Entering Washington at the Peace Arch Border Crossing in Blaine, we drove south to Whidbey Island where we visited Deception Pass State Park. Deception Pass is the most visited state park in Washington and was also celebrating its centennial year, so it was very crowded, but we walked across the bridges, took in the views, and even walked a short distance on the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. Heading south, we visited the Prairie Overlook and the Davis Blockhouse at Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve, then spent some time on the beach at Ebey’s Landing State Park.

At Fort Casey Historical State Park, we toured the Admiralty Head Lighthouse (which was built in 1903) where Elizabeth enjoyed climbing the narrow stairs to the top. We also saw the historic fort installations and enjoyed the views out to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. At the southern end of Whidbey Island, we drove aboard the huge Clinton-Mukilteo ferry where we crossed to the mainland on the M/V Suquamish. The ferry can accommodate 1,500 passengers and over 140 vehicles. We then drove south to Issaquah for the night where we enjoyed a great meal at WildFin American Grill.

The next day we visited the 270-foot Snoqualmie Falls, which is one of Washington’s most popular attractions with over 1.5 million visitors each year. We also stopped at the nearby Snoqualmie Depot, part of the Northwest Railway Museum, which was built in 1890 and has been beautifully restored. We then drove east through Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest, over Snoqualmie Pass, south to Yakima, through the Tri-Cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick, before finally following along the banks of the Columbia River to the state line.

After spending a night in downtown Spokane, we visited Riverfront Park and the Spokane Falls. We then drove to the Grand Coulee Dam and Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area on the Columbia River. Next, we drove south through Steamboat Rock State Park to Sun Lakes - Dry Falls State Park, which is a site on the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.

In the tri-cities of Richland, Pasco, and Kennewick we visited Hanford Reach National Monument and toured the Nuclear 'B' Reactor at Manhattan Project National Historical Park. We also tried our first 'Spudnuts' and had a great meal on the banks of the Columbia River at Sterling's Steakhouse.

Driving south to Walla Walla, we did some hiking at Whitman Mission National Historic Site on the Oregon Trail, then drove to the twin cities of Lewiston and Clarkston on the Idaho border.

We drove north through Washington to Olympia where we visited the Washington State Capitol. We then drove to Seattle and toured the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum, and the Space Needle. This was our first visit to the Seattle area that had warm temperatures and clear skies, so the views from the Space Needle were terrific. The next day we toured the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field.

After flying to Seattle, we toured the Boeing Production Facility and the Future of Flight Aviation Center in Everett. We also drove to North Cascades National Park where we hiked parts of both the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. We also hiked to Ladder Creek Falls and Rainy Lake. Before returning to Seattle, we visited the historic town of Winthrop.

We crossed the Columbia River into Washington and drove north along the coast. Along the way, we drove through the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge and crossed the Chehalis River at Aberdeen. We visited three areas of Olympic National Park: Ruby Beach on the coast, the Hoh Rainforest in the interior, and Hurricane Ridge in the mountains.

In Port Angeles, we took the MV Coho / Black Ball Ferry Line to Canada and back. Then, drove south across the Hood Canal Bridge and Tacoma Narrows Bridge to Tacoma, where we stayed for a night before driving through Mount Rainier National Park and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. We ended our trip in Vancouver where we toured Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.