Outside
Ultimate Coast Guide: Grays Harbor Coast
From Seabrook to Ocean City State Park, the best spots to kick back and relax on the Grays Harbor Co
Return to the Ultimate Coast GuideGo here if: you’re looking for a quick trip to the beach with plenty of amenities—from quirky restaurants to kitschy B&Bs and entertaining festivals. These are among the most accessible of Washington’s beaches. Go for the day, rent a house for a week or spend a quick weekend. Travel time:…
Ultimate Coast Guide: Southern Oregon Coast
As promised, the complete guide to ultimate coastal destinations in Southern Oregon.
Return to the Ultimate Coast GuideGo here if: you enjoy dune buggies and antiquing—and don’t mind a bit of a trek. Travel time: about six to seven hours from Seattle Feed Seymour at Darlingtonia Botanical WaysideA roadside preservation five miles north of Florence showcases one of southern Oregon’s rarest curiosities: the native carnivorous (it just…
Ultimate Coast Guide: Olympic Peninsula
Now presenting the full ultimate guide to the Olympic Peninsula.
Return to the Ultimate Coast GuideGo here if: you love rugged, sometimes difficult-to-access beaches (you may need to hike in) and count the limited number of tourist amenities (shops, restaurants and hotels) as a bonus. Vast stretches of the Peninsula’s beaches are part of the Olympic National Park. Estimated travel time: three to four hours…
Coast Guide: Oregon’s Famed Lighthouses
Among the Oregon’s famed lighthouses, three shine the brightest.
Return to the Ultimate Coast Guide Eleven lighthouses are sprinkled along the Oregon coast to help ships navigate its rough-and-tumble shoreline, with nine on the National Register of Historic Places. Each brims with romantic tales of shipwrecks, isolation and ghostly presences, but three merit special attention: Tillamook in Cannon Beach, Heceta Head in Florence and…
Ultimate Coast Guide: Northern Oregon Coast
As promised, our full coastal destination guide to the North Oregon Coast.
Return to the Ultimate Coast GuideGo here if: you love boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops, accommodations and big trappings with your seaside view.Travel time: 4 to 5 hours from Seattle to Ecola State Park (Portland is just 80 miles away) Make like Lewis and Clark at Ecola State ParkOne of Oregon’s northernmost parks, Ecola State Park…
9 Can’t-miss Peaks
They’re massive. Magical. Magnificent. Northwest mountains to put on your bucket list.
We’ve all asked (and answered) the classic vacation question: The mountains or the shore? As it happens, we feel strongly both ways. But after publishing our Ultimate Coast Guide three years ago, we knew we had created an obvious imperative. And so we present our paean to Washington’s magnificent mountains. Why? Well, to paraphrase the…
Get Scenic at the Columbia River Gorge
Take an artsy road trip to the first annual Columbia Gorge Arts & Culture Discovery Month.
WHERE: The Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area. WHY: For the first annual Columbia Gorge Arts & Culture Discovery Month (columbiagorgeartsandculture.com), wherein 19 arts organizations spanning the Gorge celebrate local art, music and culture. Events include the Columbia Gorge Fiddle Contest (May 6-8 in Hood River, OR; columbiagorgefiddlecontest.com), featuring the best fiddlers in the west, plus…
Road Trip: Portland
Spokin’ like a true bike nut: The Filmed by Bike Film Festival celebrates bicycle culture cinematica
WHERE: The Clinton Street Theater in Portland for the ninth annual FILMED BY BIKE FILM FESTIVAL (4/15–4/17; $8–$10; 2522 SE Clinton St.; filmedbybike.org). WHY: The festival celebrates both wheels and reels with 30 independent short films (eight minutes max) about bikes and bike culture, selected by a jury of local bike geeks and film buffs….
Road Trip: Tofino, Vancouver Island, B.C.
Got a gray whale costume? Pack it up and head to Tofino.
WHERE: Tofino, Vancouver Island, B.C., for the 25th Annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival (3/19–3/27; pacificrimwhalefestival.com). WHY: Live music, guided hikes, film screenings, cookoffs, children’s fairs—in all, more than 75 events celebrate the migration of the world’s largest population of California gray whales to the Arctic. BRING: Binocs for a shoreline glimpse of the more than…
Road Trip to Enumclaw Chocolate Festival
Savor locally crafted chocolates and wines at the third annual Wine and Chocolate Festival.
Where Enumclaw for the third annual Wine and Chocolate Festival (2/4–2/5; Enumclaw Expo Center, 45224 284th Ave. SE; enumclawchocolatefestival.com). Why: This year’s event features an indulgent lineup of locally made truffles and flavored chocolates, plus pours from 22 Washington wineries. Pair for the course: Savor salted caramels from Newcastle-based Sweet Decadence and sip a Merlot…
Gray Weather Survival Guide
The sky may be gray, but that’s no reason to feel blue. We’ve come up with plenty of ways to survive
The sky may be gray, but that’s no reason to feel blue. We’ve come up with plenty of ways to survive—and thrive—during our long winter nights and rainy days. 1. Play ball! This town’s big on pinball—thanks to our weather, and because we’re a little geeky, says Larry Reid, curator at Fantagraphics Bookstore and Gallery…
Ski Hut to Hut in the Methow Valley
The five rustic Rendezvous Huts outside Winthrop give Nordic skiers a taste of Europe in the gloriou
I don’t mind sleeping in a damp tent or camping on snow if it means getting to enjoy a night in the woods in the quiet of winter. But every year when the snow begins to fall, the Rendezvous Huts in the Methow Valley beckon, offering a wilderness experience with as many cozy comforts of…
Day Trip: Kent
Take note, urbanites. There is civilization south of Ikea. Thanks to the draw of Kent Station mall,
Take note, urbanites. There is civilization south of Ikea. Thanks to the draw of Kent Station mall, the busy ShoWare Center and a newly remodeled library, old town Kent has amped up its charm. The four-block stretch running from First to Fourth avenues, between Meeker and Titus streets, is lined with antique shops, restaurants, quaint…
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