Washington is a state loved by many for obvious reasons – beautiful coast, gorgeous mountains, lush greenery, bigfoot. Right along with the other Pacific Coast states, this one will be a true gem to visit!
Bigfoot
Washington isn’t the only state (by far) to have bigfoot sightings, but it is the most common place to spot the legendary cryptid. This means that, theoretically, I’ll have the best chance to see one while I’m there! Obviously, squatching is making the list of things to do. If nothing else, I’ll have ample opportunity to do so. First up on the list of places is the Olympic Peninsula. Not only is it a gorgeous part of the country, it boasts big sasquatch energy!
If you’re familiar with any sort of Washington Lore (or sasquatch lore) you’ll have heard of Ape Canyon. It was named so after having some encounters in the 1920’s of ‘apemen’. Ape Canyon also features Ape Cave, which sounds (and looks) fascinating.
In Toutle, WA is a museum and campground called North Fork Survivors. It, too, is the sight of some big sasquatch energy so it will be a great place to set up camp and hang out for awhile. If nothing else, I get to visit a rad bigfoot museum and see some casts of footprints. I don’t believe I’ve seen an original (as opposed to a reproduction) so hopefully their casts are originals.
Seattle
Home to the popular fish-tossing folks, Pike Place Market is a really popular Seattle stop, seemingly for locals and tourists alike. As much as I say I’d love to toss a fish, I can’t imagine its something they would let me do. My head cannon is that I walk by at the exact wrong time and get taken out by a fish hurtling through the air. Unfortunate for the fish and the business, but hilarious if you’re me or an onlooker!
Located within Pike Place is a cheese shop called “Beecher’s Handmade Cheese“. That alone is enough to draw me in – I love the experience of trying new cheeses. Apparently, however, one of the things you absolutely have to try while you’re in Seattle is their mac and cheese. It’s made with their own signature cheeses and it looks really good. Cheese coma, anyone?
Many people think of coastal areas as synonymous with seafood and Washington is no different. Most lists I saw are made of primarily seafood dishes and I don’t eat seafood. Sorry to disappoint, but that’s a no from me.
What I do eat, however, is fruit! Cherries are one of my most-loved fruits and Washington just happens to be the place to get fresh cherries. Eating some cherries right off the tree and touring some orchards sounds like just the place for me. Homemade cherry pie with locally sourced cherries – that’s a must!
Washington Wildlife
I’m almost guaranteed to see some animals I’ve never seen before while I’m here. Puget sound is home to some orca (aka killer whales) and while I’ve been fortunate to have seen whales while whale-watching, they weren’t these guys! They are plentiful enough that some tours even guarantee you’ll see some or they’ll comp you.
Also along the coast, I hope to see both sea turtles and sea otters. I’ve never been witness to river otters here in Colorado, so it would be great to see any otters at all. Sea turtles frequent the beaches, too, and I will be so delighted to be graced with one’s presence. I’m a huge animal nerd in a land-locked state, so I really geek out over marine life. I’d even love to see (hold?) an abalone. They look so cool!
Not on the coast, but it would really be a treat to see the salmon run. Washington also has caribou and grizzlies, and of course black bear, so I’d be happy to see any of them.
Nature & National Parks
There is plenty to do in Washington state even if you simply focus on national parks. Not including monuments, historic sites, and the like, the state is home to Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, and North Cascades National Park. All three host trails, waterfalls, and absolutely stunning scenery. Watching the sunrise at Mount Rainier is supposed to be a treat so I think I’ll probably need to see it for myself.
Within Olympic National Park is Cape Alava, which is the most westernmost point of the contiguous 48 states of the US. It features a 9-mile loop along the beach and through the forest. There is also an accessible boardwalk that is much shorter at about 3 miles.
On the beaches of Fork, WA there is a cultural landmark called the Tree of Life. It certainly looks like a sight to behold! The ground directly beneath the tree has been eroded into a cave. The tree, itself, is supported above the cave only by its outer root system. Not too far from Forks is one of the few temperate rainforests in the US, Hoh rainforest so I definitely plan to check it out.
The Washington coast is also a great place to go rockhounding. Rockhounding is basically amateur geology – looking for neat rocks and crystals! There are some places that might be good to look for hagstones specifically (which I think are so cool). You can also find chalcedony, agate, petrified wood, opalized wood, and even gold! Obviously, you can’t collect petrified wood inside of the boundaries of Gingko Petrified Forest State Park, but you can find and collect it elsewhere.
Other Stuff
Each state has a variety of kitschy and weird attractions. Among many others, here you can find the Fremont Troll, check out some hot springs, take a mud bath, and visit a variety of paranormal places and ghost towns. The Fremont Troll is literally just a troll sculpture under a bridge, clutching a VW bug in its hand (to give you a scale of how big that thing has to be).
There isn’t any shortage of hot springs, either, but some of the views are outstanding! Coming from Colorado, I thought it would be hard to beat but I think Washington takes it. Goldmyer Hot Springs is a particularly lovely looking spring that you need to hike to get to. It’s only a 4.5 hour hike to get to and absolutely worth it. That pales in comparison to some Colorado hot springs which are upward of 10-12 miles to hike to (still worth it, I’m sure).
Soap Lake is also a natural spring-filled lake. While it isn’t hot, it is fed by hot springs giving it a unique mineral composition. It apparently doesn’t have any fish, either. Due to the minerals the water is filled with, the water will feel slick against your skin and it bubbles up at the shoreline, giving the appearance of a soap. Its also a great place to take a mud bath – people will spread the mineralized mud on themselves and then sunbathe. Please use caution if you do this as the minerals can speed up the effects of the sun and burn you faster. I’ve never taken a mud bath before but sign me up!
Finally, I have to mention the Iron Goat Trail. This trail is a scenic hike that was once the sight of a deadly avalanche that killed 96 people at the train station along the route. That makes it the deadliest avalanche in US history! With tragedy comes hauntings (if you believe in that sort of thing) so this is now reportedly one of the most haunted hiking trails, too. People report hearing screams, feeling touched, and even seeing full bodied apparitions!
Other than Pike’s Place Marketplace, what are some other tasty places I need to eat? What about some local dishes to try?
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