DAY TRIP: Vashon Island
Summer isn’t officially over, you know. In the Pacific Northwest, September is like August with a light sweater tossed over its shoulders. (Well, on some mornings that light sweater is a fleece hoodie.) With three more September weekends ahead, I hope you’re not applying the rain-x to your windshield just yet. Get out and enjoy the weather […]
Cargo Camping: Reserve a Rehabbed Shipping Container
When I was a kid I was obsessed with a classic children’s book called The Boxcar Children. These four kids are suddenly orphaned and instead of living with a grandfather they’ve never met, they decide to make a home for themselves in an abandoned railroad car in the woods. They sleep on beds made of soft pine needles, forage […]
The Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle September 29-30
Do you adore chocolate? Well then imagine spending an entire day tasting and savoring a variety of the finest, most incredible chocolate in the country. Stop by a chocolate-making demonstration, taste a fresh cacao pod, sip a chocolate cocktail and listen to the stories of craft chocolatiers. The Northwest Chocolate Festival returns to Seattle September 29 and 30 at the Washington State […]
Explore Saltwater State Park on Puget Sound
Where is the closest public campground from downtown Seattle? I’d have to pull out a map to know for sure, but I’ll bet it is Saltwater State Park, a Puget Sound waterfront and forested oasis exactly half-way between the cities of Seattle and Tacoma. In fact, this park marked a symbolic turning point in […]
GO: Picnic Point Park, a Scenic Beach Escape on Puget Sound
The waterfront retreat known as Picnic Point Park is aptly-named; come on a sunny day or a clear evening near sunset and you’re going to spot plenty of couples on blankets with picnic baskets. It’s just a perfect spot for a romantic rendezvous. And at low tide, it’s the perfect spot for beach-combing. Set on the […]
GO: Fort Ward Park on Bainbridge Island
Location: Southern tip of Bainbridge Island. Fort Ward Park is still thought by many as a Washington State Park, but it isn’t; in 2001 the land was transferred to the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District. The park is open to the public and does not require a user fee. It’s new management is the latest in its long history […]
Q: Assigned seats on Amtrak?
Dear TripFinder, We’re taking Amtrak from Seattle to Portland. My friend will be boarding the train up in Bellingham, and I’ll be getting on the same one in Seattle. Is there any way we can sit together on our trip down to Portland? I’m uncertain about whether specific seats are allotted. Thank you, Marion Dear Marion, […]
Q: Where to Camp with Kids near Seattle?
Dear TripFinder, We’d like to go camping this summer with our 5-year old son and 3-year old daughter. This will be our first time camping since we had children. Can you recommend a campground not more than 3 hours from Seattle that has things for kids to do? Many thanks, Jessica in Lynnwood Dear Jessica, […]
I Took the Bolt Bus for $1
A few weeks ago, I awoke at the crack of dawn on a Sunday morning. I packed a small overnight bag, got a lift to Seattle’s International District, and waited on a street corner. In my hand was a bus ticket that cost me a dollar. That’s right – $1.00. And then I boarded a […]
Bellevue Trip Guide
Bellevue is having a coming of age moment. The construction cranes that littered the downtown skyline just a few years ago are gone. In their place are towering glass boxes that house the likes of Microsoft offices and luxury condos. You think Seattle has high-end shopping? Bellevue has higher end shopping. It’s called The Bravern if you […]
