Short Trips
Victoria has long had a reputation as being a city for the newly wed and nearly dead. It's quiet, quaint and less expensive than Vancouver, perfect for young couples starting out or retired folks scaling back.
But British Columbia's capital is shaking its frumpy image -- well, some of it -- and visitors who take the time to hit the side streets downtown rather than sticking to the main drag (Douglas Street) will be rewarded.
By D. Parvaz | March 3, 2005
Hike of the Week
There are too many parks to count around Bellingham, but Lake Padden Park is one you don't want to miss. The 900-acre community park was established in 1972 and is well loved by local citizens, who make good use of its amenities.
By Karen Sykes | March 3, 2005
CAPE JOHNSON -- You expect a winter hike on the Olympic National Park's jumbled and jagged ocean coast to be wet, cold and magnificently miserable. But sitting here on a crescent bay, as a flaming winter sun screams pinks and reds across the sky as it sets behind sharp-angled sea stacks, it almost feels as if you're in a South Seas paradise.
By Greg Johnston | March 3, 2005
The outing:
For the urban refugee yearning for a taste of nature, along with good eats and a tiny historic town, here's an easygoing outing to the northwest Skagit Valley that will satisfy on all counts.
By Kristin Jackson | March 3, 2005
The budget outing:
If you've only ever sped through Anacortes on your way to catch a ferry, it's time to stop and smell the tidewaters.
By Brian J. Cantwell | March 3, 2005
Location: Everett.
Length: 1.75 miles.
Level of difficulty: Level, paved trail.
Setting: Notwithstanding the recent sunny weather, this paved trail along the south shore of the Snohomish River is perfect for often-rainy winter walks. The Cascades are visible in the distance during winter through the park's deciduous trees. The riverfront path connects these two Everett parks, and is flanked by grassy lawns and wetlands. Exposed root balls from fallen trees demonstrate the shallow structure of their roots.
By Cathy McDonald | March 3, 2005
