Category Archives: Dog-friendly

Holiday Weekend Weather Around Puget Sound: Memorial Day Looks Good

By Michael Fagin, operational meteorologist at West Coast Weather

If you’ve decided to stay home and skip the throngs of humanity traveling this holiday week-end, the weatherman has some great news for you.

A trough of low pressure will move in on Friday bringing with it a chance of some light showers most likely later in the day. Any rainfall will be light. There will be a better chance of rain late Saturday morning and in the afternoon.  Both Friday and Saturday carry with them cooler temperatures with a high of not-quite 60 degrees.

Both days give you a chance to Marie-Kondo your home for summer, then wait for it…Sunday and Monday are calling for you to get outside and play.

Sunday afternoon we are expecting mostly sunny and warmer temps with a high in the low 70’s. Monday follows Sunday’s lead with even more sunny weather and a high of 75 or possibly higher.

Bonus Hiking Info:  Although these hikes are close to the mountains, they are all currently snow-free:

Iron-Bear near Cle Elum

Oyster Dome near Bellingham

Otter Falls near North Bend

Visit Washington State Using Your 2018 Tax Refund

You’ve finally finished that dreaded tax filing task and you’ve discovered you’re getting a tax refund you didn’t expect. Why not use that money to visit WA State? We have it all here. Deserts, mountains, ocean beaches, iconic cities, just about any landscape you desire.

This year, especially, with all the new regulations and rules, you probably didn’t know whether a tax refund was in the cards or not. Now that it is, I’d like to suggest some Washington State vacations to consider for this summer and beyond.

National Parks

courtesy VisitRainier.com

If you’re trying to visit all the national parks in the U.S., we have three dynamos for you. Mt. Rainier National Park, good for hiking, camping and colorful bursts of wildflowers from May-September, and lots of snow after that. “The Mountain” is considered one of our greatest treasures. The best view of Mt. Rainier, where you can almost touch the snow-covered peak, is from the Gondola on Crystal Mountain. At the top, take time to enjoy a superb meal at the Summit House.

courtesy Visitrainier.com

Olympic National Park, known for the Hoh Rain Forest and Hurricane Ridge, also boasts some lovely lodges ideal for your stay. Lake Crescent, Lake Quinault and Kalaloch (pronounced clay-loch). Lots to see and do including touring Forks, where the “Twilight” books were set.

I love all our national parks, but North Cascades National Park may be the most rustic yet most scenic of all. With its celestial blue lakes, forested alpine landscape and the chance to learn about nature at the North Cascades Institute, this is a trip you’ll not soon forget.

The Palouse

College football fans rejoice. In Pullman, you can take in a Washington State Cougars’ game this fall and tour what is considered one of the seven wonders of Washington State. Gently undulating hills wrapped in wheat dominate the landscape. The best view from Steptoe Butte gives you glimpse into how these mounds were made thousands of years ago. While you’re there, travel the Palouse Scenic Byway to drink in all of the Palouse’s beauty.

Bellingham

Like craft beer? Want to try more? Bellingham is the place for you. Last summer this town had 15 locations to serve you brews. Plus, they have a dog-friendly tavern, Paws for a Beer, if traveling with Fido appeals to you. But you can’t drink beer all day when you visit this town because they have a ton of other attractions to see.

The Spark Museum of Electrical Invention, walkable Fairhaven District, art galleries, Chuckanut Drive with a stop for oysters and kayak adventures are only a few of the must-sees here.

That’s only a taste of Washington State vacations. If you’re interested in other regions, drop me a line at writemix@harbornet.com and I’ll pen another post like this one.

New Vancouver WA Waterfront Showcases the Columbia River

“The fourth largest city in Washington (State) has ample reason to promote their heritage, but a new waterfront project in the works will give them more cause to toot their horn. Set to open the first phase in mid-2018, this $1.5 billion development will infuse new vitality into the area along the Columbia River. The design calls for restaurants, shops, and breweries.”

I wrote the above for the 2018 Washington State Visitor Guide. hThis past week I got up close and personal with what’s been done so far. To say I was impressed is an understatement.

Now

That’s the very good news. Two restaurants have already opened in this first phase of construction. Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar opened last September, and Wild Fin welcomed its first diners around the same time. My friends and I chose Happy Hour at Twigs because we were already familiar with Wild Fin.

On my first visit (yes, I had to take a second look) to the Vancouver WA waterfrontproject the sun shone brightly causing the Columbia River sparkle. Masses of humanity and their canine companions took advantage of the newly-paved trail to get in their daily required steps. Groups of people chatted while others dined al fresco.

Photo courtesy Vancouver, WA, Waterfront Project

We made a delicious choice. I treated myself to Twigs Mezza, an appetizer with grilled pita, garlic hummus, olive tapenade and tomato confit. My compadres ordered Roasted Brussels Sprouts and the Fig and Prosciutto Flatbread. Lots of oohing and ah-ing and no complaints at all.

And Beyond

Looking forward the Vancouver WA waterfront project will encompass 3,300 homes, 32 acres of retail and restaurant space plus Hotel Indigo, a 6-floor, 138-room lodging facility set to open in 2020. The hotel (to be completed in 2019) itself will house three restaurants and a sky bar. Phase two, which includes apartments and condos, is scheduled for completion in 2020. Phase three is too far away to have an estimated finish date yet.

Photo courtesy Vancouver, WA, Waterfront Project

The centerpiece of the park is the 90-foot cable-stayed pier that mimics the hull and mast of a ship, once only an idea of artist Larry Kirkland. This connection to the river symbolizes Vancouver’s reconnection with its waterfront in the form of a stunning backdrop.

If you’ve not visited the “other” Vancouver for a few years, you’ve got a real treat in store.

All-Around Fun at Long Beach

A couple of weeks ago, we took a short R&R to my favorite Washington beach. Long Beach has everything a beach lover could ask for – shopping, great dining, and of course, a beach to walk on or better yet, take your shoes off and dig your toes into sweet, soft sand.

When we arrived, the first order of the day was a drive through Cape Disappointment State Park, which has never been a disappointment. We enjoyed the mild wind on what was otherwise a hot day inland. Savoring the quietness, I thought the beach would be the ideal spot for meditation had I been alone.

 

Back in Ilwaco, just outside the park, we dined on Serious Pizza, a place where the food is divine and the service impeccable.

Waking up to that fresh misty breeze, the next day we couldn’t wait to take a trip to Jack’s Country Store in Ocean Park, the oldest general store in Washington State. We picked up some vintage toys for our granddaughter’s ninth birthday. Last year I needed a new Discover Pass (for entry into Washington State Parks) and a latte. Jack’s had both. In fact, I venture Jack’s has whatever you need. The ultimate in one-stop shopping.

 

Cruising through town on our way back, we stopped at Marsh’s Free Museum. What a fun place. Shells galore, weird creatures under glass, lots of souvenirs, and nonstop entertainment. Then we popped across the street for some refueling in the form of a slice of boysenberry pie at the Cottage Bakery.

 

But of course, the best part of a seaside stay is an early morning stroll along the beach while most folks are still sleeping. I was lucky enough to encounter a group of horseback riders also enjoying their time trotting along next to the surf. Sitting on the bench of a well-placed picnic table then seemed like a slice of heaven.

To look for lodging or other information about Long Beach, visit www.funbeach.com.

 

Point Ruston Just Keeps Getting Better

What used to be home to an ugly, smelly smelter plant for Asarco has magically transformed into a lovely, walkable shopping and dining district and homes for those who prefer condominiums or apartment living with views of Commencement Bay.

Point Ruston, located on Ruston Way on the Tacoma waterfront continues to add new restaurants and stores almost monthly, it seems. It’s become one of my favorite places to walk around, eat, take the dog, see a movie or just stare at the beauty of Puget Sound.

Here are a few of my preferred haunts:

Coming soon:

  • Ice Cream Social just in time for the sunny summer days we hope are coming
  • Silver Cloud Inn so you don’t have to leave
  • Purpose Boutique where you can shop with your gal pals
  • Fish Brewing Company with seating for 360, handcrafted brews, wine and food

Just when you think a place can’t get any better, Pt. Ruston recently announced their inaugural concert series beginning Saturday, June 24, 2017. Free live music for all ages, every Saturday from 5-7 p.m. until September 2. Look for these groups:  Strangely Alright, Sweet Kiss Momma, Kim Archer Band and Ted Brown Showcase.

Courtesy Travel Tacoma

Breaking News:  A new trolley, the Downtown to Defiance Trolley, goes into service on June 2, 2017. It will take passengers from downtown to the Ruston Way waterfront, Pt. Ruston and Pt. Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Leave your car at the Tacoma Dome Station and take the Tacoma Link to downtown for no charge. Then catch the trolley and you can leave all the driving to Pierce Transit.

 

What’s New and Cool in June, 2016

I can’t even fathom how long a comprehensive list of every event taking place in Washington might be. It would probably break the Internet. So what I’m posting is can’t-miss festivals, new activities and darn it, my personal favorites.

June 2:  Alderbook Resort & Spa, where the spa happens to have doggy massages on the menu, presents the “Spirit of the Canal” Distillers Dinner. Make reservations through Edible Seattle or the resort which has discounted overnight specials for this occasion.

June 3-5:  Edmonds Waterfront Festival

 Edmonds ferry

Edmonds ferry

June 4:  Oddmall Emporium of the World, Everett. If anyone goes to this, please let me know what happens there. I’m intrigued.

June 4:  The town of Lynden will try to break the Guinness Book of World Records by making the world’s longest strawberry shortcake. This is where I’ll be.

June 4:  National Trails Day means free State Park admission in Washington on this Saturday. Should you want to combine visiting a state park with hiking, may I suggest looking at the Washington Trails Association site or check in with one of the most prolific hikers around, Craig Romano.

June 10-12:  Craft Wine Fest featuring beer as well in Vancouver, USA.

June 10-12:  Maple Valley Days, Maple Valley. My old stompin’ grounds so I’m partial to this town’s celebration.

June 11:  Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island is hosting a fishing derby for kids 16 and under. No license is required and because this is also National Get Outdoors Day, once again you don’t need a Discover Pass because all state parks offer free entry that day.

June 17-19:  Marysville Strawberry Festival

June 18-19:  Walla Walla Onion Festival. I wrote about this and several other Northwest festivals in the May/June issue of Northwest Travel & Life Magazine.

June 24-26:  Taste of Tacoma. My hometown and where I first tasted alligator on a stick. Travel Tacoma recently unveiled their spiffy new website where you can look for other attractions to visit.

June 25-26: Spokane’s Hoopfest, one of the biggest 3-on-3 basketball competitions in the nation. For lodging, restaurants and other activities in Spokane, look at their tourism site.

Just Plain Cool

You can now take a tour with a park ranger at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. Don’t mess with Mary Krauszer because she’s also a jammer for the Dockyard Derby Dames.

Mary Krauszer, new Pt. Defiance Ranger

Mary Krauszer, new Pt. Defiance Ranger

The San Juan Islands  recently introduced an app, San Juan Islands Insider, that gives you tips on where to explore, how to gather points and then trade those points in for goods and services on the islands. Available on either Google Play or at the App Store.

See Friday Harbor on the Jolly Trolley instead of hoofing it everywhere. By taking a riding tour, you can better scope out where you want to spend more time.   Jolly Trolley

As if Lakedale in Friday Harbor, doesn’t have enough different types of accommodations, this year they installed new canvas cottages.

Did I forget anything you absolutely love? If so, please let me know and I’ll add it.

 

 

 

 

 

Explore More Holiday Activities

All the gifts have been unwrapped, the tree is starting to shed and too much fattening food calls to us from the kitchen. It’s time to get out and enjoy some holiday offerings in the Pacific Northwest. Here’s a list to get you started.


Stroll down Celebration Lane at The Bellevue Collection, where live toy soldiers rove streets, music fills the air and a dazzling light show illuminates the lane, until December 31.

While in Bellevue, explore Bellevue Botanical Garden’s Garden d’Lights, a nationally recognized holiday display with more than half a million lights illuminating a winter wonderland, until January 4.

For an educational experience outside the school setting, an 1860s sewing machine is featured at a new Fort Nisqually exhibit highlighting its revolutionary impact on the daily lives of women in those times.

“Turning Drudgery into a Pastime” is on display through April 5, 2014 and is included in the price of admission to the fort. For more information, call (253) 591-5339 or go online to FortNisqually.org.

Fort Nisqually Living History Museum is a restoration of the Hudson’s Bay Company outpost on Puget Sound located in Point Defiance Park, Tacoma. Visitors experience life in Washington Territory during the Fur Trade era of the 1850s. Nine buildings are open to the public, including the Granary and the Factors House, both National Historic Landmarks, and a Visitor Center with Museum Store. Fort Nisqually Living History Museum is a facility of Metro Parks Tacoma.

How About Some Snow Play?
Squeals and laughter fill the air as people of all ages have a blast on snow trails.
Join a park ranger to learn the art of snowshoeing and discover how plants, animals, and people adapt to the challenging winter conditions at Mount Rainier.
When: Update 12/20/13. First-come, first-served guided snowshoe walks will begin on December 24, 2013. Snow conditions permitting, the walks are generally offered on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and daily during winter break from December 24 to January 1. After early January, walks are only offered on Saturdays and Sundays, and holidays. Walks start at 11:15 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. and meet inside the Jackson Visitor Center (near the information desk) in Paradise. Sign-ups begin 1 hour in advance of scheduled time.
Distance & Time: Snowshoe walks cover approximately 1.5 miles in 2 hours.
Group size: Snowshoe walks are limited to 25 people, eight years old or older, on a first-come, first-served basis. A sign-up sheet is available at the Jackson Visitor Center information desk one hour before each walk. All snowshoe walk participants must be present at sign-up.

Skiers, riders and foot passengers can all take a ride to the Crystal Mountain summit for captivating mountain views, a delectable meal at the Summit House and a great run down the slopes. Dogs allowed on the gondola, but not in the Summit House.

Don’t want to venture out just yet, then download the free interactive eCookbook from Visit Seattle, that highlights a range of talented chefs and signature Pacific Northwest cuisine. Fresh From Seattle features 26 recipes from 12 noteworthy local chefs, including acclaimed hotel chefs and award winners such as Tom Douglas, Maria Hines and Thierry Rautureau.

For more family fun check with my two favorite sites: Rubyslipperguide.com for the Eastside and SoundsFunMom.com for the South Sound.

White Pass Stages a Winter Carnival

This should fall under the heading, “Did you know?” Every year on the first weekend of March, at the summit of White Pass a Winter Carnival beckons snow lovers. I just experienced the 27th annual carnival and found the wealth of activities a delight.     

 

White Pass is located on US Highway 12 on the White Pass Scenic Byway. Many Washingtonians haven’t even visited this ski area and are surprised learn about what goes on there. It offers 1,500 acres of Alpine terrain, Nordic trails and lodging. Snow enthusiasts can downhill and cross country ski, snowboard and snowshoe. The lodge handles equipment rental, has child care, serves food and beverages and houses a well-stocked pro shop.

But back to the carnival. Several volunteers, many who work in the construction business, build a snow castle that becomes the showcase sculpture for the event. More than 15 people helped to create the castle this year. It is made with forms packed with snow. Each element of the structure contains a number of forms, so it’s a slow process, but it’s done that way to make it safe. Throngs of folks walk through the castle at the event, something the kids especially treasure.

    

A safe, snow structure is subject to a most unpredictable Mother Nature.

“It’s crucial that it stays cold for the castle. Rain and wind beat it up,” said David Ruby, a Packwood resident and lead volunteer.

The normal time frame to complete the castle is two weeks; that’s without any unexpected weather fronts.

Touring the castle and using the slide inside is free for everyone. Other activities may involve a fee.

During daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, skiers and boarders race, take lessons or just tackle some runs for fun. On Saturday evening, a dinner of prime rib or spaghetti is available for purchase. As the night draws to a close, the entire ski patrol carries torches and crisscrosses on skis down the main hill. That signals the beginning of the fireworks show and the end of the evening. Sunday sees more of the same.

I urge you to mark your calendars for the first weekend in March, 2014, so you too can take part in the festivities at White Pass. Or visit anytime to play in the snow.

 For other winter activities available now, look at Visit Rainier.

Get Into Soap Lake

As you might imagine, Soap Lake is a body of water, but it is also a town of 1,500 in Eastern Washington. I’m pretty sure they all know each other, because while we enjoyed a tasty restaurant dinner there at Don’s everybody else in the eatery recognized each other and chatted with them.

Soap Lake and the newly installed sun dial sculpture.

 

Soap Lake was formed by a mammoth waterfall that eroded basalt rock into what is now Dry Falls. When the waters of the last big flood receded, it left the mineral-rich lake. More than 15 minerals fill the lake, some say giving it extraordinary healing powers. Soaking in the lake water and spreading the lake mud over hands, arms and faces to facilitate healing was done by indigenous people, settlers and is still done today.

A list of all the mineral Soap Lake contains.

The name, Soap Lake, seemed appropriate because of the foamy ridges that formed on the beach on windy days. Besides the lake itself, local spas offer a Soap Lake experience where you can soak in lake-filled tubs. (Although a broken pipe has stopped that temporarily, it will soon be fixed.)

From www.soaplakewa.com:  Some day, Soap Lake will be discovered by the rich and famous. They’ll build a fabulous resort and take advantage of this absolutely one-of-a-kind mineral lake. They’ll hear about Soap Lake and its remarkable history. They’ll swim in the water and lie in the sun and know they have found a place that nourishes their soul as well as their bodies. They’ll be drawn back year-after-year until they decide to stay for the rest of their lives.

If you aren’t rich or famous, visit soon, before the price goes up. If you are rich and famous, we’ve been waiting for you.

Besides relaxing in the sun, Soap Lake has lots of activities throughout the year like Winterfest, the second weekend of December, with a juried art show, art sale, crafts and music. Lava Run to the Sun is a motorcycle rally in late July and the Soap Lake Box Derby takes place over Memorial Day Weekend.

Bellevue Hilton Highly Recommended

Little things mean a lot — like when the hotel staff remembers your name and uses it or offers you a bottle of water while you’re waiting for someone. Excellent customer service will keep me coming back to any business.

That’s what I got at the Bellevue Hilton last week. A newspaper was at my door each morning, I was offered turn down service and everyday when I got back to my room it was clean and tidy.

This hotel offers the largest guest rooms in Bellevue and my suite was surely an example of that. The living room contained a sofa, chair, desk and widescreen TV and another TV was in the bedroom which was more than ample. A huge tub dominated the dressing room and the smaller bath revealed a shower and toilet.

 

Amenities included a fitness center with chilled towels and fresh fruit, an outdoor swimming pool and a complimentary shuttle that drove you anywhere within a mile of the hotel. A beauty salon, coin laundry for guests and 700 parking spaces also graced the property.

Tully’s Coffee Shop was located in the lobby as was a bar and Basil’s Restaurant, which serves a yummy breakfast buffet.

Although, I didn’t get to see him, I was told an otter lived in the pond outside. I’ll have to go back in warmer weather and see if he’s sunning himself.

To top it all off, the Bellevue Hilton is pet-friendly. What more could you ask for?