cin Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 DH and I are thinking about exploring the PNW for our next trip. This would be ONLY us! So we're wondering what should we NOT. MISS. We're currently looking at the extreme northern region; Bellingham, Port Angeles, and we do have passports, so Canada is definitely not out of the question! This is our first trip away from the kids in about 6 years or so, so a little romance is not out of the question :001_wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Well, if you are in Western Oregon and wine country sounds good you should take $300 and spend the night at the Allison Inn and Spa, which would be totally worth it, or at least eat dinner in the world class restaurant, and your romance would be taken care of...;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 San Juan Islands....and if it's just the two of you, stay at one of the resorts there. http://www.rosarioresort.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 San Juan Islands, Mount Rainier or Mount Baker The Olympic Peninsula is iffy. Some of it is nice (Olympic National Park for example), but a lot is heavily logged and not overly scenic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Mt. Rainier. Gorgeous!!!! I've always thought it would be neat to stay here, but we've never done it (yet).... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I can't understand the allure of wine country... Maybe because we don't drink wine or because we live in the middle of it and I'm just not appreciative enough? Now, if you like wine... Oh MY! Then you'll love it here. I can't get enough of the coast. Or the trees. I think I could just live going from state park to state park or driving on the windy roads and getting a LITTLE lost just driving here.... The whole state is incredibly beautiful. Hit a few waterfalls along the way too. Really, you just have to be here... Not necessarily go anywhere - it's that pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I know if we ever get out there, we really want to visit the Tsubaki Grand Shrine (Shinto) in Granite Falls, Washington, but we're a bit different sometimes in what we consider as must-sees ;). http://www.tsubakishrine.org/ Visiting used bookstores ranks high on our list of romantic activities as well.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraciWA Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 You could take a drive thru the mountains on the North Cascades Highway/ 20 you could also do the "loop". You could wave as you go by! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 From Seattle or from Anacortes (near Port Angeles) you can take a high-speed ferry to Victoria. Lovely trip, beautiful, old-style British town. Have high tea at the Empress Hotel, stroll through gorgeous Buchart Gardens. Very romantic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerrie in VA Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I second Mt Rainer and the delicious mineral white wines!!! We did a train ride to Vancouver once---gorgeous! I nabbed an old Phyllis A.Whitney book, Feather on the Moon, from my Mom's bookcase to revisit before our trip. It is a mystery set in the Pacific NW and the author does such thorough research of the locations she writes about. If you can find it in the library or used bookstore it would be a fun read before the trip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I second (or third) taking a ferry! Either through the San Juans, or from Port Angeles or Bellingham to Victoria. Call ahead because they pull boats out of the rotation frequently for repairs and throw off the schedule (which caused us to get stranded in Canada one time without a car :001_huh:). Mount Rainier is awesome but be sure to get into the backcountry if you go. 90% of visitors stay at the Visitor's Center and never hit the trails. Panorama Point is spectacular if you are up to it and you can slide part way down the glacier on the way down, so bring a frisbee or something. Bellingham has great burger joints... What are you into? Hiking? Wines? Food? City activities? I'm sure we can point you in the right direction with some more info! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 My sister and her husband loved Crater Lake National Park, but that may be farther south than you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Bring your winter coat, even if you're coming in August. I wish I was kidding. :P There really isn't a shortcut from Port Angeles to Bellingham. If you time it perfectly, the Edmonds/Kingston ferry will shave an hour off of your trip, otherwise it's 6 of one, half dozen of the other. I'm only saying that so you know that to do both will probably mean you'll need to go further south. That said, there is a ton to see and do all over Western WA. :) If you like to hike, there are wonderful hikes anywhere in the Cascades. Tacoma has a really nice waterfront if you go out toward Ruston/Pt. Defiance, and the museum district is fun (and some are free if you're there on the third Thurs of the month). In Seattle, everyone has different ideas of what to do--if you want to be touristy, you definitely can't beat Pike Place Market and the Seattle Center (that's where the Space Needle is, as well as many other destinations). Some other fun places are the Sculpture Park, Fremont, Alki Beach (crowded, but it's close if you're already in the city), etc. Smaller towns worth checking out: Bainbridge Island (a ferry ride from Seattle), Edmonds, Sumner, Poulsbo, Port Townsend. If you're going to be in Port Angeles for a few days, you definitely need to see Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and Salt Creek if it's a low (pref. minus) tide. My favorite of the northern Pacific Ocean beaches is Kalaloch (clay-lock). The Dungeness Spit area in Sequim is nice too. The San Juans are amazing if you can make it out there, as is Victoria B.C. In Bellingham, WWU has a lot of interesting sculptures and a beautiful campus. Fairhaven is sort of the college town part of Bellingham. Everyone raves about Chuckanut Drive. If you're looking for a place to stay and can drive a bit, Semiahmoo resort is amazing and a great value during the off-season (or even on a weekday). It's supposed to be excellent golfing if either of you are golfers. Let us know if you have any specific interests that you'd like more information about. Enjoy! And I wasn't joking about that winter coat. :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Start in Seattle. Hit all the touristy spots mentioned below, then make your way to the piers and have fun in Ye olde curiousity shop. Stop for food at Ivar's (fish and chips are great, but if you eat outside guard your food from the gulls!) then hop on a ferry to Bainbridge...if you want to explore a quaint little Island connected to an Norwegian based town (Poulsbo), or if you would rather tour nuclear subs you can take the ferry to Bremerton. If you go the Bainbridge route you can drive from there to Kingston and take the ferry to Edmonds. Or go back to Seattle and board the Victoria Clipper. As other have already stated have tea at the Empress and explore the rose gardens. From Victoria I would travel to the San Juans, Friday Harbor and Rosario are not to be missed. Between Bellingham and Seattle are some quaint Dutch settlements, but I cannot remember what they are called. Enjoy some Ste. Michelle Reisling for me ;). Oh, if you do go to Bainbridge you might want to read Snow Falling on Cedars. The author still lives there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Google Vancouver. So much to do there, it's dizzying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 San Juan Islands....and if it's just the two of you, stay at one of the resorts there. http://www.rosarioresort.com/ :iagree: Take a whale-watching tour there (depending on the time of year) and spend at least a night there. If you go in spring, you cannot miss the tulips in Mount Vernon. Walk around Seattle. Hit up Pike's Place (Or whatever it is called) Market. Take a ferry. Eat fresh seafood. Drink local coffee. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 What kinds of things do you like to do? Vancouver BC has the second largest Chinatown in N. America, e.g. Victoria is nice. I like the gardens. But, what do you like to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 (edited) DH and I are thinking about exploring the PNW for our next trip. This would be ONLY us! So we're wondering what should we NOT. MISS. We're currently looking at the extreme northern region; Bellingham, Port Angeles, and we do have passports, so Canada is definitely not out of the question! This is our first trip away from the kids in about 6 years or so, so a little romance is not out of the question :001_wub: we have a favorite B&B just outside sequim (just east of PA) - colette's. (new owners just taking over when we were there). very grown up, gorgeous view of Van. Island from the rooms, jacuzzi's, fireplaces, - ships going through the straight, lovely gardens, etc. there is the ferry at PA if you want to go to Victoria, just park and walk on. dh loves Hurricane Ridge - due south drive from PA. We also go to Sol Duc Hotsprings quite a bit - about 45 minutes west of PA. between PA and Sol Duc is La Purl on Lake Crescent - wonderful place to stop for a picnic (bring citronella candles). the water there is an incredible color of blue. the lavender should be in bloom - sequim is a huge lavender growing area, many varieties you'd never see outside a speciality nursery. Olympic music festival is also going on now. If you like to hike in the woods - this is your place. the Hoh, Ozette, my daughter is heading out to cape flattery at the very nw tip of the penninsula today. west penniinsula has beautiful scenery. Lake Quinault has some pretty big trees near-by. If you want to lean more towards bellingham - north cascades highway is magnificent, there are B&B's/quaint hotels in the eastern towns to explore. Decpetion pass just south is incredible. whidby island has nice beaches. dh loves ft. casey - great place to fly kites, and there is hiking. Edited July 22, 2011 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 (edited) Take a whale-watching tour there (depending on the time of year) and spend at least a night there. If you go in spring, you cannot miss the tulips in Mount Vernon. Walk around Seattle. Hit up Pike's Place Market. Take a ferry. Eat fresh seafood. Drink local coffee. Enjoy! San Juan's are great - make sure you have a place to stay BEFORE going onto an island in the summer as ferry wait times for cars getting off-island can be very long. our 2nd favorite B&B west facing down the straight and across from Van. Island - in the rain shadow. It was SNOWING in Everett on our way - and we had blue sky and sunshine and shirtsleeves the entire time on San Juan in April. (except it was raining the first day at Roche Harbour - with good year round restaurant at the northern tip of the island.) there is desert on san juan. very beautiful, lots of views. some of the better restaurants close up shop during the week, if not the season in the off season. Lots of whale watch tours leave from friday harbour. or sea-kyaking, renting bicycles or scooters to get around sans car, and many other options. considering what the summer has been like here (no summer), san juan might be a good option if you can find a place to stay. san juan is more "boutiquey/artsy" and orcas more "hippiesh". (agreed to by someone who grew up there.) rosairo resort is on orcas and the orginial house is open as a museum - Mt. constitution is the highest point in the islands, and has a lookout/rapunzel's tower at the top. bring good bino's. inter-island ferry is free. Edited July 22, 2011 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 What kinds of things do you like to do? Vancouver BC has the second largest Chinatown in N. America, e.g. Victoria is nice. I like the gardens. But, what do you like to do? Vancouver has many wonderful garden's. Stanley Park is great - old growth forest just north of downtown. I love Queen Elizabeth Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks for all the input! Dh and I love to spend time with nature. Sightseeing is good too, but we prefer the forests and animals. We'll definitely be sampling the seafood! Ferry rides and glaciers sound great, parks and trails (although we don't do backcountry) with a little shopping thrown in. We've been to Yellowstone/Tetons 3 times, and finally decided to try a different spot ;) Any other input is GREATLY appreciated! We are really excited about this trip. Now, to work on finding a babysitter for the week.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 There are hot springs to hike to. Mt. Saint Helens is rather amazing. I like tramping the coast north of Hoquiam. Snoqualmie Falls is pretty. Take a ferry to the San Juans or Victoria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 If you are going to be in Port Angeles than don't miss Victoria B.C. It is fabulous.;) If you're going further south Portland Or. is really fun, and the Oregon Coast is Beautiful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missiemick Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 From Seattle or from Anacortes (near Port Angeles) you can take a high-speed ferry to Victoria. Lovely trip, beautiful, old-style British town. Have high tea at the Empress Hotel, stroll through gorgeous Buchart Gardens. Very romantic. :iagree::iagree::iagree: My in-laws toured Seattle by the breweries -- you can get some good beer up there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missiemick Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I don't know if you said when you'll be going but the WA state fair is in Puyallup -- lots of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 We lived outside Seattle for two years, here are our favorite spots... Dungenness Spit...on the peninsula...if you have bad weather (usually Sept-June) go up there to Sequim (pronounced Sqwim) they usually have sunshine...weird, but true. Orcas Islands: Take a ferry across to it...from just north of Seattle. Great potters are there and wonderful hiking/boating opportunities, and you'll likely see some killer whales. Mt. Rainier: Take the hike up Rainier (mostly only during the summer, nice trails..just go as high as you can, we generally stopped when the pavement stopped b/c we had 3 children under 4) Fish Market in Seattle...just a fun day to hang out there and take in Seattle. Those were are faves, we went to Mt. St. Helen's but it wasn't that pretty to us and better hikes found elsewhere.... Snowqualmie Falls is a nice hike, too.. Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msjones Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 DH and I are thinking about exploring the PNW for our next trip. This would be ONLY us! So we're wondering what should we NOT. MISS. We're currently looking at the extreme northern region; Bellingham, Port Angeles, and we do have passports, so Canada is definitely not out of the question! This is our first trip away from the kids in about 6 years or so, so a little romance is not out of the question :001_wub: If you're that far north, I'd skip Seattle. Sure, it's a very pretty city, (I'm looking out at it right now) but it's also very crowded, has horrendous traffic, expensive hotels, and some of the priciest parking in the USA. There are so many beautiful places up north. I'd absolutely, without question go through the San Juan Islands; Orcas Island is my favorite, but they are all stunning and quiet and different from anywhere else in the US, in my opinion. Just sitting outside on the ferries on a warm(ish) day ferrying through the islands is one of my favorite things to do. If you don't mind the drive, the Olympic National Park is really something to see, as are the northern beaches. Ruby Beach, Kalaloch, and the Hoh Rain Forest are stunning. Google some images and you'll see what I mean. (And it really does look like that -- no dinking with the photograph necessary!) There are some easy but very rewarding hikes in the rain forest. Folks have mentioned Mt. Rainier. I can't say enough about how much I love being there, but it would be quite a drive through some potentially hideous traffic to get there from Bellingham. Crescent Lake is incredibly beautiful, and the lodge would be very relaxing and picturesque. We've wanted to stay there but haven't yet. We just drool every time we go by. It might be a good place to stay near the Nat. Park. There's not much on the west side of the park in terms of decent hotels or food. It's very remote and rustic, which is why it's so beautiful, but sometimes you just want a nice meal and a glass of wine! They have that at Crescent Lake Lodge. I'm sure your trip will be beautiful. I love getting out of the city and enjoying all the beauty up here in the PNW. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynnette in WA Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I'm glad someone finally mentioned Mt. St. Helens! It's beautiful there, and definitely worth the trip -- especially to the Johnston Ridge Observatory. You can take short or longer hikes, depending on what you feel up to doing. Ruby Beach (and the numbered beaches) in the Kalaloch area are beautiful, as are the beaches around LaPush. And I second (third, fourth, whatever) the ferry ride to Vancouver Island. Have a wonderful trip -- it sounds almost like a honeymoon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakblossoms Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 PA isn't pretty...is there a reason you are loking to go there? I know I am sure someone lives there and you are armes with something very rotten. bainbridge Island is nice. You can take the ferry across to Seattle and just use the bus to get around. Yiu can easily see all the touristy stuff that way. Pike's Place is just a nice walk up from the Ferry or you can hop on a free bus ride to the market. There are two buses right off the ferry terminal. For one of our anniversaries we stayed here and it was lovely. http://www.futonandbreakfast.com/Fuurin-Oka/Welcome.html There is something called the Seattle Pass that gets you into lots of touristy stuff. I think you can get one of those duck rides, too. People seem to love that stuff. The olympic rainforest is beautiful. Kalaloch has some sweet little cabins right on the bluff. Very remote but gorgous and peaceful. San Juans are beautiful! I love Portland. Powell's Book Store is there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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