Some great views with good hiking trails…read more Can get windy so you might want to bring a coat

Mount Erie Park had well maintained trails when I visited on Thursday 15 June 2023. The sun was…read moreout, though not in full force, and the trees provided some shade and protection from the sun. Rays still made it through the canopy to the trails. When I arrived around 10:10 a.m., I found one parking spot so snatched it up. Just up from the parking lot was an informational pavilion with maps of the trail system. Even with taking a picture I did not quite make it to the top. The trails I traversed were marked by a trail number as opposed to a destination and/or distance marking approach. I did not find this entirely discouraging, however I had come for a drive to a viewpoint I had heard about and missed that entirely. I turned around after about 20 minutes of hiking and went back to my car. The portion of the hike I took up the mountain got my heart pounding. One of the highlights of my visit was a caterpillar I found dancing on a mushroom on a log along the side of one of the trails.

It's not a fun park unless you're a kid. Then it's a blast with a playground that has those weird…read morecircular htings that swing you around with your weight and other fancy playground items. But this park is more about the sunset. I was in town as a day trip and the weather was so nice that I wanted to check out the sunset. We sat there people watching on the bench as the sun started sinking over the water. People walked out down the pier and it made for really nice pictures. Once the sun went down, people left because there was a chill in the air, but until that moment, the sunset was magical. Definitely glad we hung around for twilight.

Washington Park is beautiful. The scenic loop is a great drive (go slow 10 mph there are…read morepedestrians on the paved road too). There are spots for cars to park on the loop to enjoy the view (and a disability parking spot). Take advantage of the easy and beautiful access to epic views of Burrows Island and the pass at this park before getting on the ferry to the San Juan islands or staying in Anacortes.

When I'm in the mood for some gorgeous views over Anacortes, Cap Sante Park is one of my go-to…read morespots. Perched high on a point across the harbor from downtown, it's the perfect spot to take it all in. And with its northerly views, you can not only watch the boats arrive at the marina far below, but peer across the mountains for breathtaking sunny day views of Mount Baker, too. It also has a "lover's lane" vibe, so I'll give it an extra star for romance potential. There are a view benches, as well as rocky outperches, to sit and ponder all the beauty. Fall potential is high, so I wouldn't let little ones wander around on their own here. Parking can be a hassle on sunny days.

Went during a sunset and it was spectacular. Even saw a rainbow. There were parking spots when we…read moregot there though it was also a lot of people concerning it was already past 9PM. Wonderful views of the marina and the islands! And beautiful Mountain views.

A gorgeous washington gem :)…read more It's easy to spend a day exploring here - beaches? Foresty hikes? An amazing bridge? You got it. An adventurer's paradise! About an hour and half from Seattle so it's doable as a day trip!

Mother nature mixed with the military…read more Beautiful state park (don't forget your Discover Pass) on the north end of Whidbey Island. Great beaches for long walks and family outings. The far south end is particularly great for finding sea glass. Be sure to bring ear plugs with you when you are at the south border of the beach. This is where you will meet up with one of the runways of the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, home of the EA-18G Growler electronic attack squadrons. The noise pollution has been part of many lawsuits for years. The Navy has rejected a proposal to move its Growler electronic attack squadrons to a base in Southern California., so the noise issue isn't going away any time soon. If you have ear plugs, it's actually quite a sight to see the growlers take off.

Absolutely stunning views from the bluff at this beach. A short trail that leads above the beach…read moreand gives you the opportunity to see up and down the coast. All the way towards the bridge at deception pass. And there are clean restrooms here too. Always a must when I take a drive here. Discovery Pass required. Do it! Get outside and enjoy the wonderful experience of the PNW. SYOY!

We love this beach so much that I hesitated sharing a review on this beach for a long time. I…read morecertainly do not want this place to be so popular that it gets crowded all the time. However, I find myself recommending this beach to my loved ones visiting Seattle time after time. So, I randomly did a search on Yelp for Rosario Beach and I see that I am not alone. I wanted to echo everyone's love for Rosario Beach and share its beauty. It is about a 90-minute drive north of Seattle. It is a part of Deception Pass State Park so you are required to have a Discover Pass to park in its parking lot. The parking lot is on the smaller side and in summer, the lot gets full most of the time. However, we usually find an available spot after waiting a short while as I usually see folks staying for a short while and then leaving to check out another part of Deception Pass State Park. So, even if the lot seems full, just be patient. Since it is a state park, there is a clean bathroom facility with flushing toilets. The bathroom is just a short walk away from the beach. There are a few picnic tables with BBQ grills. We see weddings, family gatherings, couples having a picnic lunch, landscape photographers, bird watchers, and many more. Such an inviting place for all. And the beach. The water is usually calm as it is a cove. And yes, the water is very cold as we live in the PNW. It sure does not stop our children from getting into the water no matter the weather. It is beautiful. I was a landscape photography hobbyist (more active in the past) and I was immediately drawn to everything this place had to offer in terms of photography opportunities. If you are into photography, you will love this place. Every year, we come here to kayak, SUP, hike, check out the tide pools, have lunch, take a nap, get tanned, and just hang out with people I love. Since I'm from Hawaii, I wish the water was warmer but I'm slowly getting used to the idea that I live in the PNW. Haha! Alooooooha! from the beautiful Rosario beach!

Yet another great hiking trail we softly explored, to help our toddlers calm down before we headed…read moreback home. Oyster Dome Trail has multiple markers for guidance throughout it. Now that we've all thawed out from the winter, exploring WAs beautiful trails, parks, and landmarks come naturally; investing in a Discovery pass could be helpful. We will definitely return, and recommend!

Worth the hike for sure. Started at street level and it took a few hours but the view of the peak…read morewas worth every step!! Bring water it's a ways and can be steep

We were exploring Deception Pass State Park and stumbled onto this county park and hopped out to…read morecheck it out. We didn't hike too far, but enjoyed a nice walk down the path and back. I left me phone charging in the car after too many pictures earlier- so no pictures from this run- just memories of brisk, forest air & lush, dense fauna. The meadow at the entrance of the park would be fun for a picnic!

A hidden gem in Anacortes! This hike is right near Deception Pass State Park, but still part of the…read moreSkagit county park system. The parking lot is not huge but good sized and has a pit toilet. Day use only and dogs are permitted on a leash. This trail has a lot of different trails on it. You can get a map at the kiosk but I recommend downloading the Avenza Maps app and getting the map for this trail. It has markers on the trails but I still would have got lost without the app. It works offline and shows exactly where you are on the map. If you just want to see some spectacular views, then take the easy route down the Sares head trail to the Sares head overlook. The views are just breathtaking. I did some other trails in the park but some were really tough and climbing over rocks and branches and going up some hills. And at one point it was a very sketchy spot that dropped off right by the water. Next time I will make sure I look up the difficulty of the trail before attempting all of it. But it is definitely worth it just for that main viewpoint. Be sure to check it out if you are in the area.

Beautiful place to take an easy to moderate stroll among the miles of hikes that this magical place…read morehas to offer. Wonderful for children and friends. We hiked the Whistle Lake loop trail, which took under two hours and was moderate. It was easy to find and park, and the greenery was absolutely breathtaking. I can not recommend this place enough!

I could walk here from my home. Lovely community and a must…read moreto visit if you're in the area.

I highly recommend this. Not just for kids but adults too. They have a very interactive museum, a…read morehands-On room and an aquarium. Everything is so interesting. Well laid out and highly interactive so this is a super engaging space for all ages.