Very cool & awesome experience. You never know what you'll see as nature has its own agenda. We saw…read more1 humpback, and 4 grays. The guides were knowledgeable & friendly. The bottomless mug seems like a very good deal (hot chocolate, coffee), and they even were washing mugs at the end of the trip so it would be clean for customers. I just wish the mug design was slightly cuter haha

We did a gray whale watching tour in puget sound--the captain mentioned early on that every trip is…read moredifferent, like a safari on the water--we found gray whales feeding in shallow water off Whidbey Island across from Camano. Very cool trip, great boat, awesome staff and good coffee to boot! Definitely recommend!

We had dreamed of going on a safari for years but didn't know where to start. Then we had the good…read morefortune of meeting Phil. From the very first day of working with him to plan and organize our trip of a lifetime, we felt we were in great hands. Phil's fantastic first-hand knowledge of the camps allowed him to create a trip that far surpassed the typical group package deals. Phil meticulously plans every detail of the trip, from the best places to stay to recover from jet lag before the safari, to every transfer. You are never left wondering where to go or if someone will be there to meet you. The camps he chooses are small and personal, where you are taken care of and treated like family. The safari experience is second to none, with personal drivers and guides who are excellent, highly skilled, and knowledgeable. If you want a safari experience to remember, I can't recommend Phil and On Safari-In enough!

This was one of the most amazing trips I've ever been on, and I can't imagine doing it without…read morePhil's help. We didn't know anything about going on safari, and Phil build a custom trip that catered to exactly our personal travel style of going to some of the more off-the-beaten-path places with fewer tourists, but still lots of amazing experiences (we watched a family of elephants chase off a pair of male lions!). Everyone we met was on their 4th or 10th safari and when they found out we'd never been before, they'd always ask, "So how did you even find this place?" Also I had no idea you could have a vacation with this much adventure and yet zero stress. Having Phil take care of everything and getting it all arranged for and paid in advance took a HUGE load off of us, which was so great as we both have jobs where we typically do a lot of planning and project management. By taking care of that, Phil let us go on an exciting vacation where we actually got to RELAX. We took literally THOUSANDS of amazing photos, but here are just a couple fun ones I shot with my phone.

Great mushroom forage 101 for the beginner! Will definitely recommend to friends in the area!read more

If someone had told me a year ago that I'd spend 2 hours and 15 minutes on a cold November morning…read morewillingly learning about mushroom identification and foraging, I would have laughed... and yet here we are. This experience with Forage Seattle (booked through Airbnb Experiences) was the perfect blend of education and exploration, and our guide Vassilissa made what could have been a dry lecture into a genuinely engaging forest adventure. We arrived promptly at 9:30am on November 9th at Bridle Trails State Park (you'll need a Discover Pass to park, which costs $45 annually). The Google Maps pin was accurate, and the only minor hiccup was that the portable restroom was being serviced that morning - so plan accordingly. Our group of seven joined four other participants, making it an intimate 11-person experience that still felt personal and interactive. What struck me immediately was how knowledgeable Vassilissa was - until she casually mentioned (at the very end!) that she was relatively new to guiding, we would have NEVER known. She demonstrated her expertise through every identification, every answer to our random questions, and every teaching moment when we stumbled upon something unexpected.We spent the first hour at the picnic tables. The setup was beautiful - black tablecloths, mushroom identification guides, jars of foraged specimens, and all the tools we'd need spread before us. She walked us through essential safety tips (the most memorable being "when in doubt, throw it out"). We learned about the seasonality of mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest (you can forage 10 months out of the year!), how to identify a mushroom by examining the cap, stem, and gills/pores, and how to use the specialized foraging knife with its curved brush. She explained each tool: the perforated basket (to redistribute spores as you walk), the UV flashlight (which she demonstrated on fluorescent mushrooms - SO cool), the lighter (for the maple syrup smell on candy cap mushrooms), and the identification guide.One of my favourite revelations? The mushroom emoji is actually a poisonous mushroom (Amanita muscaria). Who knew?! After our classroom session, we crossed into Bridle Trails State Park's forested trails. Vassilissa explained what to look for when hunting edible mushrooms: ideal conditions, the importance of "duff" (that thick layer of decomposing organic matter on the forest floor), and how to identify both edible and inedible specimens. We got INCREDIBLY lucky with the weather - a dry, sunny fall day that was cold but not uncomfortably chilly. Fun fact: if the forest is more than 50 percent red cedar, you won't find edible mushrooms! We primarily hunted for chanterelles but also found Zellers bolete mushrooms along the trail. While our collective bounty wasn't massive (each person walked away with a handful), the process of learning to spot them was incredibly satisfying. Every time someone found a mushroom, Vassilissa would get visibly excited and turn it into a teaching moment - examining characteristics, explaining what made it identifiable, and sharing fascinating facts. One memorable moment was when Vassilissa offered us homemade reishi tea that she'd brewed from mushrooms she personally foraged. The earthy, slightly bitter taste was fascinating (and apparently packed with immune-boosting properties).Beyond the practical skills, I learned genuinely surprising things. Did you know that ANY dog can be trained to be a truffle dog (chihuahuas and Burmese mountain dogs were examples)? Vassilissa's approach meant we could ask random questions and she'd thoughtfully explain her perspective (she's a self-proclaimed plucker!). The experience felt less like an educational lecture and more like a fun field trip with an enthusiastic friend who happens to know EVERYTHING about fungi. That's the magic of good teaching - you don't even realize how much you're absorbing because you're genuinely engaged. After foraging, we headed back where Vassilissa shared information about group trips, foraging permit requirements, and the best PNW spots (Mount Rainier but NOT the North Cascades!). She demonstrated how to properly clean mushrooms. As a parting gift, we each received a goody bag of cultivated King Oyster mushrooms grown in Seattle. There was also an opportunity to purchase the Opinel foraging knife or the tabbed identification book. We were complete beginners, and Vassilissa met us exactly where we were with patience and enthusiasm. If you've ever been curious about mushroom foraging, or you're looking for a unique outdoor activity that combines education with gentle adventure, Forage Seattle delivers in every possible way. Just bring your curiosity (and maybe use the restroom before you arrive).

This was a nice little find. We got here late as my sister had to take her son to this de's appt…read more By the time we got to Seattle, it was already 1 pm. Once the entire family met up, we climbed back into the car and headed to Bellevue. Not sur if it was due to the time. But we were surprised there was a lot of parking available. We spent a good 2-hrs here which included getting lost and finding other street entries into the botanical park from a school and from other busy street corner at the bottom of the park. Nice and shaded, quiet little creeks, plenty of seating for those that were inspired to journal, plenty of elderly people using this time to exercise and stretch. We enjoyed the different areas like the swinging bridge, the Japanese garden and even the little cafe they have there. Fairly priced items and plenty of tables to enjoy a refreshment and snack. By the time we were done, the gift shop was already closed. So I took the opportunity to drop a donation into the box instead.

The Bellevue gardens is a pretty quiet and secluded little spot to relax and take in some nature…read more It's not a huge place, but it's big enough that you can spend an hour or two there, casually strolling about. No trouble with parking, and it is free to enter, so you really should stop by if you are nearby. It's worth it.

Great park off the highway. Clean bathrooms and family friendly. Many trail runners and a good…read morelittle workout. Parking lot was full by 11 but emptied out by 2 on a Sunday. Rain or shine there are people enjoying this path.

So fun!! My partner and I met up with a friend to hike part of Tiger Mountain during our Seattle…read moretrip. Great excuse to get out of the city. We parked at High Point Trailhead, which is right next to the West Tiger #3 Trail. Who named this? Anyways, relatively easy route compared to the rest of Tiger Mountain. Since we had a small kiddo with us, I've decided we'll come back for the longer, more intense trails. We didn't follow the ENTIRE path because I remember doubling back at this spooky cave part of West Tiger. I liked the various open spaces to stop and take a break, letting others pass by. There weren't too many people when we were there. Overall, because I live in a fairly urban area back home, it's a fun escape to encounter lush greenery and mossy goodness. Not a fan of that texture, but it's very pretty.

What a beautiful and popular hike! Parking can be a beast so go early or later in the day if you…read moredon't want to have to hike from a remote spot far away from the start of the actual hike. I took my teen with me and we conquered it in about 7 hours round trip. We used the "new" trail up and back because I didn't want to hear my kid complaining about the brutal elevation gains on the old trail. We lucked out and had a clear, beautiful, sunny view. This won't always be the case and depending on the time of year you may not see much of anything at the top so plan accordingly and be mindful of the weather. We left a sticker and a heart shaped rock we found along the way in the mailbox before we hiked back. It's a fairly challenging hike if you are t in excellent shape- but it's doable if you use the new trail. Pack plenty of water and snacks and something to leave in the mailbox.

Mailbox is a niche hike that's pretty well known around here but not for the views. One of the…read morehardest single day hikes in Washington, it's usually foggy up there but even when it's not, the view isn't all too exciting compared to other trails, well except for the mailbox. As a moderate hiker (once a month or so) in 2018, I was able to push through in 5 hours round trip. Four years later, I tackled Mailbox with only one hike beforehand in the previous 6 months and it took about 5 hours and 40 minutes. Went through the old trail and it's steep to the point where you'll likely feel your calves burning the whole way due to the flexion of your foot. As you enter the trailhead, the first Mailbox sign will be the new trail which is longer but overall easier because it's not a full incline hike. Go further and you'll find the old trail. Once you clear the forest, you'll see tons of boulders and rocks. Hopeful it's the end, you also won't see much in yet and you've still got a chunk of rock climbing left. Completing the hike will probably net you nearly a days worth of calories so you can feast afterwards. Pack some electrolytes, they're saviors. Our party of three hiked this on a collective 4 hours of sleep and some Gatorade was super helpful alongside caffeine. My quads started cramping near the boulders and it made this hike one of the worst I've experienced, but we managed to push through. With my experience, I highly recommend electrolytes because I had some Gatorade and a banana already yet was still dying. Push through to brag to your friends.