Outdoors
Read More ›
Road Trip to Whidbey Island’s Welcome the Whales Day Festival
Join the annual celebration to welcome the whales back to the Bering Sea.
This article originally appeared in the April 2013 issue of Seattle magazine.
WHERE: Langley, Whidbey Island.
WHY: The annual Welcome the Whales Day festival (4/21. Free. Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 301 Anthes Ave.; 360.678.3451; orcanetwork.org), which celebrates the return of eastern North Pacific gray whales to Saratoga Passage during their 10,000-mile migration from Mexico to the Bering Sea.
BRING YOUR OCTOPUS CAP: Join the critter parade (starts at 1 p.m.), starring an eclectic mix of handmade sea-animal costumes, and ending with a Salish blessing of the sea. Afterward, NOAA scientist Sue Moore discusses how climate change is affecting grey whales.
PRICK UP YOUR EARS: Listen for the “whale bell,” alerting festivalgoers to sightings of these gentle giants enjoying a shrimp smorgasbord in shallow coastal waters.
GO FOR THE GOLD: Stop by the acclaimed Ott & Murphy Wines tasting room (204 First St.; 360.221.7131; swedehillcellars.com) to sample the 2011 Chanson Rosé and 2009 Tempranillo, both awarded gold at the 2012 Seattle Wine Awards.
GETTING THERE: Take the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton; drive northwest on State Route 525 and make a right on Langley Loop.
Follow Us
A New Perspective on the Oregon Coast
Beyond the usual suspects like Astoria and Cannon Beach lie 300 miles of open road.
The Oregon Coast is a beguiling drive year-round, but autumn is when it feels most vital. The colors deepen, whales loiter in the shallows, and kites swoop against gray skies dappled with bursts of sunlight. At Tillamook Bay, Highway 101 veers inland through fifty miles of old-growth forest before re-emerging along the water. On this…
Inn at Langley: Where the Shore Meets the Sky
After a property-wide redesign, the Whidbey Island retreat reopens with a locally inspired take on vacationing in the Pacific Northwest.
Michelin-star chef Johnny Spero never planned to end up in the Pacific Northwest. A lifelong East Coaster born and raised in Baltimore, he began his culinary career at 16, working for a series of big-name chefs and restaurants before opening his own establishments in Washington, D.C., including Reverie, which earned him his Michelin star in…
The Northwest’s Gateway to Wine, Culture & Adventure
Escape the crowds. Slow down. Savor fall in the Lewis Clark Valley. As autumn paints the hillsides in gold, crimson, and amber, the Lewis Clark Valley becomes a picture-perfect place to slow down and savor the season. Where Washington and Idaho meet, fall brings crisp days, colorful landscapes, harvest among the vines, and plenty of…
Meet West Seattle’s “Freelance Beaver Detective”
A group of urban beavers helped Pamela Adams through a tough time. Now she’s returning the favor.
Pamela Adams was living in Port Townsend when her marriage fell apart. Little did she know at the time that she would soon find love again while doggedly pursuing the Five Families—not the ones of Mafia lore, but a four-legged sort living along the Longfellow Creek Watershed. Prior to moving to Washington, Adams resided in…