Top Five Washington Vacation Spots

State and local tourist officials say Washington state is great for vacations that don't require a giant wad of gas money.

Washington Wine Country, was named in the top 5 vacation interests for washington state.

#4 Washington wine country. There's no need to make the drive to California to visit wine country. Washington's Yakima, Columbia and Walla Walla valleys have emerged as one of the country's best wine-producing regions.

The warm climate in the southern part of the state lends itself to grape-growing and traveling, and a trip through wine country will take visitors from Yakima to Walla Walla.

Here are five of the most popular destinations.

1. San Juan Islands. A ferry ride away from Anacortes, the islands of Lopez, Orcas, San Juan and Shaw offer a fusion of bed-and-breakfast-style creature comforts and the Northwest outdoors.
2. The Cascade Loop. Snohomish and Island counties are part of this 400-mile trip, which involves several connecting highways.
3. The Olympic Peninsula. The peninsula is a land of extremes with mountain glaciers, rainforests and ocean beaches.
4. Washington Wine Country.
5. The Spokane area. Spokane is one of Washington's largest cities, but tourism officials said it is located in one of the most "unspoiled" regions of the state.

Heraldnet - Washington Vacation Spots