Category Archives: By Region

Ask us, June, North America, Roundups

Ask us: Good bases for late June day hikes near Seattle?

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Friends are visiting Seattle from late June to early July. They recently asked:

I was wondering if there were a few places that you could recommend for some epic hiking. Your flickr account is filled with gorgeous photos of spots that are easy to get to from Seattle, so deciding based on photos seems daunting. We’re thinking of doing three days of hiking (and we’d stay in a cabin overnight) in one or two locations. We’ll have a rental car also. We’re just looking for gorgeous scenery, and up to a moderate level of hiking difficulty. Are there 4 or 5 favorite hikes that fit this that you’d recommend?

This is a challenging time for planning a hiking trip. Some years, the northwest will have warmed up months earlier and the snow will be gone. Other years, many of our favorite trails may still be covered in snow. So, unless you are prepared to deal with snow, you need a base with some different options. There are a few that should fit that bill. Read on for some suggestions of areas to stay and corresponding hikes.

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February, North America

Kauai – A February Long Weekend

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In February 2017, we spent a long weekend on Kauai, splitting our time between Princeville and Poipu, with hikes along the Nā Pali coast, near Princeville, and in Waimea Canyon State Park, a visit to Kilauea Point, and lots of good food.

We picked Kauai as our February break from Seattle’s rain and grey, we picked Kauai. Kyle had never been and I had not visited since I was a kid.

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Europe, February

A Winter Weekend in Budapest

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We made a last-minute decision to visit Budapest on a winter weekend in February, to enjoy some of the city sights without the crowds (or in some cases, entrance fees) of high season. Low season apparently began that weekend, if you use the “hop-on-hop-off” tourist bus schedule as a metric. This a brief overview of our 34 hours in Budapest.

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Europe, January

Paris in January

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Paris can be crisp in January, and Paris can be dreary in January. Regardless, it’s wonderful in January. The city is quiet yet alive. Christmas crowds have gone, but lights and decorations remain. It’s a perfect time to go, bundle up, and walk, and walk, and walk, stopping in at sights or for un chocolat chaud.

Rather than summarize any one trip, I’ll mention a few of my favorite highlights, both in the city and day trips, across a few trips.

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North America, October

Canyonlands & Arches National Parks: An October weekend in Moab

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After the previous year’s enjoyable fall escape to Zion, we decided to escape the onset of Seattle’s rainy fall with a trip Moab, Utah. Moab offered the chance to explore Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and could be reached by an easy, direct flight to Salt Lake City followed by a four hour drive.

Our visit included two days of hiking in Canyonlands — one in the Island in the Sky and one in the Needles District — and two days exploring Arches, including the Fiery Furnace, Devil’s Garden, Delicate Arch and Windows Arch. We also enjoyed three breathtaking sunrises at Mesa Arch, Delicate Arch, and the Windows.

Visiting in the fall meant that we got to see the most popular spots without the high-season crowds. We also got to do some hikes that the Park Service and others recommend against doing in the hot summer, including Druid Arch and Syncline Loop.

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North America, Roundups

Sean’s Favorite Day Hikes in the White Mountains: The Presidentials

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Since I was about two years old, visiting the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Maine has been part of most of my summers. Over those decades, I’ve explored the mountains and valleys extensively. While I’m always eager to check out a new trail or summit, I want to share a few favorite day hikes to which I keep returning. This post covers hikes in the Presidential Range.

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North America, Roundups

Sean’s Favorite Day Hikes in the White Mountains: The Carter-Baldface Ranges

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Since I was about two years old, visiting Cold River Camp in the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Maine has been part of most of my summers. Over those decades, I’ve explored the mountains and valleys extensively. While I’m always eager to check out a new trail or summit, I want to share some favorite day hikes to which I keep returning. This post covers hikes in the Carter-Baldface Ranges and Evans Notch area.

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Europe, March

Southwest Portugal Coastal Hiking: Overview

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In March 2017, we hiked the Rota Vicentina along the southwestern Portugal coast from Porto Covo to Carrapateira, via sections of the Fisherman’s Trail and Historical Way. This series of posts covers our travel and explorations between the starting point of Lisbon, and our endpoint of Lagos. The Rota Vicentina is a network of official trails that connect the historic fishing villages of the southwest Alentejo region and Vicentina Coast Natural Park.

This post covers the resources we found helpful for trip planning, while subsequent posts describe our travels.

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Europe, March

Southwest Portugal Coastal Hiking: Part 1 – Lisbon to the Fisherman’s Trail

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With a half-day in Lisbon after our flight, we took a scenic train ride to Sintra for some exploring and made it back to the city in time for dinner. The next day, we set out for Porto Covo by bus to begin our trek along the Fisherman’s Trail.

This post covers our half day in Sintra and starting our trip on the Rota Vicentina in Porto Covo. From there, our route took us to Vila Nova de Milfontes, Cavaleiro, and Zambujeira do Mar, with Odeceixe and Carrapateira covered in a subsequent post.

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