When visitors head to Whidbey Island, they typically think of Langley (at the south end) or Oak Harbor (the naval air station at the north end), but tucked away in the middle part of the island is Coupeville. Coupeville is the county seat, and with a population under 2,000 is a historic district withing the […]
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Weekend Getaway: Gig Harbor, Washington
The Pacific Northwest town of Gig Harbor, Washington, is located across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge from Tacoma, and is about a 45 minute drive from Sea-Tac Airport. The town has taken its rich history of commercial fishing and boat building, and turned its downtown area into a historic waterfront community that attracts visitors with its galleries, […]
Talking About Seattle on the Amateur Traveler
I’ve lived in Washington State all of my life, and the greater Seattle area for most of it. When my friend Chris Christensen from the Amateur Travler wanted to talk about the city, I was happy to oblige. The discussion center mostly on things to do in downtown Seattle, things you wouldn’t need a car […]
Hotel Review: Cherry Wood Bed, Breakfast & Barn, Yakima Valley
Cherry Wood Bed, Breakfast & Barn Address: 3271 Roza Drive, Zillah, Washington (Yakima Valley) Value Luxury Rating: (out of 3 hearts) Features: Set on a working farm in the Yakima Valley, Cherry Wood Bed, Breakfast & Barn offers overnight accommodations in 22 foot teepees. This specialty bed and breakfast has barbeque grills, compact refrigerators, deparate […]
Postcard from Wildlife Safari
It’s a road trip weekend and a chance to enjoy the baking hot weather of southern Oregon. These three brown bears at Wildlife Safari (in Winston, Oregon), were trying to beat the heat with a bear-sized popsicle – a large block of ice with berries and other fruit frozen inside.
Seattle: Sonoma Wine on the Road
In a delightful combination of good wine and good causes, the Sonoma Wine Road comes to Seattle for a Grand Tasting Experience with proceeds benefiting Northwest Harvest. The Wine Road is an association of over 180 and 50 lodging accommodations located throughout the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys of northern Sonoma County. The wine […]
Postcard from Fort Vancouver
Located in the southern part of Washington state, Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost for the Hudson Bay Company. Today it is part of the National Park System, with living history events and a world-class archaeology collection. In the blacksmith shop, a top-notch nail maker could make one in 12 seconds flat.
World Championship of Sand Sculpting
If you think the World Championships of Sand Sculpting is held at some gorgeous beach somewhere, you’d be wrong. The Tournament of Champions in this sandy competition is held in the parking lot of a suburban shopping mall with very fine, sharp grained glacier till sand delivered in from a local quarry. The sand locks […]
Seattle: 10 Things to Do in Pioneer Square this Weekend
The Seattle summer may be starting to edge into fall, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to go indoors yet. Grab your jacket, just in case, and head to Pioneer Square for a weekend soaking up Seattle’s history. On a weekday Pioneer Square is full of people in suits, the King County Courthouse and numerous […]
Seattle Men’s Chorus Comes Together, Right Now
At a time when marriage equality is top of mind for Washington voters, Seattle Men’s Chorus is proud to share, through song, The Beatles’ powerful messages of peace, love, and understanding. With their all-Beatles Spring concert, Come Together, the nation’s largest gay men’s chorus (250 men) pays tribute to the Fab Four by belting out […]
About MJ
Mary Jo is an avid traveler, and when she’s not on a trip, she’s planning the next one. She always has a bag packed, ready for the next great adventure. In addition to traveling, Mary Jo likes lingering over a cup of coffee, wandering in a museum, sipping wine at a cafe, enjoying a relaxing massage, and sharing it all with friends and readers.
Her most recent travels were to China, a Baltic cruise, and Universal Orlando Resort.
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