Seattle TravelGram

If you are looking to get away from the hustle of the city, try a lake that is way off the beaten path. Remote and beautiful, Priest Lake “Idaho’s Crown Jewel”,  is located just over the Washington border if you drive to the very northeast part of the state. Priest Lake sits in the Kaniksu National Forest of Idaho’s panhandle.

There are plenty of campgrounds for those who like to rough it however vacation rentals homes are also available for those who love rustic beauty but also hot water and indoor plumbing.

Stunning natural beauty surrounds you in every direction. There is something going on for the adventure seaker year round.  Enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, camping, snowmobiling, hunting, cross-country skiing, or simply relaxing to the sounds of nature. 

A popular suggestion is a short yet brisk hike up the Upper Cougar River Falls trail to Cougar Rock. You will be rewarded with a pristine and undisturbed view of a rushing waterfall and a gorgeous panoramic view of the lake below.

Photos and story by: Sara Palmer

The Westport Lighthouse is located within Westport Light State Park.   Built in 1898, this is Washington’s tallest lighthouse at over 100 feet. C.W. Leick, who designed Grays Harbor Lighthouse, considered it his masterpiece. Originally only 100 yards away from the water,  now the beach has extended leaving it over 1000 yards away from the beach, making it the farthest lighthouse from the water in the state.

If you are willing to hike up the 135 stairs to the top you will be rewarded with a view that will take your breath away. The lighthouse still contains it’s original clam shell Fresnel Lens. Friendly and knowledgeable volunteers will tell you all about the history and current use of the lighthouse. 

Roughly a 3 hour drive from Seattle the Westport light house is a great day or weekend trip.

The winds are constant off the Pacific Ocean which makes for ideal kite flying conditions year round at this ocean side destination. The simple act of kite flying will be pushed to the extreme with stunt competitions that will take place at Ocean Shores Saturday, June 5^th and Sunday, June 6^th, 2010. There will also be free kite flying lessons, fun flies, displays and more. Hundreds of fanciful and colorful kites will make the sky come to life.

Ocean Shores is a friendly beach community surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and Grays Harbor. Visitors  to this part of the Olympic Peninsula can enjoy two fresh water lakes, twenty three miles of canals, great beaches and many natural areas. Although the main draw to Ocean Shores is six miles of sandy ocean beaches, visitors will find there are lots of activities such as camping, hiking, fishing, dining and many cozy accommodations to occupy your time.

Ocean Shores makes a great day trip from Seattle. In just under three hours (about 140 miles) you will drive south to Olympia, hang a right and go as far west as you can drive until you hit the ocean.  Find out this weekend why Ocean Shores considers themselves as one of Washington’s favorite getaways.

May 18^th, 1980 –  30 years ago the Northwest was the center of world-wide attention with the eruption of the Mount. St. Helens volcano. The massive explosion took the lives of 57 people and hundreds of acres of trees and wildlife were wiped out.

It was one of those days that so many of us in the Northwest still talk about. Everyone remembers where they were when the volcano blew.

I was walking my dog on a beach in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle. I watched riveted as the plume of ash began growing and towering high in the sky to the south. The plume went straight up in the sky and then caught a high current of air and it looked as if the ash cloud would come right over Seattle. Seattle dodged the bullet but many in our state didn’t fare so well. A blinding cloud of ash covered Eastern Washington, shutting down airports, roads, commerce and causing havoc. Snow plows were out scraping the roads to make them passable for traffic. If you drove over the mountains you could see huge drifts along the roadside where the plows had dumped the ash.

Before there were any visitor centers built, I took a hike through what looked like moonscape to where Spirit Lake once was. Every tree was blown down as if they were toothpicks. Everything was gun metal gray in color and there wasn’t a sound. Spooky, but in a very unreal way it was breathtaking  and so beautiful to see just what mother-nature can do. It was hard to believe that this mountain was once considered one of the jewels of the rugged Cascade Mountain range.

Today there are several visitor centers strung along 54-mile Highway 504, also known as the Spirit Lake Highway. Open from mid-May through late October, Johnston Ridge Observatory is closest to the mountain and you can look right into the gigantic crater made by the massive eruption.

If you don’t want to take the drive, The Eruption of Mount St. Helens at Pacific Science Center’s  IMAX Theater is something I recommend.

Growing up, my family would load up our old station wagon and hit the road for some epic drives all over the mid west. It was nothing to drive from lower Michigan to the Upper Peninsula or to Ohio or even further. I got to thinking that it would be fun to get in the car and just drive someplace and have a nice mini epic drive for the day.

My daughter and I headed east from Seattle on I90 and got as far as Snoqualmie Falls. We had plenty of rain this spring a so we knew the falls would be impressive. Tons of water flowed over the falls and the spray mist made the whole area feel like you were in a cloud.  It had been several years since I’d been there and what a surprise to see how just how much had changed. They have several new parking lots, new viewing areas, a concession stand, bathrooms and a whole new path that will take you from the upper falls down to the lower river. These were big changes and really done nicely.

On the way back I had a mission – stay off the highway and drive through the small towns and find a drive in. SCORE. In Upper Preston we hit pay dirt. The sign on the road side diner “Small Fryes” said it all, “We Specialize in GREASE, SALT, SUGAR AND CAFFEINE!” I kid you not, we had found an honest old school drive in. We ordered our burgers, shakes (so thick your straw just stands up in it) and fries and sat outside and enjoyed our meal.

We kept to the back road for as long as we could before heading back towards Seattle. Get out and explore. We live in such a beautiful part of the world, you just never know what you might discover.

My husband and I recently went to Zihuatanejo -Ixtapa Mexico and without a doubt this was our favorite vacation ever. We had a solid week of perfect weather. It was between 80-85 degrees 24 hours a day and the water temperature was 85 degrees. AHHH!

We went snorkeling and saw hundreds of multi-colored tropical fish, ate really great and very inexpensive food, read loads of books, walked up and down white sand beaches and thoroughly enjoyed every minute we were there.

 The town of Zihuatanejo is a fishing village where you’ll see the fishermen bringing in their catch of the day to sell right on the beach. We learned that early morning or later in the afternoon were the best times for us to take long walks through town (no cruise ship crowds).

Dennis and I have been to Mexico several times and each trip we’ve visited a new area. We have always had a wondeful time but we are definitely going back to Zihuatanejo as soon as we get more Alaska Airline miles saved up.

Want a unique camp for your kids this summer? How about rock climbing?

Rock climbing works to strengthen your mind, your muscles, your balance, helps your coordination, boosts your confidence, and gets kids out in nature. Peregrine Expeditions has summer camps for 8-12 year olds in Bellingham Washington.  These 5 day rock climbs are a kid’s dream come true because they naturally love to climb.

Peregrine Expeditions also has many programs for adults of all levels from beginners to advanced and works with each persons strengths and weaknesses. For real adventure try their Back Country mountain skiing, climbing school, Alpine Climbing or guide services.

Get outside this summer and challenge yourselves to a rock climbing experience.

We had a fantastic spring tour of Mount Rainier with EverGreen Escapes. EverGreen Escapes in one of the 2010 partners in the Seattle TourSaver.

Looking for a short scenic trip? Take the passenger-only Seattle Water Taxi from downtown Seattle’s waterfront on pier 50 to West Seattle’s Seacrest Park. Seasonal service begins Monday, April 5.

Take your time and spend the day enjoying Alki Beach. There is a great seawall for people watching and walking the 2.5 miles of sandy beach. If you are looking for a faster mode of transportation, you could rent inline skates from Alki Kayak.  If you feel even more adventurous, rent a kayak and see Alki Beach from the water.

There are many great restaurants to choose from for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Salty’s offers fine dining and an unsurpassed view of downtown Seattle. Dukes Chowder House  is an all around great restaurant with a fantastic variety of award winning seafood chowders. Alki Café is my all time favorite restaurant for breakfast. Go there hungry because their portions are huge and everything tastes wonderful. What ever your taste, you will find something along this scenic and fun strip of beach just minutes from downtown Seattle.