6 Underrated Washington Towns Worth the Drive in 2026

Known to many people as "Little Norway", the town of Poulsbo is a charming little waterfront town that is filled with Norwegian heritage and architecture that makes exploring a little bit of Norway without having to use a passport or purchase airline tickets possible.

One way that the town celebrates its connections to Norway is with the Viking Fest. On the third weekend of May, Poulsbo celebrates its Scandinavian origins by hosting a celebration where people go dressed up as Vikings, reenact battles from long ago, enjoy traditional Norwegian food, and an abundance of quirky competitions everyone can join in. It is a great way to have a good time, learn about the heritage of the town, and be a part of the celebration of the town's cultural pride.

At Sawdust Hill Alpaca Farm, patrons will be treated to fifteen acres of the family-owned farm and get up close and personal with alpacas, llamas, chickens, and the Great Pyrenees livestock guard dogs. The farms offer interactive and guided tours, an on-site farm store, and bundles of farm-fresh goods for visitors to take home with them, like fresh produce and garden goods.

For an extra special treat during your time at Poulsbo, a trip to Sluys' Poulsbo Bakery is just the thing to satisfy your sweet tooth. This family-owned bakery, located in the heart of the town, serves old-world Scandinavian pastries like Lefse (traditional potato flatbread), Kransekake (almond wreath cake), and Julekake (Norwegian Christmas bread). They also serve Viking Cups (a hollowed-out, cup-shaped cinnamon roll stuffed with rich cream cheese icing), oversized doughnuts, multi-grain bread, and doughnuts shaped like gingerbread men, making it a hit for both adults and children.

The historic coal-mining mountain town of Roslyn is known for one special thing in particular: being the filming location for the popular 1990s television show Northern Exposure, as it was the setting for the fictional town of Cicely, Alaska. For the fans of the show visiting Roslyn, they can stroll down Pennsylvania Avenue and visit iconic spots from the show like the Roslyn Cafe mural, the historic brick storefronts, and local shops that were featured throughout the show's six-season run. It is a great place to see the places that Rob Morrow, Janine Turner, and Barry Corbin once stood. It is truly a remarkable way for fans of the show to spend the day and to introduce new viewers to this critically acclaimed series.

Speaking of iconic spots, while not featured in any award-winning television series, one iconic spot in the town that brings a lot of tourists and locals in for a bite to eat is Roslyn Landing. Roslyn Landing is a family-friendly establishment downtown that is known for serving all-day breakfast items, gourmet deli sandwiches, locally sourced coffee, and artisanal baked goods. They also serve whiskey cocktails, flights of spirits, regional beer, wine, and freshly made cider at the bar.

Another place to get locally crafted drinks is The Brick Saloon, Washington's oldest continuously operating bar. Alongside its regional draft beers, craft cocktails, and spirits, the saloon also serves hearty comfort food like custom-blended burgers and specialty sandwiches fried in beef tallow, vegetarian platters, and finger foods for everyone at the table to share. It is because of the history of the building being a social hub for the coal-mining community and the delicious food and drinks that come along with it that customers come back for more.

Sequim is most famous for being the "Lavender Capital of North America". This is because the town features dozens of lavender farms where these beautiful, sweet-smelling, purple blossoms bloom across the Dungeness Valley each summer.

In July, the Sequim Lavender Festival takes place, and during the festival, party-goers can experience guided tours of the lavender farms in town, enjoy a street park festival, unique food options like lavender-flavored ice cream and lemonade, and dance along to classic hits as live music plays across multiple stages. For fans of lavender, it is a wonderful way to spend a summer's day.

Another tourist attraction to visit in Sequim is the Olympic Game Farm Inc., a drive-through, family-owned safari where patrons, from the safety of their car, can view the open-ended habitats that are home to Roosevelt elk, llamas, Tibetan yaks, zebras, and American bison, all looking for a bite to eat. You may also wave at American black bears, who will wave back, and take a walking tour around the area if you didn't bring your car to see the animals that come across the back.

In the summer, the Graysmarsh Berry Farm opens its gates for visitors to pick an assortment of delicious berries under the shade of the Olympic Mountains: strawberries in June to kick off the fresh berry season, raspberries, loganberries, and early blueberries in July, and blackberries, blueberries, and blackberries in August. The farm provides visitors with baskets and plastic bags so that patrons can fill their buckets with berries to their hearts' content.

What began as a mining boomtown in the 1870s, with coal mines, coke ovens, and sandstone quarries, turned Wilkeson into one of the roughest mining towns west of Butte, Montana. Today, the town still has traces of its mining heritage, as some of the buildings are still standing and serve as reminders to tourists and locals of what Wilkeson once was.

One way to explore more of the town's history is to visit the Wilkeson Historic Coke Ovens. These beehive-shaped ovens from the early 20th century were once used to process lumps of coal for industrial use, especially steelmaking. Although the ovens are no longer in use, they remain historical landmarks, preserved for years to come as a reminder of when they worked around the clock to ensure there was enough coal to keep the industry running.

Another thing about Wilkeson: aside from its rich history in coal mines and coke ovens, the town is also a gateway to Mount Rainier National Park. The park is an outdoor lovers' paradise as it offers visitors hiking and climbing paths, campgrounds, bicycle tracks, fishing/boating spots in the lakes and rivers, stargazing at night, and so much more. With all of these things to do, it will be impossible to want to leave.

Every July, Wilkeson hosts a quirky little set of races called the Wilkeson National Handcar Races. Instead of race cars zooming down the track, racegoers can cheer on their favorite racers as they pump railroad handcars down the racetrack. After the races are finished, people can enjoy all different food vendors, sample beer at the beer garden, enjoy family-friendly activities, and dance to their favorite songs as live music plays throughout the grounds. It is an experience one will never forget.

For those who have a love of hiking, North Bend is the place to go, as the town has unlimited access to all of its best hiking trails, one in particular being Mount Si. Mount Si is a popular hiking destination in the town and is famous for its iconic hiking trails, as it draws up to eighty thousand to one hundred thousand visitors every year, making it one of the most climbed trails in all of Washington State. It is also famous for its dramatic rock summit that serves as a viewpoint that overlooks the entire town.

The mountain was also featured in the television series Twin Peaks, and fans of the show may also visit the many filming locations that the town is known for. Take Twede's Café, for instance. While the café was the main stage for the Double R Diner in the show, patrons can indulge themselves in the café's many delicacies and, of course, true to the Twin Peaks franchise, the café serves the famous cherry pie and "damn fine cups of coffee" on the side. Not only is it a great place to fuel up after a hike, but, for fans of the series, it is a great place to relive all of the show's finest moments.

For all of the train enthusiasts, the Northwest Railway Museum is where you will find exhibits that display historic locomotives, railway artifacts, and equipment, all of which retell the railroad history of the Pacific Northwest. Seasonally, patrons can even take a train ride throughout the grounds with breathtaking views of the Snoqualmie Valley and Snoqualmie Falls that make for an amazing photo backdrop.

The town of Coupeville can best be described as something straight out of the pages of a storybook, as the town has 19th-century-style architecture and is situated on the waterfront of Penn Cove, making it look like the photo you would see on the front of a postcard. However, as we are approaching Halloween time and the release of its sequel, the town of Coupeville becomes a haunted gathering place for the annual Practically Magic Halloweekend. This is because Coupeville was the filming location for the 1998 film Practical Magic, and during that weekend celebration, visitors can enjoy walking tours to see all of the spots that were shot in the movie and learn a bit of behind-the-scenes magic and stories about the cast during the making of this cult classic.

There is also a torchlight parade and street dance, pumpkin races, unique scavenger hunts, and sold-out movie events that not only play the film itself, but other Halloween classic tales past and present. Not only does it get spooky season off to a great start, but it is a wonderful opportunity for fans of the Sandra Bullock classic to mix and mingle with one another.

One particular hotspot in this picturesque waterfront town is the Little Red Hen Bakery, where they are known for their leavened craft breads and pastries made from carefully sourced grains, especially their croissants, cinnamon rolls, and savory hand pies. Their mission? To make and sell bread and pastries to customers that celebrate the flavor of grains. However, you might want to arrive at the bakery for an early breakfast, as some items can sell out early due to high demand.

A unique offering that Coupeville has for visitors is the Price Sculpture Forest. Along the path, you will pass by a collection of sculptures that are inspired by animals and wildlife like eagles, gorillas, fish, deer, and squirrels, as well as mystical creatures like the pegasus, dragons, and even a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The park is celebrated for its whimsical and abstract works of art people find while admiring the local flora and fauna. After all, one does not get to see a sculpture depicting a Tyrannosaurus Rex charging at them every day.

While the sites like the Seattle Space Needle and Pike Place Market are what draw people to Washington throughout the year, visiting these underrated towns will give just about anyone an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, allow you to discover all of the local history each of these towns has to offer, and give you plenty of access to the flora and fauna that call Washington home. If you skip the major cities for one of the six underrated towns, you might be surprised by how exhilerating and exciting they are.