7 Most Memorable Small Towns In Washington
Washington is full of memorable places, with many towns and villages waiting to be discovered and rich history waiting to be learned and appreciated. Each of these towns has something unique that sets them apart from each other and from towns in other states throughout the country. Towns like Ellensburg have thriving art scenes, while places like Leavenworth are modeled after Bavarian architecture. Some of these memorable towns are even at the base of mountains like the Olympic or Cascade Ranges, giving them easy access to plenty of incredible views and hiking opportunities.
Sequim
Sequim is near the Olympic Mountain Range along the Dungeness River. Its location near the mountains gives the town less precipitation than other parts of the state, giving it a unique and dry climate not seen in the area. This climate helps the local lavender grow, which Sequim is well known for. A trail called the Sequim Lavender Trail takes visitors through the most popular farms where the purple flowers are grown, including B&B Family, Victor's Lavender, and Cedarbrook Lavender Farms. Local events like the annual Irrigation Festival or Lavender Weekend celebrate the town's industry and connection to nature through live food, music, and street fairs, both of which have been running for decades. Sequim offers all of this alongside incredible views of the Olympic Mountains while having wonderful trails to explore the local hills, like the Gray Wolf or Gold Greek Trails.
La Conner
The site of La Conner was originally a trading post in the 19th century, sitting near Skagit Bay. After being purchased by J.S. Conner in 1869, it grew into a town, being named after his wife, Louisa Ann Conner. What's special about it today is its collection of antique shops and museums, housing both artifacts and fine arts by northwest creatives. The Skagit County Historical Museum houses artifacts from Washington's centuries-long history, while the Museum of Northwest Art and Expressions Fine Art Galleries show handmade paintings and sculptures while bringing in plenty of visitors. Shops like the Wood Merchant or Nasty Jack's Antiques hold plenty of unique vintage items and trinkets for anyone passing through, from toys to furniture and everything in between. La Conner is also known for its lustrous flower fields, from tulips to daffodils, with an annual daffodil festival featuring guided tours and photography contests to try and capture La Conner's natural beauty.
Port Townsend
On the Quimper Peninsula is Port Townsend, with a historic district that's around 200 acres in size. This district, known as the Port Townsend Historic District, helps the bay town come to life with its large-scale Victorian-era buildings that still stand, like the Elks Lodge, Rose Theatre, Public Library, Federal building, and much more. People who love this era celebrate every June with a Steampunk Festival that has artists showing off outfits through fashion shows, driving imagination for a future that never was. The Puget Sound, which the town lies on, is an incredible spot just close by to both kayak and catch sights of the beautiful wildlife, such as orcas, minke whales, harbor seals, sea lions, and tufted puffins, among others. With its combination of Victorian architecture and bay views, Port Townsend is often a place where couples get engaged, with romantic locales including the historic Bell Tower or the gazebo in Chetzemoka Park.
Leavenworth
The quaint town of Leavenworth prides itself as a Bavarian-style village in the Cascade Mountains. It's well known and thoroughly visited for its Bavarian architecture, along with its location in the mountains, which is perfect for recreational activities like skiing at the Mission Ridge Resort and camping or bird watching at the Lake Wenatchee State Park. Leavenworth's architectural style comes from a German theme set in the 1960s and has been growing ever since. Something it has that's missing from traditional Bavarian villages are the smaller streets, which are more quaint, but the space is good for visitors wanting to trek through the area by car. Many of the buildings are commercial, with traditional Bavarian signage, including fonts and typefaces that bring people in. Shops and restaurants like the Wood Shop, Mountain Country Corner, the Hat Shop, Gustav's Beer Garden & Grill, and Visconti's all provide hand-crafted trinkets and traditional German food served fresh, along with a mountainside view to go with it.
Chelan
Chelan is not only the name of a town, but a lake and a river as well. The town sits on both, where the two meet. The shores are known for Lake Chelan apples, which are known for their alluring color and taste. Other agriculture in the area includes pears, peaches and cherries, while apples are the valley's biggest output. Vineyards are also very prevalent in Chelan, with the Tunnel Hill, Nefarious Cellars, Karma Vineyards and Siren Song being some of the few to offer a host of different blends fit for anyone wanting a glass. Lake Chelan is a part of everyday life, for both work and leisure, with the water providing ample farmland for the aforementioned agriculture, while residents and visitors take to the water to swim and play, with companies like Jet Skis Ahoy offering watercraft for anyone to glide across the serene waters during warmer months. Lake Chelan State Park offers views of the surrounding area through trails like Reynolds Creek and the Little Bear Trail.
North Bend
Around 30 miles outside of Seattle is North Bend, which is best known for its role in Twin Peaks, the television series being featured prominently. The town is also the main distribution center for the gaming company Nintendo, with their exports mainly coming from North Bend. The creativity doesn't stop there, however, with North Bend housing museums and theaters, like the Valley Center Stage having shows and comedies, while the Visitor Center & Mountain View Art Gallery features volunteer work from local Washington artists. A historical museum called Snoqualmie Valley has been open for decades and has both photographs and artifacts from the area going through its centuries-long history. North Bend has a rich number of hiking opportunities, letting both residents and visitors see the feet of the Cascades, with trails like the Three Forks Snoqualmie River Trail or Snoqualmie Valley Trail that go right through the town.
Ellensburg
The town of Ellensburg was once slated to be the capital of Washington in 1889 before a fire took the opportunity away, with Olympia winning the vote. However, the town was selected as the location of a university, now known as Central Washington. Ellensburg is full of creatives, with several art galleries and museums, including Gallery One, Goodey Gallery, and the Clymer Museum, among others, showing off plenty of local talent, with Gallery One even hosting art classes for students. Every Labor Day weekend, the state's rodeo, which has been a tradition for around a hundred years, is held. The Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame hosts not only the history of the tradition but also artifacts and memorabilia that goes back to the very beginning. Downtown Ellensburg was one of Washington's first historic districts, being added to the National Register of Historic Places in the late 1970s, with many of the buildings being used as commercial space, like Claim Clothing, Fitters Furniture, or William's Florist in downtown.
Every town in Washington has something to offer, but these locations, in particular, have a lot to offer despite their size. No matter how big or small, these towns have access to enough lakes, arts, ski slopes, historical buildings, culture, and much more to make any trip unforgettable. From starring in Twin Peaks to having handcrafted souvenirs, Washington's small towns are nothing less than unique, fun, and whimsical.
