Introduction
Washington is a state of natural beauty, with mountains, lakes and rivers. There are also many small towns with rich history and culture. The state boasts over 100 wineries in the Yakima Valley, one of the largest wine-producing regions in the United States. Washington has some of America’s most beautiful beaches on Puget Sound, as well as national parks like Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier National Park. There are many hidden gems here that you may not know about unless someone tells you about them! So let me share 20 of these secret places with you:
1. The Bathtub Islands
The Bathtub Islands are a group of five small islands that make up Washington state’s Ocean Shores waters. They were originally named for their shape—a perfect circle at the top with some jagged edges—but were later changed to their current name, “Bathtub,” because of how they look from above: like a bathtub.
These islands have been turned into an underwater destination for scuba diving and snorkeling in Washington State, where you can explore the many wonders beneath the surface and see what makes it so special!
2. Circular Beach
- Circular Beach is located in Port Townsend, Washington.
- It is a beach that can only be accessed by swimming out to it or boating there.
- You don’t need a boat, though; you just have to walk out on the rocks and enter through the water.
- There are no lifeguards or signs warning of dangerous conditions, so be sure you know what you’re doing before heading out there!
- You’ll need at least an hour of daylight left in order to swim back safely from this spot—if not more if it’s foggy or stormy outside—so make sure you check these things before planning your trip!
- There’s no cost associated with visiting this spot as long as you bring food/water/sunscreen/etc., but if anyone wants to support them monetarily they accept donations!
3. Beacon Rock
Beacon Rock is a basalt monolith located in the Columbia River Gorge in the U.S. state of Washington. It is the largest monolith in the Columbia River Gorge and one of the most popular hiking destinations. The Beacon Rock State Park is named after this massive rock formation, which can be seen from miles away on Interstate 84 as travelers enter into Oregon or Washington via Portland, Oregon. It sits near an area known as Beacon Rock State Park along with other smaller rock formations that were formed by volcanic activity over 10 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch (23-5 million years).
The current size of Beacon Rock stands at 1,485 feet (450 meters) tall and its base measures up to 740 feet (230 meters) wide by 600 feet (180 meters) long across its top surface area
4. Heart Lake
- Location: Heart Lake is based in the North Cascades, not far from Ross Lake.
- What to do there: The area around Heart Lake has hiking trails that are well worth exploring. Hike through mountain meadows and beautiful forest as you explore nearby mountains, lakes and waterfalls. If you want a more challenging hike with more views, try the Granite Mountain Trail (3-4 days roundtrip). For something shorter and easier, take a stroll down to the lake or just relax on its sandy beach at your own pace.
- How to get there: Drive about 2 hours north from Seattle on I-5 until you reach exit 230 for Pateros/Darrington/Snohomish onto SR 9 eastbound towards Darrington/Stevens Pass. Leave this at Forest Service Road 4210A and drive east through Darrington along SR 530 until it turns into Forest Service Road 4210 towards Heart Lake’s parking lot (about 15 miles). This road can be rough so it is best suited for 4×4 vehicles only! You can also park here and then continue down another two miles on foot where there are campsites along the way as well as accesses leading right up onto Granite Mountain itself! Be sure bring food supplies because there aren’t any stores nearby except some small shops run by locals up near Darrington which might have some basic necessities but nothing else besides gas stations usually don’t carry much aside from snacks & drinks…
5. Taking in the View at the Tantalus Range Lookout Point
The view from the Tantalus Range Lookout Point is breathtaking. This secret gem is worth every ounce of energy that you put into getting there, and it’s definitely worth the hike to get back down again. The view alone makes this spot worth exploring.
If you’re new to hiking and don’t think you can handle a long trail, I recommend visiting the Bellingham Bay-Hi Point Trail instead. It offers incredible views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, but it’s not as strenuous as this trail up to the lookout point.
6. Afterglow Vista
Afterglow Vista is a beautiful location that is not well-known to many, but should be. This hidden gem offers stunning views of Mt. Rainier and the breathtaking Puget Sound. It’s located in the Eatonville area south of Seattle and can be reached by taking Interstate 5 south to Exit 132 (Granite Falls). From here, head west on Highway 530 for around 35 miles until you reach Milepost 45.1; this is where you will park your car before hiking about 1/4 mile through an old growth forest with huge Douglas fir trees laden with mosses and fungi to get to this amazing viewpoint! Once there, admire the stunning vista before heading back down the trail—it will take about 30 minutes or so roundtrip from where you parked your car at the bottom of Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest Road 8056 Trailhead parking lot which has room for around 15 vehicles at any given time–and enjoy its tranquility along with its majesty!
7. Ladder Creek Falls and Gardens
The Falls are based in the Columbia River Gorge, which is a region that runs through Oregon and Washington. It’s a popular destination for hiking and biking and has some of the most beautiful scenery in North America.
The Falls are located just outside Clackamas, Oregon which is about 30 minutes south of Portland if you have time to make this trip out of town on your trip! They sit right next to another waterfall called Bridal Veil Falls. So if you want to see both spots at once they do connect with each other so you can take one path up until it ends then turn around and go back down another way!
8. Poser’s Gravity Hill
The best time to visit this spot is in the spring or fall. The best time to visit this spotsis in the morning or evening. The best time to visit this place is on a weekday. The best time to visit this spots is on a holiday. The best time to visit this spot is in the summer
9. “1000 steps” of Greenwood Cemetery
“The 1000 steps” of Greenwood Cemetery is a steep climb that takes you through several different levels of graves, making it a beautiful place to visit. It is placed in the heart of Seattle and makes for an excellent spots to go for a run or walk with your family. The cemetery is also great for taking hikes!
10. Wallaby Ranch
Wallaby Ranch is a fun place to visit if you’re in Renton, Washington. The Wallaby Ranch is well-known for its amazing animals and attractions, so it’s no surprise that it draws thousands of visitors every year.
If you have kids, the Wallaby Ranch is a great spots to take them! They can feed the wallabies (a type of kangaroo) or pet some alpacas while they eat at one of the restaurants in the area. If you don’t have kids with you, don’t worry; there are plenty of other things to do at this park too! You could go on a hike through the forest and see all kinds of wildlife or take part in an adventure course where you get to climb up walls and swing across ropes!
No matter what kind of person you are or whether or not your friends like animals as much as do, everyone will have a good time at this fun destination!
11. Twin Sisters
Twin Sisters is a pair of peaks in the North Cascades in Washington State. The peaks are based in the North Cascades National Park. They were named after two Native American sisters who were kidnapped by a band of Pysanka tribe and forced to marry them, resulting in their deaths.
12. Kalaloch Tree Of Life
Kalaloch Tree Of Life, Washington State
The Kalaloch Tree Of Life is a giant cedar tree with a trunk circumference of over 27 feet, located in the Olympic National Park, in Washington State. It’s one of the most photographed trees in the area and it’s a popular tourist attraction for visitors to Olympic National Park.
As it stands today, its location is not too far away from Kalaloch Creek Road where there are many different hiking trails that lead to this breathtaking site. The trail itself will take you around 20 minutes by foot but if you want even more adventure out of this walk then there are plenty of other things nearby such as: beaches and tide pools; caves; waterfalls; viewpoints on top of rocks or cliffs; etc…
We recommend visiting during sunrise or sunset when light conditions are ideal so that you can capture all those beautiful colors surrounding this incredible landmark!
13. Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge
If you’re a history buff, then you’ll definitely be interested in adding Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge to your list of places to visit. The museum is a museum of art and history. It was built by Sam Hill, who designed it after the Louvre in Paris.
Maryhill Stonehenge is a replica of Stonehenge in the UK, but interestingly enough it wasn’t built by Sam Hill because he didn’t like how they were doing things at the time so he decided not to participate in building this particular monument!
The construction began on May 28th 1935 (the same day as when construction started on original Stonehenge) and was completed three years later on June 21st 1938 (which was also summer solstice). In addition to its impressive size (400 feet wide), another thing that makes this stone structure unique is its location: atop Rattlesnake Mountain which overlooks Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area—so basically you get some beautiful views from here!
14. Beacon Rock
Beacon Rock is a monolith in Washington State. It is located in Skamania County, Washington, United States. The rock is a popular tourist attraction, and is a popular hiking destination. The rock has given its name to Beacon Rock State Park and the nearby city of Beacon Rock that was founded as the town of Woodland in 1870 by James Woodard at the confluence of the Columbia River with Lewis River
15. Snoqualmie Falls
In Washington state, there is a pretty amazing waterfall that many people don’t know about. It’s called Snoqualmie Falls, and it’s the second largest waterfall in the entire state! This particular waterfall is placed in Snoqualmie, Washington and it has been popular since the 1800s.
Snoqualmie Falls is 200 feet tall! It sits on the edge of a gorge carved by the Snoqualmie River and is surrounded by large trees and lush greenery. This makes for an absolutely beautiful sight to see during any time of year or weather condition (except maybe snow).
It can be said that this waterfall was one of America’s most popular tourist attractions back when it was first discovered in 1812 – but now it remains somewhat underappreciated because not many people know about its existence!
16. Camlann Village
If you’re a fan of the King Arthur stories, then this is the venue for you. Camlann Village sits in Tacoma and is a replica of Camelot. It was built in the 1960s, but it still looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. This tourist attraction has been featured on shows like The Today Show, The Travel Channel and Oprah Winfrey’s show “Where Are They Now?” It’s open to the public year-round!
17. Edith Macefield’s House
At first glance, you might mistake Edith Macefield’s house for any other old gas station. However, its history and the story behind it make it a unique gem that needs to be seen.
Macefield was born in 1924 and worked at Ballard Oil Company from 1943 to 1988. According to local legend, she refused to sell her home even when developers wanted to buy it for $750,000; they eventually offered her a million dollars but she still said no.
In 2007, she became ill and died while still living in the house at age 83. The property owner sold the land around Macefield’s house to developer Greg Smith who then built shops on top of where her house stood; he even built an office above what used to be its garage entrance!
18. Hat ‘n’ Boots
The Hat ‘n’ Boots is a roadside attraction located on the highway between Omak and Okanogan. The Hat ‘n’ Boots was created by Harland W. Geiger, who wanted to build an attraction that would serve as a landmark for travelers along this stretch of road. It took Geiger over five years to complete his masterpiece, which was built using concrete and shaped like a cowboy hat and cowboy boots. The Hat ‘n’ Boots has been featured in various movies, TV shows, commercials and music videos over the years but still remains one of Washington’s best kept secrets for those who want to see something truly unique!
19. The Junk Castle
The Junk Castle is a unique and beautiful property in Puget Sound, Washington. It has been recognized as a historic site since 1991.
The Junk Castle was built by John Stewart between 1924-1936 as a home for his family. The property covers over 300 acres of land and was designed to look like an English castle. The inside of the home is decorated with many pieces found by Mr Stewart along his travels around the world.
There used to be around 100 rooms filled with items such as ship parts, furniture from Asia and Africa, old car parts and even an antique organ that plays music when you touch it! Unfortunately after John passed away in 1986 his wife sold off most of these items at auctions around Seattle; however there are still some things left inside including one room filled with monkeys made out of junk! You can also see some old cars parked outside if you’re lucky enough to visit during rainy season when everything gets covered in mud 🙂
These days there aren’t many people living here anymore but sometimes you might get lucky enough so see how amazing this place truly looks like up close!
20. Elandan Gardens
Elandan Gardens is a beautiful garden in the Pacific Northwest. It is a garden of stone, water and plants. The gardens are open to the public every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Go with your family or friends to enjoy this beautiful venue !
21. The Teapot Dome
Teapot Dome is a natural gas field in Wyoming that was discovered in 1919. It was one of the largest natural gas fields in the United States, based in a remote location. This made it ideal for storing large amounts of fuel during World War II. The name “teapot dome” comes from its resemblance to a teapot when viewed on topographic maps and aerial photographs.
This natural gas field is placed near Casper, Wyoming and was named after this city’s most prominent landmark: nearby Casper Mountain (which looks like a teapot when viewed from certain angles).
22. Alki Flower Houses
Alki Flower Houses are a series of buildings made out of flower pots. They are located in Seattle, which means that you can visit them on your next trip to the Pacific Northwest. The artist who created these structures is named Robin Hopper and he built them with old flower pots that were found in his neighborhood. There are no permanent buildings at Alki Flower Houses–they’re just temporary structures made from repurposed materials!
23. Big Red Wagon
The Big Red Wagon is a well-known landmark in Seattle. It stands 7 feet tall, weighs about 2,000 pounds, and is painted to look like a giant red wagon.
This landmark has been around since 1991 when local artists painted it as part of a city project. The Big Red Wagon was originally located at the Frye Art Museum parking lot but was moved to its current location on 3rd Avenue South in 1993 when the museum moved locations.
Today this sculpture is one of Seattle’s most popular tourist attractions and has become one of those iconic images that represents Seattle’s culture and history. The bright red color stands out among all the grey buildings in downtown Seattle making it easy to know where you are if you are lost or just visiting for the first time!
You can take pictures with this piece or just admire its beauty while walking by or taking public transportation through downtown Seattle!
24. Hobbit House
The Hobbit House is a half-scale replica of Bilbo Baggins’s house from The Lord of the Rings.
It is located in Carnation, Washington, United States. It was built by owner and resident John Jacobson to pay homage to his favorite book series.[1] In addition to being a tourist attraction, it is also a private residence.
25. Deception Pass
Deception Pass is a strait that connects the San Juan Islands in the U.S. state of Washington. It separates Whidbey Island and Fidalgo Island, with the Deception Pass Bridge crossing over it to connect Whidbey Island and Whatcom County to Fidalgo Island, Skagit County, where a ferry service runs from Anacortes to Sidney, British Columbia.
Deception Pass State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Washington and part of Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest on Whidbey Island (near Coupeville). It contains two areas: one on Whidbey Island near Deception Pass and another on Camano Island at Camano’s north end; both are important birding sites as well as popular recreation spots for boating, kayaking and fishing activities like crabbing/crabbing
26. Palouse Falls
Palouse Falls is a waterfall on the Palouse River in southeastern Washington, United States.It is located in the Palouse-Clearwater National Forest, about 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Potlatch, Idaho.
The falls are 170 ft (52 m) high and have a run of 1,000 ft (300 m).
27. The Nutty Narrows Bridge
The Nutty Narrows Bridge is a tourist attraction on the Washington side of the Columbia River, a natural border between Washington and Oregon. The bridge is also known as “The Narrows.”
It’s a footbridge that crosses over the stream, connecting Northport, WA and Astoria, OR.
There are some really cool spots to visit in Washington State.
Washington is home to some seriously amazing secret and hidden gems. We’re not talking about the usual suspects like Seattle or Mount Rainier, but rather locations that are off the beaten path—the kind of spots you might only find by accident if you weren’t familiar with the area.
You may have heard of a few of these places before (we’re looking at you, Butchart Gardens), but there are still plenty more to explore around Washington State. From tiny towns on the coast that feel like they came straight out of an old western film to national parks where visitors can get up close with wildlife, there are sights all over Washington that should be on your radar for next year’s vacation plans!
Conclusion
With so many amazing places to explore in Washington State, you’ll never run out of things to do. From the breathtaking views at Mount Rainier National Park and Olympic National Park to the quirky sights around Seattle, there’s always something new and exciting happening around every corner!
