Seattle Vacation Ideas

The San Juan Islands are a popular vacation place for Seattleites since they’re beautiful and peaceful, while lying only a couple hours (plus a ferry ride) north of the city. You can go up there and rent a cabin on the water just to relax, but you can also visit the San Juans for adventure too.

How does sea kayaking sound?

There are a number of outfits on the islands that offer kayak tours. You can be an expert or a novice and still find an excursion that is right for you. Not only is it fun to paddle your way through the scenic waters, but you have a good chance of seeing some wildlife (more than the usual squirrels and possums that run through your backyard when the dog is in the house).

One company, San Juan Kayak Expeditions, says its guests see everything from caribou, river otters, big-horned sheep, and porpoises to prong-horned antelope, bald eagles and orca whales. That’s on their three- and four-day kayaking trips. Sign up for one of those events, and you’ll visit numerous islands (places the ferries don’t go), such as Sentinel, Canoe, Obstruction, Skipjack, Goose, and Battleship. And on those islands you’ll see “a cormorant rookery, pass near harbor seal haul-outs and traverse coastlines of rugged, towering lichen-covered cliffs, deep Douglas fir forests and white sand beach.”

Sounds pretty cool to me (of course, I’ve never spent more than an hour in a kayak, and that was on calm and placid Lake Union… but maybe I’ll have to sign up for one of these trips soon). The three- and four-day expeditions start at the end of May, and prices run $420 for three days and $520 for four days (both price tags include your kayak and all the gear you’ll need).

http://www.sanjuankayak.com/

A  scenic journey, train cars, fine dining and wineries?  European turn of the century luxury?  Not if you take a trip on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train out of Renton, Washington.  The train travels up the east side of Lake Washington ending it’s journey in Woodenville with a stop at the Columbia Winery.  The excursion is 3.5 hours round trip and most of the year runs Tuesday-Sunday.  May to September the train runs seven days/week, with a dinner excursion.  Weekends run both lunch and a dinner time trains.  They have a variety of menus with a couple of options that cater to vegetarians and vegans. Reservations are generally a good idea to get a seat in one of the dome cars. 

The train started in 1988 in Eastern Washington and moved to Renton in 1992 and has been going strong ever since.  They do a number of special train trips including brunches, private events, and New Years Eve. 

This trip is definitely geared towards adults and older kids with the fine dining experience and sightseeing.  However,they do have food options geared towards those 12 and under.  I think that if I had kids though, unless they enjoyed sitting for several hours I’d be less inclined to take them.

Link: http://www.spiritofwashingtondinnertrain.com/index.cfm

Now that the weather is getting nice, it’s time to start thinking of some trips you can take that involve the great outdoors. I don’t know about you, but I always got a kick out of horseback riding. Whether you’re experienced or you’ve never been on a horse, it can be a fun way to see the wilderness.

There used to be lots of horses all around the Seattle area, but as the city has grown up (and out), it’s gotten harder to find a place to ride. If you’re willing to head over to eastern Washington, however, there are quite a few ranches and stables that offer trail rides and even overnight camping trips.

The Eagle Creek Ranch in Leavenworth (about 2 1/2 hours east of Seattle) has 4-mile and 6-mile trail rides where adults and children are welcome. The rides explore the “miles of trails climbing gently through sunlit evergreen forests to alpine meadows and spectacular views of the snow-capped peaks of the Cascades.” Prices start around $28.

And if sitting in the saddle doesn’t excite you (or your rear end, more likely), you can also sign up for a wagon ride (these are available for groups of 10 or more). In the winter, the outfit offers sleigh rides too.

So, if you’re heading over to Leavenworth, and you enjoy horses, check out a local ranch for some fun.

 Blake Island is right in the heart of Puget Sound, yet it’s really a world away.  Designated as a State Park, the island is only accessable by boat.  This trip is something everyone should do, but yet most Seattleites haven’t made a trip out here, and many haven’t even heard of it. Blake Island hosts 5 miles of beaches as well as Tillicum Village, a show piece of  traditional Northwest Native American dancing and potlatch style food.The Northwest has a strong Native American community and this location allows others a quick glimpse into the culture. 

The most common thng to do is take the boat from downtown Seattle for the 1-hour ride out to the island, followed by Tillicum Village’s lunch or dinner of Alder-plank cooked salmon and demonstration dancing of northwest styles.

For folks who would rather explore, the island offers many miles of trails, woods, and beach.  You can sail your own boat out here, or come on the boat with the folks coming to see the show.

Link: http://www.tillicumvillage.com

Granger’s Dinosaur Park might not be a vacation destination in and of itself, but if you’re heading over to the Yakima Valley anyway, it’s a fun spot for kids (and, okay, adults too). Full of climbable painted dinosaurs, the park is a fun place to picnic or just relax with the family. On the weekends, you can rent paddleboats and visit the floating dinosaur in the middle of a pond in the park. If you forget to bring your lunch, there’s a dino snack store on site that sells nachos, hot dogs, sodas, and frozen goodies (what, you were expecting health food from a concessions stand?).

If you’re going to be at the park for a while, you may need to visit the somewhat interesting restrooms. The toilets are located inside a large replica of a volcano, which is done up to look like it’s erupting. Dinosaur Park might not be the ultimate in class, but I bet the kids will get a kick out of it.

Admission is free, but make sure to come during daylight hours, as the park isn’t lit at night.

For those who aren’t familiar with Granger, WA (which is most people probably), you can find it on I-82, 23 miles south of Yakima. Take exit 58 (Granger), which puts you on #223. Follow the street for about a mile (don’t take the first right, which heads into Granger proper) and at the third right, you’ll see the entrance to Dinosaur Park.

For more on the origins of the park (whose idea were those dinos anyway?), check out the Granger Tourism site.