CAMP: South Whidbey State Park
ALERT: South Whidbey State Park is open for day use only. Due to hazardous trees in the old-growth forest, the campground area is closed indefinitely. Camping is available at nearby Fort Casey and Fort Ebey state parks. Campsites are nestled in the lush woods on a bluff here, so there are no water views from the campsites themselves. Still, […]
CAMP: Salt Creek Recreation Area
Salt Creek is a dramatically beautiful and well-maintained campground with staggering views and terrific amenities. Like so many former WWII-era military lands set on the Salish Sea (this was once Camp Hayden), the 196-acre park has terrific sightlines, once used to watch for enemy boats. Now, you can enjoy these same views over a picnic lunch or beside a campfire. The […]
Bellevue Arts Museum
Bellevue might not be as you remember it. The construction cranes downtown are gone. Towering glass buildings house everything from Microsoft offices to luxury condos. Wide downtown sidewalks are filled with pedestrians of all ages. Small independent shops on Main Street are competing just fine with the Bell Square chains. And when you open your ears and listen, […]
STAY & PLAY: Hiking Lake Quinault on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula
Spring is a favorite season to visit Lake Quinault on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s not crowded. You have miles of trails all to yourself. Wildlife are becoming more active. And everything is green, green, green.
Northwest Festivals: April
Great news! We’ve added a festivals and events calendar! Event organizers – you can submit your tourism-related festival or event right here for FREE. We’re also offering the opportunity for your event be a “featured event,” which includes lots more exposure. Enjoy! Spring is actually here! Recent snowstorms and downpours may have you questioning this fact, […]
GO: Websters Woods in Port Angeles
Our Pacific Northwest forests are a work of art. I am stunned by the beauty of cedars draped whimsically in chartreuse moss, or when I see sun-dappled ferns carpet a forest floor. One Pacific Northwest swath of woods takes the concept of art a giant step further. Take an enchanting hike through Webster’s Woods, an […]
Pie and Coffee in Forks
It wasn’t the Twilight series that brought us to Forks in the pouring rain. (Though I must confess to you, I bought a copy of New Moon at Forks Outfitters on the south side of town while I was there. The clerk looked at me, in my Gore Tex and muddy hiking boots, with inquisitively arched eyebrows.) […]
GO: San Juan Kayak Expeditions
Sponsored by San Juan Kayak Expeditions 745C Tarabochia Ln. Friday Harbor WA 98250 map and directions phone: 360.378.4436 website: sanjuankayak.com email: [email protected] Description: Formed in 1980, San Juan Kayak Expeditions is the ORIGINAL sea kayaking outfitter in the San Juan Islands! Sea kayak with orca whales, stellar sea lions, river otters, porpoise, harbor seals, bald eagles and more! […]
The Hotel Monaco, a Swank Sleep in Seattle
On the south edge of the upscale shopping district in downtown Seattle, there sits the Hotel Monaco. I remember when the Monaco opened 13 years ago, with its bold striped awning, dazzling art deco styling and very friendly valets. I sipped discounted happy hour drinks at Sazerac downstairs to soak in the Monaco vibe. It […]
Sea Kayaking the San Juan Islands with Outdoor Odysseys
Sponsored by Outdoor Odysseys 86 Cedar St Friday Harbor WA 98250 map and directions phone: 800.647.4621 website: outdoorodysseys.com email: [email protected] Description: With 175-forested islands surrounded by crystal-green waters and snow-capped mountains, the San Juan Islands are an idyllic sea-kayaking destination. Most of our tours are conducted off the west side of San Juan Island – the prime area […]
