Hydroplane boat races and tours of Navy and Coast Guard ships in Seattle. Delta, dragon, and cellular kites are judged for aesthetics and flyability at Long Beach. Skamania County locals discuss Sasquatch sightings over Bigfoot burgers, Yeti spaghetti, and Abominable potato salad in Carson. More than 2,500 artists perform music, dance, and theater. On the volcano's south side, naturalists lead daily lantern tours through chilly, mile-long Ape Cave, a tunnel created by lava flows 1,900 years ago.
Deep channels bring salmon close to shore, followed by hungry killer whales.
Bikers gravitate to Lopez Island for its flat terrain, scenic farmland, and views of the water. A nighttime laser light show projected onto the dam tells the story of how it was built between 1933 and 1951. The Paradise Inn, built in 1917 with cedar from a park forest fire, affords views of the jagged Tatoosh mountain range to the south and meadows blanketed by lupine, Indian paintbrush, and avalanche lilies to the north in the summer. That's the dilemma faced by drivers about to tackle the 400-mile scenic route that crosses the Cascade Range twice. Breathtaking alpine views on the eastern approach to mile-high Washington Pass on Highway 20 persuade most folks to go counterclockwise.