Seattle is a dynamic seaport city with a rich musical history. Jazz legends such as Ray Charles and Ernestine Anderson started their careers here, it is also the birthplace of rock legend Jimi Hendrix and many of the 90s prolific grunge bands originated here. The city has some great parks, go to the Gas Works Park for incredible views of downtown Seattle and Green Lake Park for the trail around the lake. The city has a remarkable location in between Puget Sound, an arm of the Pacific Ocean, and Lake Washington to the East. You can see the towering Mount Rainer from the city in Mount Rainer National Park directly southeast. This dramatic wilderness is the perfect getaway for keen walkers with excellent trails and camping facilities. If you take your rent a car south of Seattle you reach Tacoma and Olympia in no time, from here you can head out onto the Olympic Peninsula. The peninsula is home to Olympic National Park, also a delight for walkers with mountainous peaks and the rugged pacific coastline.