www.ontrakmag.com50  / 2020

SPRING / TACOMAOFTEN OVERLOOKED BECAUSE of Seattle, its sophisticated neighbor to the north, Taco-ma has plenty of cool to offer all its own. For starters, it’s basically culture central—when you arrive you’ll want to beeline to the various mu-seums that dot this city.

There’s truly something to appease all curious states—the LeMay: America’s Car Museum is an incredible collection of vehicles, organized into a spiral you can walk through for hours. The Mu-seum of Glass down the street has a number of works by Dale Chihuly and others, as well as a hot shop where glass artists work throughout the day.

Or swing by the Washington State History Museum, which delves the compelling stories of Washington’s early years. If you have kids

in tow, The Children’s Museum of Tacoma will keep them occupied for hours with learning and play. And the Foss Waterway Seaport pro-vides a deep dive on the maritime history of the region.

When you get hungry, head to The Table, a fine-dining restaurant focused on local ingredi-ents with duck, scallops and elk on the menu. Another upscale option, Pacific Grill in down-town Tacoma, has plenty of oysters and other seafood to satisfy a craving. And The Lobster Shop will do you one better with all things lob-ster (and prawns, and scallops, and on and on). If you’re seeking something a little more lively, try Dirty Oscar’s Annex, where you can get a Dead Elvis Burger—candied bacon, pea-nut butter—and all manner of cocktails.

The Museum of Glass has Chihuly exhibits, as well as work by other glass artists.

Wandering Through WashingtonA SEASON-BY-SEASON GUIDE TO THE STATE’S BEST SPOTSWRITTEN BY SHEILA G. MILLER

WASHINGTON

Chu

ck L

ysen

www.ontrakmag.com52  / 2020 www.ontrakmag.com 2020 /  53

photos, at left from top: Pacific Grill; LeMay: America’s Car Museum; Nick Jurich

When you’ve reached the end of your day, head to Hotel Murano, an artsy boutique hotel in downtown Tacoma with comfortable rooms. The Silver Cloud Inn on the waterfront is about as scenic as it gets—2 miles north of the down-town, every room has a waterfront view.

SUMMER / SEATTLEYou know Seattle, but you may not know it

in the summer. Seattle comes alive in this sea-son. There are constant outdoor events such as Bumbershoot, an enormous music and art festi-val, as well as the Seattle International Beerfest and the Bite of Seattle. These events alone are reasons to visit.

Incidentally, they all take place in Seattle Cen-ter, a huge area originally used for the World’s

Fair that has been repurposed into the cultural center of the city. Here you’ll find museums and the Space Needle, which underwent a massive renovation that improved the views and must be seen to be believed. While here, check out Chihuly Garden & Glass, a love song to Dale Chihuly’s genius, and the Museum of Pop Cul-ture, which has a massive permanent collection of music and other paraphernalia as well as ro-tating exhibits that appeal to all generations.

Seattle Great Wheel is an enormous Ferris wheel on Pier 57 that provides great views and, if you’re so inclined, drinks on the VIP rides.

In one of the city’s most beloved neighbor-hoods you’ll find the Ballard Locks, which open and close for boats and ships—plus, during the summer you can watch salmon migrate through

them. For some outdoor time, you’ll mix with plenty of locals at Green Lake or Alki Beach, or try renting a kayak and heading into the lake near University of Washington. A surprising-ly interesting (and cool) option is Beneath the Streets, a tour that takes you underground to see historic passageways below the city. And of course, you’ll want to fight the crowds at Pike Place Market. It’s worth seeing fish thrown or buying a massive bouquet of fresh flowers.

While there, you can grab a sandwich above it all at Matt’s in the Market, a great restaurant that overlooks the bustle of the market.

Eight Row was named one of the best restau-rants in Seattle by Eater, or you can get your sea-food fix at The Walrus and The Carpenter. Fine dining options include Canlis and L’Oursin, but

Seattle has no shortage of great restaurants on every corner. When it’s time to rest your head, settle in at Kimpton Hotel Monaco or Kimpton Palladian Hotel, or Embassy Suites near Centu-ryLink Field. Enjoy the funky Maxwell Hotel, which has bikes and is dog friendly.

FALL / VANCOUVERVancouver is another spot overlooked because

of its fancy neighbor—in this case, Portland just across the river. But Vancouver is working on its specific brand of excellence—and it’s succeed-ing. Fall is the perfect time of year to visit the city, when the air is crisp but the rain hasn’t yet arrived (fingers crossed).

Vancouver is a wealth of history—Fort Vancouver started as a fur trading post in

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Pike Place Market is iconic for a reason. Bumbershoot is a longtime music and arts festival in Seattle. Vancouver’s waterfront develop-ment shines.

PACIFIC GRILL

CAR MUSEUM

MATT’S IN THE MARKET

LEMAY: AMERICA’S

Vis

it Se

attle

/Ala

bast

ro P

hoto

grap

hy

Vis

it Va

ncou

ver U

SAC

hris

toph

er N

elso

n

www.ontrakmag.com54  / 2020 www.ontrakmag.com 2020 /  55

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Hit the slopes at Mt. Baker ski area. The Fairhav-en Historic District has great shopping. Vancouver’s Pearson Air Museum takes you back in time.

the nineteenth century and served as a military post as well. Today, a replica of the fort stands on the original site, and provides a wealth of in-formation on how early settlers to the area lived. Nearby is Pearson Air Museum, which cele-brates aviation history and has a number of neat old airplanes on site.

For something much more modern, check out Vancouver’s new waterfront development. The huge project turned an underused swath of riverfront property into a multiuse development that is transforming the city. There are restau-rants, bars, condos and trails that will keep you busy for an entire day. At The Waterfront, grab a self-serve beer at Barlow’s Public House, or-der fish and chips at The Daily Catch and stroll along the Waterfront Renaissance Trail.

The city has taken a cue from its neighbor to the south and gotten deep into the brewing game. Vancouver has fourteen breweries, and you’re welcome to grab a Brewcouver passport and collect stamps and prizes when you visit them. Don’t miss a hazy IPA at Trap Door Brewing.

When it’s dinner time, check out Lapellah, which has a sophisticated menu often associated

with the big city. For something a little more down home, The Smokin’ Oak has everything you love about traditional barbecue joints, with a few surprises (buffalo cauliflower, anyone?). And you will not be let down by Rally Pizza, a special place in an unassuming location—order a pizza and some frozen custard and die happy.

The Hotel Indigo on the Vancouver Water-front is slated to open in 2020, and will be right in the thick of things. Other good options in-clude The Heathman Lodge or the Hilton Van-couver Washington.

WINTER / BELLINGHAMThere’s just something special about Bell-

ingham. No matter the season, this little city punches beyond its weight in dining, shopping and outdoor adventure.

Start in the Fairhaven Historic District, which features nineteenth-century Victorian architecture and charm. The district has tons of locally owned shops, including several art galleries and studios.

If you’re hungry, Colophon Cafe in Fairhaven is a universal longtime favorite, with soup boards

SPRINGLeMay: America’s Car Museum www.americas carmuseum.org

Museum of Glass www.museum ofglass.org

Washington State History Museum www.washington history.org

The Children’s Museum of Tacoma www.playtacoma.org

Foss Waterway Seaport www.fosswaterway seaport.org

The Table www.thetable tacoma.com

Pacific Grill www.pacificgrill tacoma.com

The Lobster Shop www.lobstershop.com

Dirty Oscar’s Annex www.dirtyoscars annex.com

Hotel Murano www.hotelmurano tacoma.com

Silver Cloud Inn www.silvercloud. com/tacoma

SUMMERBumbershoot www.bumbershoot.com

Seattle International Beerfest www.seattlebeer fest.com

Bite of Seattle www.biteof seattle.com

Chihuly Garden & Glass www.chihulygarde-nandglass.com

Museum of Pop Culture www.mopop.org

Seattle Great Wheel www.seattlegreat wheel.com

Beneath the Streets www.beneath-the- streets.com

Matt’s in the Market www.mattsinthe market.com

Eight Row www.eightrow.com

Taylor Shellfish www.taylorshellfish farms.com

Canlis www.canlis.com

L’Oursin www.loursinseattle.com

Kimpton Hotel Monaco www.monaco- seattle.com

Kimpton Palladian Hotel www.palladian hotel.com

Maxwell Hotel www.stay pineapple.com

FALLFort Vancouver www.nps.gov

Pearson Air Museum www.nps.gov

Barlow’s Public House www.barlows brewery.com

The Daily Catch www.wildfin americangrill.com

Waterfront Renaissance Trail www.visitvancouver usa.com

Trap Door Brewing www.trapdoor brewing.com

Lapellah www.lapellah.com

The Smokin’ Oak www.facebook.com

Rally Pizza www.rallypizza.com

Hotel Indigo www.thewaterfront vancouverusa.com

Heathman Lodge www.heathman lodge.com

Hilton Vancouver Washington www3.hilton.com

WINTERFairhaven Historic District www.bellingham.org

Colophon Cafe www.colophon cafe.com

Skylark’s Hidden Cafe www.skylarks hiddencafe.com

Mt. Baker Ski Area www.mtbaker.us

Taylor Shellfish www.taylorshellfish farms.com

The Oyster Bar www.theoyster bar.net

Boundary Bay Brewery www.bbay brewery.com

Kulshan Brewing Co. www.kulshan brewing.com

Fairhaven Village Inn www.fairhaven villageinn.com

The Chrysalis Inn & Spa www.thechrysalisinn andspabellingham. curiocollection.com

PLAN YOUR TRIP EAT   STAY   PLAY

and excellent sandwiches. Or try Skylark’s Hid-den Cafe for a range of delicious options.

In the winter, Bellingham is an excellent jump-ing-off point for hitting the snow at Mt. Baker Ski Area, which is about 1.5 hours away.

Or try a scenic tour along Chuckanut Drive south of Bellingham and visit small towns along the water. You’ll be able to try oysters and other seafood at Taylor Shellfish and The Oyster Bar, as well as see some of Washington’s most in-credible scenery.

If beer is your thing, Bellingham has you cov-ered. The oldies are still the goodies—Boundary Bay Brewery won hearts long ago, as did Kul-shan Brewing Co., and neither will let you down in your search for a good IPA. You can grab a Tap Trail passport and go as deep into the scene as you like.

Right in the heart of Fairhaven is the Fair-haven Village Inn, which offers as much charm as it does proximity to the action. A mile north is The Chrysalis Inn & Spa, which pleases ev-ery traveler with its sweet location on Belling-ham Bay and its delightful amenities and first- class spa.

THERE’S JUST SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT BELLINGHAM. NO MATTER THE SEASON, THIS LITTLE CITY PUNCHES BEYOND ITS WEIGHT IN DINING, SHOPPING AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE.

Pete

r Jam

es P

hoto

grap

hy/B

ellin

gham

Wha

tcom

Cou

nty

Tour

ism

Dea

nna

Sivr

et/B

ellin

gham

Wha

tcom

Cou

nty

Tour

ism

Vis

it Va

ncou

ver U

SA