Easy walk from road, including a cool bridge over the wetland near Lake Quinault. The photos don't…read moregive you a sense of size. You've got to see it for yourself.

I was staying in Quinault Valley and was finishing up my week exploring Olympic National Park. I…read moredid a few hikes earlier in the day and went for a walk around Lake Quinault. I came across a sign that pointed to a trail that leads to a giant Sitka spruce tree. I had some time to spare and enjoyed the short walk to it. A couple years ago, I spent some time in Redwoods National Park and got to see some of the tallest trees in the world. Quinault Valley is also home to some very tall trees because of the average rainfall that this region gets. Lake Quinault is nicknamed the "Valley of the Rain Forest Giants" and this Big Spruce Tree is one of them. The sign in front of the spruce tree boasts that this is the largest spruce tree in the world. It stands 191 feet tall and measures more than 55 feet in circumference. It is quite a sight to see in person. If you are in this area and have some time, take 30 minutes and check this tree out. It is over a thousand years old. The trail is located across the street from Rain Forest Resort Village.

Ediz Hook is a 3-mile-long sand spit close to Port Angeles and extends north towards the Strait of…read moreJuan de Fuca. To get here, drive past a paper company in the industrial district down a narrow road. The U.S. Coast Guard sits at the end of the spit but there is plenty of space for you to park. It's known to be a place to watch the sunset which is what we did, and we saw other cars parked there doing the same. It was super windy outside so we took some pictures and then went back to the car. This spit allows both cars and pedestrians, whereas the longer sand spit east in Sequim (Dungeness Spit) doesn't allow cars.

This is a really ghetto park; it looks like it's the current homeless / drug hangout at the end of…read morethe peninsula. There is pretty much nothing there besides a few cars parked there for good on a dirt lot. We immediately left after we got to the end. The road to the way there was filled with crappy cars that raced way above the speed limit; it seems this is the local hooligan spot... There were some kite surfers on the way there to look at but in summary, Port Angeles seems like a fairly sad place to live.

When I left Victoria in '11, this building had just started to renovate. Now that is is finished I…read morespent a sunny Victoria lunch hour wandering the harbour and decided to peek in. The building holds a Starbuck, restaurant with bar and Robert Bateman Center Shop and Gallery upstairs. I loved that they stayed true to the original design of the building it is so beautiful.

Looks long and it is a long walk. Just a little over a mile in length but feels longer when the…read morewind is swirling. Hoodie good, hat not good. Did not make it to the lighthouse in fear of missing the ferry. Beautiful views.

This is a great place to visit if you are at the Victoria, British Columbia, Canada cruise port…read more It's walking distance from the ships to see the water and lighthouse. This is a great walking activity. Approximately 1 mile walk round-trip from the cruise terminal.

Fan Tan Alley, one of the narrowest streets in Canada and is only three to six feet wide and 240…read morefeet long, that runs between Fisgard Street and Pandora Avenue (formerly Cormorant Street). It came into being between 1885 and 1920 as Chinese and Western landowners initially constructed buildings fronting on Fisgard and Cormorant, then over time filled in the spaces behind with new building. "Fan Tan" is named after a game played in gambling dens above the alley. The lower storefronts housed opium dens, restaurants, and shops. Opium was legal in Canada until 1908, but gambling was not. Trap doors to second floors and locked gates at each end of the alley helped slow down police during raids on the illegal gambling dens. Today, Fan Tan Alley is a neat shopping street with several locally owned stores. The shops are small in size, but each offers something different. Products available in Fan Tan Alley range from ice cream and other treats to vintage records and trendy clothing. Another key feature of Fan Tan Alley is its architecture. A significant amount of the exterior has a brick finish. The old buildings appear extra tall thanks to the street's narrow width.

fan tan alley feels like a secret the city almost doesn't want you to find…read more you can wander through victoria's chinatown without noticing it, then suddenly there it is: an impossibly narrow passage wedged between old brick buildings. stepping in feels less like entering an alley and more like slipping behind the curtain of the city. its name comes from fan tan, a gambling game once played in hidden rooms nearby. a century ago, this alley was alive with apartments, businesses, clan halls, gambling dens, and opium rooms, all connected by stairways, courtyards, and passageways mostly invisible from the street. while some activity was secretive, the bigger story is the community that thrived here despite discrimination and exclusion. for generations of chinese immigrants, fan tan alley offered work, friendship, support, and a sense of belonging. the buildings and hidden courtyards weren't just functional, they were the backbone of a community carving out its own space in a world that often shut them out. the narrow alley, tiny doorways, upper windows, and unusual fractional addresses like "1/2" all hint at the dense, layered way life was lived here. today, fan tan alley hums with a quieter energy. independent shops, galleries, studios, and cafés occupy spaces that once hid games, meetings, and everyday life. the history isn't confined to plaques or museum displays, it lingers in the narrow passage, the hidden courtyards, and the oddly numbered doorways. for all the stories of gambling dens and opium rooms, what remains most striking is the sense that this was, above all, a place where people built lives. walking through it feels less like seeing a landmark and more like stumbling across a piece of history that never quite disappeared.

If you are looking for an usual experience on Orcas Island do not forego visiting this very special…read moreprivate museum that has over 800 works of art from 250 San Juan Island artists. It features the largest collection of HELEN Loggie's work and an extensive collection from James Hardman all in an exquisite architectural setting on the water with breathtaking views complete with follies. It is breathtaking and will provide you with inspiration and awe along with thanks that people like Leo Lambiel exist in this world.

Leo Lambiel's guided tour of his awesome home cum museum is awesome, and well worth the $20 fee per…read moreperson. His taste in art by San Juan Islands artists is eclectic -- inspiring, humorous, ironic, abstract, representational -- in a range of media. The house reflects his own craftsmanship in construction and decoration, and grew from its origins as a cabin to a mansion of many rooms, soaring ceilings, windowed walls, and outdoor stairways. Leo's folly is the grotto, which he continues to work on after 17 years. Wine also is his passion, and his wine room has patterned walls made of used corks. Altogether, a wonderful tour.

Haynes Viewpoint is an excellent view on a hill, right on Highway 101, of the straits, Canada,…read moreBlackball Ferry, ships and sparkling ocean. Free parking lot while small is convenient, marked well with white painted chain. Asphalt trail down below gives one a fabulous opportunity to walk along the scenery, downtown and use the legs after a long car ride. No other services here.

So, I've avoided going to "that one trestle" near Shelton, WA that has no trespassing signs and…read moresuch because I admit I don't want to risk getting arrested. Although, I know a lot of people still go there and don't get arrested but I don't want to change it. So I found out this trestle was easy to access and offered a nice hike. It really was a great hike. Not too steep, not too easy, a little dirty, a great view of a waterfall, and the quiet of the outdoors. There weren't many people on the trail when I went which made the hike even more pleasant. I think it was like 2-3 miles before I reached the trestle and although the trestle itself is pretty impressive, the view of the surrounding greenery was just as impressive. You're allowed to walk on the trestle. Of course, mind your step as there are no side rails or anything to prevent you from falling off or through the railroad slats. I did see several people just sitting and having a picnic so it's a great place to relax. One tip, when you walk through the tunnel that goes underneath the highway, you can keep walking straight for about 1/2 a mile to see the waterfall. Also, if you don't care about the waterfall, turn to the left as you exit the tunnel and walk up to the small parking lot. Then turn and walk toward the highway but don't go out on the highway. There is a small walkway that leads over the tunnel to the start of the trail that leads to the trestle. It'll say you from having to climb up a very steep rock face.

Completely. Fucking. Amazing…read more There are cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, horses, cats, owls, ducks and more in this 100+ year old barn. The massive 1200lb Nutmeg greets you near the front, as do the several feral cats (some blind), and the spotted barn owl. Depending when you visit, sometimes you are able to feed cows potatoes with your hands (it's awesome, but very, very slimy), or feed baby cows (as young as 1 week old) from a bottle. They suckle on your fingers/clothes/anything you put near them. This is an active dairy farm, and they have a lot of education about how dairy farms work, which is also nice to hear about. They also give military ID discounts, which I think is pretty awesome since I have one :) The bad news is that they're only open to the public in April (unless you arrange a special group trip). This year, I'm not even going to the Tulip Festival to see the tulips.. I'm going to Cowtown. Seriously. There aren't words I can put into a review to give you an idea of how much I love this place, except to say.. if I were to die today and there was some sort of Heaven (and I mistakenly got in..), it'd be Cowtown.

Fun stop to breakup the drive Free activity Enjoy A little…read morestretch and enjoy the fresh air

We thought this place was going to be cheesy and dumb. But we were MISTAKEN, it was cool. You can…read morepick trails, you can walk it all, you can find birds, you can sit and talk, you have tons of photo ops. We loved it!!! We walked and talked. Enjoyed the beautiful weather.