The end of summer is perhaps the best time to take a tour of the amazing region around Seattle. Not only are rains unlikely to dampen your day, September in Seattle means it's time for Bumbershoot, the unlikely-named Labor Day Weekend (September 1st-4th) festival of live music, art, and poetry that’s been a blast for more than 35 years. Bumbershoot is held at the Seattle Center, where the landmark Space Needle stands near the voluptuous curves of the Experience Music Project, dedicated to local guitar god Jimi Hendrix. Seattle itself is a fantastically fun place to visit, and makes a great base for exploring the mountains, islands, and volcanoes that surround the Puget Sound. Heading east, take US-2 over the Cascade Mountains to Lake Chelan, the Ohme Gardens, or Grand Coulee Dam. Heading west, hop a ferry past the magical San Juan Islands to the historic towns of Port Gamble and Port Townsend. Continuing along, loop around the rugged peaks of Olympic National Park, where glaciers and mountain lakes rise high above the mossy green foothill jungles of the Hoh River Rainforest. Hikers will have a field day--or longer--here, but you can also relax along the shores of fjord-like Lake Crescent or wander along the driftwood-strewn sands of Kalaloch Beach. Another attraction are the grand lodges at Lake Crescent and the forests of Lake Quinault.
And if fabulous festivals and stunning scenery aren't enough, you can also share in the celebrations of two very different Pacific Northwest cultures: At the northwest tip of the continent, the Makah Indians have established a wonderful museum at Neah Bay, while further south on the shores of Gray's Harbor, the rough-hewn town of Hoquiam hosts the "Loggers Playday," a September 8th showcase of chainsaw carving, log-rolling, and other lumberjacking skills.
Other roads to drive:
Fall color comes first to the North, and by the middle of the month, leaves in northern Maine have usually started to turn. Though there are many great local roads, it's hard to beat a tour along the Appalachian Trail, which starts atop Mount Katahdin and makes its way across the rugged North Woods. Some of the best spots are found north of US-2, between the prep school town of Bethel and the mill town of Rumford: Try Hwy-26 through Grafton Notch, Hwy-17 along the Swift River toward Rangeley Lakes, or Hwy-113 up to Evans Notch.
Before the snows start to fall, enjoy a last taste of a Wild West summer by driving scenic US-93 in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark along the Salmon and Snake rivers as they cross rugged southern Idaho. While you're here, meat-eaters might like to enjoy a taste of western hospitality: The town of Mackay has a massive "Free BBQ," with all the beef you can eat.
