Washington

Last year we ended our 2 week vacation with some time in Washington. Paul’s brother lives in Seattle and we knew we wanted to go visit him, but I also wanted to see some of the Washington wilderness. After leaving Portland we decided to stop just outside Mt. Rainier and spend 2 nights in a cabin. The drive to the cabin was one with many beautiful sights and a few interesting places to stop along the way. As we crossed the Oregon/Washington border we made our first stop at the marijuana dispensary. Last summer weed was not yet legal in Oregon so we stopped in Washington to buy it legally, because…when in Rome. After picking up some cookies and candies we headed to the Cabin in the woods. Our Cabin was just within Mt. Rainier National Park, with hiking trails all around, and more Elk roaming the town than there were people. Our one full day in Packwood we decided to take a hike to Packwood Lake. The hike was for the most part flat but long, ending at an amazing lake surrounded by mountains. We had lunch, did a little bit of fishing and headed back to the cabin for our last night.

After our quick two night stay in Mt. Rainier National Park we headed into Seattle. Seattle reminds me a lot of Portland, with it’s street kids, hipsters, up and coming neighborhoods and the many unique bars and restaurants. To be fair though, Seattle does have it’s own uniqueness to it as well. Our first night we took a short ferry ride out to Bainbridge Island, we walked around the shops and grabbed some food and drinks before heading back to Seattle. Our days in Seattle were fun and relaxed, spending a lot of time at Pike’s Market. Pike Place Market is a must see in Seattle there’s the freshest seafood, flowers, artist, music, and so much more. The market is enjoyed by tourist and locals alike, and the prices are extremely reasonable. We over indulged on all of the fresh food the market had to offer, buying fresh donuts, and coffee in the mornings, and enjoying amazing Chinese in the afternoon. We took time to visit the Space Needle, had an awesome time taking a tour of underground Seattle, and enjoyed some of the great bars the city has to offer. After my time in Seattle I realized it is a great place for people to be able to enjoy the water, the mountains, and all the conveniences of the city without going too far.