We recently spent some time in Anacortes reviewing an Inn for an upcoming 'Inns you can paddle and sail to' post and got a few good looks at the gorgeous Lady of the Sea sculpture. Located in Seafarers' Memorial Park (map), the lady and child await the safe return of their seafaring loved ones. Deborah Copenhaver sculpted the statue in 1994.
   The sculpture also happens to sit adjacent to a great small boat launch - perfect for kayaks. With lots of parking close by this is a great place admire the sculpture, pay your respects to the sea and those who have lost their lives to it, and get out [safely] on the water yourself!
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC

   Looking for a great place in Seattle to take the family when they're visiting? A place to chill, take pictures, paint, all while taking in some really cool art? Check out the downtown Olympic Sculpture Park. Admission is free, they have paid-yet-affordable parking on the property. The park is 9 acres and runs into the waterfront via a pedestrian overpass. From there you can head into Myrtle Edwards Park and beyond. You get art, views of the city and space needle, and a great look and walk along the water…not bad…even in the winter!!!
   ~Paul, Shelly, Jon   ETC

   We had to do it. Every Northwesterner feels the urge…the urge to drive out to the most northwest point in the contiguous US - Cape Flattery.

   Located in Washington state, Cape Flattery is part of the Makah Indian Reservation and although it's in Western Washington like Seattle, it's still a whopping 4 hours and 24 minutes away. If you live in the state, the drive and experience is a ritual you must participate in...eventually. It took us 10 years of living in the state before we made the trip!

   As you get close you'll enter the Makah Indian Reservation. This was one of the big reasons we wanted to make the trip out here - to check out the Makah Museum - we heard it was great (it is). It's probably a good idea to read the giant "Recreational Use Permit" sign on the side of the road as you enter the Res. The permit is kind of a toll for visiting. A few local businesses sell it for anyone who wants to park a car on the reservation (which is you if you're visiting). If you plan to check out Cape Flattery, you'll need one (I carelessly drove past the giant sign, parked at the Cape, hiked, and returned without getting a ticket…but I think I just got lucky).

   The hike out to the Cape viewpoint is mostly boardwalk and pretty easy. There's lots of smaller side-lookouts to enjoy as you make your way to the point.

   The view from the final viewing platform (picture below) is of Tatoosh Island and the Cape Flattery Light - the northernmost lighthouse on the West Coast of the US.

   As far a views go, well, that's about it. Far more stunning were the views to Canada and the north on the drive out. Other than that, Cape Flattery, to be honest, isn't that grand…but we had to do it, we had to! 
   Way cooler is the Makah Museum - so far the best Native American Museum we've ever been to, and worth the adventure out here in the first place. Sadly they don't allow photography inside the museum so I don't have any pics from the inside:( 
   The museum is large and has lots of exhibit space, a cool gift shop, and great interactive stuff for the kiddos. They've done a great job and I can't wait to go back. Because of the 4 1/2 hours it takes to get here from Seattle, you might want to venture out as part of a bigger trip. Whether staying a night in a nearby cabin, camping on the coast, or hitting up a nearby Northwest Inn, it's a nice addition to the agenda. We finally made it and you will too…eventually!

   ~Paul & Amber   ETC

Links:
Makah Museum
(P.S. Don't let this museum website scare you - it's old - the museum is 10 times more modern than this site…seriously!)

   Although we didn't stay overnight at the Rosario Resort & Spa on Orcas Island, we still strolled the self-guided museum inside the main building and checked out the sweet views from all around the property. The Resort is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was built by Robert Moran between 1906-1909. Name sound familiar? Adjacent is Moran State Park, also named for the dude, and one of Washington's first state parks made with land donated by Moran.

   As you can imagine, Moran had some cash. He earned it in Seattle as a big time shipbuilder. His company, Moran Bros, became the largest shipbuilding outfit around and Seattle's largest employer around the start of the 1900s.

   Interesting fact: Robert was inspired to purchase this huge lot in the San Juans (Rosario & the adjacent land that is Moran State Park) by his travels to Alaska with John Muir in the late 1800s. Moran was the onboard engineer on Muir's boats and often chatted him up about the deforestation of the Northwest. Who the heck is John Muir you ask? The founder of the Sierra Club!

   The museum is free and open to the public. The grounds are gorgeous, the crazy organ/piano room is awesome and concerts are held regularly. There's a restaurant, marina, spa, they've got it all. Not bad Moran, not bad!
   ~Paul & Amber  ETC

links: 
The Resort & History about the place
The John Muir & Robert Moran connection
Map