Seattle Vacation Ideas

If you like the idea of going on some hikes this summer, but you’re not sure where to go or you don’t have any outdoor-enthusiast friends interested in going with you, a guided group hike may be the perfect way to get some exercise while seeing the Great Outdoors. Pick up any town’s catalogue from the Parks & Recreation Department, and you can find trips, but they’ll usually cost you money. If you’d like an inexpensive way to join a group hike, check out the Washington Trails Association.

The organization hosts several “Wildland Discovery Hikes” each year, where you’ll get a chance to “venture out to explore public lands issues right where they unfold.” And I imagine you’ll get a chance to see some trees and wildlife too. You can find beginner hikes (such as their introduction to backpacking one) and more advanced ventures.

Some of the hikes they’re featuring this summer include the Wenatchee Foothills, Navaho Pass, Anderson and Watson Lakes, and a family hike to Bridal Veil Falls. For more information, visit the Wildland Discovery Hikes page.

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Lots of people head up to the Cascades for wildlife viewing and scenic hikes of varying degrees of difficulty, but maybe soaking in a tub of naturally heated spring water is more your style (of course, there’s no reason why you can’t combine both: hike then soak).

The Goldmyer Hot Springs flow from a cave in a cliff along a boisterous stream located at the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Road, which is approximately 25 miles east of North Bend. The cave entrance is dammed to create a 110-degree pool and two lower rock pools of about 102 degrees.

The springs are on privately owned land, which is controlled by the nonprofit group Northwest Wilderness Programs. The fee to use the hot springs is $12 per day (children are free), and you can bring your tent to stay overnight on the property if you wish.

Since access is limited to 20 people per day, it’s best to call ahead for a reservation: (206) 789-5631.

http://www.goldmyer.org/

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Anyone who has been in Portland has probably been asked if they’ve been to the Portland Saturday Market.  Half-street fair, half rummage sale and local artesian shops, it combines a whole bunch of vendors under the awning on the edge of China Town.. Take the MAX to get here from any of the 3 lines in Portland.  Wander around, eat falafel, buy some jewlery, a new lamp, or anything else that you might want.

The market runs Saturdays and Sundays, March-Christmas Eve.  Hours for Saturday are 10-5 and Sunday 11-4:30. The market is definitely crowded, but it’s a great excursion for anyone, be it families, singles, hikers, hipsters, hippies and more!

Link: http://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/ –>

If you’d like to get out of the city and see some of the sites of Washington State, the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River is a classic destination. There’s lots to observe by day, but did you know there’s something to do at night too?

During the summer, the dam hosts laser light shows. “The Columbia River tells you its story through this narrated production of brilliant lasers that dance across the face of the entire Grand Coulee Dam! Learn about the dam and enjoy the entertainment sections with a patriotic finale.” Not bad, eh? Who knew dams were patriotic?

In 2007, shows will be displayed nightly from May 26th to September 30th (visit the site for times, as they change as the summer goes on). You can view the lights from several areas: the Visitor Arrival Center bleachers, the park area below the center, Crown Point Vista, Coulee Dam parks, vista points, or from the grassy knoll across from the Coulee Dam shopping area. Several of the locations offer speakers so you can listen, but if you can’t snag one of those spots, you can hear the program via the radio on 90.1 FM. The show runs 37 minutes and there’s no charge to watch.

http://www.grandcouleedam.org/ –>

If you’re looking to get away from the hectic city life of Seattle for a weekend, then consider crossing Puget Sound to visit Lake Quinault and the surrounding Quinault Rainforest. My parents have often taken their RV to this neck of the woods and they always enjoy the serenity. Less crowded than the Washington beach tourist towns, Lake Quinault can be especially peaceful if you can go before or after summer (from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends, you’re more likely to find kids and crowds, especially in campgrounds).

Enough about people; let’s talk about the scenery and what there is to do. The glacier-fed lake is surrounded by the moss-draped old-growth trees of the Olympic National Park. The Quinault Valley is called the “Valley of the Giants” because you can find the largest Sitka Spruce tree in the world as well as giant Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, and Douglas Fir trees.

The park offers miles of hiking trails, and there’s plenty to do on the lake itself. Try swimming, boating, and fishing, all accessible from the campgrounds and resorts around Lake Quinault.

If you prefer driving to all that physical exertion, try the 30-mile loop road. It takes you around the lake and into the south end of the Olympic National Park. Bring your camera, because you’ll have some good opportunities to see wildlife: deer, elk, cougars, bald eagles, bobcats, and black bears all call this area home.

Just remember to bring your rain gear. This is a rainforest after all. The 144 inches of rain the area sees annually can make Seattle seem dry in comparison.

http://www.quinaultrainforest.com/ –>

How many floating cabins are you aware of that are only accessable by boat?  For years, I’ve wanted to go to Ross Lake and stay at thesefloating cabins.  You drive north from Seattle and then take Highway 20 east about 65 miles to Diablo Dam and then have to catch a boat that will ferry you about an hour up the lake to the resort.  Board the boat which departs at 8:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily, and takes you to the end of Diablo Lake.  There are four styles of cabins, and they are fully furninshed and have hot and cold water as well as electricity. This is a place to get away, no roads or stores are nearby so be sure you bring your own.  The resort is open from mid-June through October. 

Recreation includes fishing, boating, hiking, camping (although be sure you get a back country pass from the USFS).   You can rent fishing poles, kayaks, canoes, and small motor boats. On the weekends, you must rent a boat on the weekeends if you’re staying in a cabin.of Diablo Lake

Link:  Ross Lake Resort –>

If you’re looking for something to do on a sunny weekend, why not drive up to Skagit Valley to visit the 24th Annual Tulip Festival? These colorful flowers are in bloom now, and you can sign up for tours that will drive you through the tulip fields, while giving you some history and interesting information.

New this year from Tulip Town is the International Tulip Peace Garden. It features eye-catching gardens with tulip displays for each of the 16 Countries represented, and you’ll also learn the story of how the tulip came to be the world’s “Peace Flower.” More than 60 varieties of tulips are in bloom. Take the trolley, which lets you photographers out there snap shots of the fields from an elevated vantage point. There are indoor arts activities for the kids (just in case they’re not as impressed by fields of flowers as the adults) and food and espresso stands for mid-day snacking.

If you’d prefer to drive yourself around, visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival’s home page for maps and more information.

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You’ve probably ridden a train at least once in your life, but chances are you’ve never been on an old-fashioned steam-powered locomotive. If you’re thinking about heading up to Mt. Rainer for the weekend, you might enjoy stopping in the small town of Mineral on the way. That’s where you can catch a ride on the sort of trains that Pacific Northwest loggers once used to haul trees down to the sawmills.

“Experience the Golden Age of Steam as you chug across spectacular bridges, clickety-clack through lush tall forests. All trains are pulled by vintage steam locomotives. We offer a variety of open window and enclosed coaches for your enjoyment.”

Rides are starting up soon, and the schedule for 2007 is already online. There are two or three departures a day on weekends starting in April (in the summer, there are some trains leaving on weekdays too). You can call to reserve tickets ahead of time, and it looks like they’re in the process of setting up an online reservation system too.

As long as you’re in town to ride the rails, you can also take the “shop tour,” where you’ll be able to “visit our shops and view the locomotive maintenance and restoration facility. You’ll also visit the locomotive storage facilities, including the ‘Gear House’ which holds our collection of rare geared logging locomotives.”

Sounds like something interesting to do on a Saturday, don’t you think?

Mount Rainer Scenic Railroad
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The Methow Valley is in North Central Washington, if you take Highway 20 over the Cascade Mountains, you’re in for a stunning drive.  If your purpose in checking out Windthrop (and it’s well-known Blues Festival), you might also consider poping your bike in the car. 

Last summer, a friend and I stopped in Windthrop en route to Spokane for the night.  With no forknoweldge of the area, we were able to take our bikes out for a nice, leisurely ride on paved roads with very little traffic on them.    If we’d been more prepared, we could have taken any number of the routes offered here by the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association.  Most of these range from 30 to  100+ mile rides (if you put several loops together) and range from easy, to much more difficult if you choose to climb Washington Pass. –>

The Columbia Gorge is well-known for it’s windsurfing, kiteboarding and scenic drives.  Most people though are a bit more familiar with the Oregon side of the river, specifically Hood River, Oregon.  For a change of pace, try heading across the river and check out these two little towns.  Bingen has a great bed and breakfast called Joslyn House.  It’s a 150-year old house that bosts a number of guest rooms that are very comfortable.  Of course, they include breakfast and will be happy to point you in the direction of several good restaurants.  When I was there several years ago, the owners took me out to see some of the petroglyphs that were painted and/or carved into the rocks high above the Columbia River.   

This area is also close to Mt. Hood if you want to go skiing and the Amtrack Station is right in the middle of town.  I took the train down here from Seattle and it was a nice ride.  The next day, I took the train into Portland to explore and it was great to get away from my car for a couple days.  Of course, if you’re traveling by train you’ll need to be prepared to relax, because the trains run on their own schedule, and it is not always exactly on with what is published.  Relax and bring a book or something to pass the time and you’ll have a great experience.

 The area is located at in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic area and a drive up the highway on either side of the river will show you scenery changing from the wet coastal rain-drencched slopes of the Pacific into the drier, sage-brush country of Eastern Washington.  –>