Idaho, Oregon, Nevada, Washington:

Ask almost anyone about the Pacific Northwest’s climate, and they’ll tell you how much it rains, particularly in Seattle, Washington’s biggest city. But although this coastal part of the Pacific Northwest is prone to heavy downpours, it’s not wet everywhere across the whole of the region, in part because of a rain shadow on the eastern side of the Cascade mountains.

Typically though, the Northwest has cool, wet winters with plenty of mountain snow, and temperate, drier summers. The amount of rain along the coast brings lush, green carpeted forests to explore, with giant redwood forests and vineyards towards the south.

The best time of year to visit is often considered to be the summer months of June to September when daytime temperatures peak in the low to mid 20sºC. It’s also the driest time of year; much of the annual rain is reserved for between October and March. It’s the ideal region to combine outdoors adventuring with city culture action, with Seattle and Portland close enough to visit in one trip.

However, winter sport lovers will find much to enjoy in the mountains during the winter months. If you’re looking to visit the cities and possibly even venture over the border to Vancouver, you might want to wait for a drier time of year.