Sandwiched between the Clark County Fairgrounds' RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater and a LASIK center, the little house right off the highway in Ridgefield isn't exactly where you'd expect a longtime shoe store vet to decide to go all in on the cork-footbed German sandals. But, hey, you can't beat the visibility, and you can only drive past it over and over again for so many years without finally stopping. Inside, careful not to trip over canes, crutches, or knee walkers, as plenty of recently injured folk come here to pick up some slip-on shoes that can accommodate swelling. And catch the excitement of brides-to-be on the hunt for white sandals and a rainbow for their bridal party, too. —Margaret Seiler

The orderly paths in the English-inspired proper gardens surrounding a modest farmhouse in Woodland, Washington, make a perfect antidote to the insanity of people passing you on the right on I-5. The garden is most fragrant during Lilac Days in the spring, but the grounds and mini arboretum are inviting year-round. If it's warm out, Horseshoe Lake Park, just off the same exit, is a good spot for a quick dip—you might even catch the ice cream truck if you're lucky. —MS

The idea for the “Nutty Narrows” bridges came from Longview resident Amos Peters, who designed the original suspension bridge in 1963 to save squirrels from becoming roadkill. The city now has now eight squirrel bridges, including a miniature replica of Portland’s Fremont Bridge and a copper-covered bridge that purports to be the first covered squirrel bridge in the world, and they can all be seen in an easy loop. Longview’s annual Squirrel Fest (taking place in 2024 on Saturday, August 17) celebrates the town’s adoration of the furry bridge-goers, and a 10-foot-tall wooden squirrel statue stands as a memorial to Peters. —Cassondra Bird

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this Castle Rock barn was built in 1883 and is one of only five round barns still standing in Washington. The style became popular in the 1880s—promoted in the Midwest for more efficient farming—but fell out of favor as electricity became commonplace. Built with hand-hewn and planed logs, the Laughlin barn shows the woodworking skills of the area's early settlers. Sure, it's the kind of thing your dad might have made the family stop for when you were a kid, but it's cool now. Also cool: if you stop here on a hot day, head to the Mickey Mouse Bridge afterward for a nice dip at a relaxing local swimming hole. —CB

Had enough of the car? Go fling yourself through the air. You’ll see eight volcanic peaks, the Pacific Ocean, and a whole lot of sky. Skydive Toledo offers tandem flights (and solo for licensed jumpers) with a short freefall and then a slow parachuted glide back down to earth. Not many pit stops afford you the possibility to check something off your bucket list. If you fall in love with the adrenaline, the business also offers lessons to become licensed to fly solo. —CB

The city of Chehalis might not be the most creative when it comes to park names, but the play structure at one end of this park and the seasonal spray park at the other make up for the lack of imagination. In between, an aquatics center charges $5 for open swim at its seasonal outdoor pool, which might be well worth it if your passengers include kids who need tuckering out—and it's a heck of a lot cheaper than a night just up the road at Great Wolf Lodge. —MS

Grab takeout from the world's northernmost Burgerville or stop at Safeway for picnic supplies, and then duck into the shaded oasis of Fort Borst Park, just behind the Centralia grocery. Picnic tables and a playground make a good lunch spot, and the dog park just beyond the playground can serve the needs of some four-legged road trippers. Or you can just stroll the forested paths connecting the park's historical structures and looping around a fishing pond. Watch out for masses of youth sports teams at the baseball complex nest door. —MS

It wouldn’t be a PNW road trip without a lavender farm to stroll through, and Cobblefield’s working farm in Rochester is a perfect place to stretch your legs. Run by the Haight family, the small farm grows six varieties of lavender to choose from. Cut your own bunch or enjoy lavender treats: homemade cookies and cookie mixes, lavender ice cream and lavender lemonade. Bring a picnic lunch and stay awhile. If you visit over the weekend, you might get to see how the plant is distilled into essential oil. Open seasonally, watch for the farm to reopen in late June 2024. —CB

You don’t need to be a car enthusiast to appreciate the sprawling assortment of automobiles at this museum, adjacent to the hulking Tacoma Dome. The collection was donated by Harold and Nancy LeMay, who were owners of one of the world’s largest private automobile collections. A nice reprieve from the inevitable Tacoma traffic jam (looking at these cars is certainly better than staring at the bumper of the idling car in front of you), the four-story facility has a rotating lineup of cars with more than 300 displayed at a time, with everything from carriages and early autos to the 1994 Flintmobile made for that year's Flintstones movie. Don't leave without taking the obligatory group photo in the 1923 Buick. The museum also has a variety of family-friendly hands-on activities, including “The Road Trip Challenge,” a kiosk that teaches strategies for sustainable energy use. —MH

You made it through the wilderness of Tacoma traffic. (Somehow you made it through-ooo-ooo.) You're almost to Seattle, so why should you stop at this extremely paved suburban collection of strip malls? Well, there's an Ivar's Seafood Bar, a Korean spa, a Daiso discount Japanese home-goods store with Mall 205 vibes, and a banh mí place that surely beats Subway for road food. There's also a hot-pot conveyor-belt restaurant. I repeat: a hot-pot conveyor-belt restaurant (which, admittedly, isn't the best deal for groups, as each diner must buy their own cooking broth). You're just going to get stuck in traffic again in Seattle, so you might as well be rested and fed. —MS