Tulip Festivals Jump Start Spring in the Northwest
There’s something about rows upon rows of brightly-colored tulips that screams: GOODBYE, WINTER! HELLO, SPRING! How to See the Tulips The annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival runs April 1-30, 2016. We have a nice scenic drive itinerary for the Skagit flats that might help you plan your trip, with places to eat and things to do in the Skagit Valley. […]
CAMP & HIKE: Silver Falls State Park
At Silver Falls State Park, you’re in the best of both worlds–a stone’s throw from Willamette Valley wine country, and inching up the west slope of the Oregon Cascades. And by “cascades” we mean mountains… and waterfalls. Lots of waterfalls. We are spoiled rotten. In the Pacific Northwest where huge swaths of land are protected […]
CAMP & RIDE: Champoeg State Heritage Area
Set on the south bank of the Willamette River just southeast of Newberg is one of Oregon’s best kept secrets. When we stumbled upon Champoeg State Heritage Area during a day of Yamhill Valley wine tasting, I instantly wanted to curl up in one of their adorable yurts and listen to the bluebirds sing outside my window. […]
My Book: Autumn Escapes in the Pacific Northwest
Welcome to fall! Autumn offers unique, colorful and delicious opportunities to explore the Pacific Northwest. Get inspired to spend your fall weekends combing rocky beaches, savoring the harvest, and hiking scenic mountain trails of Washington and Oregon with my new book: Autumn Escapes in the Pacific Northwest. This inspiring guide includes 13 trips: harvest vacations, seaside […]
A Spa in the Woods: Dip into Northwest Hot Springs
It’s the quiet season at Northwest hot springs. Even with a chill in the air these natural pools stay nice and hot.
Six Great Camping Getaways from Portland
We paired six fabulous campgrounds near Portland, Oregon with great nearby hiking trails and post-hike eateries. Keep your camping gear at-the-ready all summer long as you camp your way through these campgrounds near Portland, one sunny getaway at a time. And just so you can make a full trip out of your excursion, we’ve included […]
#JULY
What’s on your local travel list this month? We dive right in with our monthly Must List for the Pacific Northwest in #July. Keep cool, y’all! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Hit […]
The Best of Northwest Small Towns
They dot the map and sit well off the interstate, and most of us pass them by on our merry way to somewhere else. But what if that small town was your destination? The Northwest is full of historic townships, country villages and mountain communities that make for unique, low-key getaways. On our recent #NWTripChat on twitter, dozens […]
The Pacific Northwest Summer Bucket List
It’s summertime, and the living is easy… I read there are more than 25,000 recordings of Summertime. My favorite is the 1964 recording by The Zombies, in part because it’s a damn good version, and because it conjures early summer in the Pacific Northwest at a time when the mountains, the water, the ocean-kissed air were all […]
Wine Tasting: Getting to Know Northwest Wines
Have you pondered why Washington is known for full-bodied Merlot while Oregon is famous for its fruity Pinot Noir? Location, location, location. The topography and climate of the Pacific Northwest is incredibly diverse, and this diversity is reflected in our wines. When you visit a particular wine region, you’ll encounter some of the same wine varietals again and again. For example, […]
