- The popular "Twilight" series of books (and movies based on them) were set in the Olympic Peninsula towns of Forks, Port Angeles and La Push in Washington. Fans from all over travel to the region to experience the area's haunting beauty. These towns are accessible from U.S. Highway 101, which loops around Olympic National Park. You can create your own "Twilight" road trip based on locations in the book. Even if you're not a "Twilight" fan, the area's charm alone is reason to visit. Besides the national park, sites include the Sol Duc Hot Springs, the Hoh and Quinault rain forests and Kalaloch, a small oceanfront community near Ruby Beach.
- The history and culture of Native Americans who called Washington their home live on in 26 reservations, tribal centers and art galleries throughout the state. Design a vacation in which you can visit several of these locations. Check out the Makak Cultural and Research Center at Neah Bay or the Yakama Nation Museum and Cultural Heritage Center in Toppensih. Visit the Confederate Tribes of the Colville Reservation, where you will see the 40-ton Balancing Rock near Omak Lake. Visit the Buffalo Eddy petroglyphs, artwork from the Nez Perce tribe that dates back 4,500 years, which are found on rock croppings near the Snake River in Nez Perce National Historic Park.
- Glacier National Park is found along the spine of the Rocky Mountains in northwestern Montana. Filled with mountains, lakes, alpine meadows and more than 700 miles of trails, it is an ideal destination for hikers. In the summer, you can go biking, fishing, boating and horseback riding. There are 13 campgrounds with more than 1,000 campsites. In the winter, there are bountiful opportunities for skiing and snowshoeing. The park offers an array of lodges and inns, but during the peak months -- July and August -- the hotels fill up quickly, so plan in advance. The weather in the park is fickle. Daytime temperatures can reach 90 degrees and drop to 20 at night. Snow can fall anytime.
- If you love to ski, there might not be a better place to visit than Montana. More than 16 major ski resorts whet your appetite for the sport, and there are myriad opportunities for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Whitefish Mountain Resort is eight miles north of Whitefish in northwest Montana, just 30 miles from Glacier National Park. Also consider Big Sky Resort. Located in southwest Montana, 45 miles south of Bozeman and next door to Yellowstone National Park, it features 5,500 acres of skiing with 27 lifts and lodging on the slopes.