Lake Wenatchee Guide: Ideal Year Round Family Getaway
Lake Wenatchee is a large alpine lake fed by Cascade mountain snow and glacier melt. Sunny and warm in summer and cold and snowy in winter (with a lot more sun than the west side of the state!) it’s an ideal year round family getaway. Every type of mountain...
How to Visit Alaska National Parks
Alaska is home to 8 National Parks as well as many other Federal and State public lands. More than half of all National Park Service land is located in Alaska. The 8 National Parks in Alaska are double the size of all the National Parks in the Lower 48...
Complete Guide to Camping in the San Juan Islands
Camping in the San Juan Islands is amazing! Nothing beats the epic sunsets, beautiful beaches, madrona trees and the marine wildlife! Not only is camping in the San Juans beautiful and fun, it is also an affordable way to visit the San Juan Islands, where hotels and vacation rentals...
How to Hike to Franklin Falls in Winter
This article was originally written in 2020 but was extensively updated in December 2024 to reflect the new parking options which change the location and distance of this winter adventure. If you visited this area prior to December 2024 – things have changed! Franklin Falls is one of the...
The Best Whidbey Island Hikes
Whidbey Island is a short distance from the cities of Western Washington but feels a world away with it’s sweeping mountain and water views, open farmland and many parks and beaches. Whidbey Island hikes are perfect destinations all year round in just about any weather! Add to that lots...
5 Beautiful Hikes on Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island is just a 35 minute ferry ride from downtown Seattle across Puget Sound and yet feels a world away from the hustle of the city. There are plenty of wonderful hikes on Bainbridge Island to include in a day trip from Seattle or weekend getaway. In addition...
The Best Mt Rainier Waterfalls
Mt Rainier National Park is one of our earliest national parks and is famous for the massive volcano right in the middle of the park, Tahoma, or Mt Rainier. Visiting Mt Rainier National Park has so much more to offer that just views of “the mountain”. Mt Rainier waterfalls...
8 Reasons to Visit Alaska in Winter
When most tourists leave, the temperature drops, fall zooms by and long nights bring out the spectacular northern lights it is winter in Alaska. You might be thinking a winter visit to Alaska sounds nuts. Can you visit Alaska in winter? Yes you can and I highly recommend it....
Comet Falls: Dramatic Waterfall Hike in Mt Rainier National Park
Comet Falls is one of the most dramatic and beautiful waterfalls in Mt Rainier National Park. It’s also on a trail with multiple waterfalls to see along the way, not just one! You can extend the hike further to a wildflower meadow. A steep hike with up to 1500...
23 Best Winter Hikes near Seattle without snow
One of the most fantastic things about living in Seattle is that you can hike all year long. Sure, we have dark, short days and lots of clouds and rain, but you can still get outside and enjoy winter hikes near Seattle. There are lots of reasons to get...