Although Seattle is one of America's
most likeable and vibrant cities, well worth a few days of anybody's
time, perhaps its greatest asset for visitors is its proximity
to the glorious rural scenery of Puget Sound
. The islands here are stepping stones to the Olympic
Peninsula to the west, whose mountains are home to rare
elk and lush vegetation that merges into rainforest, and whose
wilderness beaches have remained unchanged for centuries. The
Olympic National Park , which occupies the bulk
of the peninsula, is dazzling, and a hike along one of its clearly
laid-out trails can be a highlight of any trip. Just make sure
that you don't mind the wet, often stormy weather
of western Washington, which only offers predictably warm temperatures
and blue skies during the summer.
Not quite as rainy as the mountains to the northeast,
the southern coast is flatter and more accessible
but not as appealing, littered with industrial towns and glum
holiday resorts. The nearest worthwhile destination lies a few
hours east, where you can marvel at the wasted volcanic scenery
of Mount St Helens .
Much drier and more desolate, the sprawling prairie-plateau
that makes up most of eastern Washington is a
long, slow grind with little of interest, though if a cross-country
trek takes you through Spokane , the Grand
Coulee Dam is worth a detour. Otherwise you're only likely
to come out here if you're traveling the Cascade loop, a memorable
400-mile round-trip through the stunning Cascade Mountains
.
