Sunday Drive to Historic Port Townsend

May 21, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Port Townsend is one of Washington’s most charming coastal towns, known for its Victorian architecture, waterfront views, and rich maritime history.

On this Sunday Drive, we explored historic downtown Port Townsend, local shops, scenic overlooks, and the unique character that makes this town a favorite for visitors and future residents alike. If you’re considering a visit or exploring life in a smaller Washington community, this guide offers a visual and personal look at what makes Port Townsend special.

Port Townsend is a charming seaside town located on the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula in Jefferson County. Port Townsend (or “PT”) is about 60 miles away by car from Seattle.

On this visit, we opted to take the Fauntleroy ferry (located in West Seattle) to Southworth driving north to Port Townsend. If you’ve never been to PT, I highly recommend that you plan a visit. We booked a vacation rental with our friends that was on the northeast end of the Olympic Peninsula. Residential homes in Port Townsend WA
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I’m BACK from my Pointless vacation in the San Juan Islands and British Columbia

August 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment

I’m back home in Seattle from a two week (okay, just over 2 week) vacation on our sailboat, Pointless. We cruised the San Juans, up to Princess Louisa Islet and returned home via the Canadian Gulf Islands. The sailboat is newer to us – we’ve had it almost a year. She’s a Valiant 40 that was built in 1985. We purchased her from the original owners who sailed her around the world while living aboard. My husband has spent the last year lovingly sprucing her up and this vacation was the longest voyage she (or I) have been on to date!

Pointless Jones Island Aug 2014

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Sunday Drive to Washington Park Arboretum | Exploring One of Seattle’s Most Scenic Green Spaces

November 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

The Washington Park Arboretum is one of Seattle’s most peaceful and scenic destinations, offering miles of walking paths, waterfront views, and curated plant collections just minutes from downtown.

On this Sunday Drive, we explored the Arboretum during the fall season — when colors, reflections, and quiet moments make it especially memorable. This post offers a visual look at the Arboretum and why it continues to be a favorite spot for locals and visitors alike.

One of the best things about having a new puppy in our family has been taking him out on walks to various parks around the area. Yesterday, my husband and I took Scupper, a Flat Coated Retriever, to Washington Arboretum Park.

flat coated retriever at washington arboretum park in Seattle

This was my first time visiting this park I’ve probably driven over thousands of times. It’s located under parts of the off-ramps to 520 bridge by University of Washington and the Seattle neighborhood of Washington Park along the shores of Lake Washington.

520 Bridge Arboretum Park Seattle WA

On this visit, we walked around Foster Island and Marsh Island. We are saving the Arboretum gardens for next time.

Arboretum Park Seattle

The park is over 230 acres and has botanical gardens that are managed by the University of Washington.

Green spaces like the Washington Park Arboretum are a big part of what makes Seattle appealing to so many residents. Easy access to parks, walking trails, and waterfront views often plays a role in where people choose to live, especially for those who value outdoor time woven into daily life.

You can check out more of photos from our walk to Washington Arboretum Park by clicking here.

f you’re exploring different Washington cities and neighborhoods, you may enjoy our city-by-city mortgage and relocation guides.
→ Washington Mortgage Guides by City

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Fall in West Seattle’s Lincoln Park

October 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Yesterday we took our six month old puppy to Lincoln Park in West Seattle for a walk. I thought I’d share some of the spectacular fall colors from my one of my favorite parks.

Lincoln Park WestSeattle
Scupper and Rob at Lincoln Park

Beach at Lincoln Park West Seattle

Fall leaves mix with kelp on the wet Puget Sound shore.

Ferry off of Lincoln Park West Seattle
Ferry at Fauntleroy

Lincoln Park West Seattle
Lincoln Park

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Seattle Sunday Drive to Olympic Sculpture Park

April 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Last week, on our anniversary, we decided to check out the Olympic Sculpture Park which is located in the heart of Seattle on Western Avenue.  Seattle Sculpture Park

I’ve driven by this giant eraser numerous times but this was my first time to get a “close up” at the actual park.

Seattle Olympic Sculpture Park

Probably my favorite part of the park was the metal tree. Even on a grey Seattle day, the shiny silver branches were striking.

Seattle Olympic Sculpture Park metal tree

This photo reminds me of giant cargo ships.

Seattle Olympic Sculpture Park

I’m probably more “traditional” when it comes to art. However, I enjoyed strolling through the park on partly sunny day to check out the creations in a natural urban setting.

View more of my photos of Seattle’s Olympic Sculpture Park here.

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Sunday Drive to San Juan Islands

August 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

We recently took a family vacation and celebrated my husband’s birthday with our teens in the San Juan Islands. San Juan Island is beautiful and really not that far away from Seattle if you catch the non-stop ferry out of Anacortes.

San Juan Islands WA Roache Harbor
Gardens at Roche Harbor.

The Mausoleum San Juan Islands WA Afterglow
The Mausoleum and exploring the history of Roche Harbor is a must when you visit San Juan Island.

Lime Kiln Light House San Juan Islands WA
Lighthouse at Lime Kiln State Park where you can watch whales in a distance.

Friday Harbor Ferry to Anacortes San Juan Islands WA
Our ferry back home was delayed so we were able to spend a couple hours in Friday Harbor bowling and enjoying some ice cream.  Here’s a link to more photos from my San Juan vacation.

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Walla Walla Weekend

April 17, 2011 by 1 Comment

Col Solare

Earlier this month we decided to travel to Walla Walla for a "wine weekend". The scenic 4-5 hour drive from Seattle takes you over the Snoquamie Pass via I-90.  I relied on an app from the WSDOT on my Droid to provide us up to the minute pass conditions and information on traffic.

We like to stop in Ellensburg for lunch at the Yellow Church Cafe; I recommend their burgers and the tuna melt.   Ellensburg is a wonderful old town and my husband went to Central so it's a fun place to stretch our legs before heading on towards Yakima (another great area of wine country in Washington) before reaching our final destination.

Some of my favorite places we visited this trip are Rotie Cellars, Seven Hills, El Corazon, Basel Cellars and Zebra Cellars.

DSC00394 We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express which is actually just on the outskirts of Walla Walla.  If you want to be more in town so that you can walk to different wineries and tasting rooms, you may want to check out a local B&B, the Marcus Whitman Hotel or another location.  If you have a favorite spot to stay at in Walla Walla or wineries to visit, please comment and let me know!

Next time we're planning on visiting Red Mountain.  Col Solare is pictured above and they require an advanced appointment tastings.

Check out more of my photos of our road trip to Walla Walla.

Filed Under: Sunday Drive - Neighborhood Tours, Web/Tech

Sunday Drive to Mount Baker

March 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

We decided to spend the long Presidents Day weekend at Mt. Baker with our kids for a short family vacation.

We rented a condo at Snowater, in Glacier, just minutes from snowboarding, skiing or inner-tubing in the beautiful scenery of Mt. Baker.   The condo at Snowater is located just off the north fork of the Nooksack River and did not have internet access or cable tv…yep, we were unplugged for the weekend and it was wonderful!   Snowater does have other ammenities (indoor pool, ping pong, etc.) which our kids really enjoyed.  A majority of our time was spent on Baker. It takes about 2-3 hours to reach Mt. Baker from Seattle.   Do check driving conditions (chains may be required) for Baker.

Mount Baker WA

Mount Baker WA

Check out the more of my photos of our Mt. Baker vacation by clicking here.  By the way, I used my new Sony Bloggie (pocket camera) to capture these photos.

Filed Under: Sunday Drive - Neighborhood Tours
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