The historic Columbia River Highway was constructed from 1913 to 1922 as the nation’s first scenic highway; the Columbia River Gorge is also the nation’s second National Scenic Area, which gives you a hint of how special the byway truly is! Construction of the highway presented many engineering challenges and the roadway was considered oneContinue reading “Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway, Oregon”
Category Archives: Washington
Day Trip: Ritzville, Washington
I have mentioned before how surprising it can be when a small community offers sites of historical or cultural significance beyond what the size of the community suggests it would have. Ritzville, a small farm community that appears at first glance to be a drive-by town along Interstate 90, was settled in the 1880s and,Continue reading “Day Trip: Ritzville, Washington”
Mt St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington
On the morning of May 18, 1980 a magnitude 5.1 earthquake triggered one of the world’s largest recorded landslides as the north face of Mt St. Helens collapsed to bury the valleys below, followed within seconds by one of the most powerful volcanic blasts in the history of North America. Within ten minutes the eruptionContinue reading “Mt St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington”
Grand Coulee Dam, Dry Falls Heritage Area, and Lake Lenore Caves, Washington
Grand Coulee Dam and Dry Falls Heritage Area vie with each other as the highlight of our itinerary—both are amazing sites to visit! Grand Coulee Dam will be the favorite of many visitors and is where the itinerary begins. The dam is a concrete gravity dam (meaning that only the weight of the concrete structureContinue reading “Grand Coulee Dam, Dry Falls Heritage Area, and Lake Lenore Caves, Washington”
Central Oregon: Madras, Bend, and Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Are you ready for another great weekend trip? Our central Oregon itinerary presents our top picks and offers a great variety of sites to visit. Best time to visit: a visit scheduled Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend will allow you to visit all the sites on the itinerary. Plan to arrive at EricksonContinue reading “Central Oregon: Madras, Bend, and Newberry National Volcanic Monument”
Day Trip: Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is rich in regional history and thus a great place to visit for those who enjoy immersing themselves in Northwest regional history. Walla Walla is a perfect destination for a day trip for travelers who are within two hours, maybe two-and-a-half hours’ travel distance, which means the itinerary is ideal as a dayContinue reading “Day Trip: Walla Walla, Washington”
Puget Sound: Bremerton, Keyport, and Port Townsend, Washington
The coastal region of the Pacific Northwest is rich in history and fantastic sites to visit. This short route along the Puget Sound offers an exciting assortment of sites that come together to form a great weekend trip. Even better, this itinerary can be traveled any time of year (but check for holiday closure dates!).Continue reading “Puget Sound: Bremerton, Keyport, and Port Townsend, Washington”
Day Trip: Columbia River, Mattawa to Vantage, Washington
On a map, this stretch of semi-arid desert along the Columbia River looks pretty empty but it turns out that there are some fantastic sites to visit. The sites found here form a perfect destination for a day trip for travelers who are within two hours, maybe two-and-a-half hours’ travel distance, which means the itineraryContinue reading “Day Trip: Columbia River, Mattawa to Vantage, Washington”
Raymond, Long Beach, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Columbia, Washington
The Washington and Oregon coastal regions offer a brimming treasure chest of excellent sites to visit, ranging from historical, marine, maritime, natural and geologic history, and other intriguing sites which make visits to the coast truly magical and wonderful events. Presented below is our first itinerary on the Pacific coast, this one focused on theContinue reading “Raymond, Long Beach, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Columbia, Washington”
Tacoma, Washingon
Tacoma offers visitors several world-class museums conveniently placed in the downtown district; add to that the sites at Point Defiance only a few miles north of downtown and you have a fantastic weekend visit with a pleasing mix of art, history, and a great zoo to round out the itinerary. With more sites than youContinue reading “Tacoma, Washingon”
Hit the Road in the Pacific Northwest 