Trip Report: Fun4all4 in the San Juan Islands, Olympic Peninsula, and Seattle
Aug 13th, 2006, 05:36 PM
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Trip Report: Fun4all4 in the San Juan Islands, Olympic Peninsula, and Seattle
Hi all!
I returned a couple of weeks ago from my first trip ever to the Pacific NW. It was a glorious trip and just gorgeous! Many thanks to all the Fodorites who helped me choose this location as well as suggested hotels, restaurants, hikes and more. It wouldn't have been nearly as great a trip without your assistance. A special thanks to Starrsville who "tipped me off" on the kayaking portion of the trip that really became the raison d'etre for the trip and the rest of the trip evolved around it.
A Little Background
I usually travel with my DH and/or 2 sons, ages 12 and 15. However, this trip was different. For the first time ever both my boys were away at camp at similar times and, in fact, overlapped being away for 9 days. As this was the first time in 15 years that neither boy was going to be home, my immediate first thought was, "Where are we going?" DH, however, was unable to be away from work during that time so I began planning alone. As it turned out, one of my closest friends, A, realized that her boys were also away during that time period and, thus, a plan was hatched.....A Girls Trip it would be!
We are both very active, love natural beauty and wanted to spend a good amount of time outdoors. We also love good food.
The plan was to fly into Seattle and take a small plane hop to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island where we would go on a 3 day/2 night women's only sea kaying trip. We would then take a ferry to the Olympic Peninsula for 3 nights and end the trip in Seattle for 2 nights.
San Juan Island
July 24-27
It was a lovely day and our flight from Dulles to Seattle was uneventful. Our original plan was to take the shuttle to Anacortes and the ferry to Friday Harbor but that made for a very long day coming from the East Coast. We couldn't leave before the 24th and the kayaking trip began on the 25th. Although I am a bit of a scaredy cat, we decided the best plan was to book a flight with Kenmore Air from Seattle to Friday Harbor. There was a shuttle from Sea-Tac to Boeing Field and our 9-seater plane took just 1/2 hour to reach Friday Harbor. It was a clear day and there were magnificent views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker and the Seattle skyline. I did keep my hands firmly clenched on the seats and armrests (I said I was just holding the plane up ;-) ), but it was really an easy trip. And, it saved us hours of travel time.
Upon arrival, we were met by Cheryl of the Trumpeter Inn (http://www.trumpeterinn.com/) who brought us back to the Inn. The gardens are lovely and the rooms are sparkling clean. We were very comfortable there and the breakfast was delicious - I would stay here again. Note: I prefer to stay in small hotels, inns, or B&B's....traveling with a friend meant finding places with 2 beds in a room which is not always easy at smaller places. Both the Trumpeter and The Tudor Inn, where we stayed in Port Angeles, had rooms with 2 beds which was a factor in our choosing them.
Ahhh ...I just lost the rest of this day and the next morning
. Sorry, I will post this and write more tomorrow as I am tired tonight. To be continued.....
I returned a couple of weeks ago from my first trip ever to the Pacific NW. It was a glorious trip and just gorgeous! Many thanks to all the Fodorites who helped me choose this location as well as suggested hotels, restaurants, hikes and more. It wouldn't have been nearly as great a trip without your assistance. A special thanks to Starrsville who "tipped me off" on the kayaking portion of the trip that really became the raison d'etre for the trip and the rest of the trip evolved around it.
A Little Background
I usually travel with my DH and/or 2 sons, ages 12 and 15. However, this trip was different. For the first time ever both my boys were away at camp at similar times and, in fact, overlapped being away for 9 days. As this was the first time in 15 years that neither boy was going to be home, my immediate first thought was, "Where are we going?" DH, however, was unable to be away from work during that time so I began planning alone. As it turned out, one of my closest friends, A, realized that her boys were also away during that time period and, thus, a plan was hatched.....A Girls Trip it would be!
We are both very active, love natural beauty and wanted to spend a good amount of time outdoors. We also love good food.
The plan was to fly into Seattle and take a small plane hop to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island where we would go on a 3 day/2 night women's only sea kaying trip. We would then take a ferry to the Olympic Peninsula for 3 nights and end the trip in Seattle for 2 nights.
San Juan Island
July 24-27
It was a lovely day and our flight from Dulles to Seattle was uneventful. Our original plan was to take the shuttle to Anacortes and the ferry to Friday Harbor but that made for a very long day coming from the East Coast. We couldn't leave before the 24th and the kayaking trip began on the 25th. Although I am a bit of a scaredy cat, we decided the best plan was to book a flight with Kenmore Air from Seattle to Friday Harbor. There was a shuttle from Sea-Tac to Boeing Field and our 9-seater plane took just 1/2 hour to reach Friday Harbor. It was a clear day and there were magnificent views of Mt. Rainier, Mt. Baker and the Seattle skyline. I did keep my hands firmly clenched on the seats and armrests (I said I was just holding the plane up ;-) ), but it was really an easy trip. And, it saved us hours of travel time.
Upon arrival, we were met by Cheryl of the Trumpeter Inn (http://www.trumpeterinn.com/) who brought us back to the Inn. The gardens are lovely and the rooms are sparkling clean. We were very comfortable there and the breakfast was delicious - I would stay here again. Note: I prefer to stay in small hotels, inns, or B&B's....traveling with a friend meant finding places with 2 beds in a room which is not always easy at smaller places. Both the Trumpeter and The Tudor Inn, where we stayed in Port Angeles, had rooms with 2 beds which was a factor in our choosing them.
Ahhh ...I just lost the rest of this day and the next morning
. Sorry, I will post this and write more tomorrow as I am tired tonight. To be continued.....
Aug 14th, 2006, 04:44 AM
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The Inn was about 1 to 1 1/2 miles from the town of Friday Harbor. After getting settled, Cheryl dropped us in town on her way to run some errands. Most people who come to the Island seem to have a car.
We explored and shopped around some before going to the Backdoor Kitchen for dinner. Our server was great and the meal delicious. This place is in the back of a nursery surrounded by plants which was lovely and very cool. A and I shared a fresh corn and basil soup. I had a seared ahi tuna served nicoise-style with fresh organic vegetables. A had the potato gnochhi with pesto. Yummy - highly recommended.
It was a gorgeous evening and we enjoyed the walk back to the Inn. The distance wasn't really a problem, but you do have to walk along the side of the road which isn't optimal. It wasn't a problem for us, but most people would probably prefer a car.
We relaxed and read before falling asleep. With our active days, we tended to enjoy a nice long dinner with wine and conversation, then go back to the Inn/hotel after our latish dinner. If you are looking for a report with lots of nightlife, this won't be the one.
After a terrific breakfast of cocoa hazlenut waffles served with tons of fresh berries and cream, we checked out of the Inn and waited outside for our pick-up by Outdoor Odysseys with whom we had arranged our 3 day/2 night women's only sea kayaking/walking trip
http://www.outdoorodysseys.com/women-kayak-trips.html . Thanks again, Starrsville!
Our guide, Jen, picked us up and brought us to the States Inn, our home for the next 2 nights, to drop off our stuff. The hosts here were friendly as well and the food was very good. There is a warm, casual feel to the place which is also a working farm/ranch. The rooms were a bit quirky as this was an old house that had been broken up into an Inn. Our room had nice, comfy beds, but the only window was in the bathroom so you had to keep that door open for natural light. I believe many of the other rooms had larger windows. There was also a strong mineral/sulfur odor to the water. Again, I liked this place, but it did have a few little things to be aware of.
We met up with the 2 other women on our trip - there were supposed to be 6 of us, but one woman had fallen ill in Seattle; her friend joined us the second day.
OK, off to the water! Most of the women who come on this trip are not experienced kayakers and we were no exception. The paddling was a bit of a workout, but not overwhelmingly challenging. Jen gave us some basic instuctions, and we departed off the West side of the Island. It was a bit breezy and choppy as we experienced a bit of a "learning curve" with our steering and paddling. Soon, we got ourselves all straightened out and almost immediately spotted Orca whales. We were incredibly fortunate in our wildlife sightings the entire trip. Ove the next couple of days we saw bald eagles, kingfishers, herons, harbor seals, cormorants, and Orcas to name a few. Awesome!
Jen was a very knowledgeable guide who also fixed us fabulous picnic lunches all 3 days. She told us about the Islands, flora, fauna, and history. We all had a great time and got lots of fabulous pictures. The area is just beautiful and our weather was great.
We explored and shopped around some before going to the Backdoor Kitchen for dinner. Our server was great and the meal delicious. This place is in the back of a nursery surrounded by plants which was lovely and very cool. A and I shared a fresh corn and basil soup. I had a seared ahi tuna served nicoise-style with fresh organic vegetables. A had the potato gnochhi with pesto. Yummy - highly recommended.
It was a gorgeous evening and we enjoyed the walk back to the Inn. The distance wasn't really a problem, but you do have to walk along the side of the road which isn't optimal. It wasn't a problem for us, but most people would probably prefer a car.
We relaxed and read before falling asleep. With our active days, we tended to enjoy a nice long dinner with wine and conversation, then go back to the Inn/hotel after our latish dinner. If you are looking for a report with lots of nightlife, this won't be the one.
After a terrific breakfast of cocoa hazlenut waffles served with tons of fresh berries and cream, we checked out of the Inn and waited outside for our pick-up by Outdoor Odysseys with whom we had arranged our 3 day/2 night women's only sea kayaking/walking trip
http://www.outdoorodysseys.com/women-kayak-trips.html . Thanks again, Starrsville!
Our guide, Jen, picked us up and brought us to the States Inn, our home for the next 2 nights, to drop off our stuff. The hosts here were friendly as well and the food was very good. There is a warm, casual feel to the place which is also a working farm/ranch. The rooms were a bit quirky as this was an old house that had been broken up into an Inn. Our room had nice, comfy beds, but the only window was in the bathroom so you had to keep that door open for natural light. I believe many of the other rooms had larger windows. There was also a strong mineral/sulfur odor to the water. Again, I liked this place, but it did have a few little things to be aware of.
We met up with the 2 other women on our trip - there were supposed to be 6 of us, but one woman had fallen ill in Seattle; her friend joined us the second day.
OK, off to the water! Most of the women who come on this trip are not experienced kayakers and we were no exception. The paddling was a bit of a workout, but not overwhelmingly challenging. Jen gave us some basic instuctions, and we departed off the West side of the Island. It was a bit breezy and choppy as we experienced a bit of a "learning curve" with our steering and paddling. Soon, we got ourselves all straightened out and almost immediately spotted Orca whales. We were incredibly fortunate in our wildlife sightings the entire trip. Ove the next couple of days we saw bald eagles, kingfishers, herons, harbor seals, cormorants, and Orcas to name a few. Awesome!
Jen was a very knowledgeable guide who also fixed us fabulous picnic lunches all 3 days. She told us about the Islands, flora, fauna, and history. We all had a great time and got lots of fabulous pictures. The area is just beautiful and our weather was great.
Aug 14th, 2006, 05:16 AM
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Oh, I can't wait to read the rest of the report. I'm glad it was a great trip - and that you served as "scout" for the kayak trip. I saw a Seattle friend last week and promised that I would get up there in the next year. Now, I HAVE to! Rest up and write more!
Aug 14th, 2006, 06:44 AM
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The second day we paddled off another side of the Island, going out of Gibson Bay and heading towards Friday Harbor. This is the day we saw tons of birds and harbor seals. The water was calmer, and we paddled further than the day before. Jen estimated we went about 6 miles with a stop for lunch. Also spectacular were the views of Mt. Baker.
Our third day was for exploration instead of paddling. We visited a cool sculpture garden, walked around the old English Camp including a short hike, and enjoyed a lavender farm where we also had a picnic lunch. A and I needed to catch a 2pm ferry so Jen dropped us off at the dock before taking the rest of the group for wine tasting at a local vineyard. The trip ended around 4-5pm on the third day.
The other really fabulous thing about this trip was the dinners. Each of the two evenings, Jen made reservations at restaurants in town. We ordered anything we wanted off the menu and, like the breakfasts at the Inn and the delicious picnic lunches, it was all included. The first night we ate at Maloula’s which is a Middle Eastern place with a beautiful view over the harbor. A’s eggplant dish was really good, but my salmon dish was not memorable. Nonetheless, as the view and service were great and everyone else’s dishes were good, I would definitely give this restaurant another try and would recommend it. The second evening we ate at a fairly new place called 120 Nichols which is a small restaurant of about 8 tables inside a restored cottage. My halibut encrusted in potato with leeks was delicious as was the crème brulee for dessert. Highly recommended.
I would be happy to answer any questions about this portion of the trip. I hope this is useful info. The San Juan Island area is lovely and peaceful.
Next.....The Olympic Peninsula
Our third day was for exploration instead of paddling. We visited a cool sculpture garden, walked around the old English Camp including a short hike, and enjoyed a lavender farm where we also had a picnic lunch. A and I needed to catch a 2pm ferry so Jen dropped us off at the dock before taking the rest of the group for wine tasting at a local vineyard. The trip ended around 4-5pm on the third day.
The other really fabulous thing about this trip was the dinners. Each of the two evenings, Jen made reservations at restaurants in town. We ordered anything we wanted off the menu and, like the breakfasts at the Inn and the delicious picnic lunches, it was all included. The first night we ate at Maloula’s which is a Middle Eastern place with a beautiful view over the harbor. A’s eggplant dish was really good, but my salmon dish was not memorable. Nonetheless, as the view and service were great and everyone else’s dishes were good, I would definitely give this restaurant another try and would recommend it. The second evening we ate at a fairly new place called 120 Nichols which is a small restaurant of about 8 tables inside a restored cottage. My halibut encrusted in potato with leeks was delicious as was the crème brulee for dessert. Highly recommended.
I would be happy to answer any questions about this portion of the trip. I hope this is useful info. The San Juan Island area is lovely and peaceful.
Next.....The Olympic Peninsula
Aug 14th, 2006, 10:04 AM
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The Olympic Peninsula
July 27-30
On the Olympic Peninsula we decided to stay in Port Angeles for 3 nights as this seemed to be an ideal base for exploring the area. The only problem was there was a bit of a “can’t get there from here issue” from Friday Harbor to Port Angeles. There is a ferry directly to Port Angeles from Victoria, but not from San Juan Island. There is also a car rental establishment in PA. From Friday Harbor, we could take the Glacier Spirit to Port Townsend, but there is no place to rent a car there. Fortunately, with the assistance of Roel of Enterprise Car Rental in Port Angeles, I was able to arrange for a car to be “dropped” for us in Port Townsend. Upon disembarking from the ferry, we picked up our car in Port Townsend and drove the hour or so to Port Angeles where we checked into the Tudor Inn.
The ferry crossing was chilly as we opted to stay on the deck during the crossing. We saw harbor seals, bald eagles including a huge nest, and 2 puffins!
I have to say that I did not find Port Angeles to be a beautiful town, although much work is being done to revitalize the downtown area. There were definitely some nice shops and good restaurants – some of our best meals of the trip were there. Despite its drawbacks, however, we found Port Angeles to be the best “gateway” to Olympic National Park and would stay there again. While Victorian style is not quite “me,” the Tudor Inn proved to be a great place to stay. Betsy runs the Inn and is extremely knowledgeable about the area, recommending excellent hikes and wonderful restaurants. She makes a wonderful breakfast each morning and checks the weather around the Peninsula while you eat. Her guidance on driving times, where to go each day, how to get there, long hike v. short stroll, etc…were invaluable. Our room was comfortable and the other guests were very friendly.
The first evening we ate at Kokopelli which is a casual Mexican/Southwest style place. We enjoyed our seafood burritos. The walk from the Tudor Inn into town is a bit of a hike, but we appreciated the chance to stretch our legs and stroll after each night’s meal.
Our first full day on the Olympic Peninsula was devoted to Hurricane Ridge. The visitor’s center was about ½ hour from the Inn. The views were amazing, even from the visitor’s center, but we had set our sights upon the Klahhane Ridge Ridge trail which was about 9 ½ miles roundtrip. This was a spectacular hike!! It was definitely a bit challenging – we commented that it felt like we went up more than down coming and going……and, there are a lot of switchbacks. But, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. It felt great! The wildflowers were incredible and in full peak, and we saw 3 mountain goats – a male with horns high up on the trail and a mama w/baby on the way back. The views from up on the ridge were peerless.
We got back to the Inn in time for showers and reading (and resting our tired bones) before our dinner reservation at Bella Italia. The mile or so walk each way seemed daunting, but it was actually good to keep our muscles moving. This restaurant was a great experience all the way around. The atmosphere was cozy, our server was superb, and the food was delicious. We had a mixed greens salad followed by pasta w/Dungeness and king crab along with tomatoes, spinach, and basil in a light pesto sauce. Bella Italia has a huge wine list and has been awarded a Wine Spectator award which seemed justly deserved. The good food and wine made dessert impossible – I felt like we ate so much good food this trip that I did not do dessert justice the entire time. Needless to say, we fell asleep shortly after we walked back to the Inn.
Tomorrow....the Coast, forests, and waterfalls.
July 27-30
On the Olympic Peninsula we decided to stay in Port Angeles for 3 nights as this seemed to be an ideal base for exploring the area. The only problem was there was a bit of a “can’t get there from here issue” from Friday Harbor to Port Angeles. There is a ferry directly to Port Angeles from Victoria, but not from San Juan Island. There is also a car rental establishment in PA. From Friday Harbor, we could take the Glacier Spirit to Port Townsend, but there is no place to rent a car there. Fortunately, with the assistance of Roel of Enterprise Car Rental in Port Angeles, I was able to arrange for a car to be “dropped” for us in Port Townsend. Upon disembarking from the ferry, we picked up our car in Port Townsend and drove the hour or so to Port Angeles where we checked into the Tudor Inn.
The ferry crossing was chilly as we opted to stay on the deck during the crossing. We saw harbor seals, bald eagles including a huge nest, and 2 puffins!
I have to say that I did not find Port Angeles to be a beautiful town, although much work is being done to revitalize the downtown area. There were definitely some nice shops and good restaurants – some of our best meals of the trip were there. Despite its drawbacks, however, we found Port Angeles to be the best “gateway” to Olympic National Park and would stay there again. While Victorian style is not quite “me,” the Tudor Inn proved to be a great place to stay. Betsy runs the Inn and is extremely knowledgeable about the area, recommending excellent hikes and wonderful restaurants. She makes a wonderful breakfast each morning and checks the weather around the Peninsula while you eat. Her guidance on driving times, where to go each day, how to get there, long hike v. short stroll, etc…were invaluable. Our room was comfortable and the other guests were very friendly.
The first evening we ate at Kokopelli which is a casual Mexican/Southwest style place. We enjoyed our seafood burritos. The walk from the Tudor Inn into town is a bit of a hike, but we appreciated the chance to stretch our legs and stroll after each night’s meal.
Our first full day on the Olympic Peninsula was devoted to Hurricane Ridge. The visitor’s center was about ½ hour from the Inn. The views were amazing, even from the visitor’s center, but we had set our sights upon the Klahhane Ridge Ridge trail which was about 9 ½ miles roundtrip. This was a spectacular hike!! It was definitely a bit challenging – we commented that it felt like we went up more than down coming and going……and, there are a lot of switchbacks. But, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. It felt great! The wildflowers were incredible and in full peak, and we saw 3 mountain goats – a male with horns high up on the trail and a mama w/baby on the way back. The views from up on the ridge were peerless.
We got back to the Inn in time for showers and reading (and resting our tired bones) before our dinner reservation at Bella Italia. The mile or so walk each way seemed daunting, but it was actually good to keep our muscles moving. This restaurant was a great experience all the way around. The atmosphere was cozy, our server was superb, and the food was delicious. We had a mixed greens salad followed by pasta w/Dungeness and king crab along with tomatoes, spinach, and basil in a light pesto sauce. Bella Italia has a huge wine list and has been awarded a Wine Spectator award which seemed justly deserved. The good food and wine made dessert impossible – I felt like we ate so much good food this trip that I did not do dessert justice the entire time. Needless to say, we fell asleep shortly after we walked back to the Inn.
Tomorrow....the Coast, forests, and waterfalls.
Aug 14th, 2006, 05:44 PM
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BTW....the website for the Tudor Inn is http://www.tudorinn.com/
We decided to set off a little earlier than the 8:30 am breakfast time so Betsy packed us breakfast bags to go filled with goodies…yogurt, fruit, muffins, trail mix and more. There were several areas we wanted to see and were not sure how much we would get to in one day. We drove toward the west coast and arrived at the trailhead for Third Beach in about 2 hours. The hike from the parking lot to the beach is about 1.3 miles each way through coastal forest which was beautiful in its own right. Reaching the beach we found it wild and natural with tons of driftwood and a number of overnight campers (it was a Saturday). We had planned this portion of the day around being there for low tide and it was just past. The tide pools were filled with starfish and anemones – just awesome. I had never seen that many starfish anywhere. The day was cool and damp, and we were a bit chilly as we explored the beach area, but we loved it. After hiking back to the car, we stopped at 3 Rivers Café for lunch. It was ok and filled with local flavor, and I got my fill of fried food for the week. I got the fried halibut which was served with French fries; it was tasty but not my usual lunch.
Our next stop was Sol Duc with its old growth rainforest and lovely 3-part waterfall. The total hike was about 2 miles roundtrip. It was lush and green.
Another 20-minute drive brought us to Crescent Lake which is stunning. We enjoyed the beautiful lake and the hike to Marymere Falls. The hike is only about 1 ½ miles roundtrip with a steep climb up to the Falls during the last part. This waterfall was higher and narrower than Sol Duc Falls and had a different look and feel. We liked them both. The Lodge at Crescent Lake is charming with amazing views, but the accommodations looked fairly simple.
We arrived back at the Inn which was about ½ hour drive from Lake Crescent. It had been a great day filled with 3 different hikes and experiences – but, we were a bit chilled and damp so the hot showers were welcome!
Dinner that night was at Wild Fire which proved to be another fabulous choice (thank you, Betsy). The meals were served on pottery/ceramic dishes that were made by the owner’s son. A had a tasty pizza and my salmon may have been the best I have ever had. It was cherry planked and served with broccoli, corn on the cob, cous cous, mashed potatoes and wild mushrooms. It was amazing – the salmon was almost like candy. Tired and full, we slept soundly.
Seattle
July 30-Aug 1
Sunday morning the 30th of July and it was time to bid farewell to the Olympic Peninsula. After a tasty breakfast, we drove about 2 hours to Bainbridge Island where we got on the 12:20pm ferry to Seattle. The ½ crossing was uneventful and there were great views of Seattle as we entered the city. A 5 minute drive brought us to the hotel, Inn at the Market http://www.innatthemarket.com/ and the valet whisked our car away. It was 1:30, but our room was ready. It was lovely and spacious with a nice view off the side to the water. The bathroom was large and contemporary, a real treat for the end of the vacation. The location, at 1st and Pine right by the Market, couldn’t be better.
We headed out to explore the Public Market. This is one tourist place that did not disappoint. Yes, it is much visited, but it still felt very “real,” if that makes any sense. Down on the piers, we ate a late lunch at Elliott’s Oyster Company. We ordered the Dungeness crab soup which was tasty, but heavy and rich. I was overly full for the rest of the day (BTW….why does everywhere in Washington state seem to have Diet Pepsi instead of Diet Coke??)
We shopped around some and made reservations for dinner at Etta’s that evening. Then it was back to the hotel for some down time. The roof top deck at the Inn is amazing! There are glorious views with comfy Adirondack chairs and pots of flowers. Many guests gathered there each evening. We loitered so long that we rushed through our showers to get to dinner in time.
Etta’s is a Tom Douglas restaurant that is often recommended. The dining room is cool with pendant lights in vivid colors hanging throughout. Our server was great fun and very attentive. I have to say the dinner was very good, but not as spectacular as I had expected. The veggies and corn bread pudding were delicious, but the salmon was quite dry. I’m sure we were just unlucky (and probably should have sent it back), but it seems that a place that is famous for its salmon shouldn’t make a mistake like that. Anyway, it was a great evening nonetheless.
We decided to set off a little earlier than the 8:30 am breakfast time so Betsy packed us breakfast bags to go filled with goodies…yogurt, fruit, muffins, trail mix and more. There were several areas we wanted to see and were not sure how much we would get to in one day. We drove toward the west coast and arrived at the trailhead for Third Beach in about 2 hours. The hike from the parking lot to the beach is about 1.3 miles each way through coastal forest which was beautiful in its own right. Reaching the beach we found it wild and natural with tons of driftwood and a number of overnight campers (it was a Saturday). We had planned this portion of the day around being there for low tide and it was just past. The tide pools were filled with starfish and anemones – just awesome. I had never seen that many starfish anywhere. The day was cool and damp, and we were a bit chilly as we explored the beach area, but we loved it. After hiking back to the car, we stopped at 3 Rivers Café for lunch. It was ok and filled with local flavor, and I got my fill of fried food for the week. I got the fried halibut which was served with French fries; it was tasty but not my usual lunch.
Our next stop was Sol Duc with its old growth rainforest and lovely 3-part waterfall. The total hike was about 2 miles roundtrip. It was lush and green.
Another 20-minute drive brought us to Crescent Lake which is stunning. We enjoyed the beautiful lake and the hike to Marymere Falls. The hike is only about 1 ½ miles roundtrip with a steep climb up to the Falls during the last part. This waterfall was higher and narrower than Sol Duc Falls and had a different look and feel. We liked them both. The Lodge at Crescent Lake is charming with amazing views, but the accommodations looked fairly simple.
We arrived back at the Inn which was about ½ hour drive from Lake Crescent. It had been a great day filled with 3 different hikes and experiences – but, we were a bit chilled and damp so the hot showers were welcome!
Dinner that night was at Wild Fire which proved to be another fabulous choice (thank you, Betsy). The meals were served on pottery/ceramic dishes that were made by the owner’s son. A had a tasty pizza and my salmon may have been the best I have ever had. It was cherry planked and served with broccoli, corn on the cob, cous cous, mashed potatoes and wild mushrooms. It was amazing – the salmon was almost like candy. Tired and full, we slept soundly.
Seattle
July 30-Aug 1
Sunday morning the 30th of July and it was time to bid farewell to the Olympic Peninsula. After a tasty breakfast, we drove about 2 hours to Bainbridge Island where we got on the 12:20pm ferry to Seattle. The ½ crossing was uneventful and there were great views of Seattle as we entered the city. A 5 minute drive brought us to the hotel, Inn at the Market http://www.innatthemarket.com/ and the valet whisked our car away. It was 1:30, but our room was ready. It was lovely and spacious with a nice view off the side to the water. The bathroom was large and contemporary, a real treat for the end of the vacation. The location, at 1st and Pine right by the Market, couldn’t be better.
We headed out to explore the Public Market. This is one tourist place that did not disappoint. Yes, it is much visited, but it still felt very “real,” if that makes any sense. Down on the piers, we ate a late lunch at Elliott’s Oyster Company. We ordered the Dungeness crab soup which was tasty, but heavy and rich. I was overly full for the rest of the day (BTW….why does everywhere in Washington state seem to have Diet Pepsi instead of Diet Coke??)
We shopped around some and made reservations for dinner at Etta’s that evening. Then it was back to the hotel for some down time. The roof top deck at the Inn is amazing! There are glorious views with comfy Adirondack chairs and pots of flowers. Many guests gathered there each evening. We loitered so long that we rushed through our showers to get to dinner in time.
Etta’s is a Tom Douglas restaurant that is often recommended. The dining room is cool with pendant lights in vivid colors hanging throughout. Our server was great fun and very attentive. I have to say the dinner was very good, but not as spectacular as I had expected. The veggies and corn bread pudding were delicious, but the salmon was quite dry. I’m sure we were just unlucky (and probably should have sent it back), but it seems that a place that is famous for its salmon shouldn’t make a mistake like that. Anyway, it was a great evening nonetheless.
Aug 14th, 2006, 06:15 PM
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Great report fun4all4!!
"BTW….why does everywhere in Washington state seem to have Diet Pepsi instead of Diet Coke??"
I would love to know the answer to this question too. We were there in May of this year and couldn't even find diet coke in many stores! We asked around but never did get an answer to the question.
"BTW….why does everywhere in Washington state seem to have Diet Pepsi instead of Diet Coke??"
I would love to know the answer to this question too. We were there in May of this year and couldn't even find diet coke in many stores! We asked around but never did get an answer to the question.
Aug 14th, 2006, 06:25 PM
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Thanks to mms, cmcfong, Marlena777, luvtravl, AustinTraveler, and, of course, starrsville for your kind words! I will try to finish the report tomorrow and post some photos as well. 
Aug 14th, 2006, 10:42 PM
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fun4all4,
What a nice trip report. It was great meeting you and A!
About the diet Coke/Pepsi thing, since I prefer diet Pepsi, I don't see what the problem is LOL!!!
After our meeting, I am interested as to what was your choice for your last dinner in Seattle was.
As you know, I really liked your photos. Looking forward to the rest of your report.
Tom
What a nice trip report. It was great meeting you and A!
About the diet Coke/Pepsi thing, since I prefer diet Pepsi, I don't see what the problem is LOL!!!
After our meeting, I am interested as to what was your choice for your last dinner in Seattle was.
As you know, I really liked your photos. Looking forward to the rest of your report.
Tom
Aug 15th, 2006, 10:55 AM
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Monday was our last day in Seattle. A and I met up with TRSW from Fodor’s for coffee which was really fun. It was great to meet someone I’ve “talked” to so frequently about travel.
Next, A and I spent a bunch of time in and around the Market buying souvenirs to bring home for the family – t-shirts, bracelets, photos, and more. We had crab rolls for lunch in Post Alley.
After lunch, we walked to Pioneer Square which was charming and funky. We spent a ton of time in the Elliott Bay Book Co. which was awesome. Both of us are avid readers and A, in fact, owns our small, local independent book store so spending time there was a real treat. As we were exploring around, we came across a gallery, ArtForte, on 1st Ave. which really drew us in. It turns out that we each purchased an oil painting. They are gorgeous. Our original intent had been to go on the underground tour, but we had used lots of time in the book store and gallery so we decided to enjoy the afternoon outside as the weather was perfect.
With our plan changed, we decided to walk to the monorail and take it to the Space Needle for a drink. The monorail was closed so we wound up walking all the way from Pioneer Square to the Space Needle only to find out that there was no bar area. It was either a $30 minimum each for food (no way) or $14 each for the viewing deck. I don’t really love heights and our idea of relaxing while enjoying the view was not going to work so we decided to pass on going to the top. Still, it was nice to see that area. There is a glass blowing place nearby, and we stopped in to watch for a bit which was neat.
We walked back to the hotel through Belltown, another area worth seeing. It was a lot of walking, but we really felt like we explored a fair amount of the downtown. We did not manage to officially visit many of the well-known sightseeing spots, but we had a wonderful time just wandering.
Back at the hotel, we decided to make reservations for dinner at the Pink Door. Tom had recommended Assaggio, but we opted for the Pink Door as it, too, was highly recommended and was only ½ block from our hotel. Sorry, Tom, I promise we will go next time! Laziness won out, but we were not sorry as our meal was excellent. We had the tomato, basil, & mozzarella salad and then the linguine with white clam sauce – delish! And, there were about a million clams in each dish. Full and exhausted, we fell asleep.
Our departure was smooth on Tuesday morning and we reached the airport in about 25 minutes. The only problem (and it took like an hour to figure out) was that we could not figure out where to return the car. As we had picked up the car from a parking lot in Port Townsend, we had never even spoken to the car company about the return at Sea-Tac. Enterprise is off-site which we figured out only after driving around the rental return area at the airport. The guy at the gate gave us very confusing directions to the off-site return area. We had to stop numerous times to ask questions. All this was further complicated by the fact that Enterprise had moved in the past year. Anyway, I am only telling you all this as a caution – be clear about where you are returning your car.
Luckily, we were plenty early and check in was simple. The flight was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived home in good order. It was great to see my family, but the girl’s trip was fabulous. My travel partner was very easy to travel with (we have traveled together before, both with other women as well as with our families) and that can make all the difference!
I will post some pictures shortly. Feel free to ask questions. I know my writing style is not as fun and interesting as some, but I hope the information I provide will be of help to some of you.
Happy travels!!
Next, A and I spent a bunch of time in and around the Market buying souvenirs to bring home for the family – t-shirts, bracelets, photos, and more. We had crab rolls for lunch in Post Alley.
After lunch, we walked to Pioneer Square which was charming and funky. We spent a ton of time in the Elliott Bay Book Co. which was awesome. Both of us are avid readers and A, in fact, owns our small, local independent book store so spending time there was a real treat. As we were exploring around, we came across a gallery, ArtForte, on 1st Ave. which really drew us in. It turns out that we each purchased an oil painting. They are gorgeous. Our original intent had been to go on the underground tour, but we had used lots of time in the book store and gallery so we decided to enjoy the afternoon outside as the weather was perfect.
With our plan changed, we decided to walk to the monorail and take it to the Space Needle for a drink. The monorail was closed so we wound up walking all the way from Pioneer Square to the Space Needle only to find out that there was no bar area. It was either a $30 minimum each for food (no way) or $14 each for the viewing deck. I don’t really love heights and our idea of relaxing while enjoying the view was not going to work so we decided to pass on going to the top. Still, it was nice to see that area. There is a glass blowing place nearby, and we stopped in to watch for a bit which was neat.
We walked back to the hotel through Belltown, another area worth seeing. It was a lot of walking, but we really felt like we explored a fair amount of the downtown. We did not manage to officially visit many of the well-known sightseeing spots, but we had a wonderful time just wandering.
Back at the hotel, we decided to make reservations for dinner at the Pink Door. Tom had recommended Assaggio, but we opted for the Pink Door as it, too, was highly recommended and was only ½ block from our hotel. Sorry, Tom, I promise we will go next time! Laziness won out, but we were not sorry as our meal was excellent. We had the tomato, basil, & mozzarella salad and then the linguine with white clam sauce – delish! And, there were about a million clams in each dish. Full and exhausted, we fell asleep.
Our departure was smooth on Tuesday morning and we reached the airport in about 25 minutes. The only problem (and it took like an hour to figure out) was that we could not figure out where to return the car. As we had picked up the car from a parking lot in Port Townsend, we had never even spoken to the car company about the return at Sea-Tac. Enterprise is off-site which we figured out only after driving around the rental return area at the airport. The guy at the gate gave us very confusing directions to the off-site return area. We had to stop numerous times to ask questions. All this was further complicated by the fact that Enterprise had moved in the past year. Anyway, I am only telling you all this as a caution – be clear about where you are returning your car.
Luckily, we were plenty early and check in was simple. The flight was smooth and uneventful, and we arrived home in good order. It was great to see my family, but the girl’s trip was fabulous. My travel partner was very easy to travel with (we have traveled together before, both with other women as well as with our families) and that can make all the difference!
I will post some pictures shortly. Feel free to ask questions. I know my writing style is not as fun and interesting as some, but I hope the information I provide will be of help to some of you.
Happy travels!!
Aug 15th, 2006, 11:13 AM
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I meant to say earlier, when we lived up there we always drank Diet Coke. Maybe it is easier to find in the 'burbs We love the Pink Door as well as Assaggio's. Guess you will just have to return so you can try it
We love the Pink Door as well as Assaggio's. Guess you will just have to return so you can try it
Aug 15th, 2006, 11:49 AM
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Ok, here are the pictures. The only bad thing is that the Orca, seal and Mt. Baker pictures are on A's camera and I can't figure out how to share those here.
Anyway, I have culled these down to about 55 shots out of about 300.
http://tinyurl.com/kp5tk
Enjoy!
Anyway, I have culled these down to about 55 shots out of about 300.
http://tinyurl.com/kp5tk
Enjoy!
