There are far fewer people at the beaches in Oregon than in California, but Highway 101 running right along much of the coast here channels tourist from all over the state to sea-side resorts. Towns on that route have all the cheap t-shirts you could want, but my favorite places in Oregon are off of a road less traveled.
Cape Kiwanda is located just outside Pacific City and is the southern most cape in the three capes scenic route. It is a popular location for surfers, wakeboarders, and beachcombers.
These locks provide passage for boats transiting between Puget Sound and the fresh water estuary of Seattle's Lake Washington. In the autumn the lock's adjacent ladders fill with migrating salmon that are swimming in from the ocean to their headwaters to spawn.
A long crescent-shaped lake along Route 101 on Washington's Olympic Peninsula, Lake Crescent is surrounded by hiking trails for all abilities and is close to the snow-capped mountains, rain forests and hot springs of Olympic National Park
The Astor Column is an Astoria icon, towering 125’ above this historical and scenic little town. You will wind around the roads with gorgeous scenery to Coxcomb Hill.
Only ten minutes from downtown Seattle (by car or by water taxi) Alki Beach offers breathtaking views of the Olympic mountains, the city skyline, the Port of Seattle and the summit of Mt. Rainier.
At the far southeastern corner of Washington State, lies one of the most prolific wine growing regions in the United States. A perfect nexus of geography, climate and sunshine creates the perfect storm for Walla Walla's unique terroir that creates wines of tremendous complexity.
Located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Golden Gardens park offers breathtaking views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. Adjacent to the Shilshole marina, Golden Gardens offers a range of beach and recreation areas as well as recently restored wetlands on its northern beach.
Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington is a 500 acre nature reserve that is owned and managed by the City of Seattle. It is the largest park in the city and it occupies land formerly used by Fort Lawton.