Guide to the best road trips in the PNW.
The Emerald City is a true cosmopolitan delight, but even the most steadfast of Seattleites need to get away from the big city once in a while. Luckily, Seattle is completely surrounded by a fantastic collection unique places outside for a short or long getaway. Take a breather from the stress of the hustle and…
When you think of taking your wanderlust on the road in an RV, what is the first emotion that you experience? Elation? Abject trepidation? Instant terror? Or a smattering of all three? More importantly, have you ever vacationed in an RV before? RV travel in Oregon and Washington state has seen a huge increase as…
Out here in Northeastern Oregon, the Wild West still reigns supreme and the Wallowa Mountains are the focal point. Carved by the Oregon Trail, not a lot has changed since the good ‘ol days when hopeful future landowners blazed the trail by covered wagon. In this remote area of Oregon, you will find working ranches…
**This article was updated February 25, 2025** Sometimes you just need to get away with your besties with day trips from Seattle. Vacations in Washington State are rich and varied, with the greenery of Western Washington, and the desert beauty of Eastern Washington. There’s a lot here to do when bonding with your gal pals….
Twenty-twenty is the year of the road trip – no one can deny that. And if you are one of my faithful readers, you will know that I looooove road trips. What better way to usher in the coming of Autumn than to explore the open road in Oregon and Washington. Here are my best…
Old habits die hard, to coin a familiar phrase. What that means is, as much as I talk about taking things slowly when you are traveling, I didn’t seem to want to listen to that inner voice this time. As with my first Olympic National Forest trip, I tried to jam pack as much as…
Along an unassuming highway extending east from the lumber town of Roseburg is an oasis of outdoor adventure, glorious hiking opportunities, and yes…waterfalls galore. It is one of the best southern Oregon road trips you can take and has the highest concentration of pacific northwest waterfalls along one road. This is the ancient Umpqua Forest….
Chances are if you are reading this blog, you have the wanderlust bug. Go on, admit it. I have it too, so let me tell you how my need to get out and explore has made me a happier person. Going on a road trip is one of my favorite things. When things get too…
There is a great shift happening in the travel sphere. The move is on for travel slower, to savor more of the outdoors, and to do it in a responsible way – but still have FUN. Getting out in nature can also be incredibly soothing and exhilarating for the soul. Spending nights out underneath the…
When most people think about what to see along the Columbia River, the Gorge area immediately springs to mind. Probably because it is the most scenic! But there is so much more to this magnificent stretch of river, which guided our original explorers, Lewis & Clark to this great land. Interstate Highway 84, which runs…
I couldn’t end the year without waxing philosophical about why I got into this business of blogging in the first place! Yes, it’s because I love to write and even more so, love to travel and have new experiences. But it is also because I love the Pacific Northwest as a whole and because there…
You may have seen the image many times. Trillium Lake – with a perfect reflection of Mount Hood on the water with not a ripple in sight. The sunrise shots are the most dramatic and have inspired countless people to come to this lake for decades. When I finally arrived at this iconic Lake called…
Wonderfully narrow winding roads led us 2,000 feet up into the high desert, east of Ashland, Oregon. I’m so glad we came during the day because the views were incredible! As we ascended, the flora of the desert loomed above us, while the heavily forested mountains of the Siskiyou’s loomed far away. Oh, to be…
The North Cascades is a wilderness paradise. My previous trip to the Northern Cascade Loop took us on a couple of epic hikes, with some of the best backpacking Washington State has to offer, but little did I know there is so much to the area of northern Washington State than meets the eye. I…
When you need to take a break from the city, away from the great coffee shops, the incredible food scene or just the bustle of downtown Portland, there is a myriad of places you can get away to for a day. Portland is smack dab in the middle of what seems like everything. You could…
There’s just something about coastal towns in Washington State that fascinate me. Unlike small communities of the land-locked variety, a tiny city on Puget Sound exudes an air of mysterious wonder all their own. Because people tend to flock toward the water when on vacation, these best small towns near Seattle are used to a…
I do like to share the love. However, to quote Yoda, only one woman, I am. Wait, no he didn’t say that, but that’s how he speaks. I can only do so much. Running a Pacific Northwest travel blog is incredibly rewarding, but it’s damn hard work. And as much as I’d like to write every…
For the longest time, I thought that the road north from the U.S. northern border up through Canada to Alaska was a vast wasteland. Almost unpassable. Much like outer Mongolia. However, driving to Alaska is becoming increasingly popular and easy to achieve. Get in on the untapped wilderness now kids, before the tourists overrun one…
On the banks of the Columbia River, tucked into the trees on a nude beach on Sauvie Island just north of Portland, sits a strange craft. It is UFO-looking, landlocked and lonely… And Covered in Grafitti For many years, not a soul seemed to know how this saucer-like shipwreck came to its final resting place…
**This post was updated February 23rd, 2025** The late great David Lynch’s television masterpiece, Twin Peaks, enjoyed cult success in the 1990’s. Recently it has been resurrected (unlike Laura Palmer) in the form of several new shows available for streaming thru Showtime via Amazon. Twin Peaks definitely has its hardcore fans. And with good reason!…
