Overview
Bordering Canada and the Pacific Ocean, Washington State offers visitors beautiful areas for active outdoor vacations. Washington State has the second most populous western state, but you can still go from a downtown area to a quiet, rural area in minutes. The Snake and Columbia Rivers weave their way through eastern Washington before joining and flowing through the Cascade Mountains. The Cascades run north-south and dominate the central part of the state. Its highest mountain at 4,392 m is the imposing Mount Rainier. But there are also numerous world-class beaches and small resort towns along the Pacific Coast, and much of Washington State is made up of coniferous forests. Popular recreational activities include sailing Puget Sound, hiking the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, and mountaineering in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.
- Travelationary: Covers basic information about Washington geography and economy.
Getting there
Arriving by plane
Lufthansa (LH) flies non-stop from Frankfurt am Main to Seattle. In summer, Condor (www.condor.com) connects Frankfurt am Main and Munich with Seattle.
Flight times
Seattle – Frankfurt: 10 hours; Seattle – London: 9 hrs 05; Seattle – San Francisco: 1 hr 50; Seattle – Vienna: 12 hours (including stopovers); Seattle – Zurich: 11 hrs 10 (including stopover).
Note on arrival by car
Average car travel times: Seattle – Vancouver: 3 hrs;Seattle – Portland: 3 hrs;Seattle – Spokane: 6 hrs;Seattle – Boise: 10 hrs;Seattle – Calgary: 15 hrs;Seattle – Los Angeles: 24 hrs;Seattle – Chicago: 44 hrs; Seattle – Dallas: 45 hrs; Seattle – New York: 61 hrs; Seattle – Miami: 69 hrs Average bus travel times: Seattle – Vancouver or Portland: 4 hrs each; Seattle – Spokane: 7 hrs
Arrival by train
Seattle is connected to Chicago to the east (via St. Paul/Minneapolis, Spokane and Portland) and to the south with Portland and Los Angeles (see Illinois and California for approximate travel times) through Amtrak’s Empire Builder line. There are also daily train services to Vancouver, Canada on the Amtrak Cascades. For more information, visit www.amtrak.com.
Arrival by ship
Washington State Ferries (website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) connect Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula, Bainbridge Island and other nearby locations. Victoria Clipper high-speed catamarans connect Victoria, British Columbia (Canada) to Seattle (website : http://www.clippervacations.com/ferry/).
Passport and visa regulations
Entry with children
Since June 27, 2012, children need their own travel document (passport / children’s passport) for trips abroad (also within the EU). Entries of children in the parental passport are no longer possible.
Contact addresses
Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
1111 Israel Road Southwest
US-98501 Tumwater, Washington State
United States
(306) 902.88.44 or (888) 226.76.88 (toll free within the US).
http://www.parks.wa.gov
http://www.parks.wa.gov Washington State Tourism
103 Sid Snyder Avenue, PO Box 7338
US-98501 Olympia, Washington State
United States
(360) 704.75.44 or (800) 544.18.00 (toll free within the US).
http://www.experiencewa.com
http://www.experiencewa.com Washington State/Seattle Tourist Office
c/o Lieb Management & Beteiligungs GmbH
(also responsible for Austria and Switzerland)
Bavariaring 38
D-80336 Munich
Germany
(089) 689 06 38 43.
http://www.visitseattle.de
http://www.visitseattle.de
Mon-Fri 09.00-18.00.
Shopping
Overview
Particularly interesting shopping streets are the Waterfront Gold Rush Strip and Pike Place Market. In the city center there are well-known brand shops and department stores.
- Usaers: Provides a full list of major rivers and mountains in Washington.
Nightlife
Introduction
The Seattle Opera season runs from September to May. Seattle Symphony Orchestra concerts can be seen from November through April. Broadway productions are staged at the Seattle Repertory Theater and the Seattle Opera. All over the city, jazz bars, nightclubs and discotheques provide a wide range of evening entertainment.
Culinary
Overview
There are over 2000 restaurants in Seattle. The numerous fish restaurants are particularly recommended. Drinks: Beer and wine can be bought every day except Sunday from 10am-8pm. Shops in the big cities close later. The minimum age for the consumption of alcohol is 21 years.
Culture
Social Rules of Conduct
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in restaurants, bars and other public places and places. Smokers must stay at least 8 meters away from doors, windows and ventilation systems that could allow smoke to enter a public gathering place.
Climate
Best travel time
Washington State has two very different climate zones. West of the Cascades, summer temperatures rarely exceed 26°C and winter rarely falls below 8°C, while the eastern part of the state experiences very warm summers and cold winters.
Country data
Area (sq km)
182941
Population
7170351
Population density (per square km)
39
Population statistics year
2015
