Subregions of Washington State

Washington State is commonly divided into six subregions:

1. Puget Sound Region – Western lowlands; Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Olympia; temperate, green, urban.
2. Cascade Range – North–south mountains; Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, North Cascades NP; alpine recreation.
3. Columbia Basin – Central; Yakima, Tri-Cities (Kennewick/Richland/Pasco); agriculture, orchards, wine.
4. Inland Empire – Eastern; Spokane, Pullman, Walla Walla; drier, rolling hills, wheat.
5. Olympic Peninsula – NW; Olympic Mts, Olympic NP; rainforests, rugged coast, wildlife.
6. San Juan Islands – Salish Sea archipelago; San Juan, Orcas, Lopez; whale watching, kayaking.