8 Best Shopping in Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys, Washington

A lovely stop as you begin a drive down scenic Chuckanut Drive, this sprawling space showcases works in all media by more than 400 artisans, including contemporary art glass and furniture and housewares crafted from local materials. Stroll through the lush sculpture garden to see the array of colorful works for yards and patios. 

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.

Since 1980, this enormous three-story bookstore has been an anchor of Fairhaven, bringing literary-minded folks together to shop for recent releases, attend readings and discussions, and socialize amid the shop's several spaces for eating and mingling. These include the Colophon Cafe (a full-service restaurant) and Evolve Chocolate + Cafe on the top floor, whose seating areas have grand views of Bellingham Bay. There's a newer branch in downtown Lynden.

Since 1935, this warmly inviting downtown bookshop has been nourishing the minds of literary Olympians. The knowledgeable staff is devoted to stocking the shelves with interesting works, many by regional authors or with a local focus.

This handsome boutique in the heart of downtown dispenses artisan coffee (and sells beans by the bag as well), along with a great selection Pacific Northwest–made men's and women's apparel, household goods, upcycled furnishings, and other intriguing wares.

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.

Works in a wide variety of media by more than 40 of the region's top artists are presented in this well-established co-op gallery in Fairhaven.