2 Best Sights in Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys, Washington

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Reserve

Fodor's choice

At this serene 8,000-acre wildlife preserve adjacent to Bayview State Park, the Breazeale Interpretive Center has great birding: there are black Brant (or Brent) geese, peregrine falcons, and bald eagles. Trails lead to an observation deck, into the woods, and to a rocky beach with more good bird-watching opportunities. This is also a popular place for kayaking.

Tacoma Nature Center

Comprising 71 acres of marshland, evergreen forest, and a shallow lake that break up the urban sprawl of west Tacoma, the center shelters 20 species of mammals and more than 100 species of birds. The lake has nesting pairs of wood ducks, rare elsewhere in western Washington, and the interpretive center is a fun place for kids to look at small creatures, take walks and nature quizzes, and dress up in animal costumes.