If you’re addicted to coffee, partial to New World wine, enjoy skiing at weekends, and have a picture of Kurt Cobain on your wall, Washington could be your Nirvana.
Lapped by the stormy waters of the Pacific Ocean, the geographically diverse “Evergreen State” is an interesting mix of urban sophistication and burly wilderness where independent-minded city slickers enjoy micro-brewed beer and knuckle-whitening outdoor pursuits with equal passion.
Harboring a tendency to lean left in state and federal politics, Washingtonians are an inventive and business-minded lot with a habit of turning their homegrown products into global brands. Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Starbucks, Expedia and Grunge were created here.
Nature has also bequeathed the state with a host of emblematic sights like Mt Rainier, fjord-indented Puget Sound and the dense Olympic rainforest. From Bellingham to Walla Walla, active living is energetically pursued and underlain by a deep-rooted environmentalism. Make the most of your trip to this incredible state with these top tips and insights.
Public transport is relatively good in the western third of the state with its abundant ferries, urban buses, and north-south rail artery but, if you’re planning on spending time in central and eastern Washington, you’ll probably want to consider renting a car to get around easily. Find out more about how to navigate Washington in our in-depth guide to getting around.
It would be remiss not to. The state has three fabulous parks, from the nation’s fourth oldest (Mt Rainer) to its wettest (Olympic) and its least visited outside Alaska (North Cascades). All offer superb backcountry camping and wildly diverse hiking opportunities amid spectacular mountain scenery.
Absolutely. The state has over a dozen ski areas of varying sizes and snow quality. In fact, Mt Baker is one of the snowiest ski areas in the world and Methow Valley has the second-largest network of cross-country trails in the US. Top day resorts close to Seattle include Stevens Pass and The Summit at Snoqualmie. Crystal Mountain near Mt Rainier is the state’s most comprehensive resort and the only one with ski-in overnight lodging.
Seattle’s precipitation reputation is a little overblown – the summer months are usually dry. In the nearby Cascade Mountains, on the other hand, the weather can change on a dime even in high summer. Dress in layers and always bring waterproof clothing.
The east has more extreme temperatures – hotter in the summer and significantly colder in the winter. The landscapes east of the Cascades (badlands and treeless steppe) reflect the dryer climate.
Washington sales taxes are relatively high. The state rate is 6.5 percent, with local taxes (which differ from city to city) pushing
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Memorial Day is a chance to honor U.S. military personnel and to celebrate the distinct history and landscapes that make this country so unique. The three-day weekend has become the unofficial kick-off to summer and one of the year's busiest travel weekends. More than 42 million Americans traveled over the weekend last year, and airlines and experts expect a similar number this year.
Last year, when Micha Pycke, 40, and Albane Paret, 39, bought an apartment in Ostend — a once run-down Belgian seaside town that, in recent years, has become a favorite of artists and designers — they knew they wanted the place to be, says Pycke, “something more than an Airbnb or holiday home.” Instead, the couple, who co-own the Ghent-based arts- and design-focused communications agency Club Paradis, envisioned what he calls “a new kind of space”: essentially, a gallery where guests could stay overnight. To that end, they’ve filled the 1,000-square-foot two-bedroom, which is on the eighth floor of a ’60s-era building overlooking the North Sea, with works by some of their favorite artists and designers, many of whom are also their clients. In the living room, a lacquered wood coffee table by the Dutch designer Linde Freya Tangelder’s studio, Destroyers/Builders, sits atop a limited-edition rug by the Swiss textile artist Christoph Hefti woven with images of foxes. In one of the bedrooms, a copper-colored, ruched-felt tapestry by Rooms Studio — a women-led company from Tbilisi, Georgia — hangs above a Duo seat by the Belgian team Muller Van Severen for Valerie Objects. And if you like something, you can probably take it with you; most of the pieces are for sale, and Pycke and Paret are also happy to connect guests directly with designers. . —
Major airlines in the United States are suing the Department of Transportation (DOT) over its new rule requiring carriers to be transparent over so-called “junk fees.”
Major US airlines sued the Department of Transportation on Friday over a rule that requires upfront fee disclosures for costs like baggage and itinerary changes.
Taylor Swift kicked off the European leg of The Eras Tour in Paris on Thursday, May 9, 2024, and the masterful storyteller thrilled fans with the addition of performances from her latest album The Tortured Poets Department. She jokingly called that section of the show Female Rage: The Musical. Most concertgoers already knew and sang along to every word of all the songs she sang from the album although it was recently released on April 19. Such is the power of Swift.
Last month in Chicago, a United Airlines flight to London was ready to depart, but it was still waiting for 13 passengers connecting from Costa Rica. The airline projected they’d miss the flight by seven minutes. Under normal circumstances, they’d all be scrambling to rebook.
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