Washington is truly one of the most beautiful places to live in the United States. After all, there aren’t many states that can boast such an electric collection of physical landmarks. To that end, Washington offers mountains to climb, rainforests to hike through, lakes to kayak, and urban centers to stroll. The kayaking in particular is absolutely gorgeous. If you’re interested in Washington kayaking, one of the best places to go is Portage Bay.

Whether you launch from Agua Verde or some other launch point, you’ll have direct access to Lake Union as well as Lake Washington. This paddle will give you unparalleled view of the downtown skyline, which includes the iconic Space Needle. You can also head to the arboretum, which will potentially offer views of eagles, herons, grebes, and more. You’ll even have the thrill of kayaking under the freeway.

No trip to Grand Coulee would be complete without a stop at the Grand Coulee Dam. One of the summer highlights is the evening laser light show at Dam that is projected onto the dam’s wall.

The area around the dam has an abundance of camping options, including cabins, villas, resorts and setting up your own tent. Banks Lake campgrounds located around Banks Lake also offer many recreational options such as boating, fishing, kayaking as well..