Northwest Portal Blog - Discover!
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Fall Colors in the Mountains to Sound Greenway
Discover the beauty of the Mountains to Sound Greenway with this tour through favorite stops near Seattle. Walk or bike the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, learn about railroad history and get a bite in Snoqualmie, check out the Three Forks Natural Area (and let your dog romp in the off-leash park), and then head up to the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Valley to hike, picnic, or just play by the river.
Explore the Carbon River Corridor and Wilkeson, Washington
Explore the Carbon River Corridor and experience Wilkeson, a small historic town with a skateable work of bacon and eggs art, great food, and cute shopping. Then head up the road to enjoy scenic views and great trails for hiking or ORV/OHVing.
Lopez Island - by Bike or by Car
Are you ready to take a break and get on island time? Lopez Island, affectionately known as Slowpez Island, is your perfect getaway for a dialed down, relaxing adventure in the San Juan Islands. Sit back while I take you on a tour of one of my favorite places in the world.
ATVing in Northeast Washington
North East Washington is an ATVers paradise. Hit the roads and trails.
Wilderness Coast Backpacking
Imagine waking up to the whoosh of the ocean breathing and sea birds cackling offshore. You can smell a mix of sea salt and conifer. Sunlight is just starting to illuminate the massive stone monoliths lazily bathing off shore. Tendrils of morning mist are swirling upwards as the day heats up. It’s morning on the Wilderness Coast!
Three Kayak Adventures in Washington
Get out on the water this summer and trying kayaking with one of these Kayak Adventures: the Tapteal Greenway on the lower Yakima River, tours from Tacoma, or the Mercer Slough near Seattle.
Grays Harbor Escape
Enjoy a peaceful weekend at the ocean in Grays Harbor County, Washington. Explore the Seabrook Resort, walk along the beach, mountain bike, surf, ride horses, kayak, and discover a rain forest.
Find a New Place to Camp on the Water: Five Washington State Campgrounds Run by Power Companies
Discover a new place to camp in Washington State at one of the campgrounds operated by power companies or utility districts to mitigate for their hydroelectric dams. If you want to boat, swim, fish, or just enjoy a lazy day by the river, these campgrounds are a perfect destination.
Discover Seattle with Your Pup
Explore the Seattle area with your dog using the new Dog NW web map. Enjoy over 60 dog parks and off-leash areas where your pup can romp with friends, hundreds of miles of trails that you can explore together, lots of places where you can get a drink or a meal with your canine companion, and all of the services you need to keep your pet healthy, happy, and well fed.
Enjoy the Colors of Summer in Tacoma
Summer is the season of color. Head out to Tacoma for a day or a weekend to experience the warm palettes of gardens, glass, and water with this trip through botanical gardens, a glass museum, and along the waterfront. Visit the Lakewold Gardens, Chihuly Bridge of Glass and Tacoma Glass Museum, the Point Defiance Park Gardens, and Dune Peninsula Park.
Four Caves to Explore in Washington State
Washington State is not well known for caves, but it has some great places to explore underground. From lava tubes, and limestone caverns, to a small cave that was inhabited almost 7,000 years ago, here are a few opportunities to get underground. Explore the Ape Cave, Guler Ice Cave, Layser Cave (occupied 7,000 years ago) and Gardner Cave.
Washington Fire Lookouts You Can Visit
Washington Fire Lookouts make a great destination. Some are open for day visits, others allow overnight stays. Find your next adventure at one of these seven lookouts.
Discover Four Great Washington Waterfalls in Four Climate Areas
Discover four great Washington waterfalls in four climate areas. Two of the things that make Washington amazing are stunning waterfalls and the variety of climate zones. You can find waterfalls in the coastal rain-forests of the Olympic peninsula, the temperate forests of the Seattle area, the sub-alpine and alpine landscapes of Mt Rainier National Park and the arid shrub steppe of Center and Eastern Washington.
Five Best Places to View Wildflowers and Much More in Central Washington
View the wildflowers of Central Washington with this itinerary that has five great stops. Enjoy the flowers, learn about the history and geology of the region, view Native American petroglyphs, wind turbines, and even a giant salmon water-slide.
Five Great Seattle Gardens Where You Can Enjoy the Spring Flowers
Take a Joyride and enjoy the spring flowers with five of the best gardens in the Seattle Area. Use our map to navigate your adventure.
Best Places to See Wildflowers in the Columbia River Gorge
Take a joyride through the Columbia River gorge and enjoy the spring wildflowers, learn about the region and culture, and enjoy some great wine, beer and food.
Learn About the Wineries While Exploring Wine Country
Learn about Washington wineries while you explore wine country. Northwest Portal has partnered with the Lines on Wines podcast to add links on the Taste NW web map and app to the venues featured in the show. Use the maps and apps to pick the perfect destination and navigate while you are on the road.
