HIghway to Walla Walla

Eastern Washington with the Okanagen Trails, Coulee Corridor and Yakima Valley is home to a diversity of beautiful destinations. Sites like the Grand Coulee Dam and its popular Laser Light Show, vineyards and wineries of the Yakima Valley and prime hunting and fishing locations in the Okanagen Valley. Events including the Central Washington State Fair in Yakima, the Holiday Barrel Weekend in Walla Walla and Wenatchee’s Wings and Wheels Festival make for delightful getaways in Eastern Washington. Students are returning to Central Washington University, Gonzaga in Spokane and Eastern Washington University, livening up calendars with athletics and cultural events.

The Fair is in the Air – The 2011 Central Washington State Fair is September 23rd through October 2nd. Held at the State Fair Park in Yakima, get ready for the fun and entertainment. Grandstand attractions include the Pro-West Finals Rodeo, Demolition Derby and the American Sprint Car Series. Trace Adkins kicks off the performance headliners at the Budweiser Stage, followed by concerts by Kellie Pickler, Boyz II Men and Brett Eldredge. With top entertainment and all the traditional fair fun, don’t miss the Central Washington State Fair.

The Yakima SunDome, the multi-purpose arena at the Central Washington State Fairgrounds, hosts top notch entertainment year round. The 2011 schedule includes the October 15th performance by Miranda Lambert. November brings local and regional wrestlers competing in the Predator World Championships Youth Wrestling and high school basketball hits the SunDome in early December. Check the SunDome calendar any time you visit Yakima, for the latest events and entertainment.

Walla Walla, the hub city of the Walla Walla Valley is quickly becoming recognized for its vineyards and wineries – Walla Walla Community College even offers an associate’s degree in winemaking. Adding to the region's agricultural legacy, vineyards join wheat and Walla Walla sweet onion as important crops for the local economy. Walla Walla is also home to Washington State Penitentiary, the largest prison in the state, and important to the local economy.

Join wine enthusiasts in the Walla Walla Valley for the Fall Release Weekend 2011, November 4th through the 6th. A time to celebrate fall, the end of the growing season and the latest new releases, this is an ideal fall getaway. Fall weather is great to enjoy a round of golf at the Wine Valley Golf Club before heading out for wine tastings. Visit the Walla Walla Valley for the 2011 Holiday Barrel Weekend December 2nd through the 4th. With over 50 wineries opening their doors, this is a wonderful holiday getaway to stock up on your favorite wines, and taste new vintages.

Ferry on Puget Sound

From Deception Pass south to Olympia, Washington’s Puget Sound region is filled with natural beauty, and dotted with quaint towns and vibrant urban cities. Puget Sound is anchored in the north by Bainbridge Island, Bellingham and Seattle, the Evergreen City, with Tacoma, Lakewood and Olympia to the south. A collection of lakes and waterways include Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish and Gig Harbor mirroring the surrounding cities and providing Washington residents and visitors seemingly endless water recreation. Take a ferry ride from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, kayak through the San Juan Islands and sail out of Lake Union to discover Puget Sound.

Gifted with water, blue sky, green forests and abundant wildlife, Puget Sound makes an ideal getaway destination. Bellingham, with convenient proximity to Mt Baker is the hub of Whatcom County. A gateway to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, Canada, but don’t miss Bellingham’s own attractions. Kayak or canoe to protected coastlines along the Salish Sea, take a raft trip down the Nooksack River or sail Bellingham Bay with the Orcas - enjoy a visit to Bellingham.

Athletes join the 5th Annual Bellingham Bay Marathon on September 25th. The 2011 events include a half marathon and 5K. Join in the fun or come out and cheer on your favorite runner. As part of the festivities, the Lummi Nation tribal community is proud to select Charmaine Lawrence’s art - Salmon Circle, as the official artwork of the 2011 Bellingham Bay Marathon.

Check the Mount Baker Theatre in Bellingham’s Arts District for a bit of culture on your visit to Bellingham. October brings the Vienna Boys Choir and The Miles Davis Experience to the Mount Baker Theatre, while the Whatcom Symphony Orchestra and Debby Boone, brighten the holidays with December performances. Don’t miss a visit to Western Washington University in Bellingham to see the campus outdoor sculpture collections. Stroll though WWU to admire the 29 sculptures. The Big Rock Sculpture Caren in Bellingham is another wonderful spot, with 35 permanent art installations set among 2 and a half acres of city park.

On the shores of Puget Sound’s Port Gardner Bay, Everett Washington is located in the central region of Puget Sound. Everett is home to the Port of Everett, one of the west coast’s largest active ports, supporting the production activities of the Boeing Corporation. Visit the world’s largest building – Boeing’s Aviation Center - where you can visit and tour the commercial jet assembly plant. The Boeing Tour allows visitors to see the assembly operations for the new 787 jets along with 747, 767 and 777 aircraft. Kids love the tour; however the Boeing Tour is restricted to visitors 4 feet and taller.

Everett’s Comcast Arena has a full schedule of events to keep residents and visitors entertained. Home of the Everett Silvertips and Washington Stealth, sports fans are covered. With performances of Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, Disney’s Phineas and Ferb, and Alan Jackson in concert, there is always entertainment on a visit to Everett.

Seattle Skyline

The western shores of Puget Sound are lined with great cities from Auburn and Federal Way in the south, through Kent and Seattle, to north Puget Sound communities of Everett and Bellingham. Linked by Washington State’s Interstate 5, Seattle and its neighbors enjoy fantastic fall weather with the holidays and winter sports just around the corner. The Seattle Seahawks entertain capacity crowds at CenturyLink Field with exciting NFL Football. CenturyLink Field is also home to the MLS Seattle Sounders, who play through October. Hockey fans travel to the ShoWare Center in Kent, where the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds take the ice. Sports fans are happy this season in Seattle.

Seattle also offers a full schedule of women’s sports. Key Arena at Seattle Center is home to the Seattle Storm of the WNBA and the Rat City Rollergirls, Seattle’s flat track all-female roller derby team. The Seattle Mist of the Lingerie Football League are currently in season. Fans catch the action of this exciting new sport at Kent’s ShoWare Center on November 4th and January 6th. The LFL may just be the next big sport to see. Kent is 20-miles south of Seattle off I-5.

Kent, midway between Seattle and Tacoma and just seven miles south of Sea Tac International Airport, is a delightful city and suburb, with easy access to Seattle’s urban culture. Interstate 5 and State Route 167 link Kent to Washington communities north and south. Join the community in Kent for the 29th Annual Christmas Rush – Fun Run and Walk. The 2011 event is December 10th at Riverbend Golf Complex. Keep up that exercise regime with a 5K or 10K walk or run, followed by live music, awards and prize drawings.

Enjoy a festive holiday concert in Auburn, just five miles south of Kent. The 2011 Red White & Blue Holiday Concert is December 4th. This year’s concert features Auburn’s Mountain View High School choir accompanied by the 133rd Army Band from the Washington National Guard. Admission is free, however reserve a ticket – enjoy this festive and patriotic concert followed by an audience sing along.

Bellingham, situated approximately 90 miles north of Seattle, kicks off the holiday season with Holiday Port at the Port of Bellingham. The 2011 Holiday Port is December 2nd through the 4th at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal. Bring friends and family for the fire truck and horse-drawn wagon rides, holiday performances by Bellingham choirs, bands and performing groups, and Santa Claus. For the cooks in the house, there is a Gingerbread house making contest – show off your creativity and baking skills for the Bellingham community.

Spokane Clock Tower

Spokane is a hub of business and culture for Eastern Washington as well as the surrounding northwest states and provinces. With outstanding outdoor recreation destinations around the city, fall sees the last of warm season whitewater rafting down the Spokane River. Hiking and biking is excellent along Spokane’s Centennial Trail, as long as the weather holds. Ten miles east sits the recently incorporated City of Spokane Valley. A commercial hub for the area, Spokane Valley is home to the Spokane Valley Mall and is a mecca for automobile dealerships. Spokane and Spokane Valley make a great combination.

Home of Gonzaga University and their Bulldogs athletics, fall brings the anticipation and start of Bulldogs basketball season. Join fans at the “Kennel” – the McCarthey Athletic Center, for men’s and women’s basketball regular season play early November. Also known as the Zags, Gonzaga’s athletic teams include soccer, volleyball and rowing, along with several individual sports. Look for games when you travel to Spokane and join the excitement of Zags athletics.

The Spokane Symphony with Music Director Eckart Preu has a wonderful schedule of fall and winter performances. Enjoy the symphony at their home in downtown Spokane, at Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. The gorgeous artfully restored Spokane landmark theater hosts Super Pops series concerts in October and November along with the Holiday Pops Celebration December 17th and 18th. The Holiday concert features the Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Spokane Area Children’s Chorus with Morihiko Nakahara conducting. Beethoven fans, don’t miss the special New Year’s Eve celebration with Eckart Preu conducting the Spokane Symphony and Spokane Symphony Chorale performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

The Spokane Symphony joins the State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara to present the holiday tradition of the Nutcracker. Make plans with the family for a performance December 2nd through the 4th. Hosted at the Fox theater, enjoy the opulent setting and the classic ballet set to Tchaikovsky’s score. Make it your Spokane holiday tradition.

Hockey fans join the frenzy of the Spokane Chiefs on the ice at the Spokane Arena. Located on the North side of Riverfront Park off Boone Avenue, the Spokane Arena hosts the Chiefs 2011 – 2012 season running through mid-March. Join the fun of promotion nights with the Spokane Chiefs - November brings Washington National Guard Buck Night and Cheerstix giveaway as well as a Player magnet giveaway. Plan now for the Chiefs Family Day January 16th.

Theater lovers visiting Spokane, be sure to check the calendar at the INB Performing Arts Center. On the schedule for November is Monty Python’s Spamalot and the Official Blues Brothers Revue. See Young Frankenstein December 15th and have some fun in the New Year at Beauty and the Beast January 26th. Events and activities keep Spokane visitors busy year round.

Cascades National Park

Fall has hit and winter is on its way to Washington’s Cascades. Autumn colors grace Mount Baker as the snow line edges down the mountain. Take advantage now for the season's last drive along the Mt Baker Scenic Byway and the Snoqualmie National Forest. East of Bellingham, Mount Baker Ski Area is a gorgeous 60-mile drive through North Cascades National Park. Yakima in central Washington sits on the sunny side of the Cascades. Visitors to Yakima are rewarded with a bounty of fresh fall produce and award-winning local wines. Pick a getaway and enjoy fall in the Washington Cascades.

The city of Vancouver in southern Washington is an easy drive from Mount St Helen’s National Volcanic Monument, less than 65 miles to the northeast. Vancouver USA is the oldest non-native settlement in the state, and Washington’s fourth largest city. Enjoy fall recreation in Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mount St Helens, while enjoying autumn colors.

Fort Vancouver, south of downtown is an ideal place to honor US Service men and women on Veteran’s Day, as the fort hosts its annual Veteran’s Day Parade. Visit Fort Vancouver in December and experience a Christmas past, as the fort recreates an 1840’s holiday. Enjoy caroling, toy making, crafting decorations and other demonstrations.

The 2011 Christmas Ship Parade passes Vancouver nightly from December 8th through the 20th. Marking the 57th year for the parade along the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, up to 60 boats lit and decorated for the holidays are visible from locations along the river. Make a trip to Camas and Washougal on December 3rd for a special parade performance.

Yakima, in the shadows of Mount Rainier National Park, east of the Snoqualmie Nation Forest, enjoys 300 days of sunshine and wonderful Indian summer days in fall. Yakima, one of top producers of hops in the US, celebrates its bounty at the Fresh Hop Ale Festival in October. Yakima also hosts the Central Washington State Fair early fall.

When the weather cools, head indoors at the Capitol Theatre for Yakima’s outstanding cultural events. Catch Broadway's Spamalot at the Capitol in November or ring in the holidays with The Nutcracker in December. The Yakima Symphony Orchestra also performs at the Capitol Theatre with the November 12th performance featuring Scandinavian Designs featuring the Van Cliburn Competition Gold Medalist.

Bellingham, in the North Cascades region, celebrates the bounty of fall's harvest at the open-air Bellingham Farmers Market. Visit the market Saturdays in downtown Bellingham on Railroad Avenue at Chestnut. Running through Christmas, the market is where to find fresh local products from growers, artisans and craftspeople – an ideal spot to find unique and casual holiday gifts.

Olympic National Park
Washington Coast

Vancouver, Washington USA – not to be confused with the neighboring northern city which sharing the same name, is on the north shore of the Columbia River. Anchoring Southwest Washington, Vancouver Washington was established nearly 30 years prior to its northern namesake. Across the Columbia River from Portland, Vancouver is the commercial, economic and cultural hub for southwest Washington. With a rich history, heritage and culture, Vancouver is Washington State’s oldest city. The original settlement of Fort Vancouver is now Fort Vancouver National Site, a must see destination for visitors to southwest Washington. A gateway to the Columbia River Gorge and other destinations, the Vancouver area makes a great getaway.

Holidays in Vancouver are delightful. Take a step back to holidays past at Fort Vancouver. Take a Lantern Tour through the Fort’s buildings experiencing what an evening while you carry your own lantern. Visit Fort Vancouver on December 10th for the 2011 Christmas at the Fort. Experience the holiday as it was in the 1840s with carols, toy making and demonstrations – a visit to Fort Vancouver makes a wonderful family activity.

From December 3rd through the 20th, the 2011 Christmas Ship Parade fills the Columbia River. Each night up to 60 boats twinkling and decorated for the season, parade down the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. The Parade can be seen from various locations along the river – check the schedule near your Vancouver location. The Christmas Ship Parade celebrates its 57th year in 2011.

Kelso, north of Vancouver on Interstate 5, is a gateway to Olympic National Park, the town of Tumwater offers visitors another spectacular outdoor paradise. Less than three miles from Olympia, the Washington State Capitol, visitors have a diversity of options for fun. From the Casinos of Lucky Eagle, Red Wind and Little Creek to Madsen Family Cellars and Northwest Mountain Winery, travelers to Tumwater, Olympia and Lacey have good choices for entertainment.

Ocean Shores on Washington’s coast extends along the 6-miles peninsula to the mouth of Grays Harbor. Fall and winter visitors are treated to the sight of magnificent coastal storms, beautiful Washington Coast sunsets and prime habitat for digging razor clams. A year-round destination, check the calendar for the Beachcombers Fun Fair and Razor Clam Festival in March or Antique and Arts shows in February and April. Winter is a different and dramatic experience in Ocean Shores.