2 Best Sights in The Olympic Peninsula and Washington Coast, Washington

In fall and spring, this refuge, established in 1990, is a perfect place to observe the multitude of migrating shorebirds that visit the area. Keep your binoculars handy as you stroll along the 1,800-foot-long boardwalk, and make sure to stop at the visitor center's shop and bookstore.

Just west of Aberdeen on the Hoquiam River, this 26-room mansion built in 1924 is filled with artifacts and mementos relating to Grays Harbor's past, including an exhibit tracing the history of tall ships in the Pacific Northwest. Upstairs is the logging exhibit, with a replica Little Hoquiam Railroad; a period-costume room; and the children's room and dollhouse. Outside you can visit a replica of a vintage railroad shed and wander the 2-acre riverside grounds dotted with specimen trees and a rose garden.