Boasting several cosmopolitan cities as well as plentiful, pristine natural areas, the Pacific Northwest is a captivating corner of the country with an unmistakable, unique charm. Wake up your taste buds with a stimulating sampling of some of the world’s finest coffee. Trek through lush forests and past dormant volcanoes, explore majestic backcountry on horseback, and kayak among enchanting wild orcas before making your way back to civilization for a refreshing pitcher of a local microbrew followed by a spectacular dinner by a James Beard Award winning chef.
Best time to visit: Spring to Fall is an ideal time to visit, offering temperate weather, and green and lush panoramas that metamorphose into picturesque fall foliage. Expect steely skies and rain November to February.
Go for this: Take in Oregon’s amazing coastal scenery from Brookings to Coos Bay in a classic top-down convertible through redwoods and along rocky cliffs where you’ll stop for lunch and dine with a Master Chef after visiting a resident Oregonian artist.
Channel your inner Seattle hipster on a tour including a visit to the first Starbucks. Go for a hot toddy or a cup of joe at Storyville in Pike Place Market (add your gum to the Gum Wall out back), see the flying fish and seek out the tunes of Emery Carl, one of the longest-running buskers at the market.
But try this: Venture out with a naturalist guide to forage for mushrooms and experience the views of Hurricane Ridge and Sol Duc Falls in Olympic National park. Then, continue your exploration deeper into the park towards the Hoh Rainforest ending with an amazing west coast ocean sunset at Rialto Beach.
Enjoy caving, kayaking and brewery tours in Bend, Oregon, indulging in microbrewery grub—comfort food at its finest. Then, head to Crater Lake, one of the deepest lakes in the world, to fish for rainbow trout or cruise to Wizard Island. Lunch, with some of Washington’s finest wines, included!
Favorite guest experience: Hit the Air Museum in Tillamook with the largest free-standing, clear-span wooden structure in the world. Continue onto Oregon’s award-winning wine country via private helicopter over Willamette Valley, landing at an exclusive vineyard for dinner and a tasting of the winery’s reserve wines.
Stop at Seattle’s legendary Salumi, a female-owned craft charcuterie shop, to pick up sandwiches to take along with you for a boat excursion for Dungeness crabbing off of Bainbridge Island. End the day at Chateau Ste. Michelle enjoying a summer concert on the estate’s lawn along with a sampling of some of their best wines: whites, rosés and Bordeaux blend reds!
Favorite hotel: Allison Inn & Spa (Willamette Valley, OR): Enjoy the beauty and abundance of the Willamette Valley, the heart of Oregon Wine Country, in a luxurious setting that restores and rejuvenates. The only full-service resort and spa in the area boasts 77 deluxe guest rooms and 8 suites located across four levels. The Jory offers farm to table dining and a chef’s garden with the most devoted notion of fresh, local, and organic in Oregon.
Hotel Ballard (Seattle, WA): Hotel Ballard is the pinnacle of excellence with 29 elegantly appointed guestrooms, it is a luxury retreat of its own. This Seattle spa getaway features a roof top pavilion complete with an outdoor fireplace and a magnificent view of Washington's famous Olympic Mountains. Conveniently located in the heart of historic Ballard, it is a home with all of the amenities you desire.
Favorite restaurant: Nostrana (Portland): At Nostrana, the farmers ingredients cultivate the menu. The restaurant’s Executive Chef Brian Murphy specializes in wood-fired, hand-tossed pizzas, creative seasonal pastas, robust meat and fish dishes, and has an impressive award-winning selection of wines from Italy and the Pacific Northwest!
JuneBaby (Seattle, WA): Southern cuisine is celebrated at Seattle’s JuneBaby. Take a journey from West Africa, to Western Europe and ultimately, to North America, where the mélange of culinary influences stemming from the passage of slaves across the Atlantic, results in soul food—sophisticated, delicious and nothing short of beautiful!
Favorite foods & beverages: Stumptown Coffee, Tillamook cheddar, Rainier cherries, Dungeness Crab, Pinot Noir, Aplets & Cotlets, American hazelnuts, Rock Cod, wild foraged mushrooms, marionberry magical pie, Walla Walla onion burger, and Almond Roca
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