Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a 725-acre park of wildlife and wilderness conservation. Opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature are made possible with a Wild Drive (in your vehicle) and a Wild Walk. These opportunities are by appointment, and timed tickets can conveniently be purchase online. One of the greatest parts of these little adventures is that they are family-friendly.
Read MoreQuickly becoming a favorite part of the state to us, we took our third trip to the Westport, Washington area for two nights. Renting a cabin at Twin Harbors State Park as our temporary home base, we explored the town of Westport and two other nearby Washington State Parks over the weekend. Beaches to lighthouses to a colony of sea lions, we saw a lot!
Read MoreThere’s an absolute thrill that comes with viewing animals in nature. Childlike wonder and curiosity takes over whenever we are graced with the opportunity to see animals of the wild up close. Oak Creek Wildlife Area gives visitors the chance to appreciate elk and bighorn sheep safely, but at close range. There are areas along a fence for viewing as the animals mill around or rest on the ground. Feeding times, where hay bales are dropped throughout the field, gives visitors a chance to see interactions amongst the individuals of the herd while eating. Finally, you can pile in the back of a large raised truck that will drive you right into the midst of a few hundred animals to experience the sites, sounds and smells that are inherent to a herd of elk.
Read MoreA winter afternoon of snowshoeing, a night on the town with good food and drinks, and a cozy cabin to rest after the day's adventures. A perfect blending of rustic elements and modern amenities. This was our two-day getaway while visiting Millard's Cabin in Packwood, Washington.
Read MoreThere are 599 designated National Natural Landmarks (NNL) in the U.S. and its territories, which are administered by the National Park Service. Washington state is home to 18 of these wonders, and Mima Mounds NNL is one of them. The area provides short, level, unshaded hiking trails which run through this field of small, rounded hills, giving visitors a close-up look and opportunity to imagine how they were formed. Similar mima mounds can be found in other parts of the U.S.; however, they are all named after the Mima Prairie in Washington, which is located southeast of the Capital State Forest.
Read MoreIf you are looking for a getaway, may we suggest the southeast corner of Washington? Here you will find Fields Spring State Park, an 825-acre park located in Washington’s northern portion of the Blue Mountains. The park lies within forested land and atop a natural spring, from which its name derives. Features of this park include camping opportunities, hiking trails, and scenic views from Puffer Butte. We stayed two nights in Tamarack cabin and loved every moment.
Read MoreMidweek we took a trip to Stevenson to check out the new aerial park at Skamania Lodge. The Lodge’s zip line activities are well known in the area, and this new addition puts Skamania on a whole new level (literally, a higher level, up in the trees). It was pouring rain most of our 3+ hour drive over to Stevenson. It had already been a long day when we arrived at the lodge around 8 pm, and we were looking forward to a good rest. We quickly unpacked the Jeep and checked in.
Read MoreWe could not have picked a better time to visit Anacortes a couple of weeks ago. As our previous post stated, there was so much to do and see on the excellent Fidalgo Island. From magnificent rooftop sunsets to spending time at various parks, to walking the town on a warm, calm evening and admiring the art throughout, there was no shortage of things to do. Being right on the water also means there are plenty of water activities which take place off the island. One such activity was Kayaking.
Read MoreAs part-time wanderers, we often find ourselves looking for last minute plans for the weekend. This past weekend was no exception; no decided upon plans until Thursday when we found The Kite Festival scheduled for Saturday and Sunday on Whidbey Island. As it happened, we had not visited 4 of the five state parks on the island, so Whidbey became our weekend destination.
Read MoreLonging for ocean breezes, scenery, sunsets, wildlife encounters, quirky art, and history rolled into one destination? Anacortes on Fidalgo Island is a taste of island life that will leave you charmed and craving your next trip.
Read MoreThe river canyon known as the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington/Oregon border is one of only nine National Scenic Areas within the United States. Stretching from Portland and Vancouver in the west, all the way to Wasco and Klickitat counties in the east is the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Passed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, this became the second scenic area of its kind. The 292,500-acres of land contain a wealth of history, gorgeous landscapes, and interesting places to see and explore. This is one road trip you do not want to miss!
Read MoreThe Ginkgo Petrified Forest is an intriguing, one of a kind forest. "Why", you ask? There is no visible forest as far as the eye can see. No trees are reaching to the blue sky. No shade is covering the sage-filled land. Moreover, the only natural water is the nearby mighty Columbia River. The forest is mostly beneath this desertscape, in petrified form. However, there are some million-year-old gems which have made their way to the surface. Petrified Ginkgo is just one of the many types of trees you will discover here. These, along with the ancient petroglyphs, make this a trip worth taking.
Read MorePort Townsend boasts a multitude of interesting places to visit, stay and explore. Not our first trip to Port Townsend, but it was our first hike to Glass Beach. The beachfront below McCurdy Point Road is the stretch of sand known as Glass Beach. Glass Beach has gained this moniker, as it is a treasure trove of what we combers call sea glass. Sea glass is a polite term for discarded bottles, glass, and various pottery broken to bits, tumbled and polished by the to and fro of sand and wave. This narrow, rocky beach lies between the waters of the Strait of Juan De Fuca and a cliff of some 100 feet high.
Read MoreWe recently spent an extended weekend on Washington's Olympic Coast. Before heading out, we searched for overnight accommodations. After reading many of the positive reviews, 52 of them averaging out to 4.7 of 5 stars, we decided that the Miller Tree Inn Bed and Breakfast was going to be our home away from home for the next couple nights. The scenic coastline and forests of Forks and La Push certainly demanded more than one day of our attention!
Read MoreConstructed between 1898 and 1917, Fort Worden was one of three posts collectively known as “The Triangle of Fire”. This triangle was strategically located to protect the Puget Sound and its surrounding cities from attacks by sea. The post never saw action and the state purchased the property in 1955 to turn it into Fort Worden Historical State Park. Hiking trails, historic lodging, a lighthouse, old batteries, and even a castle all make up the interesting parts of this 433-acre park. The location was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Read MoreSaltwater State Park is located halfway between Seattle and Tacoma, in the city of Des Moines, Washington. When the park was dedicated in 1926 the two cities symbolically buried a hatchet within the park to end bad feelings between them. The majority of the park was built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC). Throughout the park there are signs describing the CCC's work. Though air traffic from nearby SeaTac Airport is pretty constant, this remains one of the most popular parks within the Puget Sound region.
Read MoreFall is here, the air is crisp, the light is golden. A favorite time of year for many, the transition from the heat of summer to the chill of winter, Fall offers mild temps, colors and aromas unique to the season. As might be expected, imaginings of pumpkin patches, corn mazes, scarecrows, and hay bales are standards in the more rural locales.
Read MoreIf you're looking for a variety of animals to photograph, and you don't have the time to wait and get lucky while hiking, Northwest Trek is a good alternative. Here you can take a 50-minute tram ride that loops through 435 acres of free-roaming mammal habit, get up close and personal with some of the smaller animals in the forest animal viewing decks, and more.
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