There is much debate about what cities (or states for that matter) are actually included in the Pacific Northwest.
The answers range from extremely limited (only the coasts of Washington & Oregon), to incredibly inclusive (the western U.S., British Columbia, and Alaska), to scientifically pedantic (only areas served by a specific watershed).
For our purposes, we try to include as many areas as possible that share the commonalities that the PNW is known for.
We include:
- Washington
- Oregon
- British Columbia
- Northwestern Idaho
- Northern California
- Western Montana
- Southeastern Alaska
The above areas are typically what people think of what they think “Pacific Northwest” as they are similar in history, culture, and geography. Or at least as similar as such a vast area can be.
If you’re interested in visiting the PNW, here are some of the Cities/Towns that you’ll likely travel through or stay in. Each one of them is unique but not always in a good way.
So, find the ones along your route and see if it’s worth adding to your PNW Bucketlist!
PNW Cities By State
Alaska
British Columbia
Abbotsford
Chilliwack
Earls Cove
Hope
Kelowna
Nanaimo
Port Renfrew
Prince George
Quesnel
Sechelt
Tofino
Victoria
Whitehorse
Campbell River
Courtenay
Gold Bridge
Kamloops
Lillooet
Parksville
Powell River
Prince Rupert
Richmond
Squamish
Vancouver
Whistler
White Rock
California
Arcata
Crescent City
Mount Shasta
Susanville
Burney
Eureka
Redding
Yreka
Idaho
Bonners Ferry
Coeur d’Alene
Hauser
Plummer
Saint Maries
Clark Fork
Harrison
Kellogg
Priest River
Sandpoint
Montana
Butte
Eureka
Lolo
Polson
Seeley Lake
Conner
Kalispell
Missoula
Roosville
St. Regis
Oregon
Ashland
Bend
Cannon Beach
Depoe Bay
Florence
Gold Beach
Klamath Falls
Lebanon
Medford
Ontario
Port Orford
Redmond
Roseburg
Seaside
Yachats
Bandon
Brookings
Coos Bay
Eugene
Gearhart
Grant’s Pass
Lakeside
Lincoln City
Newport
Pendleton
Portland
Reedsport
Salem
Tillamook
Washington
Aberdeen
Bellevue
Blaine
Chelan
Edmonds
Ellensburg
Forks
Gig Harbour
Kennewick
Kettle Falls
La Conner
Long Beach
Moses Lake
Oak Harbor
Olympia
Port Townsend
Prosser
Republic
Sedro-Woolley
Spokane
Twisp
Winthrop
Anacortes
Bellingham
Centralia
Darrington
Elbe
Everett
Friday Harbor
Glacier
Kent
Kirkland
Langley
Longview
Mount Vernon
Ocean Shores
Port Angeles
Poulsbo
Pullman
Seattle
Sequim
Tacoma
Westport
Yakima