Tires meet berms, jumps, and drop-offs at Duthie Hill Mountain Bike Park, though beginners can go easy. More than 40 wooded trails—flowy cross-country and technical freeride—trace the 120-acre forest, and no trail is too long or steep for a graceful bail back to the centralized practice area where riders safely test new skills and build confidence.

Walk below the seaside cliffs of Whidbey’s Double Bluff Beach to glimpse baby fish and mollusks, or hope for a whale in the distance. Miles of shoreline make for a quieter tide-pooling experience for those willing to stroll further. While waiting for low tide, build a driftwood fort or relish in the rare rock-free beach with a sandcastle.

Among the maze of unpaved trails through Discovery Park, a 4.5-mile loop winds through various ecological gems: mossy forests, golden meadows, rocky sea cliffs, and beaches with Olympic Peninsula views. Stairs are a great excuse to take the uphill slow, as are countless overlooks, but getting lost or straying too far from cell service isn’t an issue.

Launch a standup paddleboard or kayak from Lake Union Park to race seaplanes, pass houseboats’ front decks, and scope the downtown skyline from a new angle. For a real workout, head east through the Montlake Cut to explore shoreline pocket parks and a secluded beach or two.

A mile-long estuary boardwalk leads birders straight into the habitat of Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge’s 250 bird species. Tides and seasons can change the water levels and landscape dramatically, but it’s never hard to spot wildlife—summer usually means juvenile bald eagles, baby songbirds, migratory shorebirds, and southbound waterfowl.

Olympic National Park’s 9.4-mile Ozette Triangle Loop follows boardwalks through dense coastal forests before depositing visitors at ocean views—and the flat campsites, freshwater streams, and outhouses of Cape Alava and Sand Point. The beach offers tide pools, marine mammal sightings, and driftwood swings.

Amenities (hello, flush toilets and potable water), ranger-led presentations, and a deep menu of nearby hiking trails elevate the camping at Mount Rainier’s Cougar Rock Campground. The Longmire Museum and National Park Inn restaurant are a five-
minute drive from the tent, should creature comforts be required.