One Cork Town

The Massive Charm of Wine Country’s Smallest Towns

Checking in to the state’s most stylish new rural retreats that make Walla Walla seem like the big city.

07/08/2025 By Allison Williams

Destination Dossier

What You Need to Know About a Trip to Packwood

Washington’s quietest mountain pass has a lot going on.

04/14/2025 By Allison Williams

Destination Dossier

Everything You Need to Know About a Visit to Roslyn

It’s more than that moose from Northern Exposure.

03/25/2024 By Allison Williams Illustrations by Chantal Bennett

Snow Town

The Growing Glacier of Mount Baker

One northern Washington town finds new life on a quiet highway east of Bellingham.

12/08/2023 By Allison Williams

Feature

The Ancient Spirit That Settled in Small-Town Washington

An hour south of Seattle, JZ Knight channels a god-like warrior named Ramtha. To outsiders it can look like a cult, a religion, a 40-year-long fake. Clearly, something otherworldly has come to a sleepy corner of Thurston County.

11/15/2022 By Allison Williams Illustrations by Jonathan Bartlett

Saved by the brew

Craft Beer Is a Small Town Success Story

How does a struggling small town draw tourists without fine dining or fancy attractions? Pour ’em a pint.

03/11/2021 By Allison Williams Photography by Brooke Fitts

Hamlets 101

A Crash Course in Washington State’s Best-Known Burgs

From general vibes to must-sees, small towns in a nutshell.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

Spa Town

Bavarian Leavenworth Is a Self-Care Sanctuary, Too

A quiet soaking enclave opens amid the hustle of the Cascades’ biggest party spot.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

COVER STORY

15 Enchanting Small-Town Getaways Across the Northwest

Escape Seattle for adventures in the hamlets of the Pacific Northwest—crammed with posh hotels, charming shops, and even a few ghosts.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

Everything Old Is New

7 Antique Stores to Seek Out in Snohomish

The postcard-perfect town offers the ideal ramble through cool old stuff.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

River Town

Tiny Bingen Shares Its Secrets in the Gorge

On the banks of the Columbia River, old meets new.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

Winter Town

This British Columbia Wonderland Belongs Inside a Snow Globe

Canadian snow playground Rossland channels old-school ski vibes.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

Towns, Past Tense

5 Washington Ghost Towns Worth a Visit

Ranked in order of creepiness, for your thrill-seeking needs.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

Island Town

In Coupeville, a Rural Dream Becomes Vacation Reality

On the shores of Penn Cove, farm life and a cinematic village beckon.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

Lake Town

Oregon Mountain Hideaway Joseph Is Worth an Underwater Look

And glass-bottomed kayaks oblige.

09/24/2019 By Allison Williams

School of Thought

A Small-Town Schoolhouse Gets New Life as a Creative Arts Center

Artists and writers use vintage classrooms to uncover a new side of Rainier.

07/23/2019 By Allison Williams