Washington General Information Nickname: Evergreen State State bird: Willow Goldfinch State flower: Coast Rhododendron Capital: Olympia Date of admission to the Union: 11th Nov 1889 Population: 5,894,121 (2000) Population density: 31.9/sq km 2000 total overseas arrivals/US ranking: 468,000/15 Time: Pacific (GMT - 8). Daylight Saving Time is observed. The State: Washington State, bordering Canada and the Pacific Ocean, offers some of the nation’s finest scenery for outdoor recreation. It has the second-highest population of any western State, yet visitors can travel from any city centre to peaceful countryside within minutes. The Snake and Columbia rivers flow through eastern Washington before joining to cut a passage through the Cascades, the north–south mountain range that dominates the centre of the State, rising to 4392m (14,411ft) at Mount Rainier. There are many fine beaches and small resorts on the Pacific coast. Much of the State is covered by coniferous forest. Holiday highlights include yachting on Puget Sound, hiking along the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and mountain climbing in the Cascades and the Olympic Mountains. Travel - International AIR: International airports: Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) (website: www.portseattle.org/seatac) is 22km (14 miles) south of the city (travel time – 20 minutes). Buses link the airport to points throughout the city. Taxis are available. Approximate flight times: From Seattle to London is 9 hours 5 minutes, and to San Francisco is 1 hour 50 minutes. SEA: Washington State Ferries (website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) link Seattle with the Olympic Peninsula, Bainbridge Island and other points in the region. The Victoria Clipper links Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle via high-speed catamarans. RAIL: There are numerous Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) lines crossing the State. The daily ‘Empire Builder’ from Chicago splits at Spokane, with onward services to Seattle and Portland, Oregon. There are four trains daily from Seattle to Portland (one of which continues on to Los Angeles) and a daily service to Vancouver, British Columbia (travel time – 4 hours). See Illinois and California sections for other travel times. ROAD: Approximate driving times: From Seattle to Vancouver is 3 hours, to Portland is 3 hours, to Spokane is 6 hours, to Boise is 10 hours, to Calgary is 15 hours, to Los Angeles is 24 hours, to Chicago is 44 hours, to Dallas is 45 hours, to New York is 61 hours, and to Miami is 69 hours. All times are based on non-stop driving at or below the applicable speed limits. Approximate bus travel times: From Seattle to Vancouver is 4 hours, to Portland is 4 hours and to Spokane is 7 hours. Greyhound (tel: (800) 229 9424; website: www.greyhound.com) is the main carrier. URBAN: Seattle has an excellent bus system. An underground bus tunnel operates through central Seattle from the International District to the Convention Center, with stops at Pioneer Square, the financial district and the Westlake Center. A high-speed monorail links the city centre with the Seattle Center. Public transport is free in the centre of downtown. Taxis and hire cars are also available. Introduction SEATTLE: The ‘Emerald City’ is the primary international and domestic gateway to Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. The State’s largest city is surrounded by the waters of Lake Washington and Puget Sound and enjoys spectacular views of The Cascades and the Olympic Mountains. The waterfront area is known for its seafood restaurants, shops and water excursions. The Seattle Center, built for the 1962 World Fair, is the city’s cultural heart, the home of opera, symphony, ballet and repertory theatre companies. It also contains the 185m-tall (605ft) Space Needle, with an observation deck, restaurant and cocktail bar. Pioneer Square is a 17-square-block National Historic District showcasing Seattle’s early history with shops, art galleries, restaurants and a unique underground tour. Chinatown offers arts, crafts and cuisine from China and Japan. Pike Place Public Market situated just above the waterfront, is the oldest continually operating farmers’ market in the USA, featuring abundant seafood and produce, as well as handcrafted items from the Pacific Northwest. Harbour tours and fishing excursions are easily available, and the excursion to Tillicum Village is highly recommended. Other major attractions include Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium and the Japanese Garden. ELSEWHERE: Olympic National Park, west of Seattle, has glacier-studded mountains, rainforests, lakes, streams and miles of unspoiled coastline. Tacoma, south of Seattle, is the State’s third-largest city. Its Point Defiance Park is one of the finest urban parks in the Pacific northwest. Mount Rainier National Park, southeast of Tacoma, offers breathtaking views and skiing and other wintersports. Mount St Helens, in Gifford Pinchot National Park in southwest Washington, is the site of the infamous volcanic eruption of 1980, which left a gigantic crater in the mountain’s north flank. It is possible to take short trips by light aircraft over the summit. Ellensburg, located in the central part of the State, features the famous Ellensburg Rodeo, which is held every Labor Day weekend. Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and Yakima are at the heart of the region’s wine country. Spokane, near the border with Idaho in eastern Washington, is the State’s second-largest city; it boasts the outstanding Riverfront Park. Social Profile Food & Drink: Seattle is noted for its seafood, and has more than 2000 restaurants serving many different types of cuisine. Restaurant/bars can stay open until 0200 all week. Beer and wine are available in grocery stores and spirits in State stores, usually every day 1000-2000, except Sunday. Stores in big cities have later closing hours. The minimum drinking age is 21. Theatres & Concerts: The Seattle Opera’s season runs from September to May. The Seattle Symphony Orchestra plays from September to June. Both the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Seattle Repertory have seasons that run from October to May. Nightlife: Jazz spots, nightclubs and discotheques are scattered throughout Seattle. Shopping: Westlake Center, Nordstrom, the Bon Marché and Pacific Palace are among the major malls and department stores located in the heart of Seattle’s retail district. Other interesting shopping areas include Pioneer Square, the Waterfront and Pike Place Market. Sport: Seattle has a number of professional sport teams, although none matches the fervour with which the Seattle Mariners baseball team, who play at the new Safeco Field, are followed. The Seattle Seahawks American football team begin their 2002 season in a new 67,000-seat stadium. The other big-league team is the Seattle Supersonics, who play basketball in the Key Arena. The Seattle Thunderbirds play ice-hockey in the second-division Western Hockey League. Special Events: Mar 2003 Seattle International Bike Expo. Apr-May Celebration of Cultures, Ellensburg. May Gathering of Tribes (Indian festival), Wenatchee; Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle. Jul West Seattle Street Festival; Sultan Summer Shindig, Sultan; Olympia’s Capital Lakefest, Olympia; Jazz Port Townsend, Port Townsend; Mason County Fair, Shelton. Jul-Aug Bellingham Festival of Music, Bellingham. Aug Clark County Fair, Ridgefield; South West Washington Fair, Chehalis. Aug-Sep Bumbershoot (arts and music festival), Seattle; Ellensburg Rodeo, Ellensburg. Sep Festival in the Park, Ocean Park; Strait Bluegrass Festival, Port Angeles; Commencement Bay Maritime Fest, Tacoma. Sep-Oct Washington State Autumn Leaf Festival, Leavenworth. Oct Annual Pumpkin Festival, Yacolt. Nov Winter Fan-ta-sea, Ocean Shores. Climate Washington has two distinct climate zones. Summer days west of the Cascades rarely rise above 79°F (26°C), and winter days seldom drop below 46°F (8°C) while the east of the State has warm summers and cool winters. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.