When in Washington

Washington is a state that warrants more than just a week. And while I lengthened my stay, it still whirled by!

Ok that’s enough ‘w’ words. I realize I’m a bit behind, but better late than never, right?

Mount Rainier National Park

On my way to a few weeks in the Cascades, I swung through Mount Rainier National Park. Parts of the park were still closed due to snow, but it was a clear day that afforded great views of the active volcano-peak!

Snoqualmie Pass

My ski condo rental in Snoqualmie Pass was a prime location for outdoor recreation. I quite enjoyed traversing forest service roads and hiking. I even spotted a bear track on my first walk around the area! Snoqualmie Falls, a well-known waterfall in the area, also merited a stop.

East of Snoqualmie

I took a day to check out some of the foothill towns such as Roslyn (where I also caught the latest Captain America movie in their one-screen theater 😛 ), Cle Elum, and Ellensburg. Being the odd-ball I am, I also thought a free tour of a wind and solar farm in Vantage, WA sounded fun. It was a windy cloudy day, but I greatly enjoyed hearing all of the facts, and even had the opportunity to step inside one of the wind tower bases!

Leavenworth

This Bavarian village was quaint and authentic—even McDonald’s and Starbucks were themed. I grabbed myself a brew and brat before strolling the streets and shops. I wrapped up the afternoon with a drive through Stevens Pass (a different pass through the Cascades from where I was staying).

Seattle Round 2

To round out my time in Washington, I met up with my new-found Washington friends in Seattle for another day of exploring. We took the metro over to the Space Center from Pike Place Market for some stellar views. A little MOD pizza (think the Qdoba of pizza—SO GOOD) and I was ready to head south the next day.

I’m going to wrap this post up here, but can faithfully promise I’ll have the remaining adventures from my return home up before week’s end. Have a good one everyone!