If you want the best views of Seattle without paying a ridiculous price to ride up an elevator, head to Kerry Park. Located on an upscale street in the Queen Anne neighborhood, the park is the perfect place to watch the sunset.
The Ballard Locks are a fun place to visit while in Seattle. It’s also one of the city’s top tourist attractions.
Woodinville, a small town just a half hour from Seattle, has become a destination for wine enthusiasts. It makes a great day trip from Seattle combined with Snoqualmie Falls.
Snoqualmie Falls is one of the most popular natural attractions in Washington. It’s located only a half hour drive from Seattle and can be combined with a wine tasting trip to nearby Woodinville.
The Trail of the Shadows at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington gives visitors a good look into the history of the park. Located in the Longmire area, it’s a ¾ mile loop trail that starts across the street from the National Park Inn. It travels through the old James Longmire homestead, settled in 1883, 16 years before the park was established.
The road from Nisqually to Paradise, in the southwest corner of Mount Rainier National Park, has a few places to stop and hike, or just enjoy the natural scenery.
The Paradise area of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington was named by James Longmire’s daughter, who upon seeing it exclaimed “Oh, what a paradise!”. It’s a fitting name, as there aren’t many places in the country as beautiful.
16 years before Mount Rainier National Park was established in 1889, James Longmire built a 13 mile long trail from Ashford to a hot springs he discovered in what is now know as the Longmire Historic District. By 1890, he had built cabins and a small hotel, attracting up to 500 guests each summer by the turn of the century. His family also built a trail to the Paradise area, six miles away.
Iconic Mount Rainier is the centerpiece of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. The snow-capped volcano is just the beginning of what you can see and do while visiting. The park offers over 260 miles of incredible hiking trails, waterfalls, pristine lakes, and plenty of outdoor activities.
Tiny Ashford, Washington, is just west of the main entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. It makes a great base for visiting the park if you don’t plan to stay within its boundaries.