Unplanned Encounters and Spontaneous Adventures in Birch Bay
Birch Bay is a tiny little community in Blaine, Washington and to be completely honest; my first impression was a big yawn.
We would have never visited little blip on the map if it hadn't been for the campground we were there to film. Birch Bay seemed like any other sleepy coastal town and we couldn't imagine why people would stay here for months on end… then we learned why in less than 24hrs.
Birch Bay is an escape. This is where you go when you just want to get away from it all. It’s peaceful, the scenery is stunning and the changing tides add a nice touch of drama.
Bellingham, WA – The City of Subdued Excitement
Bellingham or the 'city of subdued excitement,' as a local mayor once dubbed it, is Washington’s slightly less weird version of Portland, Oregon.
It’s laidback, green, liberal and loaded with outdoor activities! What makes this town so subdued with excitement? I don’t really know. But what I can tell you is three reasons you should check it out for yourself.
Leavenworth, WA – More Than a Mock Bavarian Village
We have been to our fair share of themed towns and while some will transport you to another time or place, others just leave you with a sad (just encountered a drunk Santa) feeling. Leavenworth was a whole different experience! Leavenworth was just a normal city until 1962. In an effort to revitalize the economy; Project LIFE (Leavenworth Improvement For Everyone) turned the city into a Bavarian village. And what a brilliant and well executed move! Leavenworth feels like a real Bavarian village and the locals really take pride in their relatively new cultural history.
San Juan Islands and Beyond
When we made it to Mt. Vernon Washington I only knew one fact: It’s located halfway between Seattle and Vancouver BC, two of my favorite cities, so it can’t be bad right?!?
To the West lies the town of Anacortes and the famous San Juan Islands and to the East is beautiful Mt. Baker and endless wilderness. To say this region is filled with beauty and adventure would be a complete understatement!
Nomadic Hangouts and The Worlds Longest Beach
Sometimes things just work out when you travel. For us that synchronization of timing worked out just perfectly in Long Beach Washington, and what makes travel more fun that meeting up with friends!?!
Long Beach Peninsula is famous for Jake the Alligator Man, Kite Flying Competitions, and the World’s Longest Beach, but for us this small town delivered as the perfect place for a nomadic hangout.
Ocean Shores – Not The Average Beach
I’m not gonna lie, this place is foggy, damp, and not the warm sunny beach destination one might consider visiting for a summer vacation.
Would I ever visit Ocean Shores, Washington again? Oh Yea! 'The Sweet is never as Sweet without the Sour' (bonus points if you know where that quote is from)…and the sunny days around here are about as sweet as it gets.
Chugging Along in Chehalis Washington
Halfway between Seattle Washington and Portland Oregon is the tiny town of Chehalis. The town came about in the late 1800’s thanks to the railroads and today the steam trains are still going strong.
We're not train aficionados by any means but there was no way our inner child was going to let us pass up the opportunity to take a ride on the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad.
