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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Washington

325 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Washington

Updated July 14, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Anacortes
  2. Ashford
  3. Bainbridge Island
  4. Bellingham
  5. Colfax
  6. Cougar
  7. Coulee City
  8. Federal Way
  9. Forks
  10. Friday Harbor
  11. Goldendale
  12. Granite Falls
  13. La Push
  14. Leavenworth
  15. Long Beach
  16. Monroe
  17. North Bend
  18. Olympia
  19. Port Angeles
  20. Port Orchard
  21. Port Townsend
  22. Poulsbo
  23. Pullman
  24. Renslow
  25. Renton
  26. Richland
  27. Seattle
  28. Sequim
  29. Spokane
  30. Tacoma
  31. Twisp
  32. Vancouver
  33. Vashon
  34. Walla Walla

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

11 Out-of-This-World Places You Can Reach in Your Car

Sponsored by GMC Terrain

The best road trips are those that seem to take you to new worlds: surreal-looking beaches, wondrous parks, and roadside oddities that make you do a double take. For instance, in Wisconsin, a local plumber has rigged a natural aquifer into a series of ice sculptures; in Utah, erosion has created a series of rock formations that look like something between an army of goblins and a series of abstract landscapes; and in New Mexico, rippling white sands stretch out to the horizon as far as the eye can see. The best part? You can reach these—and eight more—places by car (with the occasional walk from the parking lot). So pack some snacks, pull up this itinerary, and hit the road.

View Itinerary

Unusual Attractions in Washington

See All 325 Things To Do in Washington

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Washington

See all 26 Places to Eat in Washington
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Plan Your Trip

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Washington

Art 31
Museums 28
Shops 26
Architecture 22
Plants 20
History 20
Collections 19
Parks 19

Washington Leaderboard

Recent Washington Activity

Stories About Washington

Beeler in her studio.

The 'Mushroom Color Atlas' Captures the Palette and Potential of Fungi

Julie Beeler's work presents a sustainable alternative to synthetic fabric dyes.
by Lily Stewart
Many-armed sunflower sea stars are fast-moving and can grow to the diameter of a bicycle tire, making them formidable hunters.

Baby Sea Stars Are Voracious Predators That Might Just Save an Ecosystem

Along the Pacific Coast, fast and furious sunflower sea stars are vicious hunters as adults—and they're even hungrier when young.
by Roxanne Hoorn
John Horne has uncovered the stories of numerous people buried in Nothern State Mental Hospital’s cemetery, including this grave belonging to Jessie Comer, a 34-year-old housewife who died of uterine cancer in 1914.

One Man’s Fight To Save a Mental Hospital's Forgotten Cemetery

John Horne is determined to preserve the stories of those who were left behind.
by Bess Lovejoy

New Clues Emerge About the Fluffy Dogs Once Bred for Their Wool

The story of these distinctive doggos is emerging from ancestral knowledge of the Coast Salish peoples and a new genetic study of the pelt of a pup named Mutton.
by Roxanne Hoorn
Handler Collette Yee rewards detection dog Jack with a round of tug-of-war.

The Adventures and Trials of Jack, Scat-Sniffing Superdog

Jack and his handler Collette Yee found challenges, meaning, and each other in their work helping scientists better understand orcas, bats, and more.
by Roxanne Hoorn
Kelps provide food and habitat for myriad coastal creatures.

Kelp Seed Banks Save Biodiversity and Indigenous Traditions

In Washington State, a new preservation facility offers a back-up plan for an uncertain future.
by Natalia Mesa
Scientists have long known that cougars, like this animal spotted in British Columbia, will swim short distances to find food or mates—but no one expected the cats to brave more than a kilometer of chilly Puget Sound.

A Cougar Swam Puget Sound, Making a Splash Among Scientists

The young male known as M161 kitty-paddled his way through chilly waters full of orcas, raising questions about the animals' potential range.
by Ashley Stimpson

Washington's 'Washaway Beach' Experiment Is Reshaping Ideas About Coastal Erosion

In 2016, a concerned local dropped $400 worth of rock on a vanishing beach to see what would happen. Now engineers are watching, too.
by Sarah Trent

Lists Featuring Washington

World Famous Giant Shoe Museum
Gum Wall window ledge
The giant sequoia.

The 11 Best Places to Visit Near Pike Place for Curious Travelers

11

Including World Famous Giant Shoe Museum, Psychic Chicken of Seattle , and Gum Wall

Rats of Karni Mata Temple
Paxton Gate Exterior
Albino Squirrels of Olney, Illinois

A Rat Lover's Tour of the World

15 places where rodents are celebrated, feared, preserved, and studied.

15

Including Karni Mata Temple, Nutty Narrows Bridge, and Paxton Gate

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