Washington state occupies the northwest corner of the continental United States, with the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and Canada to the north. It is a state of dramatic contrasts: the rainy, mountainous coast and the wet Puget Sound lowlands to the west; the dry, sunny Columbia Plateau to the east; and the volcanic Cascade Range dividing them, with Mount Rainier (4,392m) dominating the skyline.
Seattle is the obvious starting point — a city of genuine character, strong coffee culture, and outstanding food, set between Puget Sound and Lake Washington with mountains visible in every direction on clear days. The ferry network from Seattle reaches the Olympic Peninsula and the San Juan Islands, both worth the journey. Mount Rainier National Park, two hours south, offers some of the most accessible alpine wilderness in the Pacific Northwest. The North Cascades to the north are wilder and less visited.
East of the Cascades, the Yakima Valley is Washington's major wine region, producing Riesling and Cabernet in a semi-arid landscape that feels entirely different from the coast. Spokane, in the east, is the state's second city and a gateway to the Idaho panhandle. The Palouse — rolling wheat fields in the southeast — is one of the most distinctive agricultural landscapes in America.
The western side of the state sees significant rainfall; the eastern side is much drier. Summer is reliably good throughout; winter brings snow to the mountains and grey skies to the coast.
