10 Offbeat Washington Towns To Visit In 2025
America is home to fifty states. Each of these states possess some bizarre attractions worth seeing, like the ‘Ghostbusters Firehouse’ in New York City. The northwestern state of Washington is no exception. From the small town of Sequim and the Dandelion Botanical Company to the small town of Poulsbo and the Licorice Shrine, strange attractions can be found across the expanse of the Evergreen State. Whether it is the Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth or Snoqualmie Tunnel in North Bend, this great state has the ability to astound. Here are ten of the most offbeat Washington towns to visit in 2025.
Sequim
Picturesque Sequim, located along the Dungeness River, is known for its Lavender farms. However, this small town is now home to the Dandelion Botanical Company, which was only recently in Seattle. With over 400 various herbs and ingredients, including scented candles, a vast variety of mushrooms, and several different tinctures, this is the place to shop in Sequim.
Troll haven is another bizarre attraction in the town of Sequim. This establishment has statues featuring every type of mythological creature, including elves, giants, dragons, and of course the ever popular troll. And, in case you still want to see more, check out the local marina. It was a gift to the town from the family of the famous actor and popular icon, John Wayne.
Anacortes
Situated on Fidalgo Island, Anacortes is home to several odd attractions, including Green Point. Green Point is a small piece of the earth’s mantle just off Washington Park on the edge of the Rosario Strait, to the west of downtown Anacortes. While the earth’s mantle is normally between the earth’s crust and its outer core, plate tectonics have helped to shift this small piece to the surface.
Another weird attraction, La Merced Breakwater can be seen along the outer edge of the Anacortes marina. This unique breakwater, created from a shipwreck from 1966, was once a shiny, four-mast schooner built in 1917. It is now one of the most bizarre attractions in the pacific northwest, admired by visitors from as far away as Maine and Florida.
Dayton
The town of Dayton is best known for its architectural buildings, like the train depot, the oldest train depot in the state, and Columbia County Courthouse, the oldest continually used courthouse. This picturesque town is home to the Jolly Green Giant as well. This awesome attraction is about three hundred feet tall and was first created by Green Giant employees in 1993.
Dayton, with less than 3,000 residents, is also home to the Boldman House & Garden, which was first built in 1880 as a three-bedroom house and now stands as a stunning museum honoring the Boldman family. Some of the awesome attributes to this great historic home include stained-glass windows and a 1934 Chevrolet Master Deluxe in the garage.
Ocean Shores
Out of all of the weird attributes found in the town of Ocean Shores, the giant sharkhead that doubles as the front entrance to the idyllic shop Sharky’s might just take first place. Sharky’s sells merchandise not only ocean-oriented but also shark-themed. From t-shirts and sweaters to coffee mugs, key chains, and boogie boards, Sharky’s has everything.
The Galway Bay Irish Restaurant & Pub is another offbeat attraction to check out while visiting Ocean Shores. While one does expect to see a tavern, or possibly even a pub, in a small town within Washington, one does not expect it to be an authentic Irish restaurant & pub, complete with Celtic music, a Gaelic steak or a rack of lamb, and even a Celtic gift shop on the premises.
North Bend
On the outskirts of Seattle, the small town of North Bend is home to a plethora of great attractions, including Goldmyer Hot Springs. Yet this town is also well known for several attractions that are offbeat, to say the least. The 1st in this category is Twede’s Cafe, which was once named, among many other names, the Double R Diner from the television series “Twin Peaks.”
The Snoqualmie Tunnel adds its own share of spooky ambiance to the town of North Bend. The Snoqualmie Tunnel, which is two miles in length, and a part of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail, has been labeled as ‘the darkest hike you’ll do during the daytime.’ It is suggested that you utilize a head-lamp.
Leavenworth
Along the banks of the Wenatchee River, the town of Leavenworth, also known as the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth, has several awesome attributes, beginning with some of the buildings that make up the town. From romantic inns like Haus Hanika, which is an adults-only bed & breakfast chalet on the river, to the Leavenworth Sausage Garten, serving delicious German cuisine, the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth is a sight to see.
Another phenomenal attraction that will astound the entire family, the Greater Leavenworth Museum located on Front Street, also called the Nutcracker Museum, displays any and every type of nutcracker imaginable. This museum possesses a collection of 9,000 different nutcrackers from over fifty different countries. They even have nutcrackers from Roman times and offer daily nutcracker hunts for the kids.
Chelan
Situated at the south-eastern end of Chelan Lake, the town of Chelan is home to one of the most unique statues, an Indian chief riding a horse while hoisting a salmon over his head. This phenomenon is located in a nature park by the name of Beebe Springs Natural Area, and was created by Virgil “Smoker” Marchand.
Another offbeat attraction in the quaint town of Chelan, the Chelan Museum, part of the Lake Chelan Historical Society, displays everything from obituaries and other historic records to a marriage license index. They also have displays of a mining cabin from the Wapato tribe to North American Indian baskets, tools, and old newspapers.
Coupeville
Situated on Whidbey Island, along the southern banks of Penn Cove, the tiny town of Coupeville is perhaps best known for the bizarre event known as the “Haunting of Coupeville.” Each year, during the entire month of October, the whole town gets together to scare the heebeegeebees out of you. From witches and cemeteries to spooky scarecrows and headless horsemen, this event is a thrill for everyone.
Another bizarre attraction, the Island County Historical Museum, which provides a step back into the annals of history, has displays like the 1st Whidbey Island car and 10,000-year-old Mammoth remains. Plus, if you have the time, check out the Price Sculpture Forest. This 16-acre landscape features over twenty different unique sculptures from all over, including a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Soaring Eagle.
Friday Harbor
The town of Friday Harbor, situated on San Juan Island is home to the Spring Street Landing Waterfront and the SJIMA (San Juan Island Museum of Art). The waterfront offers several great attributes, including a 400-gallon mini aquarium and a sculpture of Popeye, a female harbor seal that calls the bay home. SJIMA provides awesome visuals of some of the finest art displayed in Washington.
The Whale Museum is another offbeat attraction that is worthy of a visit. Home of actual whale skeletons, this establishment encourages guests to discover more about the lives of whales. Friday Harbor is also home to Brickworks Plaza in Sunshine Alley, which displays a life-size pig out on the walkway, and presents the San Juan Island Farmers Market every Saturday.
Poulsbo
The small town of Poulsbo, situated on Liberty Bay, is nicknamed as “Little Norway on the Fjord.” This is due to the large population of Scandinavians living there since the town was founded in the late 1800s. Cultural aspects may also influence this unique moniker, as Poulsbo has two Viking statues, and presents several festivities, including Viking Fest in May, which honors all things Nordic.
The Licorice Shrine is another excellent find. Located in Poulsbo’s Marina Market, this fabulous display offers over 500 varieties of licorice, some imported from as far away as Holland and Germany. For more Scandinavian history, the Martinson Cabin, built in the 19th century, magically transports visitors to the 1800s with tools of the fishing trade during that time.
The majestic state of Washington was named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. With a plethora of bizarre attractions, from Green Point (a piece of the earth’s mantle on the surface) in the town of Anacortes to the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth and its unique Scandinavian heritage, it is no wonder that the man who possessed wooden teeth would inspire ten of the most offbeat Washington towns available to visit in 2025.
