9 Most Relaxing Washington Towns
Washington is full of places that slow the pace and give you plenty to see. Where the Salish Sea meets the Pacific Ocean, Neah Bay offers Indigenous history and some of the most dramatic scenery in the state. On Puget Sound, Vashon Island’s orchards and quiet beaches make it easy to unwind. Along the Columbia River, Northport has reinvented itself as a gateway to outdoor adventure and wide-open landscapes. If you want a tranquil spot for your next Washington trip, these 9 towns below fit the bill.
Neah Bay
Right at the northwesternmost corner of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula sits Neah Bay, a glorious coastal village on Makah indigenous tribal land. In town, visitors can explore the Makah Cultural and Research Center, which has an on-site museum that showcases 300-500 year old artifacts from the Ozette Archaeological Site, along with the Makah Language Program that actively works to preserve the community’s language and culture. From there, it’s a lovely drive out to the Cape Flattery Trail, where folks can reach the northwesternmost point of the United States mainland and take in the incredible coastal views where the Salish Sea flows into the Pacific Ocean. Then, it’s another beautiful journey south to Hobuck Beach for surfing and wildlife watching, and to Shi Shi Beach for glorious walks and hikes where the temperate rainforest meets the ocean shore.
Heading back to Hobuck Beach, the Makah-owned and operated Hobuck Beach Resort offers guests a prime oceanfront location along with family-friendly cabins, campsites, and RV hookups.
Sequim
Situated along Dungeness Bay on the northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula is Sequim, a surprisingly sunny town with a curiously Mediterranean climate that makes an extra special and relaxing environment. At Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, visitors can explore this quiet bay and great expanse of tideflats that serves as critical habitat for animals like snowy owls, ring-necked ducks, harbor seals, and salmon. For a more active experience outside, folks can hop on their bikes and ride along the scenic Olympic Discovery Trail to Olympic National Park and elsewhere on the peninsula. Or, for a more easygoing day, travelers can stop at Olympic Bluffs Cidery & Lavender Farm to taste their small-batch ciders made from their own orchard-grown apples, and to see everything they make from their own farm-grown lavender. And for all sorts of fascinating finds, Sequim Museum & Arts has everything from 13,800 year-old mastodon fossils on display to locally made art quilts and silk paintings available to purchase.
Just to the west of town, guests will find a very inviting place to stay at Domaine Madeleine. This waterfront boutique hotel offers incredible views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains, and it has an enticing array of luxuriously appointed cottages and suites.
Friday Harbor
As the name suggests, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island makes every day look and feel like the perfect weekend getaway. For those wanting to get out and see orcas, humpback whales, and potentially other marine wildlife in the wild, Western Prince offers low-sound waterjet tours and Discovery Sea Kayak excursions. Or, for visitors who prefer to stay on land, Lime Kiln Point State Park may be one of the world’s best places to do whale watching on shore, and it protects a vintage lighthouse that’s stood here since 1919. Shifting to the south end of the island, San Juan Island National Historical Park is the perfect spot for hiking, biking, tidepooling, and viewing animals like deer, foxes, and marine mammals in this unique environment where prairies and grasslands meet the Salish Sea.
For a different side of the island, folks can return to town and stop at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art to see a wide variety of works by local and regional artists. And just a few blocks away, the Tucker House Inn & Harrison House Suites are a pair of bed-and-breakfasts where guests can enjoy deluxe rooms and suites with high-end amenities like jetted bathtubs and working fireplaces, as well as fine farm-to-table cuisine at their Coho Restaurant.
Winthrop
Nestled in the Methow Valley is Winthrop, a classic “Old West” style town that offers a new perspective on Washington’s North Cascades country. To the west of town, Patterson Mountain has a trail that makes for a pleasant hike through pristine shrub steppe to open aspen groves and wildflower meadows. A little farther west, the Chickadee Trail provides a gorgeous path into Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and is open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Then, to the east of Winthrop, Pearrygin Lake State Park opens up for boating, fishing, kayaking, paddleboarding, and swimming during the summer season.
Right in the heart of town, the Shafer Historical Museum lets visitors tour a whole village of turn-of-the-20th-century log cabin structures and (by appointment) view their extensive collection of historic archives. And just across the street from the museum, Hotel Rio Vista is a family-owned hotel located right by the Methow River with a wonderful collection of log cabin-style rooms and suites, and guests get access to amenities like their riverfront hot tub and picnic area.
Northport
Way up by Washington’s northeastern corner, around eight miles south of the United States-Canada border, is the tranquil riverside village of Northport. Originally built to support the transport of precious minerals from British Columbia’s mines, travelers can witness the area’s ongoing evolution at sites like Black Sand Beach, a former industrial wasteland that now provides safe access to a wild expanse of the Columbia River. For another side of the ride, it’s a short drive south of town to China Bend Boat Launch, where folks can take advantage of a National Park Service-run boat launch. Moving east, Colville National Forest spans some 1.5 million acres across the Selkirk Mountain range and protects pristine forests shaped by Ice Age glaciers over 10,000 years ago.
Returning to town, Kuk’s Tavern may be one of Washington’s oldest operating bars (it’s been open since 1889), and they continue to serve great pub-style fare and stiff drinks. And right across the river from Northport’s historic downtown, Lazy Daze Retreats looks and feels like a hidden treasure chest full of cozy studios and private cabins for secluded bliss, along with campsites for a more rustic stay at the Columbia River.
Walla Walla
Directly north of the Oregon state line in eastern Washington’s Walla Walla Valley is the town of Walla Walla, a dynamic and delectable hub of wine country creativity. While there’s no shortage of great wineries to visit around here, some top highlights include Pepper Bridge Winery for sustainably farmed varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and Northstar Winery for a tasty array of local wines served alongside housemade charcuterie boards. Even downtown, folks can stop at Spring Valley Vineyard’s tasting room for expert-curated tastings. And in case anyone needs a break from the wine tastings, an outing to Wine Valley Golf Club is in order with their award-winning 18-hole golf course.
After a full day at the wineries or the links, it’s a worthwhile journey over to the Inn at Blackberry Creek for their perfectly relaxing boutique inn. It’s a former farmhouse that’s been converted into a lush garden-filled oasis and an intimate collection of artfully designed suites with fine amenities like electric fireplaces, pillow-top beds, and private hot tubs.
Ashford
It’s only about a 56-mile drive from Tacoma to Ashford, yet this journey leads to a remarkable mountain town at the edge of what may be the Pacific Northwest’s most famous stratovolcano. More specifically, Ashford sits right by Mount Rainier National Park, the 236,381-acre nature preserve that includes the entirety of the 14,410 foot-tall Mount Rainier (that’s the highest peak of the Cascade Range) and a vast expanse of alpine tundra, subalpine meadows, and old-growth forest. Beyond the national park boundaries, there are plenty more mountain wilderness areas worth exploring, including the beautiful path up to Bertha May Lake via the Teeley Creek Trail, and the stunning trek to the Lewis River’s gorge via the Big Creek Trail.
Following a long adventure in the Cascades, it’s nice to head down into town to stop at Paradise Village and enjoy some hearty Ukrainian cuisine in a friendly and cozy environment. And just up the road, Wellspring Spa and Woodland Retreat makes for a very relaxing getaway destination with deluxe cabins loaded with amenities like jetted bathtubs, handcrafted feather beds, and full kitchens, plus the resort has its own spa offering massages, saunas, and cedar hot tubs.
Vashon Island
While Vashon Island is easily accessible from Seattle and Tacoma via Washington State Ferries, this island in the middle of Puget Sound looks and feels far removed from the ordinary worries of big city life. For one, Point Robinson Park includes 10 acres of verdant woodlands, a generally easy walking trail, a vintage 1885 lighthouse and the iconic troll sculpture, Oscar, The Bird King, by the famed Danish recycle artist Thomas Dambo. Just down the road, Maury Island Marine Park protects over a mile of undeveloped shoreline and makes a great place to spot local wildlife like bald eagles, great blue herons, chinook salmon, and even the occasional orcas swimming nearby. Then, for a full taste of Vashon’s bounty, it’s worth the trek (and booking an appointment in advance) to Nashi Orchards for their award-winning artisan ciders and perry made from pears and apples grown at their farm. And for a fuller selection of Vashon’s locally made treats, Pop Pop Bottle Shop carries plenty of local beers, wines, and non-alcoholic beverages, and they make their own teriyaki for takeout.
Speaking of takeout, The Lodges at Vashon offers spacious cottage and lodge suites with kitchenettes and living areas to enjoy that tasty takeout grub. Even better, The Lodges’ property combines the serene beauty of a remote park environment with a convenient location that’s a short walk away from Vashon’s central hub of shops and restaurants.
Westport
Returning to Washington’s wild and wonderful Pacific Coast, around 72 miles west of Olympia, we reach the cozy oceanfront village of Westport. This town is definitely worth visiting for Westport Light State Park, which extends from the 107 foot-tall lighthouse that’s been illuminating the shore since 1898, to a long stretch of sandy beach that’s great for surfing and saltwater fishing. Nearby, there’s plenty more to explore at Bottle Beach State Park, a nature preserve on the southern shore of Grays Harbor bay that’s fantastic for birdwatching. Also in the area is Johns River State Wildlife Area, which has a fully accessible walking trail and offers another great vantage point for spotting wildlife like songbirds, deer, and elk. And heading back to the ocean, Twin Harbors State Park stretches from serene grassy sand dunes to a cool, relaxing driftwood-adorned beach.
Up at the northern tip of the peninsula (near Westport Light State Park), Westport Marina Cottages offers a prime coastal location with a collection of cool waterfront cottages equipped with comfy amenities like kitchenettes, full bathrooms, private porches, and even electric fireplaces and jetted tubs.
Recharge in These Wonderful Washington Towns
Throughout Washington State, people will find a vast variety of towns that invite them to slow down, relax, and enjoy the wondrous scenery. Out at Neah Bay, folks can experience a town that overflows in authentic indigenous culture and dramatically rugged coastal beauty. Over at Friday Harbor, visitors can take advantage of this ideal vantage point for whalewatching and simple exploring around San Juan Island. Then, there’s Walla Walla, the wine country town that crafts exceptional wines and tees off the perfect round of golf. Heading over to Ashford, folks can climb to new heights at Mount Rainier National Park. And last, but certainly not least, Vashon Island is a treasure chest full of hidden gems that’s surprisingly close to Seattle. However one prefers to relax, these Washington towns really go the distance in renewing a full passion for life.
