10 of the Most Welcoming Towns in Washington
With its towering mountain ranges and breathtaking bays and inlets, the state of Washington has always been renowned for its geographical splendor; however, there is much more to this jewel of the Pacific Northwest than its natural beauty. Washington--or 'The Evergreen State,' as it is colloquially known--contains a wealth of small towns, villages, and hamlets with a well-earned reputation for welcoming visitors from all walks of life. For outsiders, though, it can be difficult to ascertain exactly where these communities are, what attractions they feature, and what other characteristics make them so special.
Leavenworth
Officially incorporated in 1906, Leavenworth, Washington (population 2,263), was originally settled around the region's lucrative timber industry and was largely built in support of the state's second-largest sawmill. As the decades passed, though, the town's residents thought it wise to diversify their economy and began to focus on attracting tourists. In 1929, a ski jump was unveiled, taking advantage of the community's location next to the stunning Cascade Mountains.
Beginning in the 1960s, Leavenworth made a concerted effort to highlight its Germanic roots. From that point onward, most of the town's new buildings were designed with a Bavarian Alpine theme, giving it a distinctive and folksy charm that has lasted through to the present. These days, Leavenworth is famous for its ski lodges, bed and breakfasts, and an annual Oktoberfest festival that has gained national recognition. For those who love to celebrate the winter holidays all year round, the town is also home to the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, which contains over 5,000 nutcrackers from around the world, some of which date back centuries.
Coupeville
Coupeville is a small seaside town of 1,831 in the center of Whidbey Island in Puget Sound, and it is the county seat of Island County, Washington. Named after Thomas Coupe (a sea captain and early settler of the region), the first incarnation of the town was laid out in the 1850s, making it one of the oldest communities in all of Washington. One of Coupeville's most well-reviewed attractions is the Island County Museum, which houses artifacts and exhibits chronicling the region's rich history. The wharf along Penn Cove is another popular tourist destination, as is the downtown area, which is dotted with lovely restaurants, cafés, and interesting shops. Then there is Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve, which is a rural historical district with a mandate to preserve the historicity of Whidbey Island. The reserve is filled with wildlife and gorgeous maritime scenery and has the distinction of being one of only three such designated areas in the United States.
And if there was ever any question as to the town's picturesque beauty and quaint charm, Hollywood put such doubts to rest by choosing Coupeville as the backdrop for the 1998 feature film Practical Magic starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman.
Poulsbo
Poulsbo is one of Washington state's improbable artistic centers. A medium-sized town of 11,970 people, Poulsbo punches above its weight in terms of culture, playing host to the Cultural Arts Foundation Northwest, Jewel Box Theater, Kitsap's Children's Musical Theater, Dancing Brush Studio, Front Street Gallery, The Verksted Gallery, and Carrie Goller Gallery. Nestled at the mouth of Liberty Bay, the town also boasts a thriving waterfront district, complete with revitalized docks, kayak and paddle board rental shops, a gorgeous waterfront park, and the fun and educational Sea Discovery Center aquarium.
For those curious to learn about the town, a trip to the Poulsbo Heritage Museum, Naval Undersea Museum (across Liberty Bay), Poulsbo Maritime Museum, or Martinson Cabin Historical Society is definitely merited. All these institutions have the history of Poulsbo on full display, with a special emphasis on its Norwegian origins, as well as its past role as a fishing and sailing hub. To that end, Poulsbo also holds an annual celebration called Viking Fest each May, featuring food, drink, games, and entertainment highlighting the town's Scandinavian ancestry.
Walla Walla
With 33,927 permanent residents, Walla Walla, Washington, is the largest town on this list, but it still somehow manages to retain the welcoming feel of a small and tight-knit community. A stroll down Walla Walla's downtown reveals a plethora of interesting diversions, including antique stores, vintage clothing shops, bookstores, and eateries. However, the product Walla Walla is known best for is its locally cultivated wine. Located in the south-central portion of Washington state, which happens to be in the heart of the Pacific Northwest's acclaimed grape-growing region, the town is bordered by 100-plus wineries, virtually all of which offer tours, tastings, and meals fit for even the most finicky gourmand.
In what is perhaps a tongue-in-cheek nod to New York City, New York, many locals refer to Walla Walla as "the town so nice they named it twice." In fact, the town's unorthodox moniker has served to magnify its reputation over the years, as Walla Walla has been name-checked in some of the most iconic televised comedy franchises of all time, such as The Three Stooges, Pogo, Loony Tunes, and Merry Melodies.
Winthrop
For those who seek a challenging cross-country skiing getaway but don't wish to stay in an overly packed resort or a busy tourist town, Winthrop, Washington, is an ideal destination. Winthrop is found in a part of the country called the Inland Northwest, which is notable for its humid continental climate, spawning cold, snowy winters ideal for cross-country skiing. Capitalizing on the winter weather, the town is surrounded by 120 miles of pristine ski trails that weave through gorgeous tracts of countryside. During the warmer months, these trails transform into a network perfect for hiking or horseback riding.
As for the community itself, Winthrop straddles the line between a village and a hamlet, with its population fluctuating from about 350 to 400 people depending on the year. So, visitors can expect an overarching atmosphere of calmness, peace, and quiet during their stay. Winthrop also has something of an Old West feel to it, with many of its buildings emulating the style of architecture dominant during the period of Westward Expansion. The village even has its own saloon.
Roslyn
The community of Roslyn, Washington, was initially created as a coal-mining settlement in 1886, but in the 130-plus years since its founding, the small rural village of 1,015 has undergone a fairly pronounced economic shift. After the local coal mine ceased operations in 1963, the residents chose to embrace Roslyn's unorthodox geographical position on the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains and market the village as a tourist destination. A heavy emphasis was put on developing infrastructure for premium, year-round outdoor activities, and as such, Roslyn is now a haven for snowboarders, hikers, and campers alike.
That being said, Roslyn embraces and celebrates its heritage as a coal town, and many vestiges from its coal-mining days remain preserved for visitors to inspect, including old mine shafts, slag heaps, and coal sheds. There is also an annual Coal Miner's Festival showcasing the village's history. Additionally, Roslyn has been used as the outdoor backdrop in numerous high-profile television series, of which The Man in the High Castle, The Runner Stumbles, and Northern Exposure are probably the best known.
Friday Harbor
One of the most perennially popular vacation spots in Washington state is a Pacific Ocean archipelago called the San Juan Islands. Within this chain of 172 islands and reefs tucked between the U.S. mainland and Canada's Vancouver Island, one town in particular seems to capture the imaginations of out-of-state tourists and day-trippers: Friday Harbor. Even though it is the largest and only incorporated town in the entire archipelago, Friday Harbor's total population is only 2,162. But that doesn't mean it's lacking in fun things to do--quite the opposite, in fact. For those who favor sporty or outdoor-based activities, sailing, kayaking, whale-watching safaris, and maritime wildlife tours are available, and the world-class San Juan Golf and Tennis Club is open to the general public. There is also an abundance of cultural options in the town, including an annual film festival, an annual chamber music festival, two major live-action theaters, three art galleries, and an aquarium.
But perhaps one of the largest factors at play in the cultivation of Friday Harbor's reputation as a vacation hotspot is the weather endemic to the region. The San Juan Islands are blessed with a Mediterranean climate, meaning they experience warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Such a climate is exceedingly pleasant, as well as exceptionally rare in North America, and it goes a long way in making Friday Harbor a welcoming tourist town.
Sequim
Sequim is a quaint burgh found at the base of the Dungeness River on the northwestern coast of Washington state. Sequim falls within the rain shadow of the nearby Olympic Mountains, meaning it experiences less than 16 inches of rain each calendar year (approximately the same amount as Los Angeles, California), which is the reason the town adopted 'Sunny Sequim' as its official slogan. But beyond that, the town of 8,241 people is known for its gorgeous natural beauty, positioned as it is between Miller Peninsula State Park, Olympic National Forest, and the breathtakingly beautiful Olympic National Park. Lavender grows wild throughout Sequim, giving the community's streets, fields, and gardens not only a distinctive purple tinge but a pleasing odor as well. To top it all off, 'Sunny Sequim' possesses the longest sand spit in the country, so visitors who feel like going for a beach walk along the Pacific coastline have a great deal of prime waterfront land on which to wander.
North Bend
Once a thriving timber town, since the closure of Weyerhaeuser's Snoqualmie sawmill, North Bend, Washington (population 7,461), has reinvented itself into a quiet bedroom community on the extreme outskirts of the Seattle Metropolitan Area. North Bend is home to an extensive collection of scenic and well-groomed parks and trails, as well as myriad choices for fine dining. The town is also the location of the Northwest Railway Museum, which is the largest and oldest continuously operating railway museum in the state. The museum brings an estimated 88,000 visitors to North Bend each year, and its historic depot and 7.5-acre Railway History Center are widely lauded for their educational value and intricate attention to detail.
North Bend was made internationally famous in the early 1990s when director David Lynch chose it to stand in for the titular town in his smash hit television series Twin Peaks. Twede's Café, which was featured prominently in the series, is still in business today, and anyone inclined can stop in and order a slice of cherry pie and a "damn fine cup of coffee," as immortalized by actor Kyle MacLachlan's portrayal of FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper.
Port Townsend
Rounding out this list, ten of the most welcoming towns in Washington is the 10,148-person strong seaside community of Port Townsend. The county seat of Jefferson County, Port Townsend, is regularly cited by tourism associations and travel publications as a fantastic place to visit. A reader poll by Seattle's KING5 Evening Magazine named the town Best Solo Getaway for 2023, USA Today included Port Townsend in its list of Best Small Town Food Scenes in 2022, and Budget Travel dubbed it one of the Coolest Small Towns in the United States. There are many good reasons for these accolades, such as the town's burgeoning culinary scene, its two National Historic Landmark districts, and its easy access to Fort Worden State Park.
Port Townsend is also noted for hosting two unique yearly festivals; the immersive Brass Screw Consortium Steampunk Festival held every June, wherein participants dress in an exaggerated Victorian aesthetic, and THING, a festival held every August, which features cutting-edge performance and visual artists, as well as alternative musical acts.
The Unmistakable Hospitality of Washington State
When people think about the state of Washington, images of vast forests, majestic mountains, and the Seattle skyline dominated by the famous Space Needle are often what leaps to mind. But there is so much more to 'The Evergreen State.' Many of Washington's best attractions and most delightful surprises are found within the boundaries of the small towns, villages, and hamlets described in the above paragraphs. From the elaborate cross-country skiing trails of Winthrop to the temperate Mediterranean climate of Friday Harbor to the wild lavender patches punctuating the neighborhoods of Sequim, the small towns of Washington state have a great deal to offer visitors--chief among which is the welcoming nature of their inhabitants and businesses.
