4 Must-See Attractions: Things to Do in Washington

Updated: Jul 5, 2024

What do you think about when someone mentions the word Washington? Let me tell you, it’s not just cold and rainy days.

Washington offers a lot of fun activities! Since we are heading into Summer here are some things to do in Washington if you are venturing to the BEAUTIFUL Washington State. I’ll list a few in detail that are some of my favourite places to explore!

Inside this article:

Wings Over Washington : A Thrilling Indoor Adventure
Pike Place: Seattle's Heartbeat
Pt. Ruston: A Coastal Retreat
Ocean Shores: A Beachside Escape

Wings Over Washington: A Thrilling Indoor Adventure

Want to hear about some things to do in Seattle Washington? This hidden gem is located on the Seattle Waterfront, and is more my speed over the height of the Giant Ferris Wheel to its right (I’m very fearful of heights). But, if heights don’t bother you check out the Giant Ferris Wheel. You’ll be taken up so high to see all of Seattle and the gorgeous Puget Sound! Back to this thrilling indoor ride, once you’ve bought your tickets and made your way inside, you’ll be directed upstairs where a 'Park Ranger' will give you information and instructions for the ride.

Funny story, my first time here with my mom and sister we thought that informational brief was the ride, which was fun but not what we expected. There's an interactive screen the “ Park Ranger” interacts with so we assumed this was the ride. Was a little nervous at first because there were no seat belts. To find out the ride was next door, which was very relieving to find out.

Once you are safely buckled in a seat 'Spirit Eagle' will fly you over the most beautiful scenery in Washington. A huge screen is in front of you to help you see the views. You might get a little wet, but I'll let you go check it out to find out how much. I highly recommend making this a spot to check out on your trip to Washington!

FAQ:

How long is Wings Over Washington? Approximately 15 minutes
Height requirement: 42 inches
Where do I buy tickets: Available online

Pike Place: Seattle's Heartbeat

This is a well-known place to check out in Washington, but if you haven’t heard and maybe if you do, let's dive in a little deeper; who knows we could discover some extraordinary finds!

Highlights of Pike Place Market:

Location: Downtown Seattle
Popular vendors: Fresh produce, seafood, artisanal products
Hidden gems: Glass art, goat cheese, honey sticks, and more
Secret spots: The Secret Garden and a unique downstairs area with rare shops

Things you probably already know about Pike Place, it’s in Washington, and it’s a market. Yes and yes, but those are obvious. What may not be obvious is all the hidden gems and offerings Pike truly has to offer!

Once you get past the vendors on the outside and make your way inside both your nose and ears will be filled with all sorts of sounds and smells.

There are so many directions to go but there's no particular place to start. Expect heaps of different vendors from glass art to goat cheese to hot sauce, to honey sticks and more!

Disclosure, not a place to explore if you're trying to save money!

All that walking and you’d assume you’ve discovered all of Pike Place huh? Nope! There are some secret spots you should be sure to check out!

Pike Place offers a downstairs, which is filled with a bunch of unique shops! (I bought a full-length screenplay!)

Also, there is a stunning Secret Garden! I’ll give you a little help finding this gem. 🙂

If you head to the Southwest corner of Pike Place Market you should be able to locate it. If you're bad with directions like me, typing it into your GPS is the next best thing.

Tip: Pike is a pretty popular spot all year round so if you want some time when it's not so crowded definitely come earlier. This is a great spot and most visit if you’ve never been to Washington.

Pt. Ruston: A Coastal Retreat

I wanted to feature this little-known spot to people who aren’t familiar with Washington. Get away from those crowded tourist spots and explore something a little unknown!

This beautiful area features many restaurants, and activities for everyone of any age.

A favourite spot of mine to go to is an ice cream shop called Ice Cream Social, Washington.

Tip: Heads up this place especially during the summer is still a very big spot. So there will most likely be a line from open to close. But it's definitely worth it.

You can enjoy the two-mile walk with the view of Puget Sound, and may even see a harbor seal or two!

If you want to move a little quicker you can always find a motorized scooter to rent.

If you venture a little further you’ll discover Point Defiance Park, which will lead you to a 5-mile drive through the natural beauty of Old-Growth forest. I did this and I saw so many baby deers! As you will see in the picture below of a deer I spotted on a walk through the 5-mile drive!

Along the way, you’ll come across Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. They recently added a new exhibit featuring a hammerhead shark and a sea turtle! I’d definitely give this a visit.

Image: Deer spotted on the trail along the Old-Growth Forest 5-mile drive

Ocean Shores: A Beachside Escape

A place you might have heard of but if you haven’t let me fill you in!

If you google Ocean Shores I guarantee one of the first things that will pop up is a massive Shark head (entrance to this building).

The Reason? A popular gift shop called Sharkys! You’ll find loads of different items here (all ocean-themed) from shark teeth to hoodies, plushies, cups and more! Make sure you make this a stop before and after you do some more exploring.

My family and I try to make this a stop each year we make our way down here for the 4th of July festivities.

Sharkys isn’t the only thing to see and do at Ocean Shores, besides the obvious beach it's also known that there are other activities on shore to do as well! Here is a small list of things to do while you're at Ocean Shores.

You can win some cool prizes and enjoy some fun games at Pacific Paradise Arcade or Playtime Family Fun! You’ll see a lot of people riding on mopeds you can rent, bikes, and scooters.

You might also find yourself hungry from all the exploring or you just want a sweet treat. Here are a couple of restaurants you can check out and some places to find yourself a little treat.

Ocean Shore Bites:

Ocean Shores Sno-Cone Factory
Buddy and Howies Old Fashioned Sweet Shop
Rusty Anchor Grill and Pub
Ocean Shores Roasters and Bistro
And many many more!

Image: My sister and I at Pacific Arcade with all our prizes.

Tip: If big crowds aren’t your thing avoid this hot spot around the beginning month of July. They hold some 4th of July events so it brings a lot more people to this area.

If you stay around on the 4th of July Ocean Shores has a unique firework show, or if you stay around the beach area people often light off their own fireworks. So many to see!

Tip: Because of all the fireworks it does get smokey so if you have breathing issues be cautious, or if you have a room next to Ocean Shores you’ll be able to see all the fireworks.

Things to do in Washington

There are so many more unique places Washington has to offer. From Beautiful places to hiking to more beaches. Yes, it has beaches believe it or not. So many places it would take a novel to tell you all. Though it does get its bad reputation for always raining, Washington is a must on your bucket list of places to visit, trust I grew up here, moved away when I was 19 and after four years in California I came back because this is home. If you need any more convincing, take some time to look up popular places in Washington, get away from the usual and find something legendary 'The coffee here is pretty tasty.'

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