Wash. - Nothing soothes the soul like glassy saltwater.
Nothing lifts the spirit like craggy alpine peaks.
Nothing beats finding those rare places in the middle, where the two come close enough to embrace. One of the best in the nation is less than 50 miles from downtown Seattle, as the crow flies - and not much farther as the crow drives or rides the ferry. The east slope of the Olympic Mountains, a mishmash of clearcuts, pristine wilderness, tall peaks and peaceful shorelines, remains a mystery to most Seattle-area dwellers. It's easy to see why. You have to take a ferry or drive through Tacoma to get here.