What town is the lavender capital of North America?

A small town on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington claims the title of Lavender Capital of North America. Though lavender usually thrives in arid, sunny areas such as the south of France — unlike the notoriously rainy Pacific Northwest — Sequim benefits from its location at the downwind base of the Olympic Mountains.

This creates a unique phenomenon that’s known as a rain shadow, where the mountains block the passage of humid weather and create a dry patch. As a result, there are dozens of lavender farms in this valley, and together they produce more lavender than any other region in the continental U.S. The Sequim Lavender Festival and the Tour de Lavender cycling tour bring visitors to the fragrant fields every summer to sample scented soaps and lavender-infused foods.