• Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews
EVERYONE'S TRAVEL CLUB
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews

La Conner, Washington has it all

3/17/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
   Over the years, La Conner Washington has become one of our favorite Washington towns. Located in the 'Up & Over' and in the Skagit Valley, it's just over an hour northwest of Seattle. It's got good beer, cute shops, comfy B&Bs, galleries and museums, great restaurants, and you can even park a sailboat here - the town sits along the salty Swinomish Channel.
Picture
Picture
  We're gonna point out a few of our favorite La Conner hotspots - some new, some more established, all great and ETC approved. Most of them we visited last summer & Fall, although, we drove through a few weeks ago to see what's new (and 'cause we love the place!).

Hellam's Vineyard

Picture

Sample some of Washington's best wines at Hellam's Vineyard, located on the main drag in the Lime Dock building. Sample, buy, & enjoy a drink outside on the waterfront patio. Great selection!

Craft Ale Syndicate

Picture
We were so impressed when we found the Craft Ale Syndicate in La Conner last summer. A small and friendly place, it offers local and interesting beers on tap, Bob Marley vinyl spinning in the corner, and and TV above the bar to yell at while watching some soccer. Hip is not exactly what you'd expect in La Conner, but that's what makes this place perfect. We hope it sticks around!

Seeds Bistro

Picture

Seeds Bistro serves great local food at all meals -  breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We stopped by for a quick burger and loved it. Not to mention they built their entranceway around the oldest beech tree in Washington. They care about food and serving good food to you - it shows!

Picture

Museums

Picture

What tiny town has 3 museums? Make sure to check out at least one while you're there - The Quilt & Textile Museum, the Skagit County Historical Museum, or the Museum of Northwest Art.

Picture
   That's just the start of things to do in and around La Conner. There's the book store, the antique store, the newly located Nell Thorn restaurant…and more! Definitely worth a visit and easy to spend the day exploring rain or shine.
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC

Links:
*More info about La Conner here
*When we paddled the Skagit River to La Conner…without much planning;)
*Paddling the Swinomish to Hole in the Wall
*B&B Review in La Conner
*South Fork Skagit River kayaking near La Conner

0 Comments

The Most Northwest of the Northwest: Cape Flattery

1/9/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
   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.
Picture
   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.
Picture
   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.
Picture
   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!)

View Larger Map
0 Comments

Fisherman Bay Preserve: The Spit, Lopez Island, WA

11/16/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
   Another quaint Lopez Island locale is the Fisherman Bay Preserve, located just a few clicks from Lopez village. It's a 29 acre spit/preserve/park with hiking trails, shoreline, and beautiful sights to explore. There's an outhouse and a small parking lot at the entrance. Bringing your dog for a run along the designated paths seems like a good way to spend the afternoon!
Picture
Picture

View Larger Map
  On the way there you'll also pass by Otis Perkins day park with even more shoreline/beach to check out. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Lopez is the best!
   ~Paul & Amber   ETC

Links:
Nice map & info about the park
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Lopez is legit: Shark Reef Sanctuary

11/9/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
   I'll just go ahead and quote myself when I say that Lopez Island, Washington has a "tri-force of awesomeness". Iceberg point, Watmough Bay, and now finally Shark Reef Sanctuary make Lopez the BEST San Juan Island (No? debate in our comment section!).
Picture
   After parking at Shark Reef you'll head down a forest-y trail to the rocky shore.
Picture
Picture
   From there, short trails head down the shoreline, weaving through trees and over rocks. You'll probably notice the tidal rapids roaring through Cattle Pass. It's like a saltwater river - you might want to plan ahead if your coming through this pass by boat!
Picture
   All & all, a great park. Lopez Island is a beautiful place. A stop to the San Juans without checking out these sights is big mistake! Check it out!
   ~Paul, Amber, Mom, Sis   ETC

P.S. The map below gets you pretty close - the actual park/parking lot is a touch south from Shark Reef Rd & Burt Rd.

View Larger Map
1 Comment
<<Previous
    Follow us on Twitter and receive updates when we post (click the birdie).
    Picture


    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011


    Categories

    All
    Alki Beach
    Arboretum
    Attractions
    Bahamas
    Ballard
    Boat Shows
    Carkeek
    Cascades
    Dungeness Spit
    Edmonds
    Everett
    Florida
    Golden Gardens
    Hiking
    Hood Canal
    Kayak
    Kingston Wa
    Kiteboarding
    La Conner
    Lake Chelan
    Lakes
    Lake Sammamish
    Lake Union
    Lake Washington
    Lemurs
    Leschi
    Less Aquatic Travels
    Lighthouses
    Live Aboard
    Mercer Island
    Nisqually
    North Carolina
    Oregon
    Outside The PNW
    Parks
    Pike Place Market
    Port Ludlow
    Port Townsend
    Poulsbo Wa
    Puget Sound
    Quilcene Bay
    Richmond Beach
    Rivers
    Road Trip Month
    Sail
    Samish Island
    Sand Point
    San Juans
    Sea Serpent
    Seattle
    Shilshole
    Ship Canal
    Skagit
    State Parks
    Sunken Ship
    The Pacific Coast
    Up & Over
    Virgin Islands
    Volcano
    Whales
    Wildlife



    Videos on Vimeo

    We hope you've enjoyed the time you've spent on our site. All images, text and designs are copyright Everyone's Travel Club and may not be used without written permission from ETC.
Picture

Connect:

Contact:

everyonestravelclub@gmail.com

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews