Getaway to AlaskaAdventures From Art to Nature in Dramatic Ketchikan by Susan Sommer Photo credit: istock.com/Michael Xiao Hear the staccato cry of a bald eagle calling for its mate through the mist; see towering spruce, hemlock, and cedar trees of the Tongass National Forest marching up the mountains; watch waves lapping the shore as…
Connecting With the LandFarm and Food-Focused Travel by Katryna Vecella A group of us wandered the rows of fruit trees, feasting on the beauty of the crisp green land under our feet and the deep blues of Mount Hood and surrounding vistas standing strong in the distance. Surrounded by the land’s bounty, with the…
BellinghamSights from the Bay to Mount Baker Photo by Nichole the Nomad. A vibrant gem along the Pacific coast, Bellingham, Washington is where a city meets the sea, with its options for visitors to explore history, nature and culinary delights. Bellingham Bay sits on the part of the Salish Sea that runs from British Columbia to…
By Jennifer Burns Bright With a backdrop of snowy mountains and the rushing Wenatchee River, Leavenworth, located about 120 miles east of Seattle along a winding road through the Cascades foothills, promises festive winter vistas. During the holiday season, the town decks its halls—and trees and hedges and inns and shops—with more than a half…
By Dan Shryock The holidays are filled with many time-honored traditions. Community celebrations at decked-out public spaces this winter bring back many of the customary trappings people have grown to love and expect from years past. These are the sights and sounds that evoke memories and rekindle a childlike, wide-eyed wonder. Holiday lighting displays are…
By JENNIFER BURNS BRIGHT Long live college days in Corvallis, home of Oregon State University and a historic downtown built on the banks of the Willamette River. If you’re visiting a graduating senior or just enjoying a spring day, there’s plenty to explore on a weekend in this agricultural area in the heart of the…
By Laurie Sammis Sun Valley is where it all began. As the first destination ski resort in the United States, Sun Valley brought glamour to skiing in America. It is where skiing learned to ski—the world’s very first chairlift was invented here in 1936, and you can still see remnants of it on Proctor Mountain.…
By Melissa Hart My husband and I had been paddling the Siltcoos River Canoe Trail in Oregon without incident for a decade until the day we took our child and our terrier along in our kayaks. We glided past spruce and sand dunes toward the ocean, where seals bobbed in the water and osprey sailed…
In the rush of excitement that comes with a major life event – a wedding day, closing on a house, welcoming home a new baby – it can be a challenge to feel confident that you’ve got all the boxes checked and are fully prepared for life’s big changes. Beyond those milestone events, the last…
By Maggy Lehmicke Driving into Steamboat Springs, Colorado seemed like driving into the Swiss Alps with the views of rolling hills and valleys dotted with rustic ranches and herds of dairy cows. We rounded a corner 10 miles outside of town and were struck by 180-degree views of Lake Catamount and the infinite evergreens that…