Cama Beach Cabin Practicalities
My overall impression of the cabins at Cama Beach State Park? They live up to the hype. This is an incredible escape during the off-season months.
Getting Around Vancouver on Foot Ferries
Vancouver. Those of us just south of the border know how lucky we are to have this fabulous cosmopolitan city just a short drive or train ride away. Vancouver is chock full of favorite things-– fabulous ethnic restaurants on Denman, the Museum of Vancouver, Stanley Park, the Granville Island Public Market… just to name a […]
Eagles and Buffalo in the North Cascades
The upper Skagit River Valley in northwestern Washington is home to the western half of the North Cascades Highway, possibly the most scenic drive in the Northwest. It transects the rugged, craggy North Cascades mountain range as it climbs and dips its way east, and then drops and opens into the Methow Valley on the […]
The Parents Escape to Downtown
If you have kids, you might just relate to this: even though I love my son more than life itself, a little time away from him every once in awhile is the stuff dreams are made of. Let’s just say I am eternally grateful that my parents live a short ferry ride away from our […]
Watching Storms at the Nantucket Inn
WANTED: Puffins on seastacks. Pounding surf. Plenty of hiking trails. Miles of sandy beach. Plentiful local seafood. And the occasional coastal storm that makes you think about buying stock in Gore-Tex. Got a good guess where to find all of these? The Oregon Coast is an awesome destination for romance or fun pretty much any […]
Get Thee to the Modera
Even a professional cheap sleeper needs a little glamour every now and again. The thing is, I could get used to this! Ever since my family spent a recent night at Portland’s Hotel Modera downtown, I have daydreamed about moving in! For starters, the rooms are beautiful. I love the color palette – soft oranges […]
Twilight Getaway in Forks
They are coming in droves! I haven’t read the books. Nor have I seen the movies. But if there’s one thing about the Twilight saga that makes me really happy, it’s that the masses are descending on Forks. This town needed a New Moon, no? Washington state’s coastal communities are backdropped by some of the […]
A Spa in the Woods: Dip into Northwest Hot Springs
It’s hard to believe, but fall and winter are the quiet season at Northwest natural hot springs. Even when the temperature outside is chilly, these pools are nice and hot. After a day of brisk autumn hiking in the Northwest backcountry I can think of few things more satisfying than dipping into a steaming vat of […]
Warm Hospitality in the Methow Valley
Below is a trip report from Seattle reader Chad Lewis. I like to think of myself as a spontaneous weekend traveler, though it’s probably more accurate to think of myself as a procrastinator. Regardless of the terminology, sometimes a planned-the-day-before weekend trip can be even more satisfying than an elaborately scheduled one. The trip my […]
Autumn Cheap Sleeps
I’ve saved some vacation days. I hope you have, too. Because really–this is when the fun begins. The crowds have dwindled, and the weather is still perfectly pleasant. Many great places to stay in the Pacific Northwest that are cost-prohibitive in the tourist-heavy summer months drop their rates after Labor Day. Looking ahead a little, […]
