Tag Archives: Washington

Three Easy Hikes Kids Love In Washington

Today’s guest post is by Allen Cox, a Seattle-based travel writer.

Writing a hiking guidebook is a great motivation to get out there and find some new trails. When I wrote Best Easy Day Hikes Seattle and Best Easy Day Hikes Tacoma for Globe Pequot Press, I already had a handful of favorite local trails I’d visit again and again. But I needed to discover more, and fast! The only criteria from the publisher was that they had to be no farther than roughly an hour from the base city and could not be a “death march” – perfect for kids or a multi-generational hike. That suited

me fine – close and easy. Little did I know that three of my new favorite trails were awaiting discovery.

Camp Long: This urban gem in West Seattle is a fun spot for a woodsy one-plus mile hike with enough elevation gain and loss to tire the little ones (in a good way). It’s also a perfect place to break out the binoculars and field guide to introduce the kids to birding. The park has enough bird activity for Audubon to stage an annual bird count at Camp Long. It also has an interesting history as a WPA project and a Boy Scout retreat and has the oldest man-made climbing rock in North America. The old lodge at the park entrance houses an environmental education center that’s worth a stop. Check their website for organized nature walks the whole family will enjoy: www.seattlegov.parks.

Tacoma Nature Center: Tacoma Metro Parks created an interpretive center and nature trails through nearly 60 acres of woods and wetlands known as Snake Lake in the heart of the city. This easy loop follows the long, narrow lake and climbs a wooded hillside, offering enough diversity of terrain to keeps kids wondering what’s around the next corner. The fun is discovering what critters are hiding in the 60 acres – you can hear them, but can you see them?

Federation Forest State Park: This trail-laden, interpretive old-growth forest follows the White River fresh from Mt. Rainier’s Emmons Glacier. The park is both an education and an adventure. Start your hike in the Visitor Center, checking out the interpretive exhibits before hitting the trail. In the park, you’ll walk where wagon trains once rolled on the historic Naches Trail and go deep into the forest to visit the tiny inhabitants of the “Hobbit House,” in recent years extended to an entire hobbit village (you’ll know it when you see it). Kids and imaginative adults like to bring miniature gifts to furnish Hobbit House with all the trappings to make life comfortable for the little creatures. To the Hobbit House and back, expect to cover about 4.5 miles of easy trail. Also be prepared to trail-blaze around some muddy patches, so trekking poles can come in handy.

I’ve got one copy of each of Allen’s books to give away.

Leave a comment below sharing your favorite hike or trail in your neighborhood. This giveaway ends on Sunday, August 15th at 11:59pm.

Find all of Allen’s books on Amazon.com.

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Snow Lake Trail Western Washington

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It was mid-June and I thought this trail would be pretty clear of snow but I was wrong. It was a beautiful day, the sun was strong and warm when we passed out from under the tree cover. My kids (rightfully) grumbled at having to hike through snow pretty much all the way up and all the way down. I told them they should pack away this memory safely because with global warming, they might never be able to experience taking their kids hiking in snow.

The Snow Lake trail, at 8 miles round-trip and an elevation gain of 1800 feet, is a pretty challenging hike with children and one which I would only attempt with older kids. That said, since the trailhead is just off the Snoqualmie Summit and there’s ample parking at the Alpental Ski Area it does have it’s good points. We’ll certainly be doing this hike again this summer – although hopefully without the risk of stepping into snow up to our knees the next time.

Today’s post is part of Photo Friday, hosted by DeliciousBaby.com. Head on over to check out some more travel-themed blog posts.

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The Oregon Trail At Whitman Mission

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Oregon Trail Covered Wagon

When we spent the weekend in Walla Walla last fall, we stopped by the Whitman Mission for a little leg-stretching between visiting wineries. As you would expect, the NPS provides plenty of information on the history of the Mission. CAM surprised us by sharing what he had learned in his Washington State History class about the Mission, it’s importance as a way-point on the Oregon Trail and the tragic tale of the Cayuse and the Whitman Killings – this was a surprise because he strongly protested having to spend any time learning any history at the time.

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After I took these photos, I walked along the trail after my boys a little disconcerted that there was something about the Mission and the Oregon Trail that I was missing. The light-bulb went off in my head as we were driving away: 1847, the peak year of the Great Potato Famine in Ireland. As you might imagine, everything about 1847 is a fairly central part of history lessons in Irish schools. It was a little shocking to realize that my children won’t even learn about this in their classes.

Living in the U.S., I don’t feel like an expat since I don’t have to deal with language or cultural differences (I do have huge gaps in my pop-culture knowledge, but most friends agree I could rectify that if I’d just watch more TV). This was an abrupt reminder that yes, I am an expat – and my children are not.

I promise, I won’t be assigning them tracts of Irish history to read at bedtime. Hopefully, if we visit Ireland often enough, they’ll be motivated to learn about it themselves.

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Winter Family Fun In Seattle

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seattle-winter

This is Seattle in mid-winter. It can be a pretty grey place. At this time of year when it’s dark early in the evenings and daylight hours get shorter every day (shorter by 3 minutes per day from now until December 21st actually), it’s not so easy to drum up enthusiasm (or energy) to get out and about with your children. I thought I’d help preempt this feeling by sharing some of my favorite winter family fun activities in Seattle.

Winterfest at Seattle Center

This is a family fun activity which you can check out many times between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. There’s so much on offer you can be sure you’ll do something different on every visit. The Winter Train and Village will captivate very young children for much longer than you think is possible and when their attention wanes, the Children’s Museum on the lower floor of the center is always worth a visit. For older children, a visit to the Ice Rink is a must. We’ve finished many winter days at Winterfest with a play at the Seattle Children’s Theater. This year their performances of Peter Pan will, I’m sure, entertain many children through the holiday season. For older children, there’s the Black Nativity at Intiman or a performance by Seattle Repertory Theater. There will, as always, be endless performances of the Nutcracker by PNB.

A walk on Candy Cane Lane

The Ravenna Park neighborhood owns the market for dazzling holiday decor in Seattle. This small cul-de-sac near the University of Washington takes this responsibility seriously. The houses and public spaces in the neighborhood are festooned with brightly-lit seasonal embellishments, but very tastfully and with a focus on sharing a message of peace and goodwill. Park your car and take a walk to best enjoy the lights. It’s a short walk which your toddler will be talking about months later. I couldn’t find a website with definitive dates for when the show starts, but from prior experience, I think you’d be safe to plan a visit in mid-December.

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Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship Festival

For me, the Christmas Ship Festival is a quintessential family activity which everyone should try at least once. The boats are not luxurious and you may not be into holiday carols but on a clear night the music echoes across the lake and whether you’re on the deck (which can be chilly) or enjoying the warmth of the interior of the boat, it’s a truly different way to get into the spirit of the season. You can also enjoy the sights and sounds from the shore since each cruise stops at one or two waterside parks. The schedule specifies which park and the time of the stop.

If you’d prefer to be singing yourself, maybe you should register a team in the Great Figgy Pudding Street Corner Caroling Competition which benefits Pike Market Senior Center and Downtown Food Bank.

Roasted Chestnuts

For me, it wouldn’t be Christmas without roasted Chestnuts. I picked up this habit when I lived in Dublin before husband and children. There was nary a chestnut to be found in the short time we lived in California, but on our first Christmas in the Pacific Northwest I remember picking up a bag at the public market on Granville Island in Vancouver B.C. and realizing, happily, that I was again living in a place of hot treats on a cold winter’s day. In the Seattle, I’ve been able to reliably find this Dickensian delicacy outside Uwajimaya in the International District. (Not that you’d expect to find them there, so if anyone knows why, do share…)

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Jingle Bell Run

If you read this blog regularly, it’ll be no surprise to you that the last thing on my list is a run. But, before you write off the Jingle Bell Run as something which is not quite for your family, let me share my first impression of this event. We’d rushed to get into town on time and barely made the registration deadline. We weren’t quite sure what we were supposed to do with the bells we were given on registering. Standing in line with the other families with strollers, as we tied the bells to our shoes, I was completely unprepared for the sounds of thousands of bells jingling as the actual run started – not to mention the costumes. I will never forget the sight of a Christmas tree running past – six runners in a 3-2-1 formation wearing a large triangular piece of green felt and colorful swim caps which, from above, looked like tree lights. Even if you don’t run it’s an event that’s worth checking out.

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Family Weekend Getaways: Westport Washington

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This is the second post in a series on easy family weekend getaways. With school in full swing and budgets tight, the dreaded stay-cation may be around for a while. This is my way of showing that you don’t need to turn your back on family vacations altogether, that mini-vacations in your own region can be fun and affordable. This guest post is by my friend Margaret who recently spent the weekend with her family in Westport, Washington.

If you live in the Seattle area, you have children (and maybe a dog), and you want to take a three-day weekend vacation during the school year, sometimes the thought of planning a getaway seems more trouble than it’s worth. But what if it could be easy? What if you could pack your car and drive two hours away, stay in a nice, roomy place with a view of the Pacific Ocean from your living room, a state park next door, and more sand dollars on the beach than your kids can fit in their pockets? And your dog can come, too. Would you do it then?

Everyone deserves a break from routine, and it doesn’t have to be a lot of work. When I discovered our kids had a four-day break from school this October, I decided to plan a little trip to the coast. The catch was that I wanted a place that could accommodate our family dog, and I knew we wouldn’t be relaxed in a cheap motel. After looking at a map of Washington, I decided to start my search in Westport, which looked like the shortest drive from the south Sound area. An internet search with keywords “Westport dog-friendly accommodations” turned up a number of links, but one caught my attention. A resort called Westport by the Sea, a condominium complex, offered a number of dog-friendly units for rent.

Choosing A Vacation Rental

On the Westport By The Sea web site I was able to view detailed interior photos of each unit and a map showing the location of all the buildings. This set-up made it easy to select the best choice for our family, an oceanfront, second story, two-bedroom condo with a clear, beautiful view of the sea. The off-season price tag didn’t seem overwhelming, either. For $239 a night plus a standard cleaning fee, we stayed in “Baileys’ Surf Shack,” a nicely decorated and clearly treasured family getaway.

Vacation Rentals Help Keep Costs Down

If that sounds expensive, consider that we didn’t eat a single meal out – we packed up our coolers and had a fully equipped kitchen waiting for us. We found every kitchen item we could have wanted, so cooking all our kids’ favorite foods was easy. And while $75 initially seemed a little steep for a cleaning fee, I understood why when we arrived. This place was nice, with granite counter-tops and down comforters and fluffy white towels and robes. We felt at home right away, which meant we could focus on the fun parts: walking the beach, digging in the sand, swimming in the heated pool, watching the waves as we played board games and enjoyed meals together. (For a less pricey option, a one-bedroom condo at $179/night still sleeps four, with a sleeper sofa in the living area.) There are usually a few more rules at this sort of accommodation (as opposed to a hotel), but this is the main benefit of condo vacations: you can take your family to a new place without rocking your world too much. That’s ideal when your kids have to make the transition back to school right away.

Westport Attractions

Some other attractions include the Westport Light State Park adjacent to the property. Grays Harbor Light Station is located here. One night we took a late evening walk into the park, on a path that led us into the middle of the dunes. Away from all the man-made lights, our kids got to see more stars than they ever see living in the city. We picked out all the constellations we knew and talked about how small we really are, living on this planet — a conversation we’d never have hanging out at home!

Another activity I brought along was a surprise, a ferris wheel Erector set (a Schylling product). Our two boys, ages 5 and 8, spent hours helping put it together. They liked receiving a “gift” on their trip away, and we enjoyed the peaceful view while working on a project together. Other hits were Yahtzee and Scrabble, which both came with the condo.

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Photo Friday: At The Pumpkin Patch

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It’s Photo Friday again! I do try to keep my entries to this fun Friday tradition travel-themed, but every so often I come across some particularly cute photos of my kids which just need to be shared

These photos were taken at Biringer Farms, outside Everett, which was our preferred Pumpkin Patch in the Seattle area for many years. (This year my almost-tween and teen are not at all interested in pumpkins, but we did spend a very long time at Display + Costume assembling all the bits and pieces needed for some intricate costumes).

Since this isn’t a very Halloween-y post, I’ve included the post I wrote last year on differences between how Halloween is celebrated in the U.S. compared to Ireland in Vera Marie’s round-up of Halloween posts on A Travelers Library.

Reminder: There’s only three days left to enter my awesome Lands’ End Kids Winter Outerwear giveaway. Tell your friends!

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Wine-Making At Dunham Cellars

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: Image via Wikipedia

Wine-tasting with children is tricky, they’re just not as interested in a fruity nose or a hint of blackberries on the palate as you or I might be. When my boys were younger, WanderDad and I typically tag-teamed while tasting with one tasting while the other played with the kids. Now that our boys are a little older, they self-entertain with books and games and by making videos of themselves with our Flip. For example, on our recent trip to Walla Walla, while we were sampling some truly awesome wine at Dunham Cellars, we had no idea they were making this little gem:

Wine-Making At Dunham Cellars from wandermom on Vimeo.

Reminder: There’s only five days left to enter my awesome Lands’ End Kids Winter Outerwear giveaway. Tell your friends!

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Family Weekend Getaways: Walla Walla Washington

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walla-walla-vineyards

When the school schedules for my children’s schools synchronize so that they’re both out of school on a Friday, it’s an invitation for us to squeeze in a short break. I love these mini-vacations during the school year. Yes, it’s a pain to close the door on a pile of chores and have them waiting for me (and then some) when I get home, but it’s a great feeling to hit the open road and leave our normal routine behind even for just a few days.

Walla Walla Washington

This time we’re going to Walla Walla. A non-trivial four-hour drive from Seattle, it’s absolutely worth the effort. With our bikes strapped to the back of the car, a fun-filled but fairly low-cost weekend is pretty easy to organize.

Walla Walla Accommodation

As home to Whitman College and a host of excellent wineries and vineyards, Walla Walla has plenty of accommodation choices. From Bed-and-Breakfasts to luxury vineyard lodges to chain hotels, there’s something to suit every budget. On our cheap-and-cheerful weekend, we usually opt for a bare bones motel. If you’re planning a romantic weekend away, the Inn at the Abeja Winery is a perfect choice.

Family Activities in Walla Walla

There’s no question but that we’re drawn to Walla Walla because of the wine. This will be our fourth time to go wine tasting with children on bikes. For me, it’s a perfect family day out. We stop at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning to pick up picnic supplies, fill our backpacks and hit the long, fairly flat, fairly quiet road. We’ve cycled around wineries with a toddler in a trailer, one child using a ‘big kid bike’ which didn’t have gears and with a preschooler on a trail-a-bike. This will be our first trip where everyone will be on regular bikes. We might just all get to each stopping point at the same time. But if we don’t, that’ll be OK too because wineries are about so much more than tasting the wine. There’s rows of vines to walk along, machinery to examine and cool storerooms with oak barrels stacked high to explore (if the vintner allows, of course). And if the idea of bikes and wine-tasting with kids doesn’t work for you, downtown Walla Walla and Whitman College are both fun to walk around with younger children.

walla-walla-winery-map

Walla Walla Wineries

There are way too many wineries in Walla Walla to list here and far too many to visit in one day. We’ll plan on a 15-mile (or so) cycle and try to plan our route to hit 3-5 wineries along the way. Planning to finish at the Walla Walla Regional Airport is always a good idea since there are a cluster of tasting rooms in refurbished WWII buildings in that area. If you think that sounds a little crazy remember that this is where you’ll find Dunham Cellars, Tamarack Cellars and Buty.

Other wineries in the area include K Vintners, Seven Hills, L’Ecole No. 41 and Woodward Canyon – to name just a few.

Walla Walla Fine Dining

Now that our boys are a little older, WanderDad and I will be able to feed them early in the evening (kid-friendly food in a kid-friendly environment) and leave them watching a movie in our hotel room while we treat ourselves to a sumptuous dinner at Whitehouse Crawford.

After an active day’s cycling, great wine and great food, there’s usually a satisfied bunch in our car on the drive home to Seattle.

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Photo credit: vitruvius.

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Photo Friday: Lime Kiln State Park

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tide pool

We all have them: photos of our children which perfectly encapsulate both time and place and the child’s personality.

When we visited Lime Kiln State Park on San Juan Island this past Labor Day, BigB was bound and determined to see some ‘real tide pools’ i.e. tide pools which were actually, you know, on a beach – as opposed to the ‘fake tide pools in the Seattle Aquarium‘. So here he is, in full hot-weather, sun-protective gear, with only his nose in the water. Apparently the display of cold-water anenomes and other tide pool vegetation was worth the effort.

We actually stopped at the park since it’s known as one of the best land-based locations for whale watching. There are three pods of Orcas living in the waters around these islands and they frequent this channel regularly.

orcas

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Unfortunately, we didn’t see any whales on our visit, but we did see seals and porpoises. And, of course, the tide pool show

Another great Photo Friday.

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Photo Credit: seamusnyc