Did She Say Sasquatch???

Hello all, Kim here again,

I sure hope you took my advice to extend your trip to Seattle. If you didn't, there is still time! Along with the city itself being amazing, Seattle is the gateway to some of the most beautiful nature you will ever see - remember I promised Sasquatch! Though I can't confirm any sightings myself, if I was a Sasquatch I would want to live in the Cascade mountains. A quick 30 minute drive east of DPHA's headquarters hotel the Hyatt Regency Seattle, you will find the Snoqualmie Falls in those foothills. A beautiful and educational trip - as well as some great short hikes. The Salish Lodge is at the top of the falls, and serves an amazing brunch on Sundays (simulated maple syrup falls if you ask real nice.) Just a few minutes away is Fall City, made famous by the TV series Twin Peaks. If you head over the beautiful Snoqualmie pass another 45 minutes to the dry side of the state, you will come to the town of Roslyn. Roslyn is the filming location for the TV series Northern Exposure. You can still see Dr. Fleishman's name on the window of his "office". There really is a Brick Tavern and there is a Roslyn Cafe with a giant camel painted on the side of the building. (You may have picked up that I was a fan.) Actor John Corbet even bought into a local coffee company as well as the Phoenix Underground - more on that next week.  

If you prefer looking for Sasquatch from above, Kenmore Air has seaplane tours that leave off of Lake Union less than a mile from the Hyatt Regency Seattle. You can take a one hour sight seeing tour, or longer routes to Victoria BC or the San Juan Islands.  

Speaking of which, one of the best kept secrets on the planet are the San Juan Islands. A plane or a ferry ride from Anacortes will take you to beautiful scenery, amazing wild life and a quaint and quiet island getaway. Shhh, San Juan Island is where Chris Pratt has his sheep farm he talks about all of the time. I don't think Sasquatch is there. It would be tough for him to sneak on a ferry.

And the ferries! The Washington State Ferry system is one of the largest in the country for both people and cars. From the Seattle waterfront, you can walk onto the Bainbridge Island ferry for a quick ride over and back. The view of the city on the way back in the evening is breathtaking.  

One of the most special natural attractions are Orcas. We have three pods (families) that live in the Puget Sound waters. They usually hang out around the San Juans and Victoria, but occasionally make their way into the city waters. They were here just a couple of weeks ago. These particular Orcas only eat King Salmon. Yes, ONLY King Salmon. Seeing them in person is a humbling and enchanting experience. They are often seen from the Victoria Clipper, the ferries, as well as on Kenmore air flights. There are also whale expeditions that leave from Seattle and the Islands. Bald eagles, seals, harbor porpoise and tons of sea birds are also easily seen - but the Orcas have my heart.  

If rainforests are your thing, the Olympic Peninsula is a temperate rain forest. The Olympic Mountains are much younger than the cascades and give us spectaular sunsets with their jagged edges and majestic heights. Definitely a longer trip out than the Casdcades, but beautiful in a completely different way. The drive will take you under mossy tunnels and towering fir trees. The atmosphere can be a bit moody and was perfect for the setting of the Twilight series. Once you hit the Pacific Coast, you will come to Forks and First Beach. When I was visiting, there was a citywide blood drive. Go figure. You might see wolves there, but I'm thinking Sasquatch would constantly smell like a wet dog. Might give him away.

If nature really isn't your thing, but you want to pretend like it is, a Ride the Duck amphibious vehicle tour is fun. The Ballard Locks are about 20 minutes from the hotel, which has a fish ladder, and you can watch the King Crab fishing boats from Deadliest Catch head out through the locks into Puget Sound and up to Alaska. In Ballard, you can also see Fisherman Terminal, which is where fishermen moor their boats. Woodland Park Zoo is a great organization that does a ton for endangered species and has some great exhibits. The Seattle Aquarium is also great on the waterfront, not too far from the ferry terminal. Puget Sound is home to the Pacific Giant Octopus - the largest species in the world. Don't know if there are any octopi in the aquarium as they kept opening their tanks and leaving.  

San Juan Islands

And last but not least - Wings Over Washington. This is a ride very similar to Soaring at Disney. You will follow an Eagle as he flies over the state. If you look quickly, you can see our boat at the fuel dock in Roche Harbor - San Juan Islands. No kidding. It really is!! Wings Over Washington is under the Seattle Wheel on the waterfront.  

Thats it for this week - up next Music!