North West Backpacking USA
There is much more to the north west part of the country than being the corner!
Seattle is a city is often overlooked as is Washington state. There is much to see and do!
Go down to the Seattle Laser Dome, part of the Pacific Science Center for a laser show - at this writing shows set to the music of the Beatles, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd and Queen were slated for Thursday through Sunday with $8 admission on the weekend, $5 on Thursdays. The Pacific Science Center itself has an IMAX screen, a planetarium (free with admission to the Center), exhibits and much more. Admission to the Center and IMAX movie is $15, or you can see one or the other for less. After seeing the Center, movie and laser show head over to the nearby Space Needle for an unforgettable dinner and view of the city day or night. This is a dress-up restaurant but worth the experience! Seattle is host to major hockey, football and baseball teams, has horse racing near by and many indoor and outdoor activities. See the aquarium, stroll through Pike Place Market, visit the Museum of Flight or walk through the Seattle Art Museum. Walk through the Washington Park arboretum, Japanese gardens, Woodland Park Zoo or the many parks that dot Seattle's landscape.
Getting outside of Seattle there's Everett to the north and Tacoma to the south. Everett and the connecting cities have a variety of shopping, outdoor activities, festivals and activities. Nestled between the Cascade mountains and Puget Sound - with farmers market, downtown Everett market, Boeing and many parks and outdoor activities there's something to see and do for almost every interest throughout the region. You can take a ferry ride and within two hours be in the heart of the Cascade mountains with skiing in the winter.
Tacoma equally has many attractions, and is the land gateway to the western side of the Sound. Point Defiance park has a marina and public beach and the Zoo & Aquarium, Art Museum, Museum of Glass, Washington State History Museum and much more await exploration. There is an entire district surrounding the Tacoma Dome with things to see and do.
The Omak Stampede, held in the summer in Eastern Washington, is a very popular rodeo in a world that, while a half day's drive from the bustle of Seattle, seems a world away. Grand Coulee dam is another interesting place to visit that is out of the way of many typical tourist destinations.
Further south several hours is Portland Oregon has a different air. There's the 3D Center of Art & Photography, 37,000 acres of public parks, fairs, festivals and much more. Technology shows, international auto shows and - for men everywhere - a "Big Boy Toy Expo" with poker tournaments, cooking and power tools, digital technology, outdoor gear, specialty beer and wines, and more.
For those liking the really remote back country, plan a trip to head east into Idaho and Montana. Be prepared for sometimes extreme weather conditions and a world opposite what is seen on television. Rugged mountains are just part of what makes this area unique, being the furthest north in the Rocky Mountains before getting in to the Canadian Rockies.
