Reedy Press’s 100 Things to Do In series of travel guidebooks is one I’ve always enjoyed and Gina Tarnacki’s new addition to this series, 100 Things to Do in Washington State Before You Die is no exception. Washington State is an incredibly diverse state. Poised in the very northwest corner of the contiguous U.S. , Washington state offers Pacific Ocean coastline across the entire west side of the state, as well as coastal islands, volcanic mountains, abundant rivers, high dessert, fertile farmland, semi-arid flatlands, and more.
Gina Tarnacki is a travel writer whose work has been published in USA TODAY, Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy, and many more publications. She has lived in Washington for a decade and has no plans to ever leave. She divides her time between her lakeside home near Seattle and her cabin on the Sound. Gina loves tasting wine with her husband and visiting new beaches and trails with her nature-loving kids.
I have lived in Washington and British Columbia, Canada, and am now a long-time Oregonian. I’ve visited many of the places and done many of the things Tarnacki shares, but happily, there is still so much more to experience. I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation, and that it will inspire you to enjoy some of what Washington has to offer.
The “100 Things to Do in” Book Series
Nancy Zaffaro: The 100 Things to Do in series is very popular, and in no small part because it’s so usable and well-designed for visitors and residents alike. How did that affect how you prepared for and wrote the book?
Gina Tarnacki: I suggest to readers to use it as a combination guidebook and journal. What’s neat about the layout of this book is that it has enough white space in many of the margins that you can jot down your own thoughts on a place or the date you visited. You can also color in the circle around each number as you “check” it off. When you’re done, you’ll have a memento as well as an informational book for exploring Washington. The end of the book also has some itinerary recommendations on how you can combine several of the “things to do” to make a day or weekend itinerary, depending on which part of the state you’re visiting or what your interests are.
I joke that the writing was the easy part and that narrowing down the list to just 100 was the hard part! I had a lot of “kill your darling” moments, but in this case instead of deleting favorite prose or written sections, it was crossing a wonderful place off my “100” list. My main goal was to include places all over the state that highlighted the many facets of Washington’s culture and history. If someone does all 100 things in the book, I want them to truly feel they know and understand Washington and its people and what makes the state the way it is.
Nancy Zaffaro: I really like the itineraries at the end, as well as the Activities By Season section at the end , as well. Again, well done!
Yakima Valley wine region (Photo by Nancy Zaffaro)
Diverse Regions of Washington State
Nancy Zaffaro: Washington State has a variety of very distinct and diversified regions. There truly is something for everyone. Did that dictate or help how you approached writing about it?
Gina Tarnacki: I wanted to make sure every region of Washington got some love, because there is something to discover everywhere around the state. That’s why the “Visit the Four Corners of Washington” entry is one of my favorites in the book, because there is so much to discover and do no matter where you are in the state.
Nancy Zaffaro: Do you have a favorite place or a favorite region?
Gina Tarnacki: I’m a salt water girl, so anytime I can be close to the open ocean or Puget Sound I’m happy. The beaches of Olympic National Park are ruggedly stunning with sea stacks and rain forest jutting right up to the sand. I also love the Long Island Peninsula for seafood and wide, unobstructed ocean views.
Spokane’s riverfront (Photo by Gina Tarnacki)
Who Needs This Book and How to Use it
Nancy Zaffaro: Who is your book written for?
Gina Tarnacki: I consider it to be an ideal book for anyone who wants to discover more areas of Washington, whether you’ve lived here for decades or have just moved to the state. Even if you’ve lived here all your life, you might be surprised how many places you haven’t been to or things you haven’t experienced yet. Even if you know about them, it’s a good reminder to get out and do them!
I mostly thought of someone who was familiar with Washington, knew a lot about one area or region where they have visited or lived, but wants to branch out and explore all other parts of Washington. This book will help them do just that – and maybe even give them some ideas for more things to do in their own backyard if they’re a Washington local!
Nancy Zaffaro: How do you see visitors to Washington best using your guidebook?
Gina Tarnacki: I think it will help them to expand their itinerary for whatever region they’re visiting. For example, there are a few places in Issaquah that I think are truly amazing. Issaquah is only about 30 minutes from Seattle, but most visitors might never think to go there and they’d really be missing out on some of the beauty of this area.
The harbor in Port Townsend, Washington (Photo by Gina Tarnacki)
Seattle: The Emerald City
Nancy Zaffaro: Highlights of Seattle?
Gina Tarnacki: Seattle was tricky to narrow down. You could write a whole top 100 book just about Seattle. (And there is one from Reedy Press!) So I just tried to really focus on what about Seattle gives the city its defining edge and also highlights a bit about the entire state, too. Like the museums at Seattle Center or the seafood eateries at Pike Place Market.
A place I personally love, but that didn’t make the final cut for the book because I thought it might be just a little too niche is Metsker Maps in Seattle, located near Pike Place. It’s a long-standing store full of different types of maps and travel books and gifts that relate to maps and travel. Since books and travel are two of my favorite things – and I literally have maps around my house used as décor — I could browse in there for hours.
Native American Culture in Washington
Nancy Zaffaro: What would you recommend for visitors who want to learn more about our Native American culture—this has been a wonderful and growing aspect of the state’s tourism?
Gina Tarnacki: Definitely visit the tribal museums around Washington. And don’t think just because you’ve been to one museum, you’ve been to them all. Washington has 29 federally recognized Native American tribes, and each tribe has a different history and culture. Many of them have cultural centers for their specific tribe heritage. I have a page in my book that lists out some of these centers and museums that visitors should check out. I also think learning more about how and why the wildlife and nature of Washington are important to many Natives Americans who live here will help you to have a better appreciation for why the natural world of Washington is so special and remarkable. For example, the importance to tribes of salmon, the Southern Resident orcas, and Snoqualmie Falls, just to name a few.
Part of the restored 140 foot Native American-carved totem, displayed in Kalama, Washington (Photo by Nancy Zaffaro)
Washington’s Diverse Land is Home, Sweet Home
Nancy Zaffaro: Are you a native Washingtonian, and if not, how long have you lived in the state?
Gina Tarnacki: No, but it’s my adopted home state now! I have lived here for over ten years. I grew up in Montana and Minnesota and moved to San Diego after college, where I lived for a number of years before moving to Washington when a job opportunity arose for my husband. Originally, we thought we’d just stay a few years and then move back to San Diego, but we fell in love with Washington and love raising our kids here. We have no plans to leave!
Nancy Zaffaro: What do you love most about living in Washington?
Gina Tarnacki: I think all of the different nature and scenery is wonderful around Washington, but Puget Sound always stands out to me as being such a special part of Washington’s geography. The fact you can be in a heavily populated area and go to a city beach and have a decent chance of seeing whales or orcas and discovering incredible tide pools is just so phenomenal. Likewise, I think it’s wonderful how you can be in a city or suburb with world-class restaurants, shopping, and museums, but still be a short drive away from a myriad of different outdoor recreation pursuits. I talk more about my favorite things to do around Puget Sound and the rest of the Pacific Northwest on my site evergreenandsalt.com.
Nancy Zaffaro: Thanks again, Gina, and best of luck with this book. It’s terrific!
Gina Tarnacki: Thanks you, Nancy!
Find the Book
Where can you find a copy of 100 Things to Do in Washington State Before You Die? It’s in most local bookstores and gift shops (if not, ask for them to carry it!) You can also order a signed copy of 100 Things to Do in Washington State Before You Die on Tarnacki’s website.
Author Gina Tarnacki (Photo courtesy of the author)
For More:
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- Order 100 Things To Do in Washington State Before You Die directly from the publisher, or order a signed copy directly from Gina Tarnacki.
- More books from Reedy Press
- On our site: Take a look at more travel guidebooks.
- Also on our site: Portland, Oregon guidebook
- On our site: Book reviews
-All photos as credited. Cover photo by Author Gina Tarnacki depicts Snoqualmie Falls.
