Gig Harbor and Tacoma, Washington, USA

Gig Harbor - Washington, USA

International House of Glass 
- Tacoma, Washington, USA

Downtown Poulsbo - Washington, USA

International Museum of Glass
- Tacoma, Washington, USA

Point Defiance Park - Tacoma, Washington, USA

Gig Harbor - Washington, USA

Gig Harbor - Washington, USA

International Museum of Glass
- Tacoma, Washington, USA

Gig Harbor and Tacoma, Washington, USA (8/24-25/2009)

The Seattle ‘suburbs’ of Gig Harbor and Tacoma are fun and interesting stops in Washington's beautiful and picturesque Puget Sound.

Gig Harbor (‘gigs’ were the name of small boats) has a beautiful circular bay full of sailboats fronted by evergreen trees and million-dollar homes (see photos).

Gig Harbor is a tucked-away town sitting on a scenic inlet framing a postcard-perfect view of Mount Rainier. Gig Harbor's strong Scandinavian and Croatian heritage has always influenced its nautical lifestyle and fishing-village character. 

Today specialty shops, creative boutiques, art galleries and waterfront restaurants add to Gig Harbor's appeal and make it a wonderful get-away.

On the way to Gig Harbor, we stopped in the charming Norway settlement of Poulsbo – a must stop if you are in the area (see photo).

Once an industrial town, Tacoma is now a rather large city that is blossoming into its own with a renovating downtown, a wonderful forest park, attractive old neighborhoods, bayside restaurants, and an edgy art community. 

We visited Tacoma’s International Museum of Glass before taking a 5-mile drive and hikes in the stunning Point Defiance Park (see photos).

On the way to Tacoma, we traveled over the Narrows Bridge. This is the replacement of the famous Galloping Gertie bridge that twisted apart in a storm in 1940. 

Please also see our 5 other blog posts for the beautiful state of Washington, USA:

USA Washington Leavenworth

USA Washington Orcas Island San Juan Islands

USA Washington Port Townsend Olympic Peninsula

USA Washington San Juan Island

USA Washington Seattle

 

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Travel for half the cost for all levels of travel from budget to luxury and 100's of other unique travel tips! From a former Economic professor, experienced traveler (106 countries), award-winning travel photojournalist/blogger, featured speaker at large travel shows, host of the travel TV show Plan Your Escape® TV aired on the CW network, and travel columnist for the Huffington Post, our popular 5-star customer rated groundbreaking and comprehensive how-to world travel book Plan Your Escape, Secrets of Traveling the World for Less Than the Cost of Living at Home reveals secrets how you can travel and see more for half the cost for all trips, experience more adventure and romance, safely realize your travel dreams with comprehensive planning tools and checklists, travel the world for less than $100/day for a couple, and much more!
Buy this popular book on Amazon.com (also available as Ebook for $9.99), CLICK HERE

Port Townsend & the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Resident Performers at Uptown Street Fair
- Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Wayne Riding 1922 Ford Model T
- Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Farmers' Market 
- Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Pat at Merrymere Falls 
- Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Deer Wandering Streets
- Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Victorian Home 
- Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Path to Lake Krystal
- Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

Wayne at Merrymere Falls
- Olympic Peninsula, 
Washington, USA

Vintage Car Show 
- Port Townsend, Washington, USA

Port Townsend & the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA (8/21-23/2009) 

We could live in Port Townsend! - at least during the summer (although they claim the rest of the year has rather mild climate).

Like a throw back to days gone by, Port Townsend is an artsy town with a real community feeling has Victorian-era buildings and homes everywhere and wild deer wander the streets (see photos).

Founded in 1851, west of Seattle, and one of only three remaining Victorian seaports in the U.S., Port Townsend is a gateway to the Olympic Peninsula. Walking Port Townsend's downtown area is fun – full of vintage buildings, artist galleries, and good restaurants. 

Everything in Port Townsend is in a easy walking distance. When you don't feel like walking it is easy to catch a bus to anywhere in the town.

We were fortunate to be here for the Uptown Street Fair starting with a classic car show, then a farmers’ market, street fair, bands playing, and a very funky community parade with people from town dressed up silly (see photos).

Wayne took a ride in a 1922 Model T Ford. We also took a driving tour of the Olympic Peninsula going up to the top of Hurricane Ridge for views to everywhere and a beautiful hike to Merrymere Falls near Lake Krystal.

Please also see our 5 other blog posts for the beautiful state of Washington, USA:

USA Washington Gig Harbor Tacoma

USA Washington Leavenworth 

USA Washington Orcas Island San Juan Islands

USA Washington San Juan Island 

USA Washington Seattle

 

 

Please enjoy 250+ wonderful places around the world, with award-winning photos, from our BLOG ARCHIVE on the right ---->
 

Travel for half the cost for all levles of travel from budget to luxury and 100's of other unique travel tips! From a former Economic professor, experienced traveler (106 countries), award-winning travel photojournalist/blogger, featured speaker at large travel shows, host of the travel TV show Plan Your Escape® TV aired on the CW network, and travel columnist for the Huffington Post, our popular 5-star customer rated groundbreaking and comprehensive how-to world travel book Plan Your Escape, Secrets of Traveling the World for Less Than the Cost of Living at Home reveals secrets how you can travel and see more for half the cost for all trips from weekend getaways to longer vacations and trips, experience more adventure and romance, safely realize your travel dreams with comprehensive plannning tools and checklists, travel the world for less than $100/day for a couple, and much more!
Buy this popular book on Amazon.com (also available as Ebook for $9.99), CLICK HERE

San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Beautiful Roche Harbor 
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Picturesque Roche Harbor 
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Hiking Trail - San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Wayne Kicking Back on San Juan Island

Pelinaba Lavender Farm
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Hiking Trail
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Wayne at Whale Watch Park
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Westcott Bay Sculpture Park
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

After Glow Mausoleum
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Loved Picking Wild Blackberries
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

Wayne Swimming in Larson Lake
- San Juan Island, Washington, USA

San Juan Island, Washington, USA (8/18-19/2009) - Beautiful fun island with lots to do!

Staying in Friday Harbor, the largest town in the San Juan Islands, we explored quaint shops, restaurants and had a fabulous dinner at the Duck Soup Inn. The next day we toured San Juan Island starting with breakfast at the beautiful ‘yachty’ Roche Harbor (see photo).

Established in the late 1800’s as the largest lime producer in the West, this spectacular area has the wonderful Westcott Bay Sculpture Park where you wander around a beautiful field, lake, and forest enjoying over 100 sculptures displayed in outdoor settings. 

We also visited the After Glow Mausoleum where the family ashes of the owner of the lime works are creped in cement chairs around a cement table (see photos).

We took wonderful hikes through forests in the English Camp National Historical Park (site of the Pig War - yes, the Americans and British almost went to war here in the 1890’s). 

We had a wine and cheese picnic at Whale Watch Park in the Lime Kiln State Park (see photo). None of the three pods of Orcas Whales showed up for us but we did see a seal and had a great seaside picnic. 

Then we were off seeing alpacas at Krystal Acres Alpaca Farm and more lavender than we have ever seen at Pelindaba Lavender Farm. We finished our daily trek with a swim in Lawson’s Lake (see photos). 

San Juan Island is a wonderful island - now one our favorites!

Please also see our 5 other blog posts for beautiful Washington, USA:

USA Washington Gig Harbor Tacoma

USA Washington Leavenworth

USA Washington Orcas Island San Juan Islands

USA Washington Port Townsend Olympic Peninsula

USA Washington Seattle

Please enjoy 250+ wonderful places around the world, with award-winning photos, from our BLOG ARCHIVE on the right ---->

Travel for half the cost for all levels of travel from budget to luxury and 100's of other unique travel tips! From a former Economic professor, experienced traveler (106 countries), award-winning travel photojournalist/blogger, featured speaker at large travel shows, host of the travel TV show Plan Your Escape® TV aired on the CW network, and travel columnist for the Huffington Post, our popular 5-star customer rated groundbreaking and comprehensive how-to world travel book Plan Your Escape, Secrets of Traveling the World for Less Than the Cost of Living at Home reveals secrets how you can travel and see more for half the cost for all trips from weekend getaways to longer vacations and trips, experience more adventure and romance, safely realize your travel dreams with comprehensive planning tools and checklists, travel the world for less than $100/day for a couple, and much more! 

Buy this popular book on Amazon.com (also available as Ebook for $9.99), CLICK HERE