You don’t always have to break the bank to have fun and tour great sights. Especially with these uncertain times, many aspects of life are becoming limited.
Are you excited to explore Washington State? Here are some of the nice places to visit without hurting your wallet.
1. Olympic Sculpture Park
Located in Seattle, make sure to take a notebook and a pen with you to get inspiration from contemporary art pieces. The Olympic Sculpture Park is an art space open and free to the public. It sits along the Seattle waterfront and is also a lovely place for a stroll.
2. Center for Wooden Boats
After you enjoyed your lovely stroll in Olympic Sculpture Park, why not try boating? Boating isn’t expensive if it’s free. If you go to the Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle, boat rides are free on Sundays. Enjoy an unforgettable voyage as volunteer skippers and crew take you to Lake Union.
The boat ride is free, but donations are still highly appreciated for boat maintenance and materials need to keep the program going.
Note: Before you go, make sure to go to the CWB website to check the availability of their free ride.
3. North Cascades National Park
Enjoy an Alpine landscape less than three hours from Seattle. If you love outdoor adventures like picnic, hiking, mountain biking, or camping, the North Cascades National Park is your scenic byway. Best of all, you don’t have to pay a single dime for the entrance fee.
You can discover different communities of life and explore jagged peaks adorned by more than 300 glaciers and listen to cascading waters in a forest valley.
4. Long Beach
Do you fancy going out for a seaside stroll? In Long Beach, Washington State, all it costs is just a bit of your time.
Known as the longest beach on the West coast with 28 miles of sand, you can spend plenty of time enjoying what it has to offer. Take your pick from beachcombing, kite flying, building sandcastles, oyster, and clam digging.
Try to allocate some time to visit the World Kite Museum. It’s located just off the main street of Long Beach and exhibits miniature kites, the history of kites, kite stamps, military kits, and ALOX — almost everything about kites.
5. Chihuly Bridge of Glass
This 500-foot bridge is Tacoma’s dazzling link to the Thea Foss Waterway and the Museum of Glass. The pedestrian bridge is open 24/7 to the public and holds three amazing Chihuly glass installations.
If you want something that can catch you by surprise, linger at sunset with your date, and you’ll understand why it’s one of the most romantic places in Washington.
6. Strawberry Fields Off-leash Dog Park
If you’re looking for a place in Washington State for your four-legged friend, visit Strawberry Fields Off-leash Park. Your best bud will enjoy the freedom and play his heart out without constraints.
This off-leash area is located in north Marysville within the Strawberry Fields Athletic Complex, offering 3 acres of running room for your pooch to roam free.
Other amenities include:
- Picnic benches surrounded by trees
- Dog waste bag dispensers
- Fenced and gated concrete area
- Three-tiered drinking fountain for dogs and owners
7. World’s Largest Radio Flyer
Upload something unique to your Instagram with a selfie of the World’s Largest Radio Flyer located at Riverfront Park, Washington State. Known as “The Childhood Express,” this roadside attraction is one thing you wouldn’t want to miss.
This wagon is more than just a larger-than-life monument. Created for the 80th anniversary of Radio Flyer, it depicts the wonder of childhood play.
8. Kubota Garden
Explore a 20-acre Japanese garden in Washington State. You can tour through this Japanese-inspired gem garden and enjoy some lovely flowers in bloom. This has been a public park since 1987, started by Japanese emigrant Fujitaro Kubota.
For more information about the garden, visit their website.
9. Frye Art Museum
Are you into contemporary art collections? The Frye Art Museum is located in the First Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington State. This art museum emphasizes painting and sculpture from the 19th century up to the present. Its holdings come from the private collection of Charles and Emma Frye.
The Museum is currently open to the public Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. And while the admission is free, you’ll need to get a reserved timed ticket to help limit and maintain visitor capacity. To learn more about the museum, visit the website.
10. Poo Poo Point
Venture up to the magnificent Poo Poo Point in the Issaquah Alps. According to the Washington Trails Association website, there’s no pass or entry fee required for this particular hike.
Poo Poo Point is a small hill on the shoulder of West Tiger Mountain. Its folksy name refers to the steam whistle sounds heard throughout the Tigers in the early days of logging. The result is now a large clear area used as a launching pad by paragliders.
From the parking lot, you can take the visible trail across the landing field. Make sure to stay alert for any paragliders who might be trying to land.
Which top attractions did you enjoy in Washington State?
Whichever tourist destination you visited, we hoped you had fun. Sometimes, the best things in life will cost you nothing. So before you splurge on your next day trip, try looking for some free places you can visit without breaking the bank. After all, it’s more about the experience and whether or not you enjoyed it.