Hello everyone!  This week we will be heading up north for an adventure in the wonderful state of Washington.  Now Washington may not seem like the type of place you go on a vacation to, but it has plenty of opportunities for people of all ages and interests.  

Our first stop in Washington will be to a place known as Olympic National Park.  This park in Port Angeles has everything from mineral springs to cool clear water for natural swimming.  This swimming of course must be done in the summer months since Washington, much like Pennsylvania right now, experiences snowy and icy conditions during the winter months.  Olympic National Park also has a variety of hiking trails for anyone who is looking to get in touch with nature firsthand.   

Moving southeast from the Port Angeles, our next stop will be the beautiful city of Seattle to see one of the most photographed buildings in the United States: The Space Needle.  This impressive work of architecture and engineering has a 520-foot observation deck that provides visitors with breath-taking views of the city and natural landscape surrounding it.  You can even get views of Mount Rainer from this structure!  The Space Needle was originally built in 1962 for the World’s Fair but has attracted tourists to say the least with its hyperboloidal shape (a little math for you there).  The building averages nearly 20,000 people each day making it a must see while in Washington.  Personally, this building has always intrigued me and is definitely on my bucket list, so needless to say I will be making a trip to Seattle hopefully at some point in my life. 

If the hustle and bustle of the city were too much for you then you will be extremely excited for our next stop at Snoqualmie Falls.  This 268-foot waterfall is located east of Seattle and provides a great photo-op for tourists in the area.  The waterfall is known for being very tranquil and visitors are provided with observation decks and gift shops all within the park.  The park actually sees more than 1.5 million people each year! 

Last but not least, we will sit back and cruise through our last sight in Washington: Coulee Corridor.  This scenic byway stretches from Omak to Othello and features both manmade and natural sights along the drive.  Visitors can experience great views of the Grand Coulee Dam and several state parks including the Sun Lakes and Steamboat Rock for any wildlife lovers.  

In conclusion, Washington may often be overlooked, but that does not make it any less intriguing of a state.  I hope to venture there some day and experience all it has to offer whether manmade or all natural.   

Until next week…happy travels!

Hello all!  Thanks for coming back for another post or if this is your first time on my blog then greetings!  This week I decided I was in the mood for a journey west again to a state neighboring the great California: Nevada.  Of all states to be so close to the daunting tourist attraction of California, Nevada most definitely holds its own and has much to offer those visiting.   

To start with, we will visit probably one of the most popular tourist attractions in Nevada at the Hoover Dam.  This man-made masterpiece is one of the most intriguing modern civil engineering wonders in the world which is probably why it has made appearances in multiple movies ranging from San Andreas to Vegas Vacation.  While visiting the dam, tourists are able to take one of the two different tours available.  These include a thirty-minute power plant tour and a sixty-minute dam tour which includes exploring passages within the dam itself.  

Our next stop in nifty Nevada will be for anyone who is into historical landmarks.  Known as the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park, this park features six historic charcoal ovens on site.  Now what is a charcoal oven, you might be asking?  Well, these tourist attractions are beehive shaped ovens that assisted in the process of obtaining silver ore that was found in the area in the 1800’s.  They are located near a basin and during their times of operation were often used as a rest stop for settlers.  I, personally, find these ovens very interesting because I have never heard of an appliance with such a peculiar shape.   

Well, if the Hoover Dam and Charcoal Ovens were not intriguing enough for you then a visit to the National Atomic Testing Museum just might be the explosion of entertainment you need (see what I did there 😉).  The museum features over 16,000 artifacts from not only test sites but the Cold War, radiological science, nuclear science, and more.  They also educate visitors on our country’s nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada test site (yes, that’s right, there is an actual Nuketown in Nevada that visitors can tour). 

Last but certainly not least, our final stop will be to the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in none other than Las Vegas.  This conservatory is home to over 34,000 flowers, 750 shrubs, and 25 trees that add up to over 14,000 square feet of tranquility (which can be hard to find in such a large city).  The exhibit is even changed with each season to reflect the holidays or celebrations at the time.  And if the greens were not enough, the conservatory also has a beautiful glass ceiling enhanced by breath-taking floral patterns.  

In summary, Nevada has an extremely wide range of attractions for everyone from your botanist to your history buff.  I think this is one of the factors I enjoy most about researching and visiting states; there is always a variety of places to see and activities to do and you never know until you get out there and experience them. 

As usual, keep traveling and come back next week for more information on what states to visit in this great country!