Washington - Evergreen State
Andy and I met in Seattle when we were both students at Seattle University in the mid-60’s. We fell in love and became engaged there, so we have many happy memories of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We have been back to visit the state several times but were nonetheless excited to go again, spending time in some old familiar haunts yet exploring other areas that were new to us.
We scheduled our visit to begin in Seattle on our 55th wedding anniversary and arranged to have dinner with a dear friend of ours, April Collier. Unfortunately, our flight was cancelled so we spent the night at a hotel near the San Francisco airport and arrived the next morning. Our first visit was to our niece Caitlin and her husband Casey and their two boys, Conor and Clark. You can’t help but notice all the first names begin with C! They are happily ensconced in their charming home in a great neighborhood, so it was such a fun way to begin the trip. From there we drove to Mukilteo to catch the ferry to Whidbey Island where we stayed in Freeland with our friends Bill and Gail Rieck. We spent the next day in Langley, a small town with many art galleries, restaurants and shops. In one cooperative gallery, we were having a difficult time deciding between two paintings by our talented friend, Ginny O’Neill, so we solved that problem by buying both. These watercolors capture the sensibility of the region and we have placed them in locations at home where we see them every day. That afternoon, we attended an exhibit by the Whidbey Island Woodworkers Guild where we purchase a square bowl of madrone burl with a scorched exterior by Mike Scott. It is very unusual, and this now sits on our coffee table in the living room. We thoroughly enjoyed our conversation with Mike who is originally from England but has spent time in New Zealand and several other locations, finally settling happily on Whidbey Island. He is the spitting image of Eric Clapton, too!
Driving the length of the island the following day, across the bridge which spans Deception Pass, we stopped for lunch at the Calico Cupboard in tiny but picturesque La Conner. Our destination was Camano Island where we stayed for two nights with other friends from our college days, Tony and Pat Vivolo. Their home sits on a cliff overlooking the rugged coastline and sunsets from their back deck are breathtaking. Several years ago, Tony built stairs going down to the beach, no easy feat. On our walk, we saw crabs, seashells and lots of birds. We also strolled on a 3/4 -mile pathway which is part of the Leque Island Restoration Project. Tony and Pat are serious environmentalists, and they were excited to show us this estuary restoration project since they have been following its evolution for several years. Native marsh plants are beginning to take hold in the restored tidal marsh habitat and Coho and chinook salmon are returning. We were impressed with them as well as the habitat.
From Camano Island, we drove to Anacortes and began our ferry adventure. Washington State has a marvelous ferry system that connects the San Juan Islands with Seattle, the Olympic Peninsula and even Canada. (We had planned to spend a day on Vancouver Island, but due to a surge of COVID in the US at that time, Canada was not operating the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria.)
From Anacortes, on the northern end of hilly Fidalgo Island, we took the ferry to Orcas Island, stopping at Lopez Island on the way. It is hard to describe the beauty of these islands but riding the ferries is an excellent way to experience them. Arriving on Orcas Island, we drove to Rosario Resort and Spa where we spent the next 3 nights. This storied resort, built between 1906 and 1909, is listed on the National Historic Register. From the deck of our room, we could look across Cascade Bay to the Moran Mansion where the museum, spa and dining rooms were situated. I happily got a facial one day, and we swam in the indoor pool another time. Nearby is scenic Moran State Park which occupies land that was donated by former Seattle mayor and shipbuilder Robert Moran, who built the mansion which is now Rosario Resort. We drove up to Mount Constitution (2,409 feet) which is the highest peak in the San Juan Islands. At the top is an observation tower made of stone, with a winding staircase inside. Climbing to the top was worth it to see the astonishing views of the water, other islands and Cascade mountain peaks in the distance.
We took a day trip on another ferry from Orcas Island to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Friday Harbor is a bustling community with lots of visitors coming and going on the ferries to shop and dine and explore the sites. We walked throughout the town, discovering a school called Spring Street International School and several art galleries. The return ferry trip was idyllic as the temperature was so mild, we stayed outside for the entire trip.
We enjoyed several good meals on Orcas Island, especially a dinner at Matia in Eastsound. The menu changes daily, so I can’t recommend what to eat. To say that the cuisine is unusual is putting it mildly, and it was difficult to choose what to order; but everything was beautifully presented and absolutely delicious.
The next phase of our trip was on the Olympic Peninsula, most of which was new to both of us. We took the ferry from Orcas Island back to Anacortes and drove from north to south along Whidbey Island to Coupeville, where we caught a ferry that took us to Port Townsend. From there we drove west to Port Angeles where we stayed for five nights at the Olympic Lodge. I cannot say enough good things about this hotel. It is an Ayres Hotel, family owned, with excellent service and lovely public rooms. Our room was spacious and very comfortable, and the grounds were beautifully kept. It was the perfect location from which to explore the Olympic Peninsula.
Our first destination was the Hoh Rain Forest within Olympic National Park. It was a little drizzly that day, as it is much of the time, having up to 12 feet of annual precipitation; for that reason, it is lush and green with eerily shaped logs covered with thick moss and fantastically shaped giant conifer trees. Having mild winters and cool summers, the Hoh Rain Forest is “one of the most spectacular examples of temperate rain forest in the world.” We hiked on one of the many nature trails, and with every twist and turn there were continual gorgeous, ethereal sites of plants growing on top of other plants, countless ferns, bigleaf maples and vine maples, all crowded together competing for space. We learned that the dead and downed trees decay slowly which enables new life to begin. It lived up to all our expectations.
From there we drove to nearby Rialto Beach where we encountered heaps of sun-bleached driftwood in various twisted shapes and piles. Strolling along the sand, we were treated to scenic views of the rough surf and “sea stacks,” which are giant rock pinnacles with stunted trees growing on top of them. They rise to 50 feet above the water. We live near the California coast, but we had never seen anything like this before.
On another day, we drove to Hurricane Ridge in a different part of the Olympic National Park. Here we were treated to incredible views of the Olympic Mountains as we hiked on nature trails which allowed views in all directions. Despite the fact that there were quite a few other visitors, we saw some wildlife, too, including two marmots that were either dancing or mating, we weren’t quite sure.
That afternoon, we visited the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center where we particularly enjoyed walking along trails which featured unique and often colorful sculptures by Northwest artists. From the grounds, we could see a panorama of the city, the harbor and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Later we walked along the beach at Sequim where there were more driftwood “sculptures” and interesting shells, just lying there for the taking…although we didn’t take any, of course.
Port Townsend is a lovely city. We had been there before, but not for many years. We walked around the town and had an exceptionally delicious lunch at the Fountain Café. We got there shortly before it opened, and there was a line of people waiting to get in, so we knew it had to be good and we weren’t disappointed.
That afternoon we drove to Fort Worden State Park, established in the 1890s, which was part of an important system of coastal fortresses guarding the entrance to Puget Sound. There was a large, grassy parade ground, surrounded by restored Victorian houses along what was once called Officers’ Row, and a nearby cemetery where we chatted with a man who lived nearby.
With just one more day to our Washington State sojourn, we drove to Olympia to visit the state Capitol, which is located on a hill south of the downtown. Completed in 1928, the capitol’s 287-foot-tall masonry dome is one of the largest in the world! The Tiffany designed chandelier, which hangs in the rotunda, is just magnificent. Our self-guided tour allowed us to appreciate the interior and the grounds outside, including sculptures and other works of history and art. We learned that the state was originally going to be named Columbia, but legislators in Washington DC thought that would be too confusing because the nation’s capital is in the District of Columbia. So they named it Washington instead, which we found very humorous.
The last place we visited was particularly interesting to Andy because he loves cars, especially old cars with history. Lemay – America’s Car Museum is in Tacoma, and it is very impressive. Described as a “technologically advanced interactive automotive and education center,” it is a destination for car enthusiasts from all over the world. It showcases hundreds of cars with brand names that span the more than 100-year history of the automobile. There are four floors accessed by ramps on each side of the showroom. Visitors are advised to walk down all four ramps on one side and back up the ramps on the opposite side, “so as not to miss any of the gleaming machines on display.” We saw them all and, though our feet were pretty tired at the end, it was fascinating. All in all, the museum is a celebration of America’s love affair with the automobile and how it has shaped society. It was a fun and appropriate way to end this road trip.
