Between Seattle And Portland Is A Charming Weekend Getaway With Antique Shops And Scenic Parks

Traveling along Interstate 5 between Seattle and Portland, a popular West Coast foodie destination, it would be easy to miss Centralia. But the unassuming city just off the highway happens to be Lewis County's largest, with a historic downtown filled with antique shops and independent boutiques. Unlike its namesake ghost town in Pennsylvania, this Centralia is very much alive.

Ideal for a day trip or weekend getaway, downtown Centralia is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has managed to retain its original charm through its buildings and storefronts. Besides its shops and welcoming cafés and restaurants, several pretty parks provide a place to walk in nature, enjoy the scenery, and learn more about the city's history and its pioneering founder. George Washington, a free Black pioneer, settled in the area in 1852 and later acquired the land on which he and his wife, Mary Jane, founded the town in 1875. Centralia thrived thanks in part to its central position on the Northern Pacific Railway. It continued to prosper into the 20th century, with logging, mining, and agriculture playing important roles in its economy.

Centralia sits roughly midway between Seattle, 84 miles to the north, and Portland, 90 miles to the south, making it an easy stop on this road trip route from Seattle to San Francisco. It's also situated between the Pacific coast and the Washington mountains. If you're driving, parking is free throughout the city. If traveling by train, Amtrak's Cascades and Coast Starlight services both stop at Centralia's historic brick Union Depot, which dates back to 1912.

Whether you've come for the history, the antiques, or the food, you won't leave disappointed (or empty-handed). Wander through the streets on the Downtown Centralia Historic Walk to get a feel for the city's past, with several hand-painted murals adding a splash of color to the buildings. But the antiques are equally as colorful, drawing visitors keen to get their hands on some hidden treasure.

The Shady Lady is a local favorite, selling everything from unique home décor to secondhand clothes. It also has an intriguing Bordello Museum upstairs, with displays and stories about the building's past as part of Centralia's former red-light district. It's antiques galore at Centralia Square Antiques, which has an enormous collection of collectibles, including pottery, furniture, and rare books. Overall, there are dozens of antique dealers, offering plenty to browse, whether it's vinyl records, old comics, or vintage jewelry. And if you time your visit for August, you might catch the three-day Antique Fest, too. Not everything here comes from a different century, though. Centralia also has an outlet shopping center near I-5, with plenty of brand-name stores. Or shop for local produce at the seasonal Farmers Market, held on Fridays from May through September at Centralia College.

If you'd rather browse exhibits than buy antiques, head to King Agriculture Museum. You don't have to be interested in farming to appreciate its collection of over 70 antique tractors. It also has some train memorabilia and other surprising displays. The museum is open seasonally from June through September, with admission costing $6 for adults and free entry for children 12 and under. Central Glassworks is a fun place to visit. Not only can you watch beautiful objects being made from glass, but you can also take a glassblowing lesson yourself. As of this writing, Saturday morning classes cost $110 per person and can be booked on the website.

Centralia has several parks and natural areas providing some welcome green space and scenic views. Fort Borst Park is the largest and lies where the Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers meet. Open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., it has several trails, a lake, an arboretum, and beautiful rhododendron gardens. Also within the grounds are the Fort Borst Blockhouse, built in 1855-56, and the Borst Home, constructed in the early 1860s. Both are associated with Joseph and Mary Borst, early settlers who arrived before George Washington founded the town.

There are more trails and woodland walks at Seminary Hill Natural Area. A series of short loops branch off from the main Kiser Trail, winding among Douglas fir, western red cedars, and pretty ferns. You'll also have views of Centralia and the surrounding river valleys. While the trails are short, there are enough of them to keep you busy for a few hours. If you're short on time, take a walk through the urban George Washington Park instead. The 2 acres of landscaped grounds are on land donated by the town's founders, with a bronze statue honoring George and Mary Jane Washington.

You'll get a hearty helping of comfort food at the longstanding family-run Country Cousin Restaurant. It serves classic American staples daily, so you may want to save your visit to the parks until later to walk it off. Berry Fields Café is a worthy alternative, with an impressive selection of desserts and cakes. For a quick coffee, it has to be Fiddlers Coffee, founded by a family of, well, fiddlers! The 1905 Olympic Club Hotel will provide a bed for the night within a former notorious "gentlemen's club." It also has a restaurant, pub, and movie theater to keep you entertained throughout the evening.