Washington is a state in the Pacfic Norwest of the USA. It is bordered by British Columbia, Oregon and Idaho.

July 2012

SEATTLE (608,660)

Coffee, coffee, coffee….Starbuck’s everywhere….people walking w/coffee everywhere …. it all began here. And, water, water, water….Puget Sound, rivers, lakes, falls, etc…this is Seattle. But, it’s also clean, green, hilly and chilly….normal summer AM weather …55-60, then it warms up in the 70s. Quite comfortable and a very pleasant city. We only experienced one day of rain, but we understand that happens often. Our hotel was in the Westlake Center area, so we were able to walk to the 5th Ave Theatre where Les Miserables was playing. Fortunately there were two available great seats, and we jumped at the chance, even though we had seen the show numerous times.

SEA-TAC Int’l Airport servicing both Seattle/Tacoma has a light rail that goes from the airport and connects to downtown areas; it is inexpensive. There is also a monorail that goes from Westlake Center to the Seattle Center where the Space Needle is located….also inexpensive. Busses are free, running downtown from 6AM to 7PM. The waterfront is a bustling thoroughfare. Washington State ferries function daily and are comparable to NYC subways in that they are used daily for commuters who live on the islands and work in the city. Cruises leave Puget Sound hourly for nearby islands or towns. We did not rent a car in Seattle; we used public transportation and the ferries. Don’t miss the following places, should you visit.

PIKE PLACE MARKET

A vibrant market with produce, baked goods, cheese, chowders, fishmongers’ salmon-flinging w/entertainment, craft stalls w/int’l hand-made items, restaurants, clothing, accessories, fresh flowers, street musicians et al. This landmark is opened every day, and you could spend hours examining the goodies. Rachel, a bronze pig, greets you at the entrance. She is the market’s unofficial mascot.

SPACE NEEDLE

The Needle was created in 1962 for the World’s Fair. It views Puget Sound, the Cascades, Olympic Mts., and on a clear day, Mt. Rainier can be seen. It is 605 ft. high; the observation deck is at 520 ft. We had lunch in the 360 degree rotating restaurant on a very clear day and had a perfect view of Mr. Rainier. Outside the Needle is Seattle Center and lovely grounds. The gardens and Chihuly glass museum (created by Dale Chihuly) are at the base of the center.

THE UNDERGROUND TOUR in PIONEER SQUARE

These subterranean sidewalks and turn-of 20th century storefronts were created when street levels were raised 8 to 35 ft. after the 1889 fire that destroyed much of Seattle’s waterfront. The tour begins in a restored 1890s saloon in Pioneer Square. Pioneer Square is the historic district and oldest neighborhood. Explore cobblestone parks, Victorian bldgs., the huge totem pole in the shady park where this tour emanates. The pole was carved by the Tlingit Indians and there is a statue of Chief Setitleh (Seattle), for whom the city is named.

YE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP

This is located down at the water front near many restaurants. It is a tourist trap but is filled with items you might find in Grandma’s attic.

CHINATOWN

If you have extra time, take the light rail to Chinatown. But don’t expect to see anything like Chinatown in NYC, San Fran or Vancouver. It’s not that big.

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND

We took a 30 minute ferry to Bainbridge Island, had breakfast in the Streamline Diner….50s style, walked around a bit, but didn’t find any reason to remain there very long. So we took the ferry back to Seattle, walked up 5th Avenue to the theatre, discovered that Les Miserables had an afternoon show. We were able to get good reasonable seats to see the show in ten minutes….a great show!

VANCOUVER (161,791)/FORT VANCOUVER

Vancouver is a city on the north bank of the Columbia River. It is the fourth largest city in the state and the oldest city in WA . It was founded in 1824 as Fort Vancouver by the Hudson’s Bay Co. Vancouver shares its name with the larger city of Vancouver located 305 miles north in Canada. Both cities were named in honor of sea captain George Vancouver. Because many Vancouver residents work in Portland, there is significant rush hour traffic congestion on the bridges that cross the Columbia River. The State of Oregon has no sales tax but one of the highest state income taxes. As a result, many Vancouver residents prefer to shop in neighboring Portland where they do not pay sales taxes but live in Vancouver where they do not pay state income tax. For the same reasons, the city is popular with retirees.

FORT VANCOUVER

This was headquarters for the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Columbia Dept., including BC, WA, OR and ID. The trading post also represented Britain’s business/gov’t interests in competition with US.

YAKIMA (91,067)

Yakima is located in the Yakima Valley, an area noted for apple, wine and hop production. The Yakima Valley produces 75% of all hops grown in the US. The valley’s irrigated fields provide a contrast to the surrounding arid foothills. Yakima's growth in the 20th century was fueled primarily by agriculture. The Yakima Valley produces many fruit crops, including apples, peaches, pears, cherries, and melons. Many vegetables are also produced, including peppers, corn and beans. Many of the city's residents have come to the Valley out of economic necessity and to participate in the picking, processing, marketing and support services for the agricultural economy. This was an in-between location for us to stay two nights on the road to Mount Rainier and Leavenworth.

LEAVENWORTH (1,965)

Located at the base of the Cascade Mountains near the western end of the Wenatchee Valley, Leavenworth once prospered as a logging and fruit packing center. By the early 1960s, community leaders promoted it as a tourist destination by capitalizing on its scenic setting. Gradually, it was remodeled to look like a Bavarian Village with flower-filled window boxes and alpine-inspired architecture. Rich in arts and theatre, while we were there, "Sound of Music" was opening in their outdoor theatre in the mountains….how appropriate….and what a great show!

MOUNT RAINIER

At 14,410 ft. high, Mount Rainier is the tallest peak in the Cascade Range and an icon of the Pacific Northwest. The snowy-white peak contains 25 named glaciers…the largest glacier system in US, outside of Canada. titlehough Mount Rainier currently is dormant, it is not extinct. It belongs to the class of exploding volcanoes, much like recently awakened Mount St. Helen’s. It is a mountain wonderland famous for its dense forests of Douglas fir, western red cedar and western hemlock. Northeast of of Mount Ranier is Crystal Mountain. Crystal Mountain is a resort community offering year-round recreation. It is Washington’s largest ski area. Take the gondola….a 10 minute ride….and ascend Crystal Mountain to its summit. The 6,782 foot mountain top offers a stunning 360-degree panorama encompassing Mt. Rainier and four other Cascade volcanoes.

MOUNT ST. HELEN’S

Until May 5, 1980, Mount St. Helen’s was one of Washington’s snow-cropped crown jewels, and Spirit Lake was a recreation center used for campers. At 8:30 AM, an eruption of incredible force blew the top 1313 ft. and much of the North Face off the Mount. Smoke and ash shot up 80,000 ft. into the air, and a mile-wide avalanche raised Spirit Lake over 200 ft. and laid over the top of the forests. Mud and logs surged down the river and 57 people lost their lives.

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

These islands comprise 172 islands ranging in size from mere rocky islets to 57 sq. mile Orcas Island. State ferries provide daily service between the ports of Friday Harbor, Anacortes, Lopez, Shaw and Orcas as well as to Sidney, British Columbia. Friday Harbor, the largest town, is a bustling port of call for ferries and other boats.

San Juan Island is the most populated of the islands with most people living in the communities of Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor. We took a ferry from the very busy terminal in Anacortes…arrived at 9AM and had to wait until 12 noon for the next ferry to Friday Harbor. This harbor is very picturesque with shops, galleries, theaters, museums, restaurants and ice cream spots. It is a true tourist haven! Since we came here as passengers on the ferry without our car, we were limited as to what we could do or see on the island. My suggestion to anyone traveling there would be to take their car, for I think there is a lot to see beyond Friday Harbor.

BELLINGHAM (80,885)

Bellingham is a vibrant little city, an active shipping port….near the cruise terminal where Alaska ferries dock….having a large commercial and private boat marina. It has an impressive collection of Victorian and craftsman-style homes; the Eldridge historic district is known for its stately mansions. Bellingham is known to have the highest number of artists per capita in the nation after Santa Fe….as the many live-music venues and galleries will attest. Historic Fairhaven, an 1890s district on Bellingham Bay is at the heart of the city. It is one of those authentic places where visitors connect with hometown values, variety and warm inviting spirit.

PORT TOWNSEND(9,113)

By the 1880s, this town had become an important shipping port and was expected to grow into one of the most important cities on the West Coast. This was based on the railroad connecting through the area, thus real estate speculation and development boomed. Victorian homes on the bluff above the wharf district were constructed. Merchants and investors erected mercantile palaces and elaborate Victorian homes. But, the railroad never arrived…..it went to Tacoma. Today the port is one of only three Victorian seaports in the US. It still has the lovely architecture and elegant mansions uptown and a working waterfront with two marinas at either end of town. Shops and galleries abound both downtown and uptown, including an adorable Nifty 50s spot. The port is now known as the Paris of the Northwest….and is one of our favorite places.

WHIDBEY ISLAND

This island, south of the San Juans and Deception Pass, shares the character and leisurely lifestyle of the rest of the islands. It is the largest island in Puget Sound. Numerous bays and coves are popular with boaters and fishermen. Deception Pass Bridge and ferries from Port Townsend provide access to the island. One of the communities on the island …. Coupeville… is one of the oldest towns in the state. West of the town is a 4-mile scenic route that winds along the shores of Penn Cove.

TACOMA (198,397)

Nicknamed the city of destiny, early settlers hoped that it would rise to greatness by being designated the end of the line for the Northern Pacific RR. The bay was indeed chosen as the western terminus in 1873 to the dismay of the Port Townsend people. Today, it is often overlooked by travelers for Seattle, home of the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, etc. However, Tacoma has a claim to fame with their Bridge of Glass which passes over I-705, connecting the revitalized waterfront and Pacific Avenue; it is a pedestrian walkway. Dale Chihuly, a native son, is the artisan, and he has displayed pieces individually in a showcase along a Venetian Wall in the overpass. There is also a WA university campus in the same area. titlehough we did not get to see their theatres, we understand that the Pantage Theatre was modeled after the lavishly opulent theatre in the Versailles Palace in France. Nor did we get to see the Spanish Steps, modeled after those in Rome.

Five miles NW of Tacoma via the Narrows Bridge is Gig Harbor (7,126), a picturesque city with a bay front and the flavor of a small fishing village Its body of water is a long, narrow inlet of Puget Sound. Boats fill the harbor and marinas; downtown businesses wind around the streets on Harborview Drive.

OLYMPIA 19,875)

As you approach Olympia, the dome of the State Legislative Bldg rises up above the old evergreens. Completed in 1928, this bldg. was the last great domed bldg to be built in the US. The Capitol campus has lavish gardens, classic artwork, a Temple of Justice and the Governor’s mansion. It is a very striking capitol with lovely landscaping.

Washington Photo Gallery

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