-
Day 1 & 2: Seaside, Oregon
Our two week west coast road trip began with a stop in Astoria, Oregon, on our way to Seaside (one of our favorite northwest beach towns). I’m not sure why we’ve never stopped at the Astoria Column before, which was absolutely worth the $5 cost to park (climbing up the column is free). The parking is also good for a full year, which we probably won’t use but for locals is wonderful. The column has a glass dome at the top, a spiral staircase, and a full 360 degree balcony at the top with amazing views. The paintings on the column, which represent the history of this area, are detailed…
-
West Coast Adventure
My daughter graduated high school and will leave next month for college 1,400 miles away. And since I celebrated a milestone birthday this month, we decide that instead of our annual mother-daughter trip to Seaside, Oregon, we will do a road trip all the way down the west coast from Seattle to Los Angeles, including Seaside as one of our stops. A total of 1,300 miles down the coast, but we will take 8 days to get to Long Beach, CA, then spend some time in Southern California before making our way back home. Here is our itinerary: We will make a post for every day and share recommendations on…
-
The southern Cape of San Juan Island
If I were sitting on the back deck of our “haven” at the “cape”, savoring a crisp glass of San Juan Vineyards Afterglow Rosé, I would describe the shape of San Juan Island similar to a cluster of ripe grapes hanging from the vine. The southern end of this island narrows so that when driving past the turnoff to South Beach, you can see coastal water on both sides. With a national historical park, a working lighthouse, lagoons, miles of trails and beaches, and unbeatable views, the southern end merits a full day for anyone who loves nature. You probably won’t be the only one here on a sunny…
-
Spring Break in Maui!
Our last three big trips have included a road trip through Colorado and New Mexico, Manhattan during Christmas time, and three weeks visiting family in central Europe. My daughter pointed out that we haven’t been on a relaxing vacation in a long time, so we decided to head to Maui for spring break next year. Sunshine, beaches, pool time and tropical drinks all sound perfect for next April after what will likely be a rainy Northwest winter. I start by glancing at the airfare options to decide the best dates for us to fly. By design, I work in the same school district my kids are at, so the three…
-
One Day in Olympic National Park
If you had only one night to spend in Olympic National Park, what would you do? I was asking myself this question earlier in the week when I decided to take my kids on an overnight excursion. It’s been about 20 years since I’ve visited this park in my home state, which means my kids have never been here. In spite of their protests about wanting to spend more time at home, they willingly grab their bags and get in the car. I book a relatively cheap motel on Expedia (not a place I would stay again so I won’t mention it here), and head towards the ferry that will…
-
Stunning Yosemite Valley
After a week in the crowded concrete jungle of Southern California, a few days in beautiful Yosemite with its giant sequoias and grand granite cliffs was perfect. We drove from Anaheim to Bass Lake in about 5 hours with a stop at In and Out Burger in Fresno for some tasty lunch. Bass Lake is about 15 minutes outside the south entrance of Yosemite National Park. As Worldmark timeshare owners, we chose to stay at the Worldmark Bass Lake Resort, but if we didn’t have that option we would have stayed at either the Pines Resort on Bass Lake or Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp, which is just outside the…
