While strolling one of Oregon's expansive sandy beaches, a scurrying
movement in a tide pool caught my eye. Was that a bullhead? No, it was
too egg-shaped to be one of the shy pool-dwelling fish. It didn't
scuttle like a crab -- and the pool was teeming with these mystery
creatures. Whatever it was, the buggy beast was just the reason I'd wanted to
visit Oregon's ocean beaches: for a chance to explore the craggy
coastline, poke around under seaside rocks and sink my toes in sugary
sand.
By Lisa Stiffler | June 19, 2008
So you're new in town.
You might have noticed that Pugetopolis isn't, well, exactly like the rest of the world.
We rarely honk our horns in anger. You'll more often get a perky wave from another driver than a one-finger salute.
We do tend to have two coffee houses at every corner. We dig clams. We wear Gore-Tex to the symphony. And we have mountains, water and forests that don't in the least resemble Indiana.
By Brian J. Cantwell | May 17, 2007
Imagine a bucolic island, in a storybook setting with snow-capped mountains looming in the distance. Imagine that it's close to a leading West Coast city, but has a timeless aura. Imagine you can get to it quickly and cheaply, via a short, scenic ferry ride.
Is it Bainbridge Island? Whidbey Island?
Both apply, but guess again. This is also a description of British Columbia's Bowen Island, a sylvan spot in Howe Sound just north of Vancouver.
By Misha Berson | November 9, 2006
Short Trips
To Maryann Spahr, the small brightly colored fishing float she found on the ocean beach just south of Grayland was the crown jewel of the small collection in her Raymond home. Twice a month she bundles up and ventures to the coast with her faithful Labrador, Abbey, to test her beachcombing skills in the driftwood piles and ocean grasses. She considers the trips important for her -- and her dog's -- mental and physical health.
By Jeff Larsen | February 23, 2006
Short Trips
Summer is winding down, the kids are back in school and most of the summer frivolity is becoming a vague memory. Many Northwest natives generally consider the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend the beginning of the end -- the beginning of a long, wet fall and winter and time to stay indoors.
By Jeff Larsen | September 15, 2005
PROTECTION ISLAND, British Columbia — "Would you like to borrow a wheelbarrow?" Catherine Hebb asked as we finished the last of our French toast.
We had spent a relaxing two nights at her B&B. Now our bags were parked near her front door. It was time to catch the ferry and head home.
By Carol Pucci | July 29, 2005
WESTPORT -- A strong southwest wind is howling along the beach at Westhaven State Park, pestering a sparse collection of beachcombers with blasts of sand and spray. The beach is a seemingly endless, arrow-straight strip of beige that separates the green of the shore pines from the gray of the Pacific.
The sea is a gnashing, pitching mass of lead-colored surf. Endless sets of outsized waves break far offshore, adding bass-heavy thunderclaps that harmonize with the shrieking wind. You must shout to be heard.
By Nick Horton | June 30, 2005
Hike of the Week
Dash Point sounds like a place you may need to hurry to, or the name of a footrace; however it is anything but. Dash Point State Park is no place to dash, unless you are a mountain biker facing Heartbreak Hill, a steep hiker/mountain bike trail.
The 398-acre park in Federal Way is easy to reach from Seattle or Tacoma. With the exception of a rain jacket, food, water and walking shoes, you can leave your hiking gear at home and slow your pace to enjoy the variety of trails. Spend a couple hours or even a day.
By Karen Sykes | April 14, 2005
Short Trips
PORT TOWNSEND -- This charming, Victorian seaport is a day-tripper's paradise that extends far beyond Water Street's stylish boutiques and quaint architecture.
With the tourist season not yet in full roar, now's a good time to make like a local and explore beaches, diners and parks that are insider favorites.
For starters, stop by tiny Jefferson County International Airport, a one-strip airfield four miles south of Port Townsend, off state Route 19. Its Spruce Goose Cafe is renowned for great food and a front-row view of small plane comings and goings.
By Cecelia Goodnow | March 31, 2005
CAPE JOHNSON -- You expect a winter hike on the Olympic National Park's jumbled and jagged ocean coast to be wet, cold and magnificently miserable. But sitting here on a crescent bay, as a flaming winter sun screams pinks and reds across the sky as it sets behind sharp-angled sea stacks, it almost feels as if you're in a South Seas paradise.
By Greg Johnston | March 3, 2005
