13 Best Places to Shop in Washington, USA

Every Sunday, rain or shine, loads of vendors come to Ballard Avenue to set up colorful, welcoming stands to sell produce and all types of local, artisanal foods, as well as gift items like candles and hats. Meanwhile, local buskers entertain foodies and families, and vendors cook up pizzas, crepes, dumplings, and more.

Both a farm market popular with kids and a craft distillery that's a hit with adults, this family-owned apple orchard on the main road between Lynden and Bellingham is a fun stop for stocking up on fresh produce and gourmet snacks and sampling house-made brandy, vodka, and gin. The on-site café is popular for breakfast and lunch, offers hard ciders and beers on tap, and—naturally—serves delicious apple pie.

One of the city's liveliest and most interesting farmers’ markets fills a plaza and spills onto a side street. There's fresh produce galore, various prepared foods, plus music, samples, and plenty of cut flowers. The market is open year-round on Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm, and also June through September on Tuesday from 3 to 7 pm.

You'll find honey, lavender, sea glass jewelry, pottery, and locally grown produce in abundance at this Saturday market, a tented affair with lots of color and live music, held between early May and late October.

Tacoma's increasingly vibrant maker culture is showcased at its highly popular night markets, which take place at Foss Waterway Seaport. As many as 80 artists and makers sell their wares at gatherings that run from 5 until 10 pm on Saturday nights and feature music and a slew of food and drinks vendors. The night markets are typically followed the next day by a Sunday brunch market from 11 am to 4 pm.

One of the largest farmers' markets in the Northwest, this wildly popular event (held Saturdays and Sundays from mid-March through late October) in leafy Esther Short Park features some 220 vendors offering up everything from crafts and gifts to produce, baked goods, artisan coffee, and a wide range of short-order snacks and foods. There's always live music and great people-watching. A smaller Fall Market takes place here on Saturdays from November through late December.

This bustling complex of eateries and shops, which you reach soon after driving onto the island, is a great place to grab picnic supplies for your Camano adventures. It contains a counter-service bakery offering espresso drinks, pastries, and ice cream, along with venues for dine-in or takeout breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, and craft beer. The Loft gallery on the upper level sells funky, locally made crafts and gifts.

Vendors come here each Saturday from May to October to sell fresh produce and handmade arts and crafts.

Neat, clean, and well run, this complex housing more than 100 covered fruit, vegetable, pastry, and craft stalls sits at the north edge of downtown. You'll find all sorts of oddities such as ostrich eggs, button magnets, and glass sculptures. With several tiny international eateries tucked in between the vendors, it's also a terrific place to grab a bite and then walk over to the waterfront. During high season (April to October), it's open Thursday through Sunday; the rest of the year, the market is open one or two days a week.

Port Townsend is proud of its long-standing farm-to-table ethic, and you can share in the region's bounty at this vibrant farmers market held Uptown on Saturdays April–mid-December. Approximately 70 vendors, including some 40 farmers, showcase their fare—fresh produce, flash-frozen salmon, artisan cheeses, ciders, prepared foods, and baked goods, along with crafts, flowers, and handmade soaps. A smaller market is held on Sundays at Chinacum Corner June–October.

From April through October, this open-air market with several dozen vendors selling local produce and crafts takes place at Friday Harbor Brickworks on Saturdays from 9:30 to 1. The market is also open twice a month on Saturdays in winter.

One of the country's longest-running farmers' markets and Seattle's largest "farmers only" market (no crafts, imports, or flea-market finds) operates year-round on Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm in the heart of the U-District, rain or shine. With more than 50 Washington State farmers and producers participating, you'll find a great selection of produce, baked goods, preserves, flowers, cheese, soups, pies, wines, pasta, and handmade chocolates.

This vibrant downtown market, held Sunday from May through mid-October, features live music, street food, and vendors carrying artisanal breads, fresh-cut flowers, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.