Vacation In Oregon And Washington
Looking to vacation in Oregon and Washington? If you enjoy visiting national parks or have an interest in the outdoors, it should be on your travel bucket list. Recently we’ve added two new destinations, so what better time than now to visit!
If you are looking for the best cities to enjoy your vacation, there is a short list of some places you should visit. The Pacific Northwest region offers over 500 islands, and most of them can be visited by ferry.
Oregon has one of the highest standards of living in the United States. In recent years, the state had one of the fastest-growing populations in America. Moreover, some of its cities have a reputation for being business-friendly, as well as full of entertainment and recreational opportunities. Coming to Oregon means various choices and you will find endless options to fill your days with endless choices to fit any taste.
Vacation In Oregon And Washington
The Pacific Northwest is known for its great outdoors – lakes, mountain trails, wild shores. But our readers also have tips for the region’s eminently livable towns and cities
Winning tip: Cape Flattery, Washington state
On a stormy day, dramatic tree-covered cliffs and rocky outcrops being pounded by the surf with cormorants swirling in the wind make the short hike to Cape Flattery well worth the effort. On the Olympic peninsula, and forming part of the Makah Reservation, it’s the northwesternmost point of the contiguous US. From the car park (permits available in nearby Neah Bay), the trail leads through the forest on a mixture of gravel paths and boardwalks. These lead to three viewing platforms from which you can enjoy views of all sides of the point. If you’re lucky, you’ll also get to see whales and otters.
Lisa Bamford
WASHINGTON STATE
Whale watching
Port Angeles on the north side of Olympic national park is a great place for whale-watching trips. Most companies offer a guarantee of whale sightings, so plan a few days in the area for a repeat sailing – you can explore the park while you’re there. There are resident orcas in the strait and seeing them is an amazing sight, especially if they come close or are breaching.
Kevin McNamara
Rainforest rambling
I knew the Pacific Northwest was famous for its rain but I didn’t know I could visit a living rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic national park is stunning and well signed, accessible trails make it easy to get into the forest itself. From the visitor’s centre, the Hall of Mosses trail is an easy three-quarter-mile walk so green and lush it’s almost surreal. Moss coats everything from the ground either side of the path to the trunks of the tall maple and spruce trees surrounding you. Looking up you can even see the deep green cover dripping down from the branches above. Camping is available at the ranger’s station near the visitor centre and at sites deeper in the forest for longer trails.
temarispheres
Beautiful wilderness escape
The southern shores of Chelan lake in central Washington state offer water sports in summer, a peaceful retreat in winter, and wineries to explore all year. But the real jewel of this deep, 55-mile lake is its fjord-like northern end and the tiny settlement of Stehekin. One of the most remote places in the US, Stehekin is only accessible by boat and float-plane from the town of Chelan. You can rent a cabin or stay at the rustic North Cascade Lodge (from $151 a night) and relax in the heart of the wilderness (no mobile signal – yay!).
Rachel S Imper
Tolkien fantasy
The creation of Troll Haven is as fantastic as the place itself: a Californian engineer made his fortune by selling a hinge to Boeing and channelled his love of Tolkien into creating this 150 acre-mystic sanctuary. Staying in the Gatekeepers Castle with its own private beach costs $800 a night, but for day trips there are regular garden and home tours of all the buildings, carvings and sculptures, and as the site contains a working farm from August to November you can pick fruit and vegetables daily (don’t miss the homemade organic cider).
trollhaven.org
Dave T
Seafood in Seattle
As water shapes Seattle’s identity – either sea, river, rain or in beer – its seafood should be celebrated and the Walrus and Carpenter pub is where locals head for a quick plate of oysters and a city brewed ale. It’s bright and modern inside, although the chandelier looks like it’s been recovered from the Titanic. Freshly caught oysters, salmon and mussels are ordered by name. At the end of happy hour, around 6pm, the Walrus is buzzing with conversation: tables of strangers unite and high bar stools edge closer. It helps if you are a Seattle Mariners fan or simply want to understand baseball, as I did!
TheCapeCruiser
Heliskiing in the American Alps
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In north central Washington near Winthrop, is a little-known outfit called North Cascade Heliski. Its licence terrain is wild and spectacular, with peaks close to 3,000 metres and annual snow fall sometimes over 15 metres. The company offers daily or extended packages, with most guests staying at the homey Freestone Inn in nearby Mazama. This has a “cowboy boots off, ski boots on” ambience, very refreshing and unassuming. You get as much vertical as you can handle and better snow conditions than in the coastal resorts.
Peter Frinton
Old-school lodge
In a rainforest surrounded by some of the largest trees in the world, the old-fashioned Lake Quinault Lodge is traditional yet relaxed enough for jeans and a (must-have) rain jacket.
Doubles from $100, quinaultrainforest.com
Gabriel Newman