The Kitsap Peninsula consists of the quaint water towns of Gig Harbor, Poulsbo “the Viking City,” and Bainbridge Island. They are easily accessible from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Tacoma, from the Olympic Peninsula, and from the ferry in Seattle.

Many of my patients loved visiting the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge throughout the year as it was close to their homes in Olympia. The Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk and Twin Barns Trail is an easy 4.6 mile walk over the water/wetlands. When here it is fun to do birding, other wetland wildlife viewing, photography, and on a good day spotting Mt. Rainier in the distance at the very end of the boardwalk.

This 3 mile rainforest-like there-and-back hike is hidden in the suburban town of Dupont. It is about 20 minutes north of Olympia, and an hour south of Seattle. Follow the path from the free parking lot at the police station down a mild-to-moderately steep trail to a magical rainforest-paradise.

This is a short-but-sweet easy 1.3-mile rainforest-like hike between Olympia and Mt. Rainier in Yelm, Washington. The largest of the falls is hard to see from the trail but the roar is loud. The trail is often muddy so wear your weather-proof shoes! Parking is free.

Little Mashel Falls is in Eatonville, Washington, about 30-45 minutes away from Olympia in one direction, and Mt. Rainier the other. There are a set of 3 waterfalls here. The largest one is the Middle Falls so we followed that route.

The Chambers Bay Loop surrounds the magnificent Chambers Bay Golf Course, which hosted the U.S. Open in 2015! This 3.5-mile paved trail is southwest of Tacoma showcasing the beautiful Puget Sound. It is very hilly at times, offering amazing views of the Sound and the golf course. Parking is free!

Snoqualmie Falls is a 268-foot waterfall about 30 minutes east of Seattle. Near the parking lot is a beautiful view close to the top of the falls. You can take the moderately difficult Snoqualmie Falls trail to get a lower view which is 1.4 miles in total there-and-back, with a steep slope down the hill; then you have to come back up! We were 50/50 on which had the best view. So if you don’t want to take the steep hike, you don’t need to!

Pinkies out! I visited Chateau Ste. Michelle on multiple occasions as it is only 25 minutes northeast of Seattle. Its history dates back to the 1930s when the National Wine Company first began. This makes it the oldest winery in Washington.

While living in Washington for 6 months, I explored as much as I could. Here are my favorite things that I did in the beautiful, lush scenic state of Washington.

The magnetic marvel of Mt. Rainier (pronounced RAIN-EAR) is unparalleled. It begins with a drum roll through the windy road full of babbling brooks and waterfalls, giving glimpses of Mt. Rainier’s peak. As you reach higher up the mountain towards Mt Rainier’s Paradise and Sunrise sections of the park, you will feel its roaring energy. Mt. Rainier is one of the most popular national parks in the U.S. I have many tips and information to help guide you through this park's most popular entrances: Paradise and Sunrise.

Seattle… AKA The Emerald City and The Rain City. Both are true! This beautiful, lush, green large city has many fun places to experience and check off your bucket list!

Victoria is a beautiful city on Vancouver Island just a ferry ride away from Washington state. I started this solo trip at Tea at the Empress and it kept my pinkies out for the rest of my weekend vacation! The world-recognized Butchart Gardens, and the free Beacon Hill Park were other mystical parts of this trip.

Leavenworth is one of the top places to see in Washington, per the locals. It is a German village about 3 hours east of the Seattle region. You really feel like you are in Germany here with the sky-high mountain range surrounding the town, the German-themed buildings, and the overflowing hanging plants on the lamp posts.

Olympic National Park is on the large Olympic Peninsula about an hour + west of Seattle. In this Park there are several breathtaking lakes, magical hiking trails, dramatic beach views, and a rainy rainforest!

Portland is Oregon’s largest city. It is known for its eco-friendliness, parks, and bridges. It is less than 2 hours south of Olympia, Washington, and 3 hours south of Seattle, Washington.

I did not understand how a tree can be the basis for a national park until we explored Joshua Tree National Park. We hiked these four trails in Joshua Tree: Arch Rock, Skull Rock, Keys View, and Hidden Valley. Each of these trails were very different from each other.