The Pacific Northwest is notorious for its geographic beauty, hiking trails, National Parks, and granola culture. But what about attractions and things to go do and see? What are other options in case you don’t like hiking or camping, what else is there to do?
To start off in Washington, they have the infamous Pike’s Place Market which was founded in 1907. It is considered by locals as the “soul of Seattle.”. This unique, huge market spans a total of nine historic acres in the center of downtown Seattle. This is where locals and tourists come to visit, shop, and eat.
According to the Pike’s Place website, it is one of the largest and oldest continuously operating markets in the United States and features local small businesses from the area. It has everything you’re looking for in a farmer’s market layout style from fresh local flower bouquets to the infamous fish market right at the front of the market. Also in Washington, is Mount St. Helens, the active stratovolcano about 100 miles south of Seattle. It is best known for its major eruption in the spring of 1980 and continued to have volcanic activity until 2008. Mount St. Helens has hiking trails and climbing destinations for all kinds of different levels of climbers. There is also a visitor center in Silver Lake, which is about 30 miles west of Mount Saint Helens with different exhibits to learn more about this infamous volcano.
In you ever find yourself in Portland, Oregon looking for something different to do besides visit Voodoo Donuts and Powell’s bookstore, stop by the International Rose Test Garden. More than 10,000 different individual roses bloom between the months of late May to October. On their website they explain that the purpose of this garden is to test for new rose varieties. They already have around 610 different rose varieties. When this rose test garden first opened in World War I, hybridists sent roses from all over the world to this specific garden in Portland.
Rachel Burlington, the International Rose Test Garden Curator, explains why people should come see the garden at least once.
“This will be the best opportunity to experience and discover the diversity of roses,” Burlington says. “Have you ever seen a striped rose before, or seen one with 100 petals, or sniffed a rose that smells like a jolly rancher? You can see over 610 different varieties and be amazed about how distinct they are from each other.”
While you are still in Oregon, it’s worth it to go to the coast and eat as much seafood as your heart desires. There are countless towns along the entire Oregon coast to visit and stay at. The seafood is fresh and delicious and it’s a great location to spend the day at the coast and collect shells or dip your toes in the wet sand. Fair warning: it will be cold!
Now, to end our Pacific Northwest road trip, let’s stop in Idaho. Idaho is sadly a land-locked state so there’s no coast to visit but there are plenty of other attractions to see.
Located in Blackfoot, Idaho is the Potato Museum, and we all know that Idaho is best known for its potatoes. The museum is located in an old Oregon Short Line Railroad Depot that was built in 1912. It is jampacked with the history of potatoes and the revolution of the potato industry. The museum provides the growing and harvesting process, nutrition, educational and trivia facts about potatoes.
Tish Dahmen, the executive director of the Idaho Potato Museum, says that the museum is a fun way to learn about potatoes.
“The biggest and most photographed attraction at the museum is the giant potato in front of the building that measures to be 20 feet in length and about 10.5 feet in height,” Dahmen said.
If you aren’t sold yet about this attraction in southeast Idaho, wait until you hear that the Potato Museum also has a potato café to visit! The Potato Station Café, located in the Idaho Potato Museum, has anything you need to fulfill your potato dreams. They have a long range of unique potato dishes from potato bread and potato salad to potato ice cream and potato cupcakes.
In the heart of Idaho is the capital, Boise. Boise has a lot to offer visitors with their continuously extending downtown with shopping centers and local restaurants to try. Something more historic to go and visit in the capital of Idaho is the Old Idaho Penitentiary. It was built in 1870 and is only one of four territorial prisons open to the public today.
During its 101 years of operation, the site saw escapes, scandals, and death row inmates. The site offers guided tours to learn about the rich history of this old penitentiary that’s been part of Idaho’s history for over a century. There are also conspiracies about the prison being haunted, and the infamous crew of Ghost Adventures has even explored the prison to investigate ghosts for themselves.
Jacey Brain is the visitor services coordinator at the Old Idaho Penitentiary. Brain says that the prison itself reflects the changing of the philosophies and practices of prisons, which include the different kinds of punishment.
“At the Old Idaho Penitentiary, visitors uncover the realities of prison life through true stories of those who lived and worked there,” Brain says.
If you ever find yourself wanting to go on a road trip through the Pacific Northwest, stop by one of these attractions and find out for yourself, the essence of the Pacific Northwest.
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