Snoqualmie Falls, the valley's biggest attraction, plummets 270 feet into a pool of deep blue water. The falls are surrounded by a park owned by Puget Power, which operates a hydroelectric plant inside the rock wall behind the falls. The plant, built in 1898, was the world's first underground electricity-generating facility. Within the park you'll find two overlooks near the lip of the falls and a .5-mile trail down to the base of the cascade. The river below the waterfall is popular both for fishing and for whitewater kayaking. To reach the falls, take I-90 east from Seattle for 35 to 45 minutes and get off at exit 27. If you're hungry for lunch, try the restaurant at Salish Lodge, the hotel at the top of the falls.

Snoqualmie Falls is located just outside the town of Snoqualmie, which is where you'll find the restored 1890 railroad depot that houses the Northwest Railway Museum, 38625 SE King St. (tel. 425/888-3030; www.trainmuseum.org). The museum, an absolute must for anyone with a child who is a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine or The Polar Express, operates the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad on weekends from April through October. The 65- to 75-minute railway excursions run between here and the town of North Bend. Fares are $9 for adults, $8 for seniors, and $6 for children 2 to 12. Be sure to check the current schedule. The museum displays railroad memorabilia and has a large display of rolling stock. It's a big hit with kids!

Between North Bend and the town of Carnation, you'll pass several U-pick farms, where, throughout the summer, you can pick your own berries.

The Snoqualmie Valley is also the site of Camlann Medieval Village, 10320 Kelly Rd. NE (tel. 425/788-8624; www.camlann.org), located north of Carnation off Wash. 203. On weekends between late July and late August, this reproduction medieval village stages the Camlann Medieval Faire and becomes home to knights and squires and assorted other costumed merrymakers. There are crafts stalls, food booths, and -- the highlight each day -- jousting matches. Medieval clothing is available for rent if you forgot to pack yours. Throughout the year, the village stages a wide variety of banquets, seasonal festivals, and weekend living-history demonstrations. Ye Bors Hede Inne restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for traditional dinners ($19 per person). Fair admission is $9 for adults and $6 for seniors and children 6 to 12. Admission to both the fair and a banquet is $40.

Thirty miles to the east of Snoqualmie Pass, you'll find the remote town of Roslyn, which was just a quietly decaying old coal-mining town until television turned it into Cicely, Alaska, for the hit TV show Northern Exposure. Although Cicely is but a fading memory now, visitors still wander up and down the town's 2-block-long main street soaking up the mining-town atmosphere. To learn more about the town's history, drop by the Roslyn Museum, 203 Pennsylvania Ave. (tel. 509/649-2776). About the only other activity is wandering through the town's 25 cemeteries up the hill from the museum. These cemeteries contain the graves of miners who lived and died in Roslyn.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.