My first trip to Seattle was in 1987 and was work related. I was sent to a conference to learn about child support guidelines, a newfangled method for computing how much child support a noncustodial parent should pay to the custodial parent in the event of divorce. Little did I know at the time that Washington State was to become my daughter’s home after college and that I would make many trips across the country to visit her. From that very first visit I was enchanted by Seattle and the sporadic view of Mt. Ranier. Many of my visits to Seattle did not result in a sighting of the mountain, or perhaps only a brief glimpse from the airplane as we began our descent into SeaTac. It is however sometimes visible from Interstate 5 in downtown Seattle. When these sightings happen, the snow-covered peak is plainly visible and looks you right in the face, taking your breath away. The Washingtonians have a great expression for that experience. They say, “the mountain is out.”
From that very first visit a trip to Seattle meant a trip to Pike Place market. I love that market and consider it a not to be missed life experience, from the guy throwing fish to the pierogi stand and first Starbucks store across the street, the vibe in the market area of Seattle is like no other place in the USA. Our first trip with my daughter was in 1996 when we were visiting colleges in Washington and Oregon, including Evergreen State College in Olympia where she almost decided to enroll. However, as I indicated a few states ago she wound up spending her college years in Vermont. In 2002 following graduation she enrolled at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma where she earned a master’s degree and taught school for a couple of years before moving to Seattle. The “normal” tourist might scratch Tacoma off the list as a non-destination, but it does actually have some vibrant and interesting features. UPS, as the university is known, has an absolutely enchanting campus. https://www.pugetsound.edu/ Additionally the waterfront park known as Point Defiance Park has a lovely loop drive and many hiking trails. The rhododendrons are beautiful in the spring. https://www.metroparkstacoma.org/place/point-defiance-park/ Tacoma is also home to an amazing exhibit of Dale Chihuly glass. Chihuly was born in Tacoma in 1941 and his glass exhibitions can be found not just in Seattle but also in unusual Tacoma locations such as an installation on a pedestrian bridge over a busy interstate. https://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/about/dale-chihuly You can learn general information about Chilhuly glass in the Seattle area in first website. You can learn more about the Chihuly Bridge of Glass at the following website. I found walking across that bridge to be a spectacular experience. https://travelforinsight.com/chihuly-bridge-of-glass/
I have traveled Washington State from Neah Bay in the far western corner down the coast to the Oregon border. I have visited Mt. St. Helen’s and Mt. Rainer in the interior. I have spent Thanksgiving holidays and February vacations visiting San Juan Island and Orcas Island. Train rides in Washington State are a great adventure, whether you are heading from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia or across the mountains all the way to Chicago. Going to Seattle is a wonderful vacation experience, but since my daughter lives there I don’t think of it as a vacation destination like California or Florida. It is more like another place to call home, like Maine. Only Washington is not my home, but it is my daughter’s.
There are so many great destinations in Washington that it is hard to know where to begin. Many people do not know about the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival which is held every year during the month of April. The fields north of Seattle bloom with acres and acres of commercial tulips grown for bouquets. https://tulipfestival.org/ Lots of people have not heard of traveling out West for tulip festivals, but it is an attractive alternative to European travel and the tulips are every bit as gorgeous. Interior Washington also can lead you to the town of Leavenworth with its German heritage and colorful village. https://vacationidea.com/ideas/best-things-to-do-in-leavenworth-wa.html I also find that a neat thing to do when visiting coastal Washington in the Aberdeen area is to eat the local bizarre clams. They are giant creatures called geoduck clams (that is pronounced gooey duck) and unlike Maine clams they consist of a huge neck and muscle that is great eating and the claims do not involve such a large portion of stomach as found in Maine clams. https://bluemonkeysports.com/where-to-buy-geoduck/ I have to add that if you travel to Washington State you cannot miss a trip to the Olympic Peninsula, home to a National Park, a temperate rainforest, a gorgeous mountain range, and a beautiful waterfront with quaint towns to visit.
My husband and I made many trips to Seattle between 2002 and 2013 when our daughter lived there. She moved away for nine years but has recently ended her days as an expat and again taken up residence in the Seattle area. I expect to take many more trips to Washington as I enjoy visiting her. Perhaps when I retire from traveling, I will even take up residence in the State of Washington. I hope that day is still a few years in the future. In the meantime I intend to make great use of the direct Alaska Airlines flight between Charleston, S.C. (my current winter abode) and Seattle. In 2022 Megan bought a condo in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. She lives in a very nice area and I have visited a number of times. Below is a picture of Megan enjoying an adult beverage while sitting on the couch in her condo.
Memories - A Second Chance at Happiness 