The changing of the seasons is upon us, and with the last burst of summer this weekend we decided to head to the nearest dog-friendly Sunflower Festival: Maris Farms. We went to the farm for sunflowers last year and had such a memorable experience we decided to come back. We met with one of the…
In a crazy year like the one we all just experienced, collectively we needed to grab hold of anything we could to keep some “normalcy” in our lives. Some of us got outdoors more, some of us bought a new home gym, some of us binged all of Game of Thrones, and well, some of…
Mount Rainier National Park is considered to be one of the snowiest places on Earth, having averaged more than 640 inches of snow per year between 1920 and 2011. In the winter it truly is a winter wonderland. With the seasonal tourists gone, it’s easy to find isolation in the wintertime. Exploring Rainier in the…
I hopped off Chair 6 and started traversing towards Southback. The resort was to my left and all 14,411 feet of Mount Rainier was staring at me on the right. I was starting to feel a little choked up and short of breath. I wasn’t tired or scared. I’ve done this plenty of times. I…
Located 33 miles south of Seattle, Tacoma is a dynamic waterfront city whose art museums, outdoor recreation and brewery scene have turned it into a thriving Washington destination. In 2019 the city completed a major transformation — converting its former smelter site into a stunning waterfront park at Dune Peninsula. Tacoma’s waterfront walks alone are…
For a while, I lived in a van. When it was time to explore any given place I usually gave myself an unlimited time limit on my adventuring since I lived where I parked. When it came time to hike in Mt. Rainier National Park, and after already doing my fair share of travel up…
We did it… Roscoe and I survived our first Washington state winter! For those who haven’t read our previous articles, Roscoe, is my partner in adventure, who also happens to be a dog. Having lived in Florida my whole life, I’d like to say I handled the transition fairly well. There were phases: September –…
Point Ruston and the surrounding waterfront have come a long way from a place of mills, boatyards, warehouses and an infamous copper smelting plant. As a child I’d beg my mom to drive under the looming smelter tower via a 325-foot tunnel that had such a curve before the north entrance, drivers were directed to…
As the 20th century approached in the city of Tacoma, Washington, industry, and more importantly, money, began flowing into the city. With much of the downtown land being dominated by the railroad companies, newcomers were forced outwards, into the forests that encircled “New Tacoma.” One young investor was Allen C. Mason. Mr. Mason began buying…
Having lived abroad in Europe for the last six years, I’ve lost track of how many times someone has asked me where I’m originally from. Being born in Washington, and then moving to Ohio, Nevada, and then back to Washington for high school, the only place that’s ever felt like, “home-home,” is Washington. But knowing…
One of our favorite little spots to frequent in the south sound is the Dash Point Park and Pier in NE Tacoma. This cute condensed beach and pier is sometimes referred to as the “Lobster Shop Beach” because the restaurant by the same name used to own a quaint waterfront location just across from the…
The Finholm View Climb provides an excellent view of Gig Harbor, complete with panoramic views of Mount Rainier and the Gig Harbor Marina. Yet sadly, many people in the area don’t know about this little local treasure because it’s tucked in the back of parking lot across from Anthony’s restaurant. But a little jaunt through…
