City, Coast and Mountains - The Highlights of Washington State

Sixteen days inside Washington State, which packs mountains, islands and temperate rainforest into one short drive from a major city.

Seattle opens it with three nights. Winthrop follows for two in the North Cascades, a park with over 350 miles of trails and more glaciers than anywhere else in the lower forty-eight, and a frontier-themed main street that is either charming or silly depending on mood.

The San Juan Islands take the middle. Friday Harbour gets two nights with an orca-watching cruise: the southern resident population here numbers under a hundred animals, is studied more closely than almost any whale group in the world, and is in real trouble, which the Whale Museum explains well. Orcas Island follows for two more with Moran State Park.

Olympic National Park takes the second half. Lake Crescent gives Marymere Falls and the Sol Duc hot springs, and the Hoh and Quinault rainforests receive several metres of rain a year, which is why the moss hangs off everything. Kalaloch then gets two nights on the park’s coastal strip. Mount Rainier closes the trip with two nights, a guided hike towards Paradise, and a historic steam train. Original Travel include the hire car, the ferries, accommodation, the cruises and guided hikes, concierge access, a 24-hour helpline and carbon absorption. International flights and most meals are separate. Prices run from 5,050 to 6,750 pounds per person. Rainier is an active volcano and the most heavily glaciated peak in the contiguous United States, which is worth knowing while standing on it.