Vancouver - photo by Deb Rousseau
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Vancouver, B.C.: A Nature Lover’s Guide

Vancouver is a popular Pacific Northwest destination, to be sure, but why? Because it’s the largest Canadian City on the west coast? Because lots of films and TV shows are filmed here? Because it’s a cosmopolitan city rich in diversity and culture? No. Vancouver is a popular Pacific Northwest destination because of its natural beauty….

McMenamins Anderson School
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Unique Pacific Northwest Hotels and Pubs: McMenamins

When you think of a chain of hotels or a chain of restaurants, your eyes tend to immediately gloss over and the first thing you think of is BORING…right? You think of sterile, cookie-cutter establishments, such as Marriott, Hilton, Best Western….or IHOP, Applebees….blah, blah BLAH.  But try to imagine a chain of hotels AND pubs/restaurants…

Portland Food Carts
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Best Food Carts in Portland

Updated May 10, 2024. In all of my travels, I have not been in (or heard of) any other city in the world that has as many diverse food carts as Portland, Oregon. These are some of the best places to eat in Portland on a budget.  Food trucks in Oregon, in particular Portland, are…

Seattle Sunset
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10 Things NOT to do in Seattle, Washington

In response to my previous article about what NOT to do in Portland, I was strongly advised to do a follow up one about Seattle. The Emerald City is so different from the Rose City, so it is unfair to raise the question about Seattle vs Portland. Yet, there are things in Seattle that you…

Hurricane Ridge State Park
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The Unbridled Beauty of Deception Pass and the Olympic Peninsula

One of the things I really love about northwest Washington state is that there are a multitude of attractions within a very small geographic area. The best of several worlds collide in that you get to experience the culture of a large metropolitan area (Seattle), as well as mountains, rainforests, islands and ocean. All of…

Nehalem Bay State Park
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The Best of Nehalem Bay, Oregon

Imagine a coastal sanctuary where the world seems just a little less frantic and a little more peaceful. Imagine a gentle respite that seems a bit other-worldly, yet comfortably familiar. Imagine a place where those around you will let you be who you truly are, and you can let your guard down without judgement. Visiting…