State of Washington’s Mount Rushmore Awards for ________

Some people are fortunate to travel the globe.

For those Washington residents who only can travel in-state for a weekend or week-long driving trip - you’ll find world-class variety. We’re fortunate to call this place home.

Here are my personal Mount Rushmore awards for 14 different categories.

As on the face of Rushmore - there is only room for four awards per topic.

Iconic Landmarks

Mount Rainier

Space Needle

Grand Coulee Dam

Saddle Rock (Wenatchee)

Beverages

Walla Walla Regional Wine - Voted the best wine region in a recent USA TODAY poll.

Coffee Shops - There’s more than just the World Famous Starbucks chain.

Top Cutter (featuring Yakima Hops) Only one example of great beer in our state.

Apple Juice from Treetop - One of the great tastes of America's youth.

Coffee Shops

Camber Coffee in downtown Bellingham - Just went there recently. Top-notch coffee shop experience.

Vivace on Seattle’s Capitol Hill

Issaquah Coffee

Salty Fox in Friday Harbor

Seafood Restaurants

Ray’s Boathouse - Seattle

Sushi Kashiba - Seattle

Hama Hama Oyster Saloon - Lilliwaup

Salty’s - Seattle’s Alki Beach

Best Drives

North Cascades Highway

Route 9 (Between Mt. Vernon & Lake Stevens)

Whidbey Scenic Isle Way (Route 525 & 20)

North Coulee Corridor Scenic Byway (Route 155)

Hole-in-the-wall Restaurants

Franks Diner - Spokane

Little Cheerful Cafe -Bellingham

Voula’s Offshore Cafe - Seattle

Wild Huckleberry - Wenatchee

Washington Parks

Mount Rainier National Park

Olympic National Park

The Enchantments

North Cascades National Park

Sports

Mariners

Ken Griffey Jr.

Ichiro

Edgar Martinez

Randy Johnson

Seahawks

Steve Largent

Marshawn Lynch

Walter Jones

Bobby Wagner

Coaches

Pete Carroll - Seahawks Superbowl champion head coach

Don James - Brought UW’s football team a National title in 1991

Brian Schmetzer - Two MLS cups and a CONCACAF title add to this lifelong Sounder.

Lou Pinella - Lou brought the M’s to its highest watermark.

Huskies

Hugh McElhenny (Football - 1950s)

Detlef Schrempf (Basketball - 1980s)

Warren Moon (Football - 1970s)

The 1936 Gold Medal UW Rowing team (The Boys in the Boat!)

Cougars

Klay Thompson (Basketball - 2000s, 2010s)

John Olerud (Baseball - 1980s)

Ron Cey (Baseball - 1960s)

Drew Bledsoe - Football - (1980s, 1990s)

Women athletics (Washington Natives)

JoAnne Carner - Golf champion from the 1970s

Hope Solo - Goalkeeper (Richland HS, UW, USWNT)

Rebecca Twigg - Silver medalist in cycling - 1984 Olympics

Michelle Akers - World Cup champ on the USWNT

Best Washington Athlete - REGARDLESS of sport

John Stockton is one of the NBA’s best point guards. Ever.

Sue Bird - The GOAT of women's basketball

Phil Mahre - Yakima’s World champion and Olympic gold medal skier

Jim Whitaker - First American to summit Everest