The Pacific Northwest offers many varied travel activities and destinations that could easily be broken up into several trips, without doing the same thing twice. From hiking along majestic mountainsides to enjoying a pint of local craft beer, there is something for everyone in the Northwest.
As the largest city in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle offers a laid-back metropolitan pace for visitors. More touristy destinations include the Space Needle, the Experience Music Project/Science Fiction Museum, Pike Place Market and an evening cruise along the Puget Sound. With a range of regularly occurring events including the annual Bumbershoot music festival in September, the Ballard SeafoodFest in July and the Seattle International Film Festival in June, there is never a shortage of things to do throughout the city.
A wealth of opportunities are available within a short drive of Seattle. Just two to three hours away, Mount Rainier National Park offers some of the country's finest hiking and backcountry camping along glaciers and waterfalls. Each season offers different vistas and experiences. If you would like to stay closer to town, Woodinville is home to more than 70 wineries and is just a half hour from downtown Seattle. Avoid drinking and driving with several tours that allow you to taste a few of the celebrated wines produced in the region. Beer lovers fear not, as several breweries dot the Woodinville landscape as well.
The "Keep Portland Weird" spirit thrives in the city famous for its International Rose Test Garden, Portland Art Museum (the northwest's oldest museum) and the 24 Hour Church of Elvis. Coffee addicts will enjoy Stumptown Coffee Roasters, while tea lovers will thoroughly appreciate The Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants. Budget-minded travelers will bask in Portland's several farmer's markets --- especially the city's Saturday Market --- First/Last Thursday art walks and the hundreds of acclaimed food carts found on both sides of the Willamette River. Do not forget the sales tax-free shopping, which allows you to save a few dollars.
Portland is surrounded by beautiful countryside, vineyards and wildlife preserves. Just a short drive away is the Oregon Coast, which offers an often treacherous look at the Pacific Ocean. Sleepy seaside towns and quaint tourist destinations --- such as Astoria, Lincoln City, Newport and Seaside --- dot the coast, offering both secluded retreats and bustling boardwalks. The Willamette Valley (pronounced will-am-it) serves as the Northwest's most productive wine and hop country, where many wineries and breweries open their tasting rooms to the public.
Just a couple hours from Seattle, including the border crossing, sits Vancouver, Canada, where the 2010 Winter Olympics were held. While a passport is required for entry, both the scenic drive and the destination make exploring this idea well worth the trip. For those without a car, Amtrak offers two trains each day from Seattle and Portland, and Vancouver's public transportation can get you to almost any destination in the city. Just a short drive from the city is Whistler, which offers snowboarding, skiing and other mountain activities.
