Lonely Planet Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest

by Margot Bigg

Lonely Planet's Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest is our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the region has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Experience music of Portland; explore Washington wine country, catch a ferry to San Juan Islands; all with your trusted travel companion.

Inside Lonely Planet's Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest Travel Lonely Planet's Top Picks - a visually inspiring collection of the destination's best experiences and where to have them Itineraries help you build the ultimate trip based on your personal needs and interests
Local insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - whether it's history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, politics Eating and drinking - get the most out of your gastronomic experience as we reveal the regional dishes and drinks you have to try Toolkit - all of the planning tools for solo travelers, LGBTQIA+ travelers, family travelers and accessible travel Color maps and images throughout
Language - essential phrases and language tips Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Covers Seattle, Bellingham, the San Juan Islands, Olympic Peninsula, Washington Cascades, Central and Eastern Washington, Portland, Wine Country, Ashland, Eastern Oregon, Vancouver, Whistler, Vancouver Island and more! About Lonely Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travelers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet). 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveler's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.'  Fairfax Media (Australia)

Genres: Travel

392 pages, Paperback

Published June 18, 2024

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Kindle version, the visuals, layout, sidebars, and itinerary maps appeal to the portable format. While nowhere near the depth, say, of the Moon Oregon (see my take on its 2023 ed.) as to cuisine or detail on sites, the Lonely Planet packs lots on both Washington State and Oregon, plus up over the border into Vancouver. It's less a reference for the planner at home, but a companion for one en route.

The scope offers possibilities for a place or stretch of the coast or inland if one's limited to a day or two vs. five or seven, too. There's locals who weigh in with tips for their region, emphases on nature, and a team of contributing writers versed in the area enabling you to hear from various perspectives.

You don't get actual prices, unlike competitors' volumes. This may help or hinder in our current burst of inflation. Instead, a dollar sign system gives a rough idea for food and lodging, but again, LP here lacks the contact information that other guides may provide. I guess they suppose that you're already online to search for such, but it would have been better, given that not all travellers always are, to have these data embedded. But there are throughout hyperlinks within the digital text to ease the interior navigation. And the overall ease of use makes up for the reduced amount of hard information.

However, I'd have cut some superfluous images, like a giant marijuana leaf, or the filler stock images. This could have been used for more text, as many lists tally a few general statements rather than as directions or depth. They're akin to notes you might jot down, but without the necessary elaboration.

But the scope remains worthy of investigation. And afterwords on the impact of short-term rentals on Seattle, the debate among the Klamath people over fishing rights, and the charts easily grasped of the transport options for getting from the major airports to city centers show thoughtful editorial care.

I can't vouch for the dazzling if to me suspiciously filtered or enhanced photography abundant in these pages, but it pops out on my screen as spectacular. Which encapsulates the lure of the Pacific Northwest. The reason you're reading this comment and the rationale for putting this on your shelf.

[Cheri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased this update to explore new places on the Oregon Coast and things to see when traveling to the east side of Washington. Oregon is well covered, but I’m disappointed that Spokane isn’t even included in the index. It’s WA’s second largest city and has bigger regional importance for the Inland NW than Walla Walla.

Also, the feature pages in the beginning incorrectly star location of several highlights: naming Vancouver as OR and placing Vancouver BC’s Long Beach star in Long Beach WA. This is sloppy editing.

[Emilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to find not only a good overview of the Pacific Northwest, but also some hidden gems for those who live here or have been millions of times. Great book and I’m looking forward to using this for my adventures in the area.