a better grip on thestate’s highlights, its not-to-be-missed attractions and activities, I’ve put together thislist of the best in the state. Keep in mind that most are written up in more detail else-where in this book, but this chapter will give you an overview and get you started.

1

• The San Juan Islands: Forestedmountains rise up from the coldwaters north of Puget Sound to formthe archipelago known as the SanJuan Islands. Bald eagles circle over-head while orca whales dive forsalmon below. Such natural beauty isa powerful magnet and despitehordes of tourists in summer, the SanJuans are Washington’s top summer

vacation spot. See “The San JuanIslands” in chapter 5.

• Olympic National Park: This parkhas the only rainforests in the con-tiguous United States, and they com-prise a fascinating ecosystem. Livingplants stake out every square inch ofspace, from towering Sitka sprucetrees to lush mosses and giant ferns.The park preserves miles of pristine,

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fog-shrouded beaches, as well as beau-tiful alpine and subalpine scenerywith lush meadows. See chapter 7.

• North Cascades National ParkComplex: Comprised of onenational park and two national recre-ation areas, this rugged and remoteregion is among the state’s leastexplored. The North Cascades ScenicHighway has stupendous views onclear days, but is closed by snow fornearly half the year. See “MountBaker & the North Cascades ScenicHighway” in chapter 9.

• Mount Rainier National Park:With its glaciers and easily accessiblealpine meadows, Mount Rainier isWashington’s favorite mountain.Sunrise and Paradise are the two bestvantage points for viewing the mas-sive bulk of Mount Rainier, and inthese two areas of the park, you’ll alsofind some of the best hiking trails.See “Mount Rainier National Park &Environs” in chapter 9.

• Mount St. Helens National Vol-canic Monument: Mount St. Helensis slowly recovering from the 1980volcanic blast that turned one of theCascades’ most beautiful peaks into a

scarred landscape of fallen trees andfields of ash, but it remains the onlyactive volcano in the contiguous U.S.Several visitor centers portray theevents of the 1980 eruption and whathas happened since. See “Mount St.Helens National Volcanic Monu-ment” in chapter 9.

• Columbia Gorge National ScenicArea: Carved by ice-age floods 1,200feet deep, the Columbia Gorge is aunique feature of the Northwestlandscape. Waterfalls by the dozencascade from the basalt cliffs on theOregon side of the gorge, but the bestwide-angle views are from the Wash-ington side, which is where you’llfind Beacon Rock, one of the largestmonoliths in the world. See “TheColumbia Gorge & the MountAdams Area” in chapter 9.

• Dry Falls: It has been thousands ofyears since any water flowed over thiscentral Washington waterfall (thusthe name), but it is still a very impres-sive sight. Created by massive ice-agefloods, Dry Falls was once 400 feettall and more than 31⁄2 miles wide. See“The Grand Coulee Dam Area” inchapter 10.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F W A S H I N G T O N6

• Sea Kayaking in the San JuanIslands: Emerald islands, clear water,orca whales, bald eagles, and remotecampsites that are only reached byboat lure sea kayakers to the San JuanIslands. Paddle the islands on yourown (if you’re experienced) or go outwith a guide for a few hours or a fewdays. See “The San Juan Islands” inchapter 5.

• Hiking the Olympic Coast: Withinthe contiguous U.S., very few miles ofwilderness coastline are left. Amongthe longest, and most spectacular, arethose of Olympic National Park on

the west side of the Olympic Penin-sula. Whether you want to do a gooddaylong hike, or several days of back-packing along the beach, you’ve gotseveral options along this coast. Seechapter 7.

• Cross-Country Skiing in theMethow Valley: This valley on theeast side of Washington’s North Cas-cades has more than 100 miles ofimmaculately groomed trails, makingit one of the premier cross-countryski destinations in the country. Skifrom one lodge to the next down thevalley, or use one of the luxurious

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lodges as a base. See “Winthrop &the Methow Valley” in chapter 9.

• Hiking on Mount Rainier: Fed byhuge amounts of melting snow eachsummer, meadows of wildflowers onthe flanks of Mount Rainier burstinto bloom each year in July. Throughthese colorful hillsides meander milesof hiking trails that are among themost memorable in the state. Sure,you’ll encounter crowds, but the wild-flower displays and the picture-perfectMount Rainier backdrop far out-weigh the inconvenience of dealingwith hordes of other hikers. See“Mount Rainier National Park &Environs” in chapter 9.

• Climbing Mount St. Helens:Though it isn’t the highest peak in

the Washington Cascades, Mount St.Helens is the most interesting moun-tain to climb. You don’t need techni-cal climbing skills, just lots ofstamina and a tolerance for hiking industy conditions (if the snow hasmelted, you’ll be hiking in volcanicash). See “Mount St. Helens NationalVolcanic Monument” in chapter 9.

• Windsurfing at Hood River: Windsthrough the Columbia Gorge whipup white-capped standing waves,turning this area into the windsurfingcapital of the U.S., attracting board-sailors from around the world. See“The Columbia Gorge & the MountAdams Area” in chapter 9.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F W A S H I N G T O N8

• Alki Beach (Seattle): In West Seattle,this is the closest Washington comesto a Southern California–style beachscene. There’s a sandy beach and apaved path crowded with in-lineskaters, walkers, and cyclists. Acrossthe street are lots of cheap restaurantsand places to buy sunglasses. Seechapter 4.

• Obstruction Pass State Park (OrcasIsland): Set at the end of a half-mile-long trail through the woods, thistiny cove is barely big enough for adozen sea kayakers to beach theirboats, but therein lies its charm. Thisis the quintessential little San JuanIslands cove beach, and you don’tneed a boat to get to it. See “The SanJuan Islands” in chapter 5.

• Deception Pass State Park Beaches(Whidbey Island): This is one of themost popular state parks in Washing-ton, and the miles of beaches alongtwo sides of Deception Pass areamong the prettiest in the Puget

Sound area. See “Whidbey Island” inchapter 5.

• Dungeness Spit (Dungeness): With6 miles of windswept sand stretchingout to a lighthouse in the Strait ofJuan de Fuca, Dungeness is a beachfor hikers, who are often rewarded bythe sight of the area’s resident harborseals. See “Sequim & Dungeness Val-ley” in chapter 7.

• Rialto Beach (Olympic NationalPark outside Forks): Located on thenorth side of the Quillayute River,this beach is the southern terminus ofa 29-mile-long stretch of wildernessbeach. However, most visitors simplywalk a mile up the beach to Hole inthe Wall, a huge monolith throughwhich the ocean’s waves have bored atunnel. See “Olympic National ParkWest” in chapter 7.

• Second Beach & Third Beach(Olympic National Park outsideForks): It’s difficult to pick the bestbeach in the national park, since

3 The Best Beaches

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almost all are ruggedly beautiful, butthese two beaches just outside thecommunity of La Push are my per-sonal favorites. Here you can hear the

calls of eagles and gulls and contem-plate the sheer vastness of the Pacific.See “Olympic National Park West” inchapter 7.

T H E B E S T H I K E S 9

• Turtleback Mountain Preserve(Orcas Island): Turtleback Mountainruns the length of much of OrcasIsland’s west side and offers the besthike in the San Juans. The views fromthe top of the mountain take ineverything that makes the San Juansmemorable. See “The San JuanIslands” in chapter 5.

• Trails out of Hurricane Ridge(Olympic National Park): HurricaneRidge is the most easily accessiblealpine region of Olympic NationalPark. From here and nearby Obstruc-tion Peak, several hikes will give you aglimpse of a breathtaking part of theOlympic wilderness. See “OlympicNational Park North & the NorthernOlympic Peninsula” in chapter 7.

• Hall of Mosses Trail/Hoh RiverTrail (Hoh River Valley): Whetheryou’re up for a short walk in thewoods or a multi-day backpackingtrip, this is the best place to experi-ence the Olympic Peninsula’s famedrainforest. Don’t forget your raingear. See “Olympic National ParkWest” in chapter 7.

• Chain Lakes Loop Trail (MountBaker): This 9-mile trail circlingTable Mountain is one of the state’smost awe-inspiring and rewardinghikes. With streams, lakes, cliffs,meadows, huckleberries, and plentyof views, this trail packs in everythingthat makes the Mount Baker area

special. See “Mount Baker & theNorth Cascades Scenic Highway” inchapter 9.

• Maple Pass Loop Trail (North Cas-cades Scenic Highway): Along theNorth Cascades Scenic Highway, youwon’t find a more rewarding hike.The trail climbs nearly 2,000 feetfrom Rainy Pass to a ridge with anastounding view of mountains bothnear and far. See “Mount Baker &the North Cascades Scenic Highway”in chapter 9.

• Trails out of Sunrise (MountRainier National Park): The Sunrisearea, on the northeast flanks of Wash-ington’s Mount Rainier, has fabulous,unobstructed views of both themountain and Emmons Glacier, thelargest glacier in the contiguous 48states. From Sunrise, pick from morethan a dozen trails of differentlengths heading to viewpoints andlakes. See “Mount Rainier NationalPark & Environs” in chapter 9.

• Beacon Rock Trail (ColumbiaGorge): Although this hike is lessthan 2 miles long, it makes up for theshort length with its steep pitch. Infact, much of the trail is on metalstairs bolted to the sheer cliff face ofBeacon Rock, a massive monolith.The view from the top stretches formiles up and down the ColumbiaRiver. See “The Columbia Gorge &the Mount Adams Area” in chapter 9.

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C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F W A S H I N G T O N10

• Chuckanut Drive: This road windssouth from Bellingham through theChuckanut Mountains that risestraight up from the waters ofChuckanut and Samish bays. Acrossthe water lie the San Juan Islands,and sunsets are spectacular. LarrabeeState Park provides a chance to getout of your car and walk down to apretty little beach. See “Bellingham& Environs” in chapter 5.

• Hood Canal: Despite the name, thisis not a canal but, rather, a long nar-row bay up the west side of which runsU.S. 101. The highway hugs the waterfor much of the route and the viewsare exquisitely tranquil, especially inthe early morning and late afternoon.See “Olympic National Park East &Hood Canal” in chapter 7.

• North Cascades Scenic Highway:Passing through the most rugged andspectacular mountains in the North-west, this highway did not open until1972 due to the difficulty of buildingany road through Washington’s gla-cier-carved North Cascades. Heavysnows and avalanches keep the high-way closed for half the year. See“Mount Baker & the North CascadesScenic Highway” in chapter 9.

• Columbia River Scenic Highway:Wash. 14 parallels the ColumbiaRiver from Vancouver, Wash., east-ward through the Columbia Gorge,and it has some of the most awe-inspiring vistas in the Northwest.Visible across the river in Oregon are

not only the waterfalls and basaltcliffs of the gorge but also the snow-clad summit of Mount Hood. See“The Columbia Gorge & the MountAdams Area” in chapter 9.

• Yakima River Canyon: Wash. 821,which connects Ellensburg withYakima, is a little-known gem of aroad. This route follows the YakimaRiver through a deep canyon boundedby rolling sagebrush hills and is a sce-nic alternative to high-speed but blandI-82. See chapter 10.

• The Palouse: This wheat-farmingregion in southeastern Washington isa convoluted landscape of steep hillsand narrow valleys. A meanderingdrive through the region is a trip backin time. Small towns and boldlystriped hillsides make it the most fas-cinating farm country in the state. See“The Palouse: A Slice of Small-TownRural Washington” in chapter 10.

• Soap Lake to the Grand CouleeDam: The landscape of central Wash-ington is today dominated by highdesert sagebrush scrublands, but atthe end of the last ice age, vast flood-waters once poured across this region.A drive through this water-carvedlandscape provides a glimpse into oneof the most fascinating events inNorthwest geologic history. In addi-tion to today’s cliff-ringed reservoirs,there are rugged canyons, minerallakes, caves, and a dry waterfall. See“The Grand Coulee Dam Area” inchapter 10.

5 The Best Scenic Drives

• Gaslight Inn (Seattle; & 206/325-3654): Beautifully decorated withlots of original Stickley furniture, thisCraftsman bungalow is in the CapitolHill neighborhood. The inn is a mustfor fans of the Arts-and-Crafts style.

To top things off, there’s also a swim-ming pool. See p. 85.

• Spring Bay Inn (Orcas Island; & 360/376-5531): This secludedwaterfront inn is a luxurious islandretreat, and a stay includes not only

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bed and breakfast, but also brunchand a daily sea-kayak excursion. In-room fireplaces and a hot tub righton the beach add a touch of romance.See p. 181.

• Inn on Orcas Island (& 888/886-1661 or 360/376-5227): On theedge of a small bay and looking as ifit were brought here from Martha’sVineyard or Nantucket, this luxuri-ous inn is in a detail-rich modernbuilding that looks to have been built100 years ago. See p. 180.

• Willcox House Country Inn (TheKitsap Peninsula; & 800/725-9477or 360/830-4492): This 1930s ArtDeco mansion on the shore of HoodCanal is straight from an old Holly-wood movie (movie stars even stayedhere back in the ’30s and ’40s). See p. 208.

• Chinaberry Hill (Tacoma; & 253/272-1282): Located in Tacoma’s Sta-dium Historic District, this grandVictorian is as impressive as any ofthe historic B&Bs in Port Townsend.The inn is steeped in classic North-west elegance and abounds in beauti-ful woodwork. See p. 216.

• Thornewood Castle Inn (Lake-wood; & 253/584-4393): Few B&Bsin America can claim to be castles,but Thornewood, built in 1909, cer-tainly can. With 28 bedrooms and 22bathrooms, this sprawling mansion isas close as you’ll come to a Europeanmanor home in the U.S. See p. 217.

• Hoquiam’s Castle (Hoquiam; 360/533-2005): Built in 1897 by a localtimber baron, this stately Victorianinn is an amazing assemblage of tur-rets and gables, balconies and baywindows. The town of Hoquiam isn’ta major tourist destination, but thisinn is reason enough to spend aweekend in the area. See p. 265.

• Abendblume Inn (Leavenworth; & 800/669-7634 or 509/548-4059):Of the many alpine chalet accommo-dations in Leavenworth, this is themost luxurious. The attention todetail in the construction of thischalet makes the inn an especiallyenjoyable place to spend a romanticweekend. See p. 304.

• Run of the River Inn & Refuge(Leavenworth; & 800/288-6491 or509/548-7171): Set amid beautifulrock gardens on a side channel of Ici-cle Creek, this contemporary log innis just about the most luxuriousmountain retreat in the state and is ablissfully tranquil place to get awayfrom it all. See p. 303.

• Cave B Inn at Sagecliffe (Ellens-burg; & 888/785-2283 or 509/785-2283): Surrounded by vineyards andset atop 900-foot cliffs overlookingthe Columbia River in central Wash-ington, this inn offers luxury in aspectacular and remote location. Wellworth the drive. See p. 330.

T H E B E S T M O U N TA I N L O D G E S & R E S O R T S 11

• Sun Mountain Lodge (Winthrop;& 800/572-0493 or 509/996-2211):Perched atop a mountain and over-looking the remote Methow Valley,this is Washington’s premier moun-tain resort. It makes a luxurious andvery comfortable base for cross-coun-try skiing in winter and hiking and

mountain biking in summer. See p. 287.

• Freestone Inn (Mazama; & 800/639-3809 or 509/996-3906): Thisimpressive log lodge beside a smalltrout lake at the west end of theMethow Valley is not as extensive aplace as nearby Sun Mountain Lodge,

7 The Best Mountain Lodges & Resorts

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but the guest rooms are among themost luxurious in the state. See p. 287.

• Mountain Home Lodge (Leaven-worth; & 800/414-2378 or 509/548-7077): Set in the middle of alarge pasture high on the slopes abovethe town of Leavenworth, this lodgeenjoys a breathtaking view of the Stu-art Range, and in winter it’s onlyaccessible by snow coach (compli-mentary transport provided by thelodge). See p. 303.

• Sleeping Lady (Leavenworth; & 800/574-2123 or 509/548-6344): Al-though primarily a conference resort,this place on the outskirts of BavarianLeavenworth is far too pleasant to bereserved for those in town on busi-ness. With the feel of an upscale summer camp, the lodge is tuckedamid granite boulders and ponderosapines. See p. 303.

• Salish Lodge & Spa (SnoqualmieFalls; & 800/272-5474 or 425/888-2556): Perched on the brink ofSnoqualmie Falls near the town ofNorth Bend, this elegant countrylodge is a favorite weekend getawayfor Seattleites who come to be pam-pered at the spa and to enjoy the

nearby farm country, mountain trails,and ski slopes. See p. 308.

• The Inn at Suncadia (Cle Elum; & 866/904-6300): Although thisluxury inn on the east side of Sno-qualmie Pass is primarily the lodgingfor a golf resort community, it is setamid the pine trees not far from someof the most rugged peaks in Washing-ton. See p. 308.

• Paradise Inn (Mount Rainier Nation-al Park; & 360/569-2275): Perchedhigh on the slopes of Washington’sMount Rainier, this classic mountainlodge was built in 1917 and wasscheduled to reopen in 2008 after amajor renovation. Because the lodge is only open May through October, it books up early in the year and stays packed throughout the summer.You just can’t beat the location. See p. 315.

• Skamania Lodge (Stevenson; & 800/221-7117 or 509/427-7700): Setamid the grandeur of the ColumbiaGorge, this modern mountain/golfresort makes the ideal base for explor-ing the gorge. The resort’s golf coursehas a very distracting view of theColumbia Gorge. See p. 325.

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• The Edgewater (Seattle; & 800/624-0670 or 206/728-7000): Builtatop a pier on the Seattle waterfront,this hotel has the feel of a remotefishing lodge. The views across ElliottBay to the Olympic Mountains aresublime. See p. 78.

• Woodmark Hotel, Yacht Club &Spa on Lake Washington (Kirkland;& 800/822-3700 or 425/822-3700):Set on spacious grounds on the east-ern shore of Lake Washington, thisluxurious hotel is the Seattle area’sfinest waterfront hotel and has aresort feel. See p. 89.

• The Inn at Langley (WhidbeyIsland; & 360/221-3033): The set-ting alone, overlooking Saratoga Pas-sage, may be enough to rank thisplace firmly among the best smallinns in the region. However, Japan-ese-influenced styling, soaking tubswith water views, and fireplaces areall welcome luxuries at this romanticretreat. See p. 160.

• Friday Harbor House (San JuanIsland; & 866/722-7356 or 360/378-8455): This one isn’t right on thewater, but it still has some of the mostluxurious accommodations on San

8 The Best Waterfront Resorts & Lodges

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Juan Island, and guest rooms haveviews of the water and distant islandpeaks. See p. 173.

• Roche Harbor (San Juan Island; & 800/451-8910 or 360/378-2155): Slowly but surely, this historicproperty on the north shore of SanJuan Island is transforming itself intothe most luxurious getaway in theislands. The various suites and townhouses are gorgeous. See p. 174.

• Semiahmoo Resort (Blaine; & 800/770-7992 or 360/318-2000): On aspit of land across the water fromCanada, this is Washington’s premiergolf and beach resort. Its long stretchof beachfront makes it a great place toescape, whether you want to play golfor tennis or just take a walk on thesand. See p. 197.

• The Resort at Ludlow Bay (PortLudlow; & 800/732-1239 or 360/437-7000): Located a few milessouth of Port Townsend, this small,luxury inn offers all the best aspectsof the San Juan Islands without thehassles of the ferries. An adjacent golfcourse adds to the resort’s appeal. Seep. 233.

• Lake Crescent Lodge (OlympicNational Park west of Port Angeles;& 360/928-3211): On the shore ofLake Crescent, a landlocked fjord inOlympic National Park, this lodge isthe best base for exploring the park’snorth side. It has simple rooms in theold lodge building, larger rooms innewer buildings, and rustic cabins.See p. 248.

• Lake Quinault Lodge (Lake Quin-ault; & 800/562-6672 or 360/288-2900): This gracefully aging lodge onthe shore of Lake Quinault has themost character of any of the lodgesscattered around the perimeter ofOlympic National Park. It’s a crossbetween a mountain lodge and a clas-sic lake resort. See p. 255.

• Alderbrook Resort & Spa (Union;& 800/622-9370 or 360/898-2200): Although it’s way off the maintourist routes, this waterfront resorton Hood Canal is the most luxuriouslodge in the Olympic Peninsula area.See p. 258.

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• The Herbfarm Restaurant (Wood-inville; & 425/485-5300): Thisrestaurant northeast of Seattle is adja-cent to several wineries. Once littlemore than a roadside farmstand spe-cializing in herbs, over the years it hasbecome the most highly acclaimed(and most expensive) restaurant inthe state. See p. 104.

• The Chef ’s Kitchen Restaurant(Langley; & 360/221-3033): Set in aquintessentially Northwestern inn onWhidbey Island, this is one of thestate’s most memorable restaurants. Itserves some of the best (and mostexpensive) multi-course gourmet din-ners in Washington. See p. 160.

• Backdoor Kitchen (San Juan Island;& 360/378-9540): This back-streetgem is the sort of place people dreamof discovering in their travels—alocals’ secret in an unlikely location.With an eclectic menu that will keepyou coming back for more, the Back-door is the door to choose in FridayHarbor. See p. 176.

• Bay Café (Lopez Island; & 360/468-3700): Classy and casual, the BayCafé epitomizes the Lopez Islandexperience—quiet, comfortable, andunpretentious. Even if you aren’t stay-ing on Lopez, meals are so good thatit’s worth catching the ferry to dinehere. See p. 188.

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• Molly Ward Gardens (Poulsbo; & 360/779-4471): Housed in an oldbarn in a small rural valley outsidethe Scandinavian theme town ofPoulsbo, this restaurant sums upNorthwest lifestyles with its countrygardens, eclectic decor, and creativecuisine. See p. 208.

• The Ajax Cafe (Port Hadlock; & 360/385-3450): With excellentfood, live old-time music on theweekends, and silly hats hangingfrom the ceiling (and frequently wornby dinner guests), this hidden gem ofa restaurant is south of PortTownsend. Housed in an old woodenwaterfront building, it’s a favorite forthose with something to celebrate.See p. 234.

• The Dining Room at Sun Moun-tain Lodge (Winthrop; & 800/572-0493 or 509/996-4707): If you getvertigo easily, you may want to foregomeals at this precipitously percheddining room overlooking the MethowValley. However, if you relish creative

cooking accompanied by dizzyingmountain views, this restaurant shouldnot be missed. See p. 288.

• 26brix (Walla Walla; & 509/526-4075): The menu at this memorablewine-country restaurant is decep-tively simple, but the preparations bychef Mike Davis certainly are not. Anabsolute must on a visit to WallaWalla. See p. 350.

• Whitehouse-Crawford Restaurant(Walla Walla; & 509/525-2222): Indowntown Walla Walla, at the heartof Washington’s fastest-growing wineregion, this restaurant in a formermill building shares space with a win-ery. The scene and menu have adecidedly Seattle feel. See p. 351.

• Whoopemup Hollow Café (Waits-burg; & 509/337-9000): Talk aboutan unlikely location. This casual, hip bistro in a rural farming commu-nity 20 minutes east of Walla Wallaserves genuine New Orleans–stylemeals and is well worth the drive. Seep. 353.

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• Sheridan Vineyard (Yakima Valley;509/829-3205): Focusing produc-tion on bordeaux blends and syrah,this winery produces highly distinc-tive fruit-driven wines from estate-grown grapes. See p. 334.

• Wineglass Cellars (Yakima Valley;& 509/829-3011): This small, unas-suming, family-run winery producessome of the state’s best red wines. It’salso one of the most underrated andlittle known wineries in the YakimaValley. See p. 334.

• Amavi Cellars (Walla Walla; & 509/525-3541): This is a sister winery tothe celebrated Pepper Bridge Wineryand produces more economicallypriced wines, with an emphasis onreds. The syrah here can be among

the finest in the region and prices arearound $25. See p. 345.

• Five Star Cellars (Walla Walla; & 509/527-8400): Producing rich, dark,fully extracted red wines with softtannins, this little Walla Walla wineryproduces stellar and very drinkablewines. A rising star on the local winescene. See p. 347.

• Rulo Winery (Walla Walla; & 509/525-7856): Small and family-owned,Rulo crafts complex, full-bodiedsyrah; creamy chardonnay; and aro-matic viognier. Reasonable prices andhigh quality make Rulo truly memo-rable. See p. 348.

• Tamarack Cellars (Walla Walla; & 509/526-3533): Winemaker RonColvin crafts a small number of lush,

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memorable red wines at his winery atthe Walla Walla airport. Emphasis ison reds with silky tannins and bigfruit character. See p. 347.

• Woodward Canyon Winery (WallaWalla; & 509/525-4129): This win-ery produces some of Washington’spremier red wines, yet surprisingly, italso offers great wines at $20 or less(and plenty of more expensive bot-tles). See p. 346.

• Barrister Winery (Spokane; & 509/465-3591): Started by two lawyers

(thus the name), this winery in awarehouse/arts district of downtownSpokane produces delicious red wineswith a perfect blend of fruit, tannin,and oakiness. See p. 357.

• Townshend Cellar (Spokane; & 509/238-1400): Many Washington wine-ries are now making ports, but fewmake ones as good as those at this lit-tle, out-of-the-way winery north ofSpokane. The huckleberry port ispure ambrosia. See p. 358.

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• Seattle Center (Seattle): As the site ofthe Space Needle, Seattle Center isone of Seattle’s required stops. How-ever, families will also find here achildren’s museum, a children’s thea-ter, an interactive science museum,amusement park rides, and an arcadearea. See p. 114.

• Museum of Flight: Airplanes maynot be quite as fascinating to kids asfire engines and trains, but thismuseum has so many cool airplanesand things to do that kids usuallydon’t want to leave. See p. 121.

• Whale-Watching Tours in the SanJuan Islands: Sure, you can see orcawhales perform at marine parks, butin the San Juan Islands during thesummer, you can see genuinely freeWillies, and lots of them. Duringwhale-watching tours, minke whales,harbor seals, and bald eagles may alsobe spotted. See “The San JuanIslands” in chapter 5.

• Fort Worden State Park (PortTownsend): With a beach, old gunbatteries, hiking trails, and a sciencecenter with tidepool touch tanks, thispark is a big entertainment center forkids. See p. 230.

• Point Defiance Park (Tacoma): Thisgigantic city park at the north end ofTacoma packs in more fun stuff forkids than they could hope to do in aday. It has a zoo, a replica of a historictrading fort, and an old-time loggingcamp complete with full-size train.See p. 213.

• Long Beach: With minigolf, horse-back riding, miles of wide beaches,and perfect winds for kite flying, thisbeach community on the southernWashington coast is the state’s bestfamily beach. See “The Long BeachPeninsula” in chapter 8.

11 The Best Family Attractions & Activities

• La Conner: Surrounded by tulipfields and filled with art galleries andinteresting shops, this former fishingand farming town gets jammed onweekends, but stop by on a weekdayor in the off season, and you’ll be

easily seduced by its vintage charm.See “La Conner & the Skagit Valley”in chapter 5.

• Langley: Near the south end ofWhidbey Island, this former fishingvillage is now something of an

12 The Best Small Towns

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upscale arts community. Art galleries,antiques shops, fashion boutiques,and several good restaurants are allright on the shore of Saratoga Pas-sage. Some buildings even risestraight out of the water. See “Whid-bey Island” in chapter 5.

• Port Townsend: Late in the 19th cen-tury, this town on the Olympic Penin-sula was poised to become the region’smost important city, but when therailroad passed it by, it slipped intoobscurity. Today, Port Townsend isobscure no more. With block afterblock of Victorian homes and a water-front setting, it is now a favorite week-end destination for Seattleites. See“Port Townsend: A Restored Victo-rian Seaport” in chapter 7.

• Winthrop: If you saw an 1890sphoto of Winthrop and then visitedthis remote community in north cen-tral Washington, you would think the

town was caught in a time warp. Itjust doesn’t look much different thanit did back then. See “Winthrop &the Methow Valley” in chapter 9.

• Leavenworth: Lederhosen? Dirndls?Polka parties? Sounds like someplaceto avoid, but actually, the Bavariantheme town of Leavenworth works.Maybe there are too many cuckooclocks and nutcrackers for sale, butthose mountains on the edge of townsure look like the Alps. See “BavarianLeavenworth and the Wenatchee Val-ley” in chapter 9.

• Walla Walla: All right, Walla Wallaisn’t nearly as small as the other bergsmentioned here, but, with its manywineries and its great restaurants andlodgings, it is by far Washington’s bestsmall town. You won’t find a closerapproximation to the Napa Valleyexperience anywhere else in the state.See “Walla Walla” in chapter 10.

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