Lauren Braden

Ask TripFinder: Where to Go Cherry Picking?

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Dear TripFinder, I would love to find a good orchard near Seattle to go cherry picking with my kids. I am willing to drive 2-3 hours. My goal is to buy tons of (ideally organic) cherries to make jam. I would be fun if there was a bit more than just cherry picking – a […]

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CAMP & HIKE: Icicle Creek Canyon

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The Icicle Creek Canyon may be a tad far away to be Seattle’s outdoor playground (five to six hours of drive time, round-trip) but for many Central Puget Sound hikers and rock climbers, it is anyway. Simply put, it’s totally worth the drive. There was a particular feeling I got the first time I hiked […]

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Tide Pool Party: Where to Spot Cool Marine Life Near Seattle

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Grab your rubber boots and low tide field guide–there are some fantastic minus tides in Puget Sound this summer! There are a few things in life that you can rely on with absolute certainty. One of those is the rhythm of the sea. Twice a day, the tide will come in (high tide!) and twice […]

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CAMP & HIKE: Cape Lookout State Park on the Oregon Coast

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On the craggy Oregon Coast, a “headland” is a giant chunk of rock that juts out into the ocean, formed over millennia from volcanic lava flows followed by constant water erosion. Some of the larger ones are called “capes”. The coast is dotted with them, all up and down from Indian Point to Cape Ferrelo. […]

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CAMP & HIKE: Steamboat Rock State Park

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In the heart of Washington’s Grand Coulee desert country is an outdoor lover’s paradise. And your base camp for all of it sits in the middle of an “island” surrounded by your outdoor playground. Cool rocks and unusual birds. Hikes through blooming desert wildflowers. Fragrant sagebrush whipping in the wind. Sleeping under a big sky […]

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Columbia River Gorge: Cheap Sleeps and Wildflower Hikes

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Are you in search of sunshine, open vistas and fields of wildflowers? Don’t wait for summer–find these adventures now on the sunny Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. Sunshine and springtime wildflowers draw adventurers to the east end of the Columbia River Gorge. The views open up and you can see for miles. Oak trees […]

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Quick Escape: See the Skagit Tulips

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Why go: There’s something about rows upon rows of brightly-colored tulips that screams: Goodbye winter, hello spring! The time is now to catch the flower fireworks show that blankets Skagit Valley farmland each April. Festival of flowers: The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival runs April 1-30, 2018. Sprawling fields of technicolor bulbs dot the landscape from Mt. Vernon west to […]

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Weekend Escape: Depoe Bay on the Oregon Coast

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  Forget sandy beaches. This wild stretch of the Oregon coast is all about frothy waves crashing into basalt headlands, and passing grey whales. The small town of Depoe Bay sits between two Oregon Coast hotspots–Lincoln City to the north and Newport to the south, which may be why it’s often overlooked by travelers to […]

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City Guide: Bellingham

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We city folks have it all. An instagram-worthy latte is a block away, there’s a farmers’ market in every neighborhood, and each weekend brings new museum exhibits or gallery openings. So why are so many of us urbanites keen to spend a weekend exploring the restaurants, museums, parks and galleries of another city? It’s fun […]

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Ask TripFinder: Where to Stay in Vancouver with Kids?

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Dear TripFinder, We have a 8 year old daughter and a 4 year old son. Where are good places to stay in Vancouver BC? We would like to not have to drive much–if not at all.  Thanks! Kris Dear Kris, My favorite spot to stay with kids in Vancouver is on the vibrant and lively West End […]

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