Lauren Braden

Nine Romantic Northwest Getaways

Thumbnail image for Nine Romantic Northwest Getaways

Valentines Day. Three-day weekends. Anniversaries. The year is full of opportunities to woo your sweetheart with the romance of the Pacific Northwest! A romantic getaway doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Make any weekend special and romantic on one of these dreamy, affordable getaways in Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. How to Make a Cheap Getaway […]

Read more.

Explore Outdoors: Mount Baker

Thumbnail image for Explore Outdoors: Mount Baker

There are two kinds of Northwesterners – those who know about the awesomeness of Mount Baker, and those who don’t (yet). I’m about to put you in the first camp, and once you visit Baker for the first time you will go back, again and again. The Mount Baker Highway (Hwy 542) is a spur route that […]

Read more.

Locavore Trip: Lummi Island

Thumbnail image for Locavore Trip: Lummi Island

Your locavore life awaits on this bucolic Salish Sea island off the coast of Bellingham. Book a stay at Nettles Farm and cook up your own farm-fresh eats, or splurge on dinner at nearby Willows Inn. When you drive off the tiny ferry (it carries just 22 cars for the 10-minute crossing) onto laid-back Lummi […]

Read more.

Northwest Bucket List: New Years Resolutions for More Adventure

Thumbnail image for Northwest Bucket List: New Years Resolutions for More Adventure

January. The month of resolutions, new beginnings, fun planning, and fresh starts. This month, our bucket list is all about infusing your 2019 New Years’ Resolutions with sustainable, local Pacific Northwest adventures. Read on for a bunch of great ideas, and Happy Exploring! 2019 Northwest Adventure Resolutions: Watch more wildlife: Bald Eagles are year-round residents […]

Read more.

Winter Outdoors: Ice Skating Rinks in the Pacific Northwest

Imagine skating in circles with your sweetie among gently-falling snow, a chill in the air and a mug of hot cocoa on your mind. Winter at its best. Got ice skates? If you don’t have a pair of your own, you’ll be able to rent them for the whole family at most of these outdoor […]

Read more.

Winter Fun at Crater Lake National Park

Thumbnail image for Winter Fun at Crater Lake National Park

The deepest lake in the United States is a pool of sapphire water ringed by sheer cliffs piled with snow. Beautiful in summer months, the lake is stunning beyond words in winter. The only catch is timing – to get the most stunning views you must hit it on a clear day. This is Oregon’s Crater […]

Read more.

NORTHWEST GIFT GUIDE: The Outdoorist

Thumbnail image for NORTHWEST GIFT GUIDE: The Outdoorist
Read more.

Northwest Bucket List: December

Thumbnail image for Northwest Bucket List: December

  Last Christmas, many lowland areas of the Pacific Northwest woke up to a very rare sight–snow was falling gently from the sky, enough to stick around for a few hours and build some elf-sized snowmen in our Seattle backyard. It was our first White Christmas in a nearly a decade, but alas it was […]

Read more.

NORTHWEST GIFT GUIDE: The Locavore

Thumbnail image for NORTHWEST GIFT GUIDE: The Locavore

Salmon, oysters, cranberries, hazelnuts, apples, cider, wine, chanterelles and huckleberries… Pacific Northwest locavores like myself are spoiled rotten with yummy locally-sourced things to eat. And here are some ideas for how you can spoil your favorite locavore even more this holiday season. But first, what the heck is a “locavore,” you ask? Here’s a hint: […]

Read more.

Wine for Thanksgiving in the Willamette Valley

Thumbnail image for Wine for Thanksgiving in the Willamette Valley

Before we were parents, before the mornings of waking up at 3am to our son singing Band on the Run in his underwear after turning on every light in the house, my husband and I took leisurely romantic getaways. Ah, the memories. Our favorite, perfect Northwest weekend getaway was wine tasting in Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley. […]

Read more.

← Previous Entries