9 Best Washington Towns For A Weekend Trip
Washington, the 42nd State to be admitted to the Union in 1889, is set at the northwestern corner of the 48 contiguous US States in the Pacific Northwest region of the American West. Flaunting the lofty Cascade Mountain ranges, undulating plains, panoramic valleys, dense temperate rainforests, copious sparkling aqueous bodies, and wind-and-water-lashed Pacific shoreline, Washington marvelously upholds its moniker: The Evergreen State. Although the state’s populous metropolises such as Seattle, Vancouver, Tacoma, and Spokane are preferred targets of most vacationers, the beguiling towns bestrewing this pictorial state are worth spending quality time with loved ones on the weekends.
Port Townsend
Port Townsend, the administrative capital and lone incorporated community of Jefferson County, occupies the Quimper Peninsula on the northern extremity of Port Townsend Bay next to the Admiralty Inlet. Initially labeled ‘Port Townshend’ by Captain George Vancouver, a significant portion of this salubrious seaside hamlet’s downtown waterfront district is a part of the Port Townsend Historic District featuring uncountable carefully maintained Victorian-era mansions like St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Jefferson County Courthouse, Rothschild House, Capt. Enoch S. Fowler House, etc. Additionally, travelers must uncover medieval bunkers at Fort Worden State Park; stop by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Point Wilson Lighthouse, Port Townsend Aero Museum, Port Townsend Farmers Market, and Jefferson Museum of Art & History; partake in yearly festivities like the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival; and have a comfortable stay at The Bishop Hotel.
Gig Harbor
Dubbed “the Maritime City” and esteemed for its strong nautical heritage, this pretty Pierce County community is located in the Kitsap Peninsula alongside Puget Sound’s Gig Harbor Bay, around 12 miles from Tacoma across the Narrows Bridge. Brimming with fly fishing shops like Gig Harbor Fly Shop, women’s clothing stores like Dolly Mama Boutique & Home, art galleries like Ebb Tide Co-Op Gallery, coffee shops like William Patrick’s Coffee Inc., finest eateries like Anthony’s at Gig Harbor serving tasty Northwest seafood, and lodging facilities like Best Western Wesley Inn & Suites, Gig Harbor’s charming waterfront also provides quick access to different parks such as Crescent Creek Park, Sehmel Homestead Park, Kopachuck State Park, and Donkey Creek Park. History enthusiasts must not miss the Skansie Brothers House and Harbor History Museum, while adventure seekers must ride on the Gig Harbor Gondola, trek the Cushman Trail, and witness spectacular vistas from the Bogue Viewing Platform.
Anacortes
A high-spirited coastal retreat in Skagit County of northwestern Washington, Anacortes, set on Fidalgo Island’s northern extremity, is a preferred departing point for holidayers who wish to tour Vancouver and the San Juan Islands. Founded in 1879 and previously named ‘Ship Harbor,’ the settlement was renamed after Anne Curtis Brown - the better half of Amos Brown - the town founder and railroad surveyor. Nonetheless, after the settlement failed to become a last stop for the Northern Pacific Railway, it progressively developed into a remarkable lumber and fishing center. Moreover, the town’s closeness to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the large number of marine animals found in the waters off Fidalgo Island, Anacortes offers nature enthusiasts with plenteous whale-watching opportunities. The 220-acre Washington Park, managed by the town, features short hiking trails, overnight camping facilities, an open play area, restrooms, boat launches, picnic shelters, and a paved loop road, all of which provide bicyclists and walkers unimpeded access to shoreline areas. Have a relaxing stay at the Anacortes Ship Harbor Inn and try to show up at yearly festivals like the Anacortes Arts Festival, Anacortes Bier on the Pier, Annual Oyster Run, and Annual Shipwreck Day.
Leavenworth
Located on the North Cascades mountains’ southeastern side in Chelan County is Leavenworth - a bewitching Bavarian-inspired hillside community. Primitively set up as a timber community, the town steadily transmuted into a ‘theme town’ attributable to a civic initiative that began in the 1960s. Despite Leavenworth holding on to extensive streets and humongous parking lots, a greater number of the downtown structures have been modeled after German-inspired settlements. During warm seasons, engage in canoeing, rafting, swimming, and tubing activities in the Icicle and Wenatchee rivers, while in winter, go skiing, ice climbing, and mountain biking in the abutting Cascades. Drop around to see the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, Icicle Creek Center for the Arts, Icicle Ridge Winery, Leavenworth Reindeer Farm, and Front Street Park; turn up at seasonal events like Oktoberfest and Christmas Lighting Festival; and accommodate at Bavarian Lodge Leavenworth.
Sequim
This 8,241-inhabitant eccentric seaside town in Clallam County is located along the Dungeness River within the rain shadow area of the Olympic Mountains. Jam-packed with locally-owned gift shops like Forage Gifts and Northwest Treasures, women’s clothing stores like Be Blossom Boutique, art galleries like Sequim Museum & Arts and Northwest Native Expressions Art Gallery of Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center, top-drawer restaurants like The Big Elk Restaurant, and hotels like Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sequim, the downtown of this cultural citadel of Sequim-Dungeness Valley lures locals and tourists in huge numbers. Adventurous souls visiting the ‘Lavender Capital of North America’ should traverse the adjoining Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and Olympic Discovery Trail, go golfing at any of the golf courses, undertake kayaking and paddleboarding activities at Sequim Bay State Park, enjoy a picnic at Carrie Blake Park, and explore the New Dungeness Lighthouse on the Dungeness Spit Trail’s northern side. Purchase handmade goods, jewelry, and locally produced vegetables at the Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market, and join in the Sequim Irrigation Festival in May and Sequim Lavender Weekend on the third weekend of July.
Poulsbo
Called "Little Norway," in connection with its Viking legacy, Poulsbo is a snuggery waterside community in Kitsap County at Liberty Bay’s northern extremity. Aptly reflecting the town’s Scandinavian heritage, Poulsbo’s state-of-the-art downtown or Front Street invites holidayers to take note of the exceptional home goods stores like Abigail’s Artful Abode, antique shops like Antiques in Poulsbo, art galleries like Front Street Gallery, coffee shops like Cups Espresso & Café Poulsbo, boutiques like better-2-gether, restaurants like Sluys Poulsbo Bakery, and hotels like GuestHouse Poulsbo. Try to be there at the town’s annual Viking Fest and check out the notable sites of interest including the First Lutheran Church of Poulsbo, Maritime Museum & Tourist Visitor Center, Poulsbo Historical Society & Museum, Sea Discovery Center & Aquarium, Norseman Statue, Muriel Iverson Williams Waterfront Park, and Kitsap Memorial State Park.
Stehekin
Forming a portion of the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area, Stehekin is a teeny unincorporated town in Chelan County on Lake Chelan’s northwestern periphery and directly south of North Cascades National Park. Situated within the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and solely accessible by floatplanes, Lake Chelan Boat Company operated passenger ferries, private boats, or by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, this town with some 100 permanent residents attracts thousands of vacationers and seasonal workers during the warm months. Avail decent lodging at Stehekin Garden House and survey the noticeable sites of interest like the historic Stehekin School, Harlequin Bridge, the downrush Rainbow Falls, the Buckner Homestead Historic District, and the Golden West Visitor Center.
Friday Harbor
San Juan County’s seat, Friday Harbor, baptized after the native Hawaiian sheepherder Joseph Poalie Friday, is situated on the San Juan Islands’ eastern side facing the San Juan Channel. Chiefly connected to the mainland via Washington State Ferries, the town is also the prime commercial, social, and cultural epicenter of the San Juan Islands’ archipelago. Stroll this tiny town’s booming downtown and browse the traditional storefronts, hundred-year-old frame structures, Coast Salish native carvings, top-class diners like the Restaurant at Friday Harbor House, and hotels like The Island Inn at 123 West. When in town, popular tourist magnets such as the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, Lime Kiln Point State Park, Whale Museum, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Cattle Point Lighthouse, San Juan County Park, Fairweather Park at the Marina, Pelindaba Lavender Farm, and IMA - San Juan Islands Museum of Art are not to be missed.
Winthrop
Set in Methow Valley at the meeting of Chewuch and Methow rivers in the Cascade Mountains’ eastern foothills, this attractive Old West settlement in Okanogan County is situated to the east of Mazama and north of Twisp. With 504 inhabitants as per the latest US Census, Winthrop emanates a veritable American Old West feel, thanks to its vintage boardwalks, extraordinary Western-style buildings, art galleries like Glassworks of Winthrop, lifestyle boutiques like Gathered Boutique, restaurants like Three Fingered Jack’s Saloon, accommodations like Winthrop Inn, and ample outdoor recreations. Moreover, this all-season vacation destination is best known for having more than 120 miles of groomed trails (considered to be the most expansive cross-country ski trails in North America) and hosting various yearly festivities such as the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival, Methow Valley Chamber Music Festival, Christmas Kickoff Festival, and ’49er Days Parade & Celebration.
From Sequim’s unfathomable lavender fields to Gig Harbor - ‘the Maritime City,’ each glamorous settlement in the 13th most populous and 18th largest state of the nation has something for every holidayer. So, whether you choose to explore the magnificent surroundings, savor finger-licking foodstuffs, be a participant in spare-time activities and small-town revelries, or look for hospitable environs to stay in during your lengthy sojourns, look no further than these ideal Washington towns.
