This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kate Boardman , a 36-year-old former teacher and current content creator from Massachusetts who has lived and traveled all over the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
02.04.2024 - 16:59 / lonelyplanet.com
Washington is a state of dramatic differences, both physical and cultural. The east mixes vineyards with stark landscapes scarred by past glacial activity, while the west is a patchwork of drippy evergreen forests, clinging to the skirts of snowy mountain ranges punctuated by dome-shaped volcanoes.
Seattle is a glorious combination of cultures and artistic movements, while oenophiles and farmers enrich the city of Walla Walla. Beyond the populated I-5 corridor, the state’s perennial highlights are its wild open spaces – ideal landscapes for kayaking, climbing, hiking and skiing. Roll up your sleeves, grab an oar, ice-ax or pole – these are the best places to visit in Washington.
Best for Germanic culture
In the early 1960s, the town planners of Leavenworth took a potentially kitsch idea and made it into something wickedly authentic. Attempting to reverse a decline in the lumber industry that had threatened to put the struggling settlement out of business, they turned their small Central Washington town into a themed Bavarian village, complete with dirndl-wearing waitresses, a Nutcracker Museum and restaurants with names like München Haus plying beer and sausages.
Bavarian Leavenworth avoided overt Disneyfication and quickly became a big hit. The secret is in the details: gabled wooden houses with tidy flower boxes evoke the feel of a Romantische Strasse village, overlooked by a backdrop of pretty Alpine mountains; a Christmas lights festival draws in crowds from all over the state and beyond and enthusiastic locals parade their Teutonic leanings in well-presented food and lodging.
Planning tip: Book into the Enzian Inn and you’ll be entertained by the hardworking owner, clad in lederhosen and standing on the balcony, blowing on a giant alpenhorn over breakfast.
Best for wine-tasting
If Washington has a Napa, this is it. The Walla Walla Valley and its eponymous town produce some of the best wine vintages in the US, with Syrah, merlot and cabernet currently drawing favorable comparisons with California.
Since the first winery was inaugurated here in the late 1970s, more than 120 establishments have opened in the area, many with tasting rooms spread around a downtown that's collected an array of fine-dining restaurants (and a bundle of awards for historical integrity too). Try Canoe Ridge for its merlot and cab sav and Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen for the subtly flavored pastas and steaks.
But wine doesn't have a monopoly on the local culture. Despite harboring a population of less than 34,000, Walla Walla has its own symphony orchestra (the oldest west of the Mississippi), an attractive college campus and a deluxe hotel listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also gets less than half of
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kate Boardman , a 36-year-old former teacher and current content creator from Massachusetts who has lived and traveled all over the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
These three islands off the coast of Lombok are the ultimate tropical escape, where you can fully disconnect amongst the palm trees and powdery beaches. Thanks to a ban on motor vehicles, the islands feel like a whole world away from Bali’s crowded streets, allowing you to soak up the peaceful atmosphere no matter when you visit.
If you ever need a reason to travel, consider the splendor of waterfalls.
Crisscrossed with an impressive web of highways and byways, Washington is a typical US state. Driving is king for those who can afford it and public transportation outside of cities is relatively meager compared to countries in Europe, Asia or South America. Many visitors elect to rent cars and partake in that most romantic of American vacations: the road trip.
Boeing's top executives regularly crisscross the globe on the manufacturer's fleet of private planes, hopping between company offices and assembly lines, visiting international airshows and conferences, and sometimes jet-setting for personal use.
Since my first visit to Columbus last year—when I fell hard for Ohio’s capital—the city has only continued to flourish. In fact, a study released by the Bank of America Institute a couple of months ago reported that Columbus is now the fastest growing city in America.
For the April 8 total solar eclipse, photographer Levi Mandel traveled to Buffalo, New York, to observe the celestial event—and the many others who journeyed for it. Below, he shares the experience through text and photos.
If you're looking to get away this summer, you may find inspiration from Google Flights' list of the top searched destinations for the summer of 2024.
There's never a bad time to visit Washington, DC. Not only do brilliant events take place almost every day, but the district also undergoes breathtakingly beautiful transformations as the seasons change.
This Mother’s Day, forget about gifting a typical bouquet, and instead opt for one of these long-lasting floral fragrances. Ideal for travel lovers, each one is inspired by a far-away land and one spritz will bring back memories of beautiful destinations spent with loved ones.
With its impressive terrain of imperious mountains, volcano-ravaged landscapes and sumptuous rainforest, Washington State is understandably renowned amongst keen hikers.
If you've grown weary of the urban rat race and yearn for stunning wide-open spaces, it's time to grab your bags and head to Washington State.