Washington State is an incredible place to visit. There are many different places to have fun with the kids or just to go with a couple of friends. Washington offers something for everyone with its beautiful coastlines and its snow-capped mountains. Here are just a few suggestions on making Washington your vacation destination this year.
Whale Watching in the San Juan Islands
Whale watching is absolutely breathtaking. The orca whales are
beautiful to watch and Washington offers many charter boats for whale watching. The charter boats leave from the many ports of Washington just for whale watching.
San Juan Island is where the orca whales live about five months a year. Some of these are resident whales. They stay around from about mid April to the end of September.
San Juan Island is considered the best place to view orca whales because of the salmon. Salmon are the whales’ prime source of food. Salmon is about ninety five percent of what whales eat.
You can see the orca whales anytime during the day or night. They are always out and about so it doesn’t matter what time of day you take a charter.
The Volcanoes of Washington Bike Tours
For an unusual vacation destination try the volcano bike tours. There are different bike tours that will fit your needs. The tours take you to many of the volcanoes that are in Washington including Mount St. Helens. There are all kinds of difficulty levels from climbing, hiking, and bike riding to a milder version for children. The scenery is stunning as you ride in a loop route of the southern cascades. There are many fun camping venues and each night you will be treated to fun activities such as wine tastings and a post ride rub down from the Washington Sports Massage team. Try not to be put off by the daily bike riding. Most tours provide hot breakfasts, lunches, and dinners and one tour even has a deluxe hot shower truck that follows to the campsite that you are going to for the night. If you want an outdoor adventure, this is the vacation to take.
The Space Needle and Kerry Park
The Space Needle was built in 1962. The forty three second ride takes you slowly to the top of the Space Needle to the observations deck which is at 520 feet. You can see Downtown Seattle, the Cascades, Mount Rainer, and the islands in the Puget Sound. The ride to the top of the Needle is not a scary ride. The elevators travel at 10 mph. On the observation deck are free telescopes to look at the magnificent view.
There is also SkyCity which is a 360-degree view buffet restaurant. The restaurant turns a complete 360 degrees in an hour. You are able to see the whole view while you eat your dinner.
Kerry Park is one of Seattle’s favorite viewpoints. It has an unobstructed view of the Space Needle and Mount Rainier on a clear day. Kerry Park is on Queen Anne Hill, which is a popular neighborhood. It is conveniently located in the downtown. On Queen Anne Avenue there are many different restaurants with many different flavors of food. You can also be sure that there is coffee everywhere with Seattle being the coffee capitol of the world.
Kerry Park is rated as one of Seattle’s most romantic places with its beautiful park setting. You will probably see a wedding take place there while you vacation.
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Ginkgo Petrified Forest
This park is considered a natural historic preserve. Back in the 1930’s, a fossil forest was discovered during highway construction. There is petrified wood of many different trees that are common in the area. But what is rare are the specimens of petrified Ginkgo.
Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park is a 7,470 acre pack with year round camping. The park has 27,000 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Wanapum Reservoir.
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail covers over 3,700 miles and passes through 11 states, one of them being Washington. The Trail winds over mountains, along rivers, through high deserts and through plains, and extends to the Pacific coast. There are many museums and hiking trails through out the Trail.
Some of the museums guide visitors through the westward journey of the Lewis and Clark Expedition using paintings, photographs, and sketches. There are exhibit halls with pioneer villages as well as Living History performances each season.
Visiting the trails and museums are a great way to learn about the Lewis and Clark expeditions and to experience them your self.
These are only a few destinations that Washington State has to offer. Go explore in Washington State. It is a beautiful place to vacation.
Sources:
www.parks.wa.gov
www.nps.gov
www.gonorthwest.com
www.offbeattravel.com
www.sanjuansafaris.com
www.destination360.com
www.cascade.org
