Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times
If it weren't for the clouds, Mount Rainier would be visible in this shot taken from Gig Harbor.
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Gas prices keeping you close to home this vacation season? Through Labor Day, Northwest Weekend is offering weekly ideas for close-to-Seattle getaways you can get to and back on 10 gallons or less of gas. And just to make it more "real world," our tips are fine-tuned to whether you own a big SUV or a gas-sipping hybrid electric.
The fine print: Our "demo" vehicles are a Lincoln Navigator SUV, which can get you 90 miles away and back (180 miles round-trip) on 10 gallons, and a Toyota Prius, which can get you 255 miles away and back (510 miles round-trip) on 10 gallons.*
NOTE: To give you time to make plans, the events listed here happen next weekend.
If that grown-up Big Wheel you drive signifies a love affair with things that roll and look good while doing it, you might enjoy soaking up some South Sound scenery and ogling a whole fleet of hot rides next weekend when Gig Harbor hosts the annual Cruise the Narrows car show. At only 45 miles away, this getaway leaves you plenty of gas to cruise Port Orchard on Saturday night. The car show, at Tacoma Narrows Airport, welcomes all years, makes and models, and offers trophies in categories such as "best muscle car," "best flames" and "bad to the bone" (July 24, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., $10 donation asked). While in town, you might also rent a kayak, sailboat or runabout and explore the water world (www.gigharborrentaboat.com or 253-858-7341).
More details: For the car show, see www.gigharborcruisers.org or e-mail carshow@gigharborcruisers.org. For Gig Harbor, call 253-851-6865 or see www.gigharborchamber.com.
If you like a small car, maybe you like small beers — or, more precisely, microbrews. Combine your interests — handcrafted brewskis and efficient transportation — with a visit to next weekend's Oregon Brewers Festival in Portland, the city of light rail and streetcars (174 miles away). On the downtown riverfront July 23-25, the festival presents the beers of 72 artisan brewers from across the Northwest and as far away as Hawaii and Vermont. Taps open noon daily.
More details: For the festival, www.oregonbrewfest.com or 503-778-5917. For Portland, Portland Oregon Visitors Association, www.travelportland.com or 877-678-5263.
* Based on EPA highway-mileage ratings for 2004 vehicles: Prius = 51 mpg. Navigator 2WD = 18 mpg. Trips measured using MapQuest routes from Fourth Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle.
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