From the pounding of the mighty Pacific to the hushed stillness of the only temperate rain forest in the continental United States, the sights and sounds found throughout Grays Harbor County are truly unique. With pristine ocean beaches, awe-inspiring trees, a scenic harbor and the famous Olympic National Park on the Olympic Peninsula, the region is a destination that can entertain for a weekend or a month.

Only nine nautical miles from Seattle and separated from the Olympic Peninsula by the Hood Canal, the Kitsap Peninsula provides a peaceful escape from city traffic. The Great Peninsula, as Kitsap is actually called, has so many arms of land jutting into the Puget Sound that the area has a disproportionate amount of shoreline. Rocky beaches give way to sandy shores, farm land and a forested interior. While Kitsap lacks the soaring mountains characteristic of the Olympic Peninsula interior, it has a different sort of appeal.

Mt. Rainier is 14,110 feet high, an active volcano covered in ice and snow. The glaciers that keep this peak white and cold year round stand in sharp contrast to the old-growth forests and subalpine meadows ringing the mountain's flanks during spring and summer. Three locations in the south provide access to the park, as does an entrance on the northwest side and another in the east. Most visitors to Mt. Rainier are after a quick peek at the peak or some camping and hiking in the wilderness.

From ice encrusted-crags to crisp glacial lakes, salty ocean beaches and the deep, quiet damp of temperate rainforest, the Olympic National Park is a small paradise on earth. Bears meander along slopes strewn with wildflowers in summer, while visitors wander narrow trails that penetrate this beautiful wilderness. A relatively short jaunt from the civilized world, a visit to the Olympics can be short, sedate and scenic or, with the proper pack, long, solitary and strenuous.

Seattle's skyline is at its best when the sun begins to sink into Puget Sound. The harbor takes on the colors of sunset and glass office buildings grow bright with blinding intensity before night descends on the city, revealing the Space Needle's graceful silhouette. Seattle is a cosmopolitan city - the modern coffee craze was born here in this bustling commercial port city. Today, the arts thrive in Seattle and outdoor pursuits are an integral part of city life. Seattle is sophisticated yet earthy, a mix of martini's, urban-hip, runners and Recreational Equipment Inc.(REI), headquartered here. While the proliferation of downtown parks means that a stretch of grass is never far away, Seattle's infamous rain sometimes drives the public indoors to the numerous educational and entertaining attractions that make Seattle such a great destination.

Located just west of the Puget Sound's bear claw-like protrusion into Washington lands, Tacoma has waterfront views in addition to a fine selection of parks and cultural offerings. Port Defiance Park, north of Tacoma's center, sprawls out on 700 acres of land jutting into the Puget Sound. While the park's proximity to civilization limits natural wildlife spotting, a zoo and aquarium allows visitors to choose between tigers and sharks in a controlled environment. Arts flourish in the Seattle-Tacoma area. Stop in at the Museum of Glass, then, when glassy-eyed, head over to the Tacoma Art Museum or Washington State History Museum for a little variety. Outdoor enthusiasts will be pleased to know that Tacoma is within easy driving distance from both Mt Rainier National Park and Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument.