Washington state what to see
Tourist and Cultural Places – The major cultural institutions of the state of Washington are located in Seattle, among them the Seattle Museum of Art, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, the Thomas Burke Museum, the Henry Art Gallery, the Pacific Science Center, the Frye Museum of Art, the Museum of History and Industry, the Washington State Historical Society and the Tacoma Museum of Art.
San Juan Islands — The island of San Juan is the most populous and touristic of the islands of the archipelago. Friday Harbor, where the ferries dock, is the county seat of San Juan County and the only true city on all the islands. Friday Harbor’s simple timber framed buildings date back to the late 20th century and today house numerous shops, restaurants, motels and inns. Whale watching is one of the most popular summer activities in San Juan. At the Whale Museum, you can observe skeletons and models of whales, and learn all about the killer whales in the area.
- Collegetoppicks.com: Offers a list of top engineering schools in Washington.
Roche Harbor, once home to large limestone quarries that supplied much of the west coast. Many of the old quarry structures are still visible, giving this area a declining industrial look, but among the abandoned machinery is the historic Hotel de Haro, a simple whitewashed wooden building with verandas on its two floors. Also worth seeing is the old port and the colorful gardens; the hotel’s lounge deck is one of the best places on the island to have a drink.
South of Roche Harbor, San Juan Island National Historical Park commemorates the San Juan Island Pig War, one of North America’s most unusual and lesser-known fights.
Mt. Rainier National Park — Surrounded by ancient forests and wildflower meadows. Declared a National Monument in 1997, the park has rustic National Park Service structures dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. In summer it is a destination for hikers, climbers and campers, while in winter it is a paradise for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Olympic National Park is famous as the site of Mount Olympus for its dense forest and herds of elk.
Dotted with snow capped mountain peaks, lakes, waterfalls, rivers and rainforests. The central belt is covered by the Olympic Mountains chain of glaciers. West Peak, one of the three peaks of Mount Olympus, at 2428m is the highest peak in the chain. The central structures of the park are located in Port Angeles, a port town.
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument — On the morning of May 18, 1980 Mount St. Helens literally exploded. The park was created in 1982 to allow a spontaneous reconstruction of the environment, while encouraging tourism and education. Streets and paths allow tourists to visit this region by car and on foot. On the west side of the mountain, Highway 504 leads to tourist centers documenting the disaster and recovery efforts in the area.
North Cascades Highway — The North Cascades Highway is the northernmost mountain road in Washington state. It is a 213km section of Hwy 20 between Winthrop in the east and 1-5 in the west. It cuts North Cascades National Park in two, giving you access to many natural wonders of this ecosystem, dotted with snow-capped peaks, wooded valleys and waterfalls. The entire road section is open from mid-April to mid-October. Along the way you will find the Ross Lake Overview, a panoramic point from which to admire the lake. At an altitude of 1669 m you come across the Washington Pass Overlook from which you can admire the cliffs of the pass and Liberty Bell Mountain. The park has several glaciers and interesting wildlife, with white-headed eagles, gray wolves, and bears. Many paths connect the
Deception Pass is another popular park. Washington state also offers two National Historic Parks (San Juan Island and part of the Klondike Gold Rush), two National Historic Sites (Fort Vancouver and the Whitman Mission), and three National Recreational Areas (Coulee Dam, Lake Chelan, and Ross Lake).
Curiosity – The most important artistic associations and organizations are the symphony orchestras of Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane, the Seattle Opera, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Seattle Repertory Theater and the Contemporary Theater, also in Seattle.
Washington state has teams in major US professional leagues: the Seattle Mariners in baseball, the Seattle Seahawks in American football the Seattle Supersonics and the Golden State Warriors in basketball.
- Localcollegeexplorer.com: Provides a complete list of two year community colleges in Washington.
Olympia – capital of the state of Washington
Olympia, the capital of the state of Washington, and port located on the Budd inlet of the Puget Strait, at the mouth of the Deschutes River. The main products of the city are wooden, metal and food items, paper containers and prefabricated houses. The administration of the state, tourism, fishing, the Fort Lewis military reserve and the large brewery of the nearby town of Tumwater are important to the economy of the city.
Among the places of interest in Olympia, the Sylvester House, built in 1856; and the architectural ensemble of the Capitol, built between 1911 and 1935, which includes the buildings of the legislative and judicial power, and four other buildings of the administration that dominate the port. This campus is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the country. The State Capital Museum traces the history of the early pioneers of the state of Washington, thanks also to the collection of photographs and documents. Tree-lined streets, old houses, a picturesque harbor and an active cultural environment help create Olympia’s charm. Among the historic buildings in the center are shops, restaurants and galleries. Within a short distance there are interesting locations such as Olympia Farmers Market, which has local produce, fish and handicrafts, as well as restaurants and night clubs. Percival Landing, a 2.5 km walkway along the Budd Inlet, allows you to admire the Olympic Mountains, the dome of the Capitol, Puget Sound and the Port of Tacoma.
In the vicinity of the city are Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park, as well as the higher education institutions of Evergreen State College and Saint Martin’s College.
This city is located in a region inhabited from its origins by the Nisqually people, the city was founded by the population of European origin in 1840, when a community called Smithfield was founded. The construction of the new city began around 1850 and was renamed Olympia, due to the beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding Olympic mountains. In 1880 it was connected with other important cities by the branch of the Pacific railway line.
