Washington State is just one of those places that feels like heaven on earth. With mountains, rivers, rainforests and all kinds of natural beauty in every direction you look, Washington State brings plenty of opportunity for great summer activities. Enjoying hiking, biking, climbing and having fun white water rafting down amazing rivers. – The state brings you an unbeatable summer experience.

Whether you’re looking to try out something different this summer or if you’re a true outdoors junkie, there’s definitely something for you to enjoy. Here are three must-do summer activities in Washington State.

Hike to the Peaks

An ultimate Washington State destination is definitely the Cascade Ranges, including Crystal Mountain. Crystal Mountain offers a wide range of activities for people of diverse interests including hiking, climbing, golfing, and even horseback riding. A great place to start is with a scenic gondola ride up the mountain where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views! While there is so much to do, probably one of the best experiences is taking a hike exploring the surrounding scenery, lakes and waterfalls.

*Photo by John David Nelson

There’s nothing more natural than experiencing it all first hand and on your own two feet. With great lodging and dining options all over the Crystal Mountain, you might even want to continue you journey on. Just six miles away from Mount Rainer National Park, you’ll be able to explore both destinations and more in a short time.

Speed Your Way Down

If you’re visiting Washington State this summer, it’s great to explore its major cities and travel destinations, but it’s especially worth it to venture out to the islands for a truly unique experience. If you’re looking for rush in the forest, head to San Juan Island or Camano Island for some zip lining adventures.

You’ll get the opportunity to fly through the treetops feeling like a bird, enjoying that adrenaline-filled feeling in your tummy while facing your fears! Zip Lining is becoming an increasingly popular activity in Washington State; with Zip Line locations offering tours a few hours long, on lines of varying speed and lengths – some lines are 650 feet long, plenty of time to enjoy! If you’ve never tried Zip Lining before, now’s your chance; it’s the perfect way to safely push your limits and have one hell of a time in nature.

Finish off With a Splash

With large number of lakes and rivers, Washington State is the place to be for white water rafting. If you love activities on the water, this is one activity in Washington State you simply cannot miss. With so much water around, you’ll have the choice of river rafting on over eight rivers based off the Wenatchee River for a half-day or full-day adventure. The great thing about white water river rafting is how diverse it can be.

You can go for a slow, lazy cruise down a river (Class 1 – Easy Flat-water), or choose to get your heart beating in excitement and the perfect little kick of fear, (Class 5 – Serious Whitewater). All you have to do is pick your treat and get ready to roll.

With so much to do in the beautiful setting of Washington State, there’s no doubt you’ll have dilemmas of which activities to go for; but if you’re looking for a thrill and some bonding time with nature, these three activities take the cake!

Don Martin has been commercially white water river rafting for 21 years from Alaska to Mexico, and has completed over 1/4 of a million river miles.  Being a Rescue 3 River Rescue instructor, Ski instructor, and outdoor enthusiast, Don has traveled throughout the Northwest running rivers, skiing mountains as well as instructing and teaching river safety for fire departments, sheriff departments, and rescue crews all over the Pacific Northwest.