Travel
Central Oregon Coast
Now presenting the full ultimate guide to the Central Oregon Coast.
Return to the Ultimate Coast GuideGo here if: family-friendly amenities and attractions are tops on your list. With Newport as the central hub of this central coastal area, you’ll have easy access to such things as the city’s world-class aquarium. Travel time: about five to six hours from Seattle Newport A world-class aquarium makes this…
Ultimate Coast Guide: Long Beach Peninsula
The full scoop on places to go on the Long Beach Peninsula.
Return to the Ultimate Coast GuideGo here if: you love a dose of history with your beach. Along with the tiny historic settlement of Oysterville, the peninsula is home to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Travel time: approximately 3.5 hours from Seattle Soak up some historyThe Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center (248 Robert Gray…
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: 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…
Washington’s Mountain Vacation Homes
Looking for a vacation home or a weekend rental close to the mountains? This sampler will give you
SNOQUALMIEA small mountain town with historic attractions and a decent brewery, Snoqualmie offers proximity to the city while maintaining a distinct sense of rustic charm. Own141 Kearny Drive, Snoqualmie Pass$475,000Annual property tax: $2,800Elevation: 3,000 feetTwo-story cabin-style home with four bedrooms and two full baths that was previously used as a vacation rental, complete with cozy…
New to Climbing and Hiking? A 101 on Hiring the Right Guide
Unless you’re a pro mountaineer, hiring a guide service is key to summiting success. Here are a few
MOUNTAINEERING GUIDES Rainier Mountaineering Inc.Mount Rainier, Mount Shuksan, Forbidden PeakBased in Ashford, RMI is one of the oldest and most established guide companies leading climbs on Mount Rainier. Founded in 1969 by legendary mountaineer Lou Whittaker and attorney Jerry Lynch, RMI boasts some of the biggest names in the business among its guides. Basic local…
Mountain Road Trips: Drivable Summits
Some people respond to the call of the wild with nothing but a sharpened stick and a bag of granola.
Besides the oft-traveled road to Hurricane Ridge outside Port Angeles (see page 107), here are five more Washington mountains you can summit in the relative comfort of your automobile. Mount Spokane: Twenty-five miles north of Spokane in the Selkirk Range is Mount Spokane State Park, a 13,919-acre forested camping park rich with wildlife and hiking…
101 on Washington State Volcanoes
If you live in the Northwest, you know: Those eye-popping mountain views come with a serious price t
Our state is home to five active or potentially active stratovolcanoes—tall, conical mountains built up over the centuries by layer upon layer of volcanic material. Until Mount St. Helens’ catastrophic blast in 1980, these mountains were the stuff of science fairs and history books. Now, many of us know terms such as pyroclastic flow (a…
The Truth About Bigfoot
From canyon to cave, the Sasquatch legend persists.
Rumors have circulated for years that Washington’s Cascades are the native habitat of Bigfoot (aka Sasquatch). Some certainly emanate from events that occurred (or not) one evening in 1924 in a canyon—ever since known as Ape Canyon (elevation: 4,200 feet)—southeast of Mount St. Helens. A group of miners shot at a mysterious 7-foot-tall apelike creature…
Ski Resorts and Crowd Free Trails
When winter arrives, we strap skis or boards to our feet and let gravity do its thing.
Going Downhill Here’s a handful of familiar snowsport options, plus one that’s a little out there. Visit skiwashington.com for more. The Summit at Snoqualmie (elevation: 5,420 feet)For a quick after-work ski session, head to Seattle’s closest resort. For the price of one lift ticket, you can enjoy four ski areas that accommodate the shy beginner…
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…
Rachel Hart’s Mountain High
Our fearless leader talks mountains, chocolate cake and Seattle's soul.
That whole thing about climbing a mountain because it is there? Yeah, I’ve never quite understood that philosophy—unless it’s a metaphor that applies to something like a big piece of chocolate cake that happens to be in my line of vision. Many years ago, my husband and I were hiking Mount Rainier—this was pre-kids, so…
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…