Take a Family Vacation to Historic Washington

What’s a family vacation to Historic Washington look like? Isn’t the Evergreen state just apples, mountains and the Space Needle? Surprise! Washington is FULL of history and historic places to visit. So many colorful stories that span the varied geography of the state. And a lot of family (and dog) friendly places to vacation too!

Hey! Did you know Washington is the only state in the union named for a President?

There are such a variety of ways to take a family vacation in historic Washington. All you have to do is choose your theme…. or just pick and choose from the wide variety of destinations and vacation experiences below.

Washington Natural History

Washington has some truly unique natural history and for the outdoor types to explore (as in… outdoorsy folks will never get bored). The Evergreen State offers such variety for this type of historic family vacation. Where else can you visit a rainforest, a desert, a glacier, mountains, and an ocean coastline all in the same state? It really seems like Washington has it all! Including hoo doos! (my favorite)

You don’t have to climb a mountain to visit and appreciate the grandeur of Mt Rainier or some of these other incredible peaks. Families have been taking a vacation there as long as they’ve known about it. Plenty of hikes, picnic sites, and other low key vacation activities for the whole family to enjoy. Each major mountain and range has its own unique history and there are interpretive centers focused on these stories.

Here are some unique locations to plan your Vacation (family or otherwise) to enjoy some of Washington’s Natural History.

Mt Rainier

Columbia Plateau

Mt St Helens

Olympic National Park

Cascade National Park

Puget Sound

Columbia River

Mount Adams

Strait of Juan de Fuca

San Juan Islands

Mount Baker

Snake River

Columbia Gorge

You can take your family skiing, snowboarding, berry picking, hiking, sail boarding, scuba diving, rock climbing, biking, walking and more. If your idea of vacation is outdoor adventuring with a little historic flair, Washington is your place! It’s no wonder REI got its start here. Oh yes, I remember going there when I was very very young with my own family. It was a true co op. Little did I know that place would make history in its own right….

More resources for a family vacation to Natural Historic Washington:

Washington Pre European Contact

If your idea of a historic family vacation is more along the lines of experiencing historic cultures, Washington has you covered there too.

Washington state has a Native American history that includes 125 tribes before European contact. Seattle is named after Chief Sealth of the Duwamish/Suquamish people. During your vacation, if you get the opportunity to travel to the reservation where he is buried, I encourage you to pay respects. Sealth has a rather incredible legacy (and a very well known historic speech) that continues to inspire environmentalists today. Sealth believed in family, community and the power of those along with that of the land. Near his gravesite there are several historic markers pertaining to his legacy worth stopping by to see.

Native history of Washington is preserved in names of towns, rivers, streets, and more. There are lots of opportunities throughout the state for a family to take a unique vacation and experience historic Native cultures of the Pacific Northwest and learn their history in appropriate and respectful ways. (Remember your ‘vacation’ experience is some elses real life)

TIP: Be advised that many of these locations are a bit remote so planning is key. For example, to get to the Olympic Peninsula you’ll want to take the ferry (also historic and SUPER fun for a kid) All of that takes time so not only plan time wise but for things to do for the family in the car is smart as well.

How to Adventure in the Car

Suquamish Museum

Hibulb Cultural Center

Lelooska Foundation and Museum

Historic Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center

Omak Stampede and Pow wow

Historic Tillicum Village

Yakima Nation Museum and Cultural Center

Makah Museum

Lots of pow wows and other cultural gatherings happen throughout the state and throughout the year. One family favorite is the historic Sea Fair. Not to be missed! Full of all kinds of historic traditions Native and not, with the Blue Angels, the Pow wow, the canoe landing, the naked guys on bicycles…(oh yeah, it’s a real thing)

More resources for a family vacation to discover Historic Native American Washington:

Discover Native America

Colonial Era Washington State

OK so this is a weird topic for family vacation. I realize this. Bear with me. It goes hand in hand with natural historic features, just some different stories.

The first European that landed on the Washington Coast was Captain Don Bruna de Heceta of Spain. The year was 1774 and he landed on the Olympic Peninsula. British Captain James Cook quickly followed in 1778. And then there was a flurry of activity between Spain, Britain, and Russia. Colonial Washington state was but a blip on the timeline of Historic America but it was there.

Because Washington is so diverse topographically, it almost has its own history for each area. The places noted below had significant recorded historic events recorded there that were integral to the foundation of building Washington as a state. A family vacation to discover these stories in history would have to include these great places.

Quinault River

Cape Flattery

Tacoma Narrows

Puget Sound

Grays Harbor (Grays Harbor Historical Seaport)

Ilwaco Heritage Museum

More resources for a family vacation to discover Early Historic Washington:

1800’s Historic Washington

As quiet as the 1700’s were in Washington (historically speaking), the 1800’s were anything BUT quiet! History got very colorful very quickly with all kinds of big personalities. Beginning with the Lewis and Clark expedition and famed explorer David Thompson… White women (I realize that sounds odd and startling but to this point in Washington history it was really a man’s world, full of miners, sailors, and loggers) began moving to the territory, missionaries came, and Washington exploded with population, industry, and conflict.

As lumber and mining towns boomed, liquor, gambling, and red light district activities popped up and then someone found gold up north. BAM! Instant hub of well, everything, as Seattle and Tacoma became major ports and crossroads securing their spot in historic annals.

This period of historic Washington isn’t for the faint of heart. It was filthy and no place for a family, let alone vacation. None the less history was made and as a result, there is a ton of it to explore now.

Lewis and Clark’s historic journey through Washington State

Washington State History Museum

Pioneer Square, Seattle

Bainbridge Island Historic Museum

Port Washington WI 1806 Light Station

Whale Museum at Friday Harbor

Ghost towns of Washington

Historic Port Townsend, Victorian paradise

More resources for planning a family vacation to uncover Historic 1800’s Washington:

Historic Seattle

Seattle isn’t the capital of Washington but it’s the most known city of the state and for good reason. A ton of history, it’s been the center of Washington industry since industry began in the state and it shows no signs of slowing down.

There are a few quirky historic bits that are super fun to mix in a family vacation or to build a vacation around entirely. If more modern history is your thing, you can include Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing and other tech giants as fun stops on the family vacation. I’m pretty sure someone in the family will think it’s pretty cool to see where video games are created. 🙂 They may not feel historic since they are household names but they are.

Here are some delightful historic surprises Washington holds.

The Seattle Underground Tour

Bruce Lee Grave and Jimi Hendrix graves

Fremont troll under the bridge

Historic Fisherman’s Terminal

The Pike Place Market

Historic Gasworks Park

Haunted Soda Pop Machine

Movie Tours of Seattle

Pioneer Square

More resources for a family vacation to Historic Seattle Washington:

Eastern Washington

While all that boom town business was going on in the west, Eastern Washington began thriving with agriculture, lumber, and mining. A little more family friendly and a little more what you’d expect, wheat fields and apple orchards sprang up everywhere. All these towns have their own historic festivals and family friendly fun to explore and most even maintain their own historic district. Great stops for a more laid back family vacation.

The town of Leavenworth even voted as the town to embrace their Bavarian history and go all in. The result was in the middle of the twentieth century they revamped the downtown and sealed their spot as a premier historic vacation destination. A vacation here is a lot like being in a snowglobe and I’m not gonna lie…it’s pretty great! We’ve taken many a family vacation there and every time it’s magical. Point being Eastern Washington is often unexpected and full of interesting choices for vacation.

Petrified Forest

Columbia Gorge

Leavenworth and The Great Nog of Fire

Historic Roslyn (Northern Exposure anyone?)

Wenatchee

Historic District of Spokane

1900’s Historic Washington

When most people think of vacation in Washington, they think specifically of vacation in Seattle, and even more specifically, vacation stop at the Pike place Market where fish are thrown and coffee is made.

In the early 1900’s the famous Pike Place Market opened, and really Seattle as we know it today formed. Tacoma as well. Honestly, a great deal of what was built in the 1800’s is no longer in Washington state as industry changed and climate (and occasional giant fire) took care of many a historic wood structure.

But the last century or so has given plenty of historic places to explore on a family vacation. Many of the brick buildings of the turn of the century survive and even though they are not SUPER old, they are still historic and lots of family friendly options to explore on your vacation.

Pike Place Market

The Bavarian Town of Leavenworth

Starbucks

Amazon Tour

Boeing Tour

Museum of Pop Culture

Space Needle

Ballard Locks

Olympic Game Farm

Women In Washington

Remember earlier in the article when I awkwardly mentioned the arrival of ‘white women’? This was because when the women arrived, the overall culture began to change, both in the building of families and in the building of one of the most prolific red light districts in history. If you like a little ‘seedy’ mixed into your vacation, read on….

The women of Washington is a fascinating history its own right that includes indigenous women, multi cultural women brought in for work, women who came as mail order brides, and women who came by choice.

Women have always been a force in Washington since they began to arrive in the 1800’s. There was the Women’s Club movement and of course the Oldest Profession (which was the main profession for women in early Seattle) gave way to the Second oldest Profession (motherhood) and mothers united to fund and build a school district.

There is so much history on this particular topic, one could take an entire feminist tour as a vacation.

Female madams, drug pushers, and the first serial killer (who basically starved wealthy people and stole all their wealth in the name of alternative medicine) It wasn’t all dark though…

In 1920 Seattle boasted the first female mayor in a major city in the US. Yup! Women have been making history and are a formidable part of historic Washington state from the beginning. Here’s a couple places to hit on your vacation to discover a few more of these stories.

Seattle’s Historic Pioneer Square

Women’s Historic Walking Tour in Olympia Washington

Mildred Bailey’s life in Spokane

A few resources to plan a historic female centered vacation in Washington:

Washington State: still making history

Washington is the number one state for apple production! It’s also number one for pears, red raspberries, sweet cherries and has been for years. MMMMMMMMMM (perhaps a vacation to tour all the yum?)

It’s still home to wild horses, has the longest floating bridge in the world and… it is home to the largest and most known coffee chain in the world, Starbucks!! How’s that for historic?

Major industries including Microsoft, Amazon, Nordstrom, Boeing, Costco, and Starbucks define the region today and Washington will likely stay on the cutting edge of history for a long time to come. AND, almost all these places have family friendly tours so you can experience the history and groundbreaking first hand on your next vacation!

Parting Thoughts

Sure a great vacation to Seattle includes the Space Needle, the Pike Place Market, and a ferry ride but there is oh so much more to explore. Seattle alone has historic venues both above and below ground that house all kinds of stories and secrets to explore.

Mountain ranges, quirky towns, and agricultural communities give such a wide variety for just about any type of vacation you could want.

We’ve taken everything from a beach vacation to a skiing vacation… explored old buildings in the rain and attended many a cultural celebration. Washington is one of those unique places that could take a lifetime to explore and fully experience.

We hope we’ve given you some interesting places to think about and things to do you might not have otherwise plugged into your vacation. Happy planning!

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