So I’ve been idolizing the PNW (Pacific Northwest) for what seems like forever! It’s just one of those places that is so unique and alive, and the close proximity to mountains AND ocean is the perfect combo for a beautiful vacation! And it definitely lived up to all my expectations! In July/August of 2018, my husband and I traveled to Washington to visit family and also check out Canada…because how could you not when British Columbia is right there?! This will be my first of four posts, so stay tuned for Seattle, Vancouver, B.C., & more Canada!
Ellensburg, WA
To start off our trip, we stayed with family in Ellensburg, WA for a couple of days. The scenery is different from the lush PNW that I imagined, more of an arid and rocky vibe, but still very beautiful! They have a beautiful ranch outside of town with all types of furry friends.
Ellensburg is a college town, home to Central Washington University and also a rodeo city. It’s a cute little town just east of the Cascade Mountains. Waking up to this mountain view for a couple of days was the perfect way to start our vacation!
It was great staying with family, and we went to a rodeo, several farmers’ markets, and took a day trip over to Leavenworth, WA, a cute little Baravian style town in the Eastern Cascade Mountains. The drive to Leavenworth through the Wenatchee National Forest is gorgeous!
Mt. Rainier
After a few days it was time to start out solo, and our first stop on the way to Seattle was Mt. Rainier National Park. The drive there through the White Pass totally blew my mind…and this was before we even got to the park! It took about 2 1/2 hours to get there from Ellensburg, but it was so breathtaking that you didn’t really notice the time. My favorite pull off spot was this one by Rimrock Lake. Around every corner was a beautiful view literally from a magazine…we even passed a few doe and a fox chilling by the side of the road.
We headed to the Paradise Visitor’s Center, which is one of several entrances to the park. You wind through tall timbers and by stunning lakes as you get little teases of Mt. Rainier here and there, and when you get to the Visitor’s Center, the beautiful mountain is right there in front of you!
As I’ve found out before, a Southerner’s definition of hiking is very different from that of the locals, but I was impressed with the selection of trails available. We did two easy hikes: Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls & Nisqually Vista Trail, each only about a mile long. We spent a couple of hours here before heading over to Seattle, so these were perfect for us to get a little taste of the beauty! Waterfalls, wildflower meadows, glaciers, towering forests, a stunningly huge snowy peak…what more could you ask for??
Be prepared for the park entrance fee of $30 per vehicle, which I’m guessing is pretty standard for National Parks, but not something I was expecting. In the end, it’s definitely worth it, and we were totally over the sticker shock once we rounded the first turn into the park.
I’ve heard that the Sunrise Visitor’s Center is another beautiful spot in the park! It sits on the east side of Mt. Rainier and offers a different view of the mountain and it’s glaciers but is only open a couple months of the year.
One of the major things I loved about the area was all the farmers’ markets and local produce everywhere…everything was so fresh, and you could tell they were proud of it! Also drive through coffee shacks are a thing here (ya know, like drive through liquor stores in Louisiana). Washington is definitely coffee country! Now on to Seattle for a little concrete jungle exploring!
Down the Highway My Way 
I LOVE this post!!!!! I especially love how you started off with Ellensburg in the Kittitas Valley. Ever since I first traveled from SeaTac to my new home in Yakima, I have been in love with this deeply beautiful, lush, emerald valley. Your post is written with the enthusiasm and excitement that I feel about Washington state, and I love that. Thank you for sharing!!!
Thanks so much for reading! Glad you loved it!