FRIENDS, it's such a blessing to be able to travel again. I can hardly stand staying in one place for too long, so I lept at the opportunity to stay with a friend in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), mainly Oregon and Washington state, for several days this summer!
One of my favorite things about college is making friends who live all over the United States (and with some, the world!). Not only have these friendships opened my eyes to the differences all around me, but they also have provided cheaper opportunities to visit new cities and states. The best part about this trip was that my friend, Victoria—a PNW local—was able to suggest things to do better than if I were going alone and trying to plan the itinerary all by myself.
The graphic below includes our 10-day itinerary, in which we jumped from Washington to Oregon, Northern California, and back to Washington. In this post, I'm going to give you my top 10 things to do in Washington state!
#1: Browse at Pike Place Market in Seattle
I hopped on a plane at LAX...just kidding, it was the Nashville International Airport. I caught a direct flight to Washington at 6 a.m. and arrived in Seattle around 10 a.m., and my flight lasted about five hours. One thing to keep in mind when you're traveling to the PNW is the three-hour time difference.
Victoria, the friend I stayed with during my trip, met me at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. From there, we explored downtown Seattle. My favorite experience of the day, by far, was Pike Place Market—the booths, the people, the coffee, the smells—it was all a cultural experience. I absolutely loved seeing the rows and rows of fresh flowers arranged in some of the most beautiful bouquets I've ever seen, and they were all only $10 and $20!
#2: Lunch at Ivar's Fish Bar in Seattle
Ivar's is a local seafood restaurant chain based out of Seattle, beginning its craft as early as 1938. We went to the location beside Pier 55 on the Seattle Waterfront. I would highly suggest swinging by Ivar's for lunch during your time in Seattle; the PNW, as you can imagine, is a great place to try some phenomenal seafood! At Ivar's, you can eat right by the marina. Watch out for the seagulls, though! They are desperate for a bite of your Alaskan cod!
#3: Take a Photo beside the Great Gum Wall of Seattle
If the image which is forming in your mind upon the title, "Great Gum Wall," is a wall covered in chewing gum, your image would be accurate. You may be imagining just one small wall with gum artfully stuck to its surface; in actuality, the Great Gum Wall is an entire alleyway with all sides of its walls covered in vibrant remnants of Hubba Bubba, Doublemint, Juicy Fruit, and any other type of gum you could dream of.
Beginning in 1993, the city of Seattle has cleaned and de-gummed the alley since its initial beginnings, but tourists and locals alike continue to participate in the nearly 30-year-old tradition of sticking their chewed gum on the wall. It's a rite of passage, of sorts. I think it's hilarious! If I had a piece of chewing gum on me when I visited, I would have proudly added my germs to the infamous wall.
#4: Visit Metsker Maps in Seattle
Metsker Maps is located just around the corner from Pike's Place. You'll definitely want to stop here if you like to collect postcards and stickers from your travels, like me! Metsker has a wide variety of travel guides, books, and maps of every destination. It was like a cross between a bookstore and a travel shop—I could've spent all day in there! I snagged a miniature map of Puget Sound to add to my gallery wall back home, as well as some colorful cards and prints.
#5: Go to All the Coffee Stands You Can
As a southerner, I was completely shocked by the coffee stand culture in the Pacific Northwest. There are still quite a large number of coffee shops in the PNW—like Starbucks and Dutch Bros. (seriously, I saw two Starbucks facing each other across the street)—but there are also several independent coffee stands, usually on every street corner. In Yakima, we went to a different coffee stand nearly every day I was there. And these stands are so easy to miss—we would turn into a random parking lot and immediately be in a drive-thru line.
Another bit of PNW culture I hesitantly embraced was the infused energy drinks, which almost seemed more prevalent at coffee stands than actual coffee! For the first few days, I strictly ordered coffee—I've never been a fan of energy drinks. Victoria let me try a bit of hers before I ordered one, and let me tell you, I don't think I can ever lose the taste for infused Red Bull and Lotus!
I've compiled a list of my favorite coffee stands in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California:
Wanted Espresso in North Bend, WA
40th Ave Espresso in Yakima, WA
Rush Coffee in Yakima, WA
River Canyon Espresso in Selah, WA
Pacific Edge Espresso in Garibaldi, OR (where I tried my first flavored Red Bull—a historic moment, indeed)
Java Hut in Crescent City, CA
#6: Buy Caramel Apples at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in North Bend
On the way back from Seattle, en route to Yakima, Victoria insisted we stop at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory because of their caramel apples. Orchards are abundant in Washington state, so fruit is a prominent export. These apples aren't just caramel, though—you can select one dipped in chocolate, peanut butter, M&Ms, pecans, peanuts. If you can dream it, Rocky Mountain Chocolate most likely has it in apple form.
#7: Take a Day Trip to Leavenworth
Victoria and I met up with our mutual friend, Morgan, and drove two hours from Yakima to Leavenworth, a Bavarian village with breathtaking mountains dotting its horizon. We grabbed deli sandwiches and salads at Louis' Cafe, browsed at some adorable shops (several great sticker stops), and even met up with one of Victoria's old elementary school friends!
Because it was Saturday, Leavenworth was bustling with tourists and locals alike. However, we got lucky and ran into a market featuring local artists and craftsmen displaying their pieces for purchase, called Village Art in the Park. I snagged a sticker in the shape of Washington state with a beautiful landscape of Mount Rainier filling its outline, designed by local Washington artist, Kristen Twitchell.
#8: Enjoy the Wenatchee Apple Blossom Festival
We ended our day in Leavenworth by hitting the Wenatchee Apple Blossom Festival on our way back to Yakima. We actually didn't even plan on attending the festival; we just so happened to stop in Wenatchee because Victoria used to live there, and she wanted to show us a few places. Sure enough, the 2021 Apple Blossom Festival was just rounding out, running from June 3-13. Because apples are a major crop in Washington—especially Yakima and Wenatchee—it was fun to stumble upon the festivities and top off the day with some good ole carnival food.
The Apple Blossom Festival is approaching its 102nd year of celebration! Each year, the Applarian Organization awards a scholarship to the crowned Apple Blossom Queen, a scholarship that totals $10,000. The contestants selected to be on the Apple Blossom court receive scholarships in varying amounts to assist them as they prepare for college; other scholarships are awarded as well, totaling $31,000 for the 2021 year.
If you are interested in attending the festival, be sure to check out the Apple Blossom website to verify the dates. The upcoming festival for 2022 is April 28-May 8.
#9: Hike in Mount Rainier National Park
One Sunday afternoon, we drove up to Mount Rainier National Park, hoping to catch a glimpse of the enormous Mount Rainier. Unfortunately, it was a cloudy, rainy, dreary day, so we never got to see it. However, we did a couple of trails in the rain—the Grove of the Patriarchs and part of the Silver Falls Loop, and we saw the powerful Silver Falls waterfall, which was quite an adventure. We also drove higher and deeper into the park, through a grove of evergreen trees. There was still snow on the ground! In June! Can you believe it?
#10: Spend a Few Days in Yakima
Yakima, WA is a treasure. I instantly felt at home in this city! It helped to have a few friends around and their hospitable family members, but honestly, I think anyone could find a home in Yakima. The city's geography is unique, also—Yakima is located in a desert valley.
My last day in the PNW was spent in Yakima, doing all the hometown, local things! We browsed Inklings Bookshop, which was by far one of the cutest bookstores I visited (second only to Powell's, which you'll read all about in my "20 Things to Do in Oregon and Northern California" post to come), then we grabbed tacos at Taqueria Rolly's, affectionately known as the "Taco Bus" by Yakima locals. (Fun fact: Nearly fifty percent of Yakima's population is Hispanic.) Of course, we had to hit up a coffee stand one more time before I left the PNW, so we grabbed Red Bulls at River Canyon Espresso. Oh, and before you leave Yakima, be sure to stop at the famous Miner's Drive-In for milkshakes!
We swung by Precision Fruit Stand to pick up some Mount Rainier cherries, another popular Yakima export, and later ate lunch with Victoria's grandparents. I loved chatting with her grandmother, Ann, about the South; she hadn't spent a lot of time in Tennessee, and she explained how excited she was about seeing some of the southern states soon. It was eye-opening for me because I was so awestruck during my time in the Pacific Northwest that it was hard for me to believe anyone who lived there would want to visit anywhere else.
Sunday Sabbath
On Sundays, I visited my Victoria's home church, Christian Life Center. The first Sunday I was in Yakima was spent catching up on rest, reading, and enjoying time with friends. We surprised our mutual friend, Morgan, who moved to Washington state last year when she got married. She was completely shocked! Morgan and her husband, Zack, made us homemade pierogi, and it was genuinely just so relaxing to catch my breath before heading to Oregon for the week.
It's important to take a day of rest, even when traveling! While the entire trip might be a "vacation," it can be so easy to cram as many activities as possible into the week that you return home feeling even more exhausted than when you left. Take a day of just wandering around the city, reading at a local café, and, of course, sleeping! You're going to need that shut-eye to enjoy the week ahead of you. I've tried to be more mindful about practicing the Sabbath this year; every week that I intentionally choose to take a day off work, I notice my mind is refreshed and eager to tackle the work week ahead with increased productivity and energy.
I so often take my home state, Tennessee, for granted because I've lived there my entire life. I'm surrounded by the Smoky Mountains, the Tennessee River, Dollywood, Music City, more campsites, and hiking and biking trails than I can count, and I don't even appreciate it until I'm across the country, talking to a stranger.
I hope you enjoyed reading my guide to Washington state! I am still a PNW novice, so there are definitely things I left out. However, I plan to return very soon, so expect an updated post in the years to come!
Any Washington spots I left out? Tell me about your favorite PNW places in the comments!
xoxo,
Hannah Rose Rob
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