Washington State is an amazing state, with vastly different sceneries ranging from deserts to coasts to mountains. The best way to get all these sights in is by a road trip in a rental car, allowing you to enjoy the wonders of Washington on wheels at your own pace. Rent a car with Hertz and get ready to blaze a trail across Washington.
One of the best road trips to experience nature in Washington is by takingWashington’s Cascade Loop in your hire car. This 440-mile route takes you from Highway 2 to Wenatchee, before heading north to Highway 97 and over the Cascade Mountains where the most beautiful alpine scenery awaits you.
Hire a car and drive to Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park. Following Highway 101, don’t forget to makepit stops along Washington’s popular destinations such as Port Townsend, the Dungeness Spit and Cape Flattery. The Olympic National Park is worth exploring too, with its Hurricane Ridge and Hoh Rain Forest, both of which are highly recommended attractions within the park.
Conquer Washington’s Mount Baker Highway during your road trip. Travel in your hire car on Washington’s Highway 542 east from Bellingham, and pass trough rural areas before entering the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie Forest. Head north in your rental car and you’ll come upon Washington’s Artist Point. Expect lovely panoramas of the surrounding coniferous forests. Take note that the final length of highway up to Artist Point is only open during the summer months. Nevertheless, this Washington road trip is still worth going in fall, as the vibrant foliage makes for a beautiful and memorable sight.
Tackle Washington’s Coulee Corridor National Scenic Byway that passes through unexpectedly arid regions of Washington in your rental car. The complete road trip runs from Washington’s town of Othello to the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, past Grand Coulee Dam to Omak. The entire region was carved by floods in the Ice Age that left deep channels known as coulees, which are dotted with lakes of all sizes. It will be an enjoyable road trip across Washington with these unique landscapes, that also make lovely pit stops.
Another portion of the Cascades Loop, the North Cascades Highway is also a good route to get the Washington lake scenery in. Make your way up to Washington’s state route 20 to Twisp. Make a pit stop to enjoy a float trip across the Skagit River. Newhalem is also along the way so pullover for a breather or enjoy a few hikes. The drive in your rental car over Washington’s mountain pass is extremely gorgeous, as you sail by the Gorge, Diablo and Ross Lakes. The unique bluish green colour of the lakes are not to be missed and can be enjoyed from various overlooks.
Washington is a beautiful state full of incredible scenery, so don’t miss out on a Washington road trip and start your planning soon!
