Short Trips
This town on the west coast of Vancouver Island is literally at the end of the road.
By Jeff Larsen | April 20, 2006
Short Trips
Sometimes a delayed Valentine's Day gift can be even more special than getting a gift on the real day -- especially when a spa is involved.
Young Simon Carrier, who waits tables at the Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler, B.C., worked Valentine's Day this year. So, for a delayed celebration, he and his Chilean girlfriend, Fernanda Icaran, decided to spend a night at the Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort in Parksville on Vancouver Island for what Simon called "a little spa action." Overnight was all the young couple could afford.
By Jeff Larsen | March 9, 2006
Short Trips
I noticed recently that one of my colleagues, along with some friends, camped in the snow at Paradise in the shadow of Mount Rainier and wrote about how much fun it was. She heralded how relaxing it was -- no crowds or noise, plus the sheer beauty of it all.
Guess what? It also was cold, wet and icy, and Mother Earth was covered with five feet of snow. It was so cold her group woke up in the middle of the night with a layer of frost on their sleeping bags. She said her water bladder even froze. I bet that's not all that froze.
By Jeff Larsen | February 2, 2006
Short Trips
POULSBO -- If you're lucky enough to hit a clear day on your drive to Poulsbo, prepare to be dazzled as roadside trees give way to a stunning vista of Liberty Bay backed by snow-capped Olympics. It's like a little piece of Norway.
Early immigrants thought so, too, and turned this scenic settlement into an ethnic enclave where, for a while, the official language was Norwegian.
By Cecelia Goodnow | December 1, 2005
Short Trips
LANGLEY -- This south Whidbey Island town is a wonderful reminder of small-town charm. From free and easy street parking to shop owners who personally welcome you, a day in Langley can be pure pleasure.
The town has been luring me for years. The turnoff -- not far from the Clinton ferry landing -- beckoned, but there was always something more urgent farther up the island. It's embarrassing to admit that my only previous trip to Langley was for a Christmas Eve service more than 20 years ago.
By Susan Phinney | November 24, 2005
Short Trips
I've always had a special place in my heart for Bremerton, partly because of strong family ties as far back as I can remember. My uncle retired from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (The Yard, as it was affectionately called) quite a few years ago. My cousin (his son) retired several years ago as The Yard fire chief, though his wife still works there.
By Jeff Larsen | October 20, 2005
The outing: Port Gamble looks like a little town that time and geography forgot, a bit of unspoiled 19th-century New England dropped onto the shore of Puget Sound.
Founded in the mid-1800s by Maine lumbermen who came to harvest the rich Northwest forests, Port Gamble was a company town for mill workers and their families for almost 150 years. Since the mill closed a decade ago, it's morphed into a historic and easygoing tiny tourist town on the northern edge of the Kitsap Peninsula.
By Kristin Jackson | August 25, 2005
Seattle Style File
When the occasion calls for more than a fig leaf, it's time for a ferry ride. Just a brisk walk or short drive from the ferry dock on Bainbridge Island, you'll find a clothing emporium packed with trendy clothing for men and women from contemporary and independent designers.
By Kathy Schultz | August 10, 2005
When summer finally arrives in the Northwest, the place to be is outdoors, soaking in the verdant beauty that sustains us through our long, gray winters.
Some of the most rejuvenating scenery lies a ferry ride west of Seattle, on Bainbridge Island and nearby Kingston, where a series of magnificent gardens will lower your blood pressure and elevate your spirits.
By Cecelia Goodnow | June 30, 2005
The budget outing:
If you've only ever sped through Anacortes on your way to catch a ferry, it's time to stop and smell the tidewaters.
By Brian J. Cantwell | March 3, 2005
