Williams - Moon Pacific Northwest Road Trip: Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria, the Olympic Peninsula, Portland, the Oregon Coast & Mount Rainier

ALLISON WILLIAMS

Its not unusual to think of the Pacific Northwest as green. But you have to tour the entire region to truly appreciate how many shades of the color blanket this corner of the world.

Theres the deep evergreen of the Douglas fir trees and the dusty pale green of rainforest moss. The electric green of Seattles hometown sports jerseys. A green ethos keeps Portland running on bicycle power and compost. And then there is all the green that companies like Starbucks, Nike, Microsoft, and others bring to the region.

Between nature and culture, every possible shade of green appears in the Pacific Northwest. The best way to see the treasures of Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia is to follow the roads connecting vibrant cities like Seattle, Vancouver, and Portland with the wild green places in betweenan untamed coast, a deep forest, a legendary mountain (or two).

The future is waiting around every corner of this waterfront cityfrom the towering Space Needle to the collection of spacecraft at the Museum of Flight. Wake early for the Seattle Art Museum and bustling Pike Place Market, but prepare to stay up late for farm-to-table dining and a diverse selection of live music.

Mountains tower over Vancouver, Canadaso close that Grouse Mountain skiers practically slide down next to the citys skyscrapers. Bike or walk around downtowns Stanley Park, browse the wares on offer at the Granville Island Public Market, and take in some Olympic history with a day trip to Whistler. At night, sample the myriad options on offer from Vancouvers international culinary scene.

Victoria may be only a short ferry ride away, at the tip of Vancouver Island, but a visit here feels like crossing the pond to Britain. This is the capital of British Columbia, and a tour of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings provides a primer on the parliamentary system of government. Enjoy the delicate elegance of afternoon tea in the Fairmont Empress Hotel as it holds court over Victorias Inner Harbour, and then visit Butchart Gardens, a world-class garden housed in an old quarry.

clockwise from top left: the Seattle skyline; British Columbia Parliament Buildings, Victoria; First Nations totem poles in Stanley Park, Vancouver.

Washingtons green thumb is a promontory of land rich in natural features. Olympic National Park is home to Hurricane Ridge, with its sweeping ridge-top vistas, and the verdant mists of the Hoh Rain Forest. The peninsulas beaches and bays stretch from the town of Port Angeles to Neah Bay and continue down the coast.

Driving down U.S. 101, it seems like the beaches of the Oregon Coast never end. From Astoria, the sand stretches for miles past Cannon Beach, Tillamook Bay, and Cape Lookout. Along the way, follow the footsteps of Lewis and Clark at Fort Clatsop, explore the tidepools at Haystack Rock, and nibble bites of cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

Few cities have more personality than Portland. Each small block is packed with unique shops, creative eateries, tasty brewpubs, and residents biking across the bridges between them. Stop and smell the roses that line the International Rose Test Garden (one of the worlds largest) in Washington Park, gaze in awe at the Pittock Mansions three-story staircase, and wander amid the giant playground that is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.

Left: Seaside Carousel; Right: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

When The Mountain is out, its one of the most spectacular sights in the northwesta giant dotted with glaciers and flanked by wildflower meadows. Stop at the Jackson Visitor Center in the aptly named Paradise, or spend the night at the historical Paradise Inn. Add a side trip to Mount St. Helens and drive up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory for a firsthand look at where the mountain blew in 1980.

If theres one thing you can depend on in the Pacific Northwest, its that you cant depend on the weather. The region is known for rain, but it doesnt fall in regular intervals. Summer is the driest and sunniest season, though temperatures are rarely above 90 degrees. Fall can vary between brisk, beautiful days and soggy, gray ones. Winter rarely brings much snow outside of the mountains and passes. Mountain roads, such as those around Mount Rainier, are prone to seasonal closures and may require chains in winter months. Spring is often the rainiest time of year, but it doesnt pourinstead, expect drizzles with the occasional shower. (Sometimes its even sunny!)