North Cascades National Park, large wilderness area in northwestern Washington, U.S. The park was established in 1968 to preserve majestic mountain scenery, snowfields, glaciers, alpine meadows, cascading waterfalls, and other unique natural features in the North Cascade Range. The region is frequently called the North American Alps. Discover communities of life adapted to moisture in the west and recurring fire in the east. Explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers. Listen to cascading waters in forested valleys.
The San Juan Islands are an archipelago known for rural Pacific Northwest landscapes and wildlife. Horseshoe-shaped Orcas Island, one of the main isles, is home to Moran State Park's old-growth forest and Mt. Constitution. San Juan Island is distinguished by the lively seaside town of Friday Harbor and Lime Kiln Point State Park, an orca-whale lookout
Olympic National Park is on Washington's Olympic Peninsula in the Pacific Northwest. The park sprawls across several different ecosystems, from the dramatic peaks of the Olympic Mountains to old-growth forests. The summit of glacier-clad Mt. Olympus is popular with climbers, and hiking and backpacking trails cut through the park's rainforests and along its Pacific coastline
With more than 550 of Oregon’s wineries calling the Willamette Valley home, it’s easy to find one to suit your taste. Whether you’re in the mood for Pinot noir or Pinot gris, experiencing the ambiance of a hip, metropolitan winery or admiring the legacy of a small town vineyard pioneer, you’ll find it in the Willamette Valley.
The Columbia River Gorge, largest national scenic area in the United States: a land of natural contrasts between rain forest and desert, sea-level passage and alpine meadows. A network of hiking trails climbs from lowland forests to windy ridges on both sides of the Gorge. The river itself hosts the best boardsailing conditions this side of Hawaii, and the nearby snowcaps of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams offer downhill and cross-country skiing well into spring. But the Columbia River Gorge isn’t just spectacular scenery. There’s plenty of hand-crafted beer and farm-fresh dining too. Thanks to its unique geography, the Gorge boasts a world of wine — from pinot noir and chardonnay in the cool western hills, to tempranillo and syrah in the drier, sunnier east.