Best Pacific Northwest Family Adventures Along Highway 97
Photo:
Picking apples
Wenatchee, Washington
Wenatchee, Washington is the self-proclaimed Apple Capital of the World. You can pay homage to the fruit by strolling the aisles of the Stemilt Retail Store — all kid visitors get one free apple. But don’t be surprised when they ask for ice cream, too. The Washington Apple Commission has set up shop here with its very own Visitor's Center. After watching a short film and perusing the displays on pollination and irrigation, any school-age child will be well-equipped to write a report on apples for school.
Take a walk, scoot or bike ride along the riverfront and aptly-named Apple Capital Loop Trail.
Rocky Reach Dam and its adjacent Discovery Center house a museum, a juvenile fish bypass system and a big theater that shows films throughout the day. Even the outside is a floral landscape waiting to be discovered. Petunia Island creates a different brilliantly colored design each year; red, white and blue flowers grow in an American flag pattern. Picnic tables and play equipment await families.
Eat: Lisa Bees, McGlinn’s Public House
Retreat: Holiday Inn Express, Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel
For more ideas, visit: Visit Wenatchee
