Winter Break in Washington: Vacationing in this Northwestern state isn't as popular as Hawaii, but it's close and convenient and offers lots of attractions.

• Author: Jones, Patricia

Whether it's shopping in Seattle or boarding an Alaska Marine ferry in Bellingham, many Alaskans have spent time traveling through our nearest neighboring state.

"We get a lot of Alaskans here," said Carrie Wilkinson-Tuma, media relations manager for the Washington state tourism office. "And Seattle sees Alaska as a very large market--for sporting events, medical attention, shopping-Alaskans make very regular visits to that city."

Often, Seattle is only a brief airline layover for many Alaskans planning winter vacations Outside. But Washington's mild coastal climate, year-round visitor attractions and proximity to Alaska make it an excellence choice for a brief break from the Last Frontier's dark and cold winter.

"It seems like a home away from home for many of us Alaskans," said Kathy Allen, manager at US Travel in Fairbanks. "It's a place where we all feel comfortable going. There's a lot of things to do in that beautiful state that are within a few hours of wherever you are at."

Most Alaskans spending time in Washington originally go there with a specific purpose, rather than as a tourist on a leisurely vacation, she said. "It may be going to Seattle to watch a football game or to go shopping or for business, a workshop or a trade show," she said.

Oftentimes, Alaskans become temporary tourists in Washington, extending their business trips or their airline flight layovers for personal enjoyment--visiting relatives, touring vineyards, enjoying the Seattle nightlife.

"Almost 80 percent of every person who leaves here goes through Seattle, unless they take a nonstop from Anchorage to Portland, Chicago or Los Angeles," Allen said.

But her travel agency doesn't typically have leisure travelers coming in saying they want to vacation in Washington. "There's the old standbys of Mexico and Hawaii, and then there's another group of Alaskans that travel to Phoenix or Palm Springs, because Mexico seems too far away."

Those leisure travel patterns could be changing in coming months, as the public digests the impact of this fall's terrorist attacks on the East Coast.

"What has happened has changed Americans. We're considering the economy ...," Allen said. "We don't know what's going to come down the road...I know I don't want to travel much past Anchorage or Seattle."

Tourism-related businesses are responding to that change in the travel industry by offering packages for long weekend get-away trips within the states.

"Given the climate in the United...