Washington, a Cultural and Natural Heritage

Washington, a Cultural and Natural Heritage

General overview

Washington State was named after the first president of the United States of America, George Washington. Situated in north – west of the United States, divided transversally by Cascade Mountains, Washington is always charming tourists with its natural and cultural diversity. Open access to the Pacific Ocean have enhanced economic development of Washington and led to an economic burst of maritime industry and trade. Seattle, Anacortes and Tacoma are the main ports of Washington. Dominated by the White House, Washington DC, the capital of Washington State is located on the bank of Potomac River on the Pacific coast of the United States.

Natural diversity

The oceanic climate from the west and the contrasting semi arid climate from the east, allowed Mother Nature to excel in natural diversity. In Washington there are over 65 national parks, natural forests, federally protected wildernesses and national wildlife refuges. Included within the UNESCO‘s World Heritage Sites and one of the most impressive parks in Washington, is the Olympic National Park. Another natural monument, volcano St. Helen, an active volcano is 96 miles away from Seattle. Waterfalls like Bridal Veil Falls, Bear Creek Falls, and Carbon Falls will challenge any hiking or mountain trekker looking for adventure. Yakima Canyon will be a breathtaking experience for anybody keen on camping. With a collection of over 26000 species of plants, the United States Botanical Garden, is located in Washington DC. The Garden has the following areas: the Conservatory, the National Garden, and Bartholdi Park. Pelindaba Lavender Farm is an exceptional experience both for one’s eyes and nose. The San Juan Islands can be reached by ferry from Anacortes or by plane from Settle, while Bed & Breakfast Association of San Juan Island can be of a real help as concerning accommodation, local knowledge and other related services.

Cultural events and attractions

Natural History Museum, the National Air and Space Museum or Smithsonian Institution Building are just three examples of museums opened to any culture friend. When in Seattle, parents can really offer a fantastic experience to their children by visiting the Children’s museum. Excellent wine brewers, the locals enjoy themselves along with all tourists gathered by the wine festivals organized all over Washington State, such as: Washington Wines Festival, Lake Chelan Crush or Red Wine & Chocolate. In Seattle, a ticket to Northwest Folklife Festival and Bumbershoot: Seattle’s Music and Arts Festival can be a very special gift for someone in love with music, dance and fun. A good representation of what the 7^th art has to say is the Seattle International Film Festival. Once the guard of the ocean, Admiralty Head Lighthouse – Coupeville is now another famous touristic attraction in Washington. Preserving Indian culture and civilization is one of the highest priorities in Washington. There are 26 reservations and several museums dedicated to the Indian arts and crafts. In this view, Makah Cultural and Research Center at Neah Bay and the Yakama Nation Museum and Cultural Heritage Center in Toppenish are two “must see” places in Washington.

lonu � i n � @& Park and Bryce Canyon National Park provide a fantastic journey to adventurers. The largest discovered natural bridge in the world, Rainbow Bridge, was carved of solid sandstone and it’s located in southern Utah. Thanks to its diverse environment Utah is definitely a perfect destination for hikers, mountain trekkers or campers. With a history of more than 250 000 years, Bear Lake is situated at the border of Utah with Idaho being famous as the habitat of unique spices. Northern Utah is dominated by Great Salt Lake, the largest slated lake in the Northern hemisphere.

Entertainment and cultural attractions

Used as a shooting location for dozens of films, Utah proved itself to be an extremely inspiring location for the film industry. For legendary films like El Dorado, Wild Wild West or Pirates of the Caribbean Utah have been chosen as shooting location. Its extraterrestrial surroundings have been used as background for productions such as Planet of the Apes (1968) and Planet of the Apes (2001). Natural History Museum of Utah will take you to an unimaginable journey to the past where you will find answers from weather to dinosaurs and DNA. A winter destination, Utah is hosting major events in the winter season: Utah Winter Games, Hof Winterfest German Festival, St. George Winter Bird Festival held in January or Bryce Canyon Winter Festival and Park City - Ski Jumping held in February.