Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest of the United States is best known for its beautiful coastline, green interior, rainy weather, and spectacular mountains.

States

Oregon

Known for its political innovation and the quirky city of Portland.

Washington

Home to volcanoes and numerous coastal islands to explore, as well as Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest.

Sometimes the neighboring areas of northern California, western Idaho, Southeastern Alaska, and the neighboring Canadian province of British Columbia are also considered part of the Pacific Northwest, also referred to as Cascadia.

Cities

Eugene 📍 – the second-largest city in Oregon, known for its natural beauty and its artistic, activist residents
Olympia 📍 – the capital of Washington state, on the shores of Puget Sound, and a breeding ground for local alternative culture
Portland 📍 – the largest city in Oregon, known for its scenic beauty and eco-friendly urban planning policies, with a proudly liberal outlook
Salem 📍 – the capital of Oregon, in the fertile Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene
Seattle 📍 – the largest city in Washington and the Pacific Northwest, and its cultural and economic influence extends far beyond its borders
Spokane 📍 – the economic and transportation hub of eastern Washington
Tacoma 📍 – Washington's third-largest city, in the shadow of Mt. Rainier, known for its dynamic art scene

Other destinations

Crater Lake National Park 📍 — The deepest lake in North America, the clear blue water in this volcanic crater makes it an attraction.
Mount Hood 📍 (height 11,239 feet/3425 metres) — The highest mountain in the state of Oregon and a major outdoor recreation site.
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument 📍 — site of the largest recorded volcanic eruption in US history.
Mount Rainier National Park 📍 — extremely photogenic volcanic mountain, rising from close to sea level to 14,410 feet (4392 m).
North Cascades National Park 📍 — jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls and over 300 glaciers form this park.
Olympic National Park 📍 — extremely diverse from the lush canopy of rainforests, to the sandy beaches and rugged, glacier-capped mountains. Olympic National Park is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Pacific Northwest.
The Oregon Coast and the Washington Coast are scenic, wild and interspersed with quaint towns and include 100 km of wilderness coastline, the longest undeveloped coast in the contiguous United States.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area 📍 — formed by the ancient forces of wind, water and time, these dunes are like no others in the world. This is the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America.
San Juan Islands 📍 — in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains in Puget Sound, these islands are famous for abundant eagles and Orca whales and include the San Juan Islands National Monument.

Understand

Culture

The mountains that divide the states also facilitate the cultural divisions within the region. Two thirds of the population lives west of the Cascades where progressive opinions such as environmentalism prevail, while in eastern sides political thought tends to be rather conservative.

Oregon was the first state to allow initiative and referendum, it was the first state to establish a beverage container deposit law (also known as a bottle bill), the first to legalize physician-assisted suicide, one of the first to legalize medical marijuana, and the first state to conduct all elections entirely by mail. Portland elected one of the first gay mayors for a city of its size. While Washington was the first state to legalize marijuana, Seattle was the first major U.S. city to have a female mayor and one of the first states to legalize gay marriage.

The Pacific Northwest has a reputation for innovation and is known for its airplane and computer product facilities. Some of the largest and most well-known corporations call the Northwest home, these include: Costco, Eddie Bauer, Expedia, Amazon, Nordstrom, Starbucks, Tully's Coffee, Boeing, Microsoft, Intel and Nike.

Climate

Most people associate the Pacific Northwest with a lush region that receives large amounts of rain during the winter months, with wonderful summer days. However the Northwest's climate is largely defined by its impressive natural features; most importantly its mountain ranges which not only provide convenient dividing lines, but which also create distinct climates in each of the state's regions from the Pacific Coast to the valley and, once over the mountains, a desert region—all within a few hours drive of each other. Travelers who cover multiple regions during their stay will find the differences between regions stark and remarkable in that by traveling throughout the area a great variety of climates will be experienced. Most of the glaciers in the lower 48 states are in the Pacific Northwest as it is the largest rainforest and the Puget Sound which is the second largest estuary in the United States. There is more than enough to keep any outdoor enthusiast busy.

Talk

The Pacific Northwest accent is considered very similar to the General American standard accent (native to the Midwest), popularized in the 20th century by radio, TV and movies. People in the area generally have little to no problem understanding different accents of the English language. The Pacific Northwest attracts tourists from around the world, and it is common to hear many foreign languages being spoken in public in major tourist areas.

There are ethnically diverse neighborhoods in some of the larger cities where many languages are spoken, including large 'International Districts' in Portland and Seattle where many Asian languages are spoken. Washington is the thirteenth most populated state for example, but by comparison has the fourth highest Asian population. Spanish is spoken by the majority in some smaller pockets in eastern Washington and Oregon. Seattle's 98118 zip code centered around the Columbia City neighborhood in South Seattle is considered the most ethnically diverse zip code in the country by the US Census bureau with 59 different languages regularly being spoken.

Chinook Jargon was a pidgin or trade language established among indigenous inhabitants of the region. After contact with Europeans, French, English, and Cree words entered the language, and "eventually Chinook became the lingua franca for as many as 250,000 people along the Pacific Slope from Alaska to Oregon." Chinook Jargon reached its height of usage in the 19th century though remained common in resource and wilderness areas, particularly but not exclusively by Native Americans and Canadian First Nations people, well into the 20th century. Chinook Jargon was still in use in Seattle until roughly the eve of World War II, making Seattle the last city where the language was widely used. Today its influence is felt mostly in place names and a handful of localized slang terms. Pronunciation of some of these terms is difficult and often separates the visitor from the local.

Some examples of common Chinook terms

Potlatch — in Chinook Jargon is a ceremony among certain tribes involving food and exchange of gifts, nowadays sometimes used to refer to a potluck dinner or sometimes the giving away of personal items to friends.
Tillicum — means "people/person", "family", and "people".
Tyee — leader, chief, boss. Also "Big Tyee" in the context of "boss" or well-known person

Get in

The most convenient "gateways" to the Pacific Northwest are Seattle and Portland. Both of these cities are well-connected to the rest of the world by plane, car and train, and are good starting points for trips to other areas of the Pacific Northwest.

By plane

By train

By car

Interstate 5 runs north-south from the Canadian border through Seattle and Portland to California. From the east, there are two main options:
- Interstate 84, from Salt Lake City and Boise, Interstate 84 enters Oregon and follows the Columbia River to its western end in Portland. WA 14 runs parallel to Interstate 84 along the Washington side of the Columbia River between its junction with Interstate 82, north of Hermiston, to Interstate 5 in Vancouver WA.
- Interstate 90, Connects Boston to its western terminus in Seattle via Chicago and Spokane.
Interstate 82 starts from its junction with Interstate I-84 (Exit 179) east of Hermiston, Oregon and winds its way through the Tri-Cities and Yakima in the Columbia River Plateau region in the southeastern part of Washington. Ends at I-90 (Exit 110) east of Ellensburg.

Additional major highways entering the Pacific Northwest include:

a major east-west highway spanning 2571 miles from Everett to Saint Ignace, MI. In Washington it runs parallel, north of Interstate 90, through the North Cascades, Leavenworth, Wenatchee, Moses Lake, Davenport and Spokane. It continues in through Coeur_d'Alene in Northern Idaho on its way towards Michigan.
spans 2500 miles from Aberdeen WA to Detroit MI. In Washington it goes from Aberdeen to Lewiston through Centralia/Chehalis, the mountains between Mount Rainier & Mount St Helens, Yakima, Sunnyside in the Lower Yakima Valley, Tri-Cities, Walla Walla and Clarkston. The highway loosely follows the eastbound leg of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, between Wallula, Washington and Clarkston, Washington, thus being marked as part of the Lewis and Clark Trail. The east end of the highway in the state is at Clarkston, where the highway crosses the Snake River into Idaho at Lewiston. It runs concurrent with Interstate 5 from Exit 88, north of Centralia, to Exit 71 south of Chehalis and along Interstate 82/182 from Exit 31 in Yakima to the Junction of I-182/US 395 east of Pasco.
is the longest west to east coast highway spanning from Newport OR to Boston MA which is signed in Newport and at the other end in Boston. It goes across Oregon from Newport to Ontario through Corvallis, Albany, Lebanon, Detroit Lake, Sisters, Bend, Burns and Vale. It runs concurrent with US Hwy 26 between Vale and Caldwell and along Interstate 84 between Caldwell and Boise.
is the continuation of BC-Hwy 97 into the United States from the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek. It runs parallel with the I-5 corridor from Oroville, WA to Weed, CA where it ends at the I-5 corridor. It passes through Wenatchee, North Cascades National Park, Ellensburg and Yakima in Eastern Washington; and through The Dalles, Redmond, Bend, Crater Lake National Park and Klamath Falls in Central Oregon<br>
serves as the coastal highway from Eureka, California to Olympia, Washington where it ends at the I-5 corridor (Exit 105). It passes from Gold Beach to Astoria along the Oregon Coast and from Ilwaco, through the Hoh Rain Forest and around Olympic National Park to Port Angeles in the Olympic Peninsula. The highway connects from Port Angeles, through the Hood Canal, Port Townsend and ends in Olympia. WA 8 connects US Highway 101 west of Olympia to US Highway 101 in Aberdeen without having to drive all the way around the Olympic Peninsula through Port Angeles.
enters Oregon through Lakeview, OR and goes up towards Hermiston through John Day and Pendleton. It crosses the Columbia River along I-82 into Washington (state) to Pasco where it splits from I-82 as a separate road towards Ritzville and along I-90 to Spokane.

By bus

Greyhound. Service from other areas within the US and throughout the region including many smaller cities along the interstate highways. Direct buses to the Pacific Northwest are between Vancouver and Los Angeles through Seattle, Portland and Sacramento ; and from Denver to Portland via Boise and Salt Lake City.
Cantrail, (bus stops) Seattle's King Street Station & Vancouver's Pacific Station. Additional stops at Sandmans Signature Hotel and Pacific Inn in Surrey. No additional stops in the U.S.. Operates direct buses between Seattle and Vancouver, BC $40 for one-way, $75 round trip; discounts for students, military, seniors & children ages 4-11.
Jefferson Lines, Spokane Intermodal Station @ 221 W 1st Ave, +1 509-624-5251. Travels primarily on I-90 from Billings to Spokane via Coeur d'Alene, Kellogg, St Regis, Missoula, Butte, Bozeman and Livingston. 2018-01-24
Northwestern Trailways. Boise to Spokane via Horseshoe Bend, Cascade, Donnelly, McCall, New Meadows, Riggins, Whitebird, Grangeville, Cottonwood, Craigmont, Lewiston, Moscow, Pullman and Colfax.
Quick Shuttle. Runs between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Stops in Downtown Seattle (outside the Best Western at 200 Taylor Ave N) and SeaTac Airport (at the main terminal near the south end of baggage claim, outside door 00, bays 11-16. Provides affordable and reliable transportation from Seatac Airport, Downtown Seattle, Bellingham Airport to Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and Cruise Ship Terminals. Despite the multiple stops they make, northbound buses can only pick-up in the U.S. and drop off in Canada and vice versa for southbound buses. Fares from Vancouver to Downtown Seattle are round-trip; $36 one-way, $65. From Vancouver to SeaTac, fares are $49 one-way, $87 round-trip.

By ferry

Washington State Ferries, +1 206 464-6400. The Washington State Ferry system offers once or twice daily sailings from Sidney, BC to the San Juan Islands with continuing service to Anacortes. For security and immigration processing when traveling between the US and Canada, a 60-minute advance arrival is strongly suggested for vehicle traffic. Walk-on passengers must arrive 30 minutes in advance. Service to Sidney has been suspended since the Covid-19 pandemic and the operator has announced that service to Sidney is suspended until at least 2030 due to the lack of available ferries and crew. 2023-03-02
Alaska Marine Highway System. A ferry service from Bellingham, Washington up the Inside Passage to Haines, Alaska. Plan your travel early as this service tends to fill up fast. They no longer go to Seattle. 2022-06-17
Victoria Clipper, 2701 Alaskan Way Pier 69, Seattle @ Seattle downtown waterfront and 254 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC @ Victoria's Inner Harbour, +1 206 448-5000 (Washington) or +1 250 382-8100 (BC). High speed catamaran passenger ferries which connect Victoria, British Columbia to the San Juan Islands and Seattle. If you are heading to San Juan Islands, you can also join a whale-watching tour. (Passenger only, no vehicles.) 2022-06-17
Black Ball Ferry Line (MV Coho), 101 E. Railroad Ave, Port Angeles, 48.12181°, -123.43074°, +1 360-457-4491. Is a passenger and vehicle ferry running between Port Angeles and Victoria, British Columbia across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Crossing time is 90 minutes. Service runs all year except for an annual refit for one week in winter time. In the winter, this ferry runs 2 sailings a day and in the summer up to 4 sailings per day each way are scheduled. Fares are US$70.00 for car and driver and US$21.00 per passenger 12 years old and older, US$10.50 for children 5-11 years old, free for children 4 years old and younger 2022-08-20
Tote Maritime, (office) 32001 32nd Ave, Suite #200, Federal Way, +1-800-426-0074. Operates more as a private shipping company than a "ferry" for shipping of personal vehicles and/or personal household goods between Anchorage AK and Tacoma WA for those moving between the lower 48 and Alaska.

By seaplane

A quick and spectacular, though not cheap, way to travel. There are many American and Canadian companies offering sea plane travel into and around the Puget Sound area. Such as Kenmore Air and Northwest Seaplanes, both based out of Seattle with regular scheduled flights and chartered flights within the region and into Canada. Many planes only offer between six and eight seats and are small enough that the captain may ask for someone to sit in the front seat next to them. If you ask nicely they may be willing to take you on a scenic route or follow a pod of whales as opportunities and schedules allow.

By cruise ship

Cruise ships arrive in the area in both Astoria, Oregon and Seattle, Washington with continuing connections along the west coast including Canada and Alaska.

Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66, 2225 Alaskan Way S, Seattle, WA. near the middle of Seattle downtown's waterfront, serves as home port for Norwegian Cruise Line and Celebrity Cruises. Has bus, taxi and shuttle connections for transfer of passengers and luggage. For travelers with connecting flights, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is less than 15 mi (24 km) away.
Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, 2001 W Garfield St, Seattle, WA. at the north end of Seattle's downtown waterfront, serves as home port to Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises.
Port of Astoria, Pier 1, Astoria, Oregon. A deep-water port that can accommodate the largest cruise ships, 14 miles from the mouth of the Columbia River.

By boat

It is not coincidence that so many cities in this region are on the water. Early settlers found the thick regional forests too impenetrable to navigate by land so waterways became the Pacific Northwests early highway system.

However when arriving from Canada there are only a handful of ports including Roche Harbor, Friday Harbor, Anacortes and Bellingham that are official U.S. ports-of-entry and can process boaters through customs. The Cardinal Rule is touch land at customs dock before any other stops, fines for not doing so can be up to $5000. Besides a passport for everyone on board, you will need your boat's license number and User Fee Decal number.

Customs enforces USDA guidelines for what foods are acceptable to bring into the country and these guidelines are constantly changing so it is best to check in with them before arriving. Boaters are responsible for knowing the prohibited foods and can be fined for not declaring them.

By foot

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is one of the original United States National Scenic Trails and it travels a total distance of 2,650 miles along the West coast of the United States, from Mexico to Canada. It passes through California, Oregon, and Washington State.