Top Things to do in Washington
Top Hotels in Washington
- 1. Hyatt Regency Seattle
- 2. Staypineapple, The Maxwell Hotel, Seattle Center
- 3. Hyatt At Olive 8
- 4. Cedarbrook Lodge
- 5. The Paramount Hotel
- 6. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, WA
- 7. Mayflower Park Hotel
- 8. Lotte Hotel Seattle
- 9. Mediterranean Inn
- 10. Coast Gateway Hotel
What to do and see in Washington, United States: The Best Points of Interest & Landmarks
Discover the best top things to do in Washington, United States including Hurricane Ridge, Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center, Orcas Island Pottery, Whitman College, Iskcon Vedic Cultural Center, Space Needle, Front Street Park, Seattle Center.
Restaurants in Washington
1. Hurricane Ridge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,790 reviews
A 17-mile stretch of winding road through dense forests and alpine ice-covered peaks.
Reviewed By Panda_Bear_Will
My wife and I visited Olympic National Park six years ago on a single day excursion from Seattle; we were able to see Lake Crescent and the Hoh Rain Forest briefly on that trip and I knew I needed to return one day to explore the park more fully. The Hurricane Ridge Road was closed on that previous visit, so returning to see it and hike the entire Hoh River Trail to the Blue Glacier on Mt. Olympus became bucket-list items shortly thereafter. I was able to return to Olympic and spend six full days exploring it as fully as possible. This review will really cover the park as a whole rather than Hurricane Ridge, but the 17 mile road which is easily accessible from Port Angeles is definitely a must-see for any visitor. Olympic is really divided into 3 distinct ecosystems: the mountains, surrounding rain forests, and coastal beaches. In order to get the true Olympic experience, a person should make it a point to dedicate at least a full day to each region. The sheer size of the park requires a good deal of driving to hit each individual region; one will mostly traverse the perimeter the park on Highway 101 and several roads leading deeper into the interior will allow access to areas such as Hoh, Quinault, So Duc, etc. Port Angeles to the north of the park provides the most choices when it comes to food and lodging; the western part of the park is serviced by the small town of Forks and to the extreme southwest, Aberdeen. The eastern edge of the park doesn't have much in the way of points of interest within the park besides some lesser-used trails, but it is a pleasant drive with occasional small towns like Hoodsport worth exploring for a bit. Distances between these points of interest are considerable as you're looking at a several hour drive between them. There are enough gas stations and other services that you're never quite "off the grid" for that long, but having a good idea of the layout of the park will save unneeded driving (though the scenery is usually so lush and inviting that the miles kind of melt after awhile). With that said, the following provides the highlights of the park, IMO, while doing so in a logical counter-clockwise fashion for people driving in from Seattle: 1) Hurricane Ridge. On a clear day, the views of the Olympic Mountain range are pretty amazing from the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center. The key word is "clear". Olympic is famous for its considerable rainfall and chances are you will encounter rain at several points throughout the day even during the summer. I recommend following the weather forecast and allowing for a possible return trip to Hurricane Ridge, if necessary. The first day I visited, clouds and rainfall offered tantalizing glimpses of the mountains beyond but nothing more. I return the next day and was treated to glacier-covered mountains and a lush alpine scene that was delightful to hike just around the parking lot (managed to see a hare, deer, and marmot within 10 minutes of the short hikes adjacent to the parking lot). Unfortunately, the Hurricane Hill trail further beyond the visitor center was closed for restoration. This area is the highlight of Olympic for me. 2) Lake Crescent. Returning to Highway 101 and heading west, the highway will eventually hug the shores of this large lake with mountains surrounding it. A popular short but very steep hike up Mt. Storm King will challenge even the more fit hikers (to reach its true summit, one must use several ropes for assistance). The highest waterfall within the park, Marymere Falls is also a short walk from the lake parking lot. 3) Rialto Beach. With its mountain ranges and lush rain forests, its easy to overlook the third aspect of Olympic NP which is actually very unique within the National Park system: the extended coastline of undeveloped wilderness. There are actually three areas of such coast line which are part of the park: the far northwestern reaches of Washington state which will include Lake Ozette, Rialto Beach which is west of the town of Forks, and the beaches running along Highway 101 in the southwestern portion of the park. I visited Rialto Beach and was treated to a leisurely hike along a beach trail leading to a rock arch (called "Hole in the Wall"), various other rock formations, and tide pools. This is some of the last extended undeveloped wild coast line within the US and is definitely worth a visit for anybody with several days to visit the park. 4) Hoh River Rain Forest: Upon my visit several years ago, I was most bummed to only spend about 30 minutes in this legendary forest which is often described as "enchanted" and "fairy-tale like". The Hoh River Trail extends for 17 miles (actually closer to 20 per several apps and devices I used to judge the distance) to the Blue Glacier on Mt. Olympus. For years, I dreamed of not only returning to the forest, but backpacking the trail all the way to the end. I was able to do so and while it was a very rewarding experience, I can say that the rain forest scenery and vibe does become a bit redundant after several miles. Most visitors will likely go no more than to 5 Mile Island for a day hike (the trail is very flat, so covering such distance is not much of a chore) and I believe that's sufficient. For those looking to backpack beyond, the trail remains flat to the 12.4 mile marker before climbing in elevation to Elk Lake. Beyond that, Glacier Meadows campsite beckons, but not before climbing down an unnerving ladder required to navigate a rock slide which wiped out the old trail. The climb to the Glacier itself is considerable and the distance (especially with a full backpack) makes this quite the workout. However, it was a lifetime experience that I'll cherish forever. For non-backpackers, the Hoh Forest is one of the more easily accessible rain forests within the park, but the scenery is pretty similar for most of them: lots of lush vegetation. 5) Lake Quinault. A scenic lake with some of the few actual lodgings within the park boundaries. This area also provides access to several more trails, both short and long distance, that seemed very enticing. In conclusion, Olympic may not get the headlines of more noted parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon, but its lush surroundings and highly varied landscapes makes this one of the best parks in America.
2. Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 220 reviews
The Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox is located in beautiful downtown Spokane, WA, in the heart of the Lilac City's entertainment district. The Theater opened in 1931, as a 2300-seat movie theate. The recently renovated Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, which seats approximately 1600 today, has promoted the arts, enthralling and entertaining old and young across the decades. Today, the theater exemplifies Spokane's rich and vibrant performing arts scene, housing the Spokane Symphony, as well as acclaimed entertainers, dance troupes, musical acts, and theater talents.
Reviewed By lisamS5739CY
Gorgeous theater in Art Deco design. The sound quality is also wonderful. I have attended many events at this theater and am always impressed. There is also a lounge area with tables to relax and visit. This a great size theater for the symphony. Other venues are too large and not intimate.
3. Hanford Nuclear Reservation
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 189 reviews
Reviewed By cindyo927 - West Richland, United States
This is a very informative tour, and full of history. Learned a few things that I had never realized from living around here, that I thought were odd..........the tour explained :-)
4. Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 132 reviews
Due to the heightened level of caution regarding Coronavirus, the Renewable Energy Center will remain closed for the duration of 2020, however visitors can continue to explore the outdoor exhibits. Recreation at Wild Horse with a current Recreation Access Permit will be allowed starting May 5th. Permits can be filled out online. With the safety of our staff and visitors in mind, we have made the difficult decision to keep the Wild Horse Renewable Energy Center closed for the remainder of 2020. Visitors can still explore the exhibits outside of the visitor center, or fill out a free access permit on our website, if they want to recreate on the property.
Reviewed By annh867 - Shoreline, United States
You've seen the Wild Horse monument and may even have stopped when driving along I-90. You've seen the wind turbines from afar. But this visitor center is a chance to see them up close and learn about our great state taking advantage of wind and solar energy. I went for a conference at the visitor center (free for groups and centrally located for a state meeting!) but was able to take breaks to tour the facility, view the grandiose turbines up close, and view Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens from a distance If you have a spare hour between eastern and western Washington, I highly recommend this free informative visitor center stop.
5. Orcas Island Pottery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 340 reviews
Reviewed By karencN3549PQ - Defiance, United States
Once you take the drive down the path you find a beautiful setting with a great display of pottery throughout the yard and shop.
6. Whitman College
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 88 reviews
Reviewed By F6070JJsandral
Interesting vegetation, different on each block. Beautifully maintained and wonderful area to walk, close to the hotels.
7. Iskcon Vedic Cultural Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 4 reviews
Reviewed By SadhanaRakesh - Recife, Brazil
Very peaceful worship place, seek blessings of Lord Krishna, Lord Rama and learn Vedic culture of living. The Statues of the Lord are very attractive and atmosphere is very peaceful. They have all the week programs published on their website. They offer Yoga classes, Classical Dance Classes, Hindi Classes, Vedic Math, Devotional Rhymes & Songs, Vedic studies.
8. Space Needle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 19,059 reviews
Seattle’s “must see” is now a “must do” following the Space Needle’s multimillion-dollar renovation. Glide onto The Loupe, the world’s first and only rotating glass floor, for never-before-seen views of the structure and the city. Lean into tilting glass walls on the open-air deck and float over Seattle on one of 24 angled Skyriser glass benches. Sip and sample the Pacific Northwest’s best while savoring the thrilling views. The future. Now open.
Reviewed By janinep851
We went on a Thursday and there was no line to access the Space Needle. A very fast elevator ride took us to top levels, which offered stunning views of Seattle and its surrounding countryside plus the ocean and Mt. Rainier. This is a super way to get your bearings on the city. The "glass" floor takes a little getting used to but you quickly learn to love it and the views it affords. We didn't eat at the restaurant but saw an accessible area for grabbing drinks. It's well worth the short time it takes to do this activity.
9. Front Street Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 381 reviews
This urban park hosts lots of outdoor activities year round.
Reviewed By jstally - Kennewick, United States
perfect sledding hills for the kids right downtown and in the evenings it’s all lit up with Christmas lights! also the gazebo has heaters in it to warm up when the family gets cold
10. Seattle Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,506 reviews
Connect to the extraordinary at Seattle Center, an active civic, arts and family gathering place, centered around the International Fountain, in the core of our region and the site of the 1962 World’s Fair. More than 30 cultural, educational, sports and entertainment organizations that reside on the grounds, together with a broad range of public and community programs, create thousands of events on the 74-acre campus and attract over 12 million visitors each year. At Seattle Center, our purpose is to create exceptional events, experiences and environments that delight and inspire the human spirit to build stronger communities. Activities at the Center generate $1.15 billion in business activity and $387 million in labor income.
Reviewed By Canucksontheloose - Victoria, Canada
A lot of attractions are located at the Seattle Centre, and then some. We were coming here mainly for Chihuly Glass and Garden, the Space Needle, and the Museum of Pop Culture, all within walking distance of each other. The monorail ends/starts here. There is also the Pacific Science Centre, McCaw Hall venue (ballet, opera), the Armory (Food Court, festivals, activities), and free venues like the International Fountain, Artists at Play playground, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Centre, gardens, etc. It's the site of the 1962 World's Fair so it's a place of historic significance. Lots of tourists come here but it is also a community gathering place where festivals, movies and concerts are held. When we visited after Christmas, it was Winterfest, with an electric train complete with village to admire in the Armory, plus daily free performances on stage inside. Loved the festive vibe and would come back here again!
