My first (and certainly not last) trip to Washington did not disappoint! In this post I’m going to share the details of a week long road trip I took in the spring of 2019. Though most of this trip was spent outside (shocker), obviously some of the things I did while in Seattle may have been impacted by COVID. Make sure if you are planning to visit anytime soon that you check online for any special requirements or closures.
We landed late in Seattle and seeing the city lit up so beautifully got me very excited for what was to come! We woke up early the next morning and headed to the city, first stopping in the University District for breakfast at Morsel for coffee & a craft biscuit sandwich. There was also a local farmers market opening up for the day so we were able to walk around. It's always cool to see the local produce and products that different states have to offer.
Our first stop in Seattle was the Space Needle - because how could you visit and not make a trip to the top? After purchasing tickets and taking a terrifying elevator ride, you are greeted at the top with spectacular 360° views of the city, bay, and all of the surrounding mountains in the distance including Mt. Rainier, Puget Sound, the Cascades, and the Olympic ranges. Knowing I was about to visit all of these places, it was awesome to see them from this perspective first! You can stay at the top for as long as you please and if you're brave enough, you can even walk down some stairs and stand on the all-glass floor.
If you are from Columbus, Ohio like myself, you may have taken a trip to the Franklin Park Conservatory and fallen in love with the beautiful blown glass they have on display in each exhibit. The artist that created these goes by the name of Dale Chihuly and I knew we had to visit the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum that is conveniently right next door to the Space Needle! My mom and I always inadvertently come across his work and it's kind of become our thing to send pictures to each other when we do. Some of these places include the glass ceiling in the Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas as well as Cheekwood Estate and Gardens in Nashville, TN. Even if you aren't an art museum type of person, I promise you would still thoroughly enjoy this exhibit! The displays are so unique and beautiful and will certainly keep your interest. Pictures don't do any of it justice!
It wouldn't be a trip to Seattle if Pike Place Market wasn't on the itinerary. We were getting pretty hungry after our long morning, so what better place to head to than one of the oldest, most well-known markets in the country? You name it, Pike Place has it. Though known for its fish markets, you will discover endless amounts of produce from around 85 different farmers, bakeries, delis, florists, over 200 local artists that sell their artwork and crafts, more than 30 restaurants, even the first Starbucks. Guys, this place is MASSIVE - The Pike Place Market Historical District spans over 9 acres. I wish I had a week just in Seattle only to try everything this place has to offer!
This next stop to the Seattle Underground is for all of you history buffs. I of course always like to hit some of the main attractions at each destination I travel to, but I also like to throw in the ones less popular. The Seattle underground is a network of underground passages that were originally ground level when built in the mid 1800s. Due to the marshy landscape and being so close to the bay, this area was constantly flooding and filled with giant mud pits. After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 destroyed 25 square blocks of wooden buildings, it was decided that construction from then out would require stone or brick. It was also decided that the city would be raised one story higher to prevent the frequent flooding. The roads were paved overtop of the old walkways that lie beneath, creating underground passageways and the old store fronts became basements. Though underground, many merchants continued business on the lower level and glass skywalks were installed on the sidewalks to allow light to pass through. Eventually, the underground became a an area for the homeless, gambling halls, illegal drugs, speakeasies, and prostitution. During the 75 minute tour, a guide will give you a quick preface of the history before walking you through a portion of the underground that has been made safe and accessible to the public. I loved being able to see the old artifacts/signs that were left down here!
Aaaand we're off to Olympic National Park! We loaded up the car and took the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry across the bay, watching the seals and other wildlife while enjoying our morning coffee. I absolutely LOVE marine animals and my next trip to Washington will definitely include a whale watching tour. If you do or have done this - I'm already jealous. Please let me know about your experience!
The drive through Olympic National Park on Hurricane Ridge Road... wow. Even if you don't want to hike, there are endless places to pull off and enjoy the views. Our first stop was at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and I can't even begin to describe the beauty of the Olympic Mountain range. The view from the parking lot seemed too spectacular to even be real! We loved the views here so much that we decided to take a short hike up the Cirque Rim Trail. Please note that even though we went in May, there is still snow in several spots. Dress accordingly!
Sprawling across a whopping 1 million acres, you have a lot of ground to cover if you want to fully take in Olympic National Park. Since we already got to see the panoramic mountain views, our next stop in the park was on the coast. If you've looked up pictures of Washington State or watch a lot of nature documentaries, you will definitely recognize Ruby Beach. Located close to Forks, WA (where my fellow Twilight fans at?), you will find the most beautiful coastline filled with huge rock formations, stacks of driftwood, and endless tidepools. To get down to the beach, you will park and walk .25 miles. At the end of the path you will cross over piles of driftwood, so watch your step!
Less than an hour away from the coast is the Hoh Rainforest - a very unique ecosystem that has remained unchanged for thousands of years making it the most carefully preserved rain forest in the northern hemisphere. We chose to hike the Hall of Mosses Trail which was roughly .8 miles and let me tell you, I have never experienced anything quite like this dreamy place. You will feel like you've taken a trip back in time, everything is blanketed with lush green moss and other vegetation.
Four decades ago, the most destructive eruption in modern U.S. history was unleashed by Mount St. Helens. Expelling over 520 million tons of ash, the volcano's explosion traveled nearly 2,000 miles across the country. The largest debris avalanche in recorded history killed 57 people and wiped away most of the mountain's northern face. Standing in front of Mt. St. Helens and seeing landmarks of the vast destruction is chilling. The site has been transformed into a monument with visitor centers, hiking trails, viewpoints and opportunities for boating, camping, horseback riding and more. Trees have regrown on the side of the blast site, the highways were rebuilt and to the untrained eye, one wouldn’t guess that a deadly eruption occurred here 40 years ago.
What an enduring reminder of nature’s power! I would have loved to do a hike here and take more photos, but we were just passing through. Maybe next time 😊
We just couldn't get enough of Washington's beautiful volcanoes, so our last stop was to Mt. Rainier National Park. Unfortunately it was extremely overcast during our visit and we weren't able to fully enjoy the views of Mt. Rainier, but this was still one of my favorite parts of our trip. Our first hike was an easy one on the Grove of the Patriarchs Trail. This trail is roughly 1.2 miles roundtrip, and you will cross a beautiful suspension bridge over the Ohanapecosh River and follow the boardwalk to the site of ancient trees more than 300 ft. tall.
Everywhere you turn in Mt. Rainier National Park, there is a breathtaking waterfall. The first one we stopped at was Narada Falls. A convenient parking lot and a short trail is the only thing that stands between you and this massive, two-tiered waterfall. Photos don't do the size of this waterfall justice - if you look closely you can see the tiny people standing on the bridge at the top! Caution - the walk to the lower falls is a steep decline and there was a bit of snow even in May, so wear proper shoes.
Our next hike was to Carter Falls - a 2.8 roundtrip, moderate hike that takes you on a log footbridge across the Nisqually River, through a dreamy Douglas fir forest. You can end your trip at Carter Falls, or extend it another .2 miles and add Madcap Falls. Keep an eye out for slugs literally the size of your hand!
When seeing pictures of Washington, you always see the most beautiful, bright blue, glacier fed alpine lakes nestled in the heart of the mountains. I knew this had to be on the hiking agenda and I found a beautiful trail to Blanca Lake. I think we underestimated this 7.5 mile round trip hike 😅 The road that leads to the parking lot/trailhead was closed so we had to walk it which tacked on what felt like another mile to our hike (felt like a lifetime before we even got to the actual trail). We found out later into our hike why the road was closed when struggling to cross a rapid stream that had taken over. Once making it to the trail, we were met with endless switchbacks that seemed to never end. Guys, I've done Angels Landing in Zion, I can respect a switchback. But these.... took forever. You gain 3,000 ft. in under 3 miles and we weren't sure that we could even make it up and back before sunset. If you were to do this trail, I would set aside an entire day (at least 8 hours) if you want to make it there and enjoy the view a while before heading back. We made it about 3 hours in and decided to turn around. Here's a screenshot of the trail on Google maps so you can be the judge if I'm exaggerating or not LOL and a photo of the lake (not my photo) for reference if you want to do this!
After seeing photos of the cutest little German town with beautiful Alpine buildings I knew we had to visit for at least one night before flying back out of Seattle. I will certainly be visiting Leavenworth again in the future, hopefully for an Oktoberfest 🤞🏼 I could spend hours in the Christmas shops and eating/drinking everything German. From May-October they also hold Village Art in the Park where local artists display and sell their work. Obviously I was in heaven looking around and didn't take many photos, but I did purchase some prints from an incredibly talented WA native artist - Whiskey Jack Designs. This town is a MUST visit while in Washington!
Ok ok, of course we found time for one more hike - this one just so happened to be on my 27th birthday! Located about 15 minutes from downtown Leavenworth you will find the Sauer's Mountain Trail. This is a moderate, uphill path but offers beautiful panoramic views once at the top. The trail gets a tad confusing when it intersects with an old logging road and you have to pretty much rock climb to continue the path. You will see plenty of wildlife including deer and )hopefully not) bears, and beautiful wildflowers if visiting in the spring. This trail is made possible by the landowner Leonard Sauer who hand paved this trail and does all of the upkeep. At the end of our hike, we were fortunate enough to meet him sitting at a table with his adorable pup, Blue Lady. He loves talking to hikers and telling stories about his beautiful land. Unfortunately while typing this post, I just saw his obituary and learned of his passing on 1/1/21. He was the sweetest man and I am so happy that my parents and I had the pleasure of talking with him!
That's all she wrote for Washington State. I hope you guys enjoyed this post and get the chance to visit some of these amazing destinations! Don't forget to tag me if you do - @jessica.lee.travels 😊
Some of these prints are available for purchase as instant hi-res digital downloads - visit my Etsy shop to check them out https://www.etsy.com/shop/jessicaleephotos
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