WASHINGTON

Although Seattle is one of America's most likeable and vibrant cities, well worth a few days of anybody's time, perhaps its greatest asset for visitors is its proximity to the glorious rural scenery of Puget Sound. The islands here are stepping stones to the Olympic Peninsula to the west, whose mountains are home to rare elk and lush vegetation that merges into rainforest, and whose wilderness beaches have remained unchanged for centuries. The Olympic National Park, which occupies the bulk of the peninsula, is dazzling, and a hike along one of its clearly laid-out trails can be a highlight of any trip. Just make sure that you don't mind the wet, often stormy weather of western Washington, which only offers predictably warm temperatures and blue skies during the summer. Not quite as rainy as the mountains to the northeast, the southern coast is flatter and more accessible but not as appealing, littered with industrial towns and glum holiday resorts. The nearest worthwhile destination lies a few hours east, where you can marvel at the wasted volcanic scenery of Mount St Helens. Much drier and more desolate, the sprawling prairie-plateau that makes up most of eastern Washington is a long, slow grind with little of interest, though if a cross-country trek takes you through Spokane, the Grand Coulee Dam is worth a detour. Otherwise you're only likely to come out here if you're traveling the Cascade loop, a memorable 400-mile round-trip through the stunning Cascade Mountains.

Mount Washington
The 6288ft Mount Washington was named for George Washington before he became president, but over the years other mountains in this "Presidential Range" have taken the names of Madison, Jefferson, and even Eisenhower. (Mount Nancy was called that long before the Reagans were in the White House; and Mount Deception just happens to be close by.) From the top of Mount Washington you can see on a clear day all the way to the Atlantic – and right into Canada – but the real interest in making the ascent lies in the extraordinary severity of the weather up there. The wind exceeds hurricane strength on more than a hundred days of the year, and in 1934 it reached the highest speed ever recorded anywhere in the world – 231mph. On the summit, you'll see the remarkable spectacle of buildings actually held down with great chains; many have been blown away over the years, including the old observatory, said to be the strongest wooden building ever constructed. There's now a viewing platform, with a weatherproof museum and café just below. Among the roll call of the 103 victims to have died on the mountain are two who attempted to slide down the Cog Railway on "improvised boards." On the way to the top, you pass through four distinct climatic zones, starting with century-old fir and ash trees so stunted as to be below waist-height and ending with Arctic tundra. The drive up the Mount Washington Auto Road (mid-May to late Oct only – weather permitting, 7.30am–6pm in peak season, 7.30am–5.30pm after the first Monday in September; call 603/466-3988 to check weather conditions) isn't as hair-raising as you might expect, though the hairpin bends and lack of guardrails certainly keep you alert. There is a $16 toll for private cars and driver (plus $6 for each additional adult and $4 for kids), which comes with an audio tape or CD detailing the road's history. Specially adapted minibuses, named "stages" after the horse-drawn carriages that first used the road, give narrated tours ($22). Driving takes thirty or forty minutes under sane conditions, though rally-drivers have done it in less than ten. The record for the annual running race each June – heading up the mountain – now stands at an incredible 58 minutes 20 seconds. Last but far from least, you can also ride to the top on the coal-fired steam train of the Mount Washington Cog Railway, which noisily climbs the exposed western flank of the mountain, ascending gradients of up to 38 percent on a track completed in 1869. It's truly a unique experience, inching up the steep wooden trestles while avoiding descending showers of coal smut. The three-hour round-trip costs $44 and trains leave hourly (mid-July to Sept 8am–5pm, less often during the rest of the year, weather permitting; tel 603/278-5404 or 1-800/922-8825, www.thecog.com) from a station off Rte-302 six miles northeast of Bretton Woods. Reservations are recommended.

West Hills and Washington Park
Directly west of Northwest Portland, the wooded bluffs of the West Hills contain the massive Forest Park, the country's largest urban green space, interlaced with countless hiking trails, including the 26-mile loop of the Wildwood Trail. Just to the south, the elegant houses of Portland's wealthy include the ever-popular Pittock Mansion, 3229 NW Pittock Drive (Feb–Dec noon–4pm; $5; www.pittockmansion.com), a 1914 Renaissance Revival creation whose most attractive attribute is its stunning – and free – view of the city from the front lawn. Beyond the mansion, forested Washington Park is home to a number of Portland's most popular attractions. These include the expansive city views from the International Rose Test Gardens (daily 7am–9pm; free), featuring a wide array of bright summertime blooms; the tranquil Japanese Garden (daily: Apr–Sept 10am–7pm; Oct–Mar 10am–4pm; $6; www.japanesegarden.com), actually a collection of five gardens with traditional ponds, bridges, foliage, and sand patterns; and the Oregon Zoo (daily: Apr–Sept 9am–6pm; Oct–Mar 9am–4pm; $6.50; www.zooregon.org), whose most unusual feature is its Elephant Museum, detailing the biological and cultural history of pachyderms – and decorated with a giant mastodon skeleton. Close by, the rather staid World Forestry Center (daily 10am–5pm; $4.50; www.worldforestry.org) uses interactive exhibits to explain forest management from a timber industry perspective. Most Washington Park attractions have convenient access to a MAX light-rail station, which is buried deep underground and accessible only by elevator.

Eastern Washington
Big, dry and hot, eastern Washington has little in common with the green, western side of the state: faded olive-colored sagebrush covers many acres, and massive red rocks loom over the prairies, while huge bare patches of basalt and torn-away groundcover (from centuries of Ice Age floods) give the area the unattractive geological moniker of the "channeled scablands." Further south, the lower Yakima Valley is a vast agricultural belt with miles of orchards and farms that flank the Yakima River. With over 300 sunny days a year, this region is the largest producer of apples in the world, though that claim is increasingly threatened by cheap fruit imports from the Far East. In the last 20 years, however, this has also become one of the Northwest's major wine regions. The area towns are agricultural and commercial centers, and only Spokane has any degree of cultural life. Nevertheless, some are excellent bases for winery tours or outdoor activities such as rafting, fishing, hiking, paragliding and skiing.

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