Travel and adventures primarily in the Pacific Northwest written by a lifelong resident of Washington state. A special emphasis on places that are dog-friendly.
On a recent sunny summer day I had the pleasure of taking a Woodinville Washington wine tasting tour. Although I've visited several of the wineries before, the last time was several years ago and I was amazed at how many new wineries have been added. With a total of around 100 wine tasting rooms, I obviously couldn't visit all of them in one day!
Entrance to the Chateau Ste Michelle Winery - Woodinville, WA
The grapes for Washington wines are grown in vineyards east of the Cascade Mountain Range in the more arid part of the state, but many of the wineries have opened tasting rooms in the Woodinville area to bring the wine closer to Seattle and the more densely populated Puget Sound region.
Where is the Woodinville Wine Country?
No visit to the Woodinville Wine Country is complete without stopping by the gorgeous grounds of Chateau Ste Michelle.
Grape vines in Woodinville, WA
Although the beautiful grounds of Ste Michelle have grapes growing, they are for landscaping effect only and not used to make wine.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Tasting Room - Woodinville, WA
Built in 1976 on the estate formerly owned by Pacific Northwest Timber Baron Frederick Stimson, Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State's oldest winery and was also the first to have a presence in the Woodinville area.
Columbia Winery Entrance
Right across the road from Chateau Ste. Michelle is the entrance to Columbia Winery, another of the first wineries to locate in the Woodinville area.
Columbia Winery - Woodinville, WA
Columbia's grounds and tasting room are lovely as well, although instead of a brick-covered French Country Estate, the building is more in a light and airy Cape Cod style.
Hollywood Schoolhouse
The old Hollywood School building is home to several winery tasting rooms and is rented out for events including weddings.
Alexandria Nicole Cellars
Among the wineries in the Hollywood School complex is the Alexandria Nicole Cellars.
Gorman Winery
Across the street from Hollywood Schoolhouse is the Gorman winery.
Mark Ryan Winery
Kitty-corner from Hollywood School is a strip mall that includes several more tasting rooms including Mark Ryan Winery.....
Sparkman Cellars Tasting Room - Woodinville, WA
Sparkman Cellars.....
DeLille Cellars - Woodinville, WA
and DeLille Cellars. There are numerous other winery tasting rooms along and near Highway 202 - also known as the Woodinville-Redmond Road.
Matthews Winery Tasting Room - Woodinville, WA
The Matthews Winery tasting room may not have as an impressive exterior, but don't let the outside deter you from stopping. Inside you can taste some of Washington's best Bordeaux-style wines.
To enjoy a day of wine tasting in Woodinville, it is essential to have a designated driver, hire a cab or town car driver or sign up for a Woodinville Wine Country Tour. Tour operators pick up and return guests to most hotels in downtown Seattle. For those who would prefer overnight accommodations in the the more pastoral Woodinville, Willows Lodge offers a convenient wine tour guest package.
For RVers, the nearest RV Park is Lake Pleasant RV Park about 5 miles away in Bothell, WA.
Redhook Brewery - Woodinville, WA
If you would rather drink beer, nearby Redhook Brewery offers tours and beer tasting.
Woodinville Whiskey Company - Woodinville, WA
Or, if you prefer whiskey, the Woodinville Whiskey Company is one of several distillers offering tours and tastings, too.
After stopping at about 6 wineries I skipped the whiskey and beer and had my designated driver take me back home to take a nap! Obviously I will need to take a few more tours to hit all of the wineries. Have you been to the Woodinville Wine Country? Feel free to share your favorite winery to help me prioritize which ones to visit next time.
Washington State has a fantastic system of state parks and Deception State Park is one of the largest, oldest and most popular. My first memories of the park are from camping trips with my parents when I was growing up in the 1950s and 1960s and it remains one of my favorite camping places.
Deception Pass Bridge and Deception Pass State Park
Where is Deception Pass?
Deception Pass State Park is about 80 miles north of Seattle via either I-5 or by taking the Mukilteo - Clinton Ferry and then driving north the length of Whidbey Island.
Personally, I recommend driving north on I-5 because of both the cost and time spent taking the ferry. Although the ferry ride itself is short the waiting times to board the ferry, especially on weekends, can be long.
The Deception Pass Bridge
Completed in 1935, the Deception Pass Bridge was funded by the WPA and built with the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The bridge is actually two spans which connect Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands. The north bridge crosses Canoe Pass which separates Fidalgo Island and tiny Pass Island and the south bridge spans Deception Pass which separates Pass Island and Whidbey Island. There are several turn-outs on the curving road on the Fidalgo Island side near the approach to the bridge that provide good vantage points to see the bridge, but they are small and often full on a weekend or summer day.
Pass Island and the Deception Pass Bridge - Photo credit: "Deceptionpass bridge2" by Jet Lowe - Historic American Engineering Record, Library of Congress - Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Deception Pass Bridge Facts
Built in 1934-1935 with funding from the WPA
Opened July 31, 1935
Height from water to the bridge deck: about 180 feet, depending on the tide
Road - State Highway 20 with two 11-foot lanes, one in each direction
Pedestrian Access: There is a 3 foot sidewalk on each side
Bridge Width: 28 feet
Total Bridge length (both spans): 1487 feet
Number of Vehicle crossings: an average of 20,000 per day
Cost of Construction: $482,000
In 1982 the bridge was designated as a historical landmark
The swirling waters below the bridge are even more treacherous than they appear. During ebb and flow tides the water travels through at over 9 miles per hour and has has numerous small islands and submerged rocks that cause dangerous eddies. Traveling through the pass in a boat is not recommended for anyone but experienced navigators. Before the bridge was built travelers used a ferry to commute between Whidbey and Fidalgo Island.
Deception Pass History Sign - Wickipedia Commons (Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)
On the Whidbey Island side of the bridge is a large parking lot with a large rustic sign with information about Deception Pass. It is a good place to leave your car to walk across the bridge to enjoy the views, take photos and get some exercise. It is about a half-mile round-trip to cross the bridge and return. Be aware that parking in this lot does require purchase of either a Washington State Park day-use pass or the display of an annual Washington State Park Discover Pass. Overnight campers are given a receipt to display when they check in that provides access to all areas of the park without purchasing an additional pass.
Deception Pass State Park
Deception Pass State Park Sign
Deception Pass State Park is 4,134-acres in size with portions on both Fidalgo and Whidbey Islands with entrance gates near the two ends of the Deception Pass Bridge. It is the most visited state park in Washington State with over 2 million visitors each year. The park is open year round for both day use and overnight camping and I especially enjoy camping there in the winter. The proximity to the water keeps the temperatures mild enough for enjoyable winter camping and it is much less crowded.
Although there are several camping areas, my favorite is the forest loop in the Cranberry Lake Campground. I admit that my opinion may be biased because of the fond memories from camping there in my childhood. Since Deception Pass State Park is the most popular state park in the State of Washington, don't expect to just drive in and find a camping spot in the peak summer camping months. You may get lucky, but to avoid disappointment, I recommend making a reservation.
Deception Pass State Park RV Camping Area
The large camping sites are arranged along a meandering road under towering old growth evergreen trees. For those who want to get out and stretch their legs, there are 38 miles of hiking trails in the park. Or if you prefer to ride bikes, in addition to the roads, there are 3 miles of bike trails.
Beautiful Cranberry Lake is just a short walk from the campground and also accessible from the road with a boat launch.
Cranberry Lake - Deception Pass State Park
Cranberry Lake offers opportunities for fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking and swimming. The park also includes access to 2 other lakes - Pass Lake and a small piece of shoreline along Campbell Lake for a total of 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline.
Cranberry Lake
One of the most unique features of the park is the proximity of Cranberry Lake to the saltwater of Puget Sound. The two bodies of water are separated by an access road and few hundred yards of sandy beach.
Deception Pass Saltwater Beach
As kids we would play and swim in the cold saltwater (approximately 50 F. year round) as long as we could tolerate the cold and then run across the narrow strip to Cranberry Lake which felt as warm as water in a bath tub after being in Puget Sound.
The park has a total of 19 miles of saltwater shoreline for walking beach combing and watching the creatures in the tide pools like the ones on the rock in the photo. Going out to the rock does require paying attention to the tide. With high tides it is often surrounded by deep and dangerous swirling water.
Bald Eagle at Deception Pass
The strong currents don't seem to bother the bald eagles who can often be seen swooping down to grab a fish. Deception Pass is a great place to go for those who enjoy watching birds and other wildlife. Visitors to the park have recorded sightings of 174 varieties of birds. It is not uncommon to see seals, sea lions, orca whales, humpback whales, gray whales, deer, raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits and numerous other species.
If you don't have time (or a reservation) to spend the night, Deception Pass State Park is a great place to spend the day. There are numerous picnic tables along the saltwater beach or some lovely shady picnic areas like this one along the shore of Cranberry Lake near the entrance gate to the park.
Many of my ancestors were of Scottish descent, so the love of bagpipe bands must be in my blood. I enjoy going to the numerous highland games that are held in the Pacific Northwest every summer. It is by no means the largest, but one of my favorites is the Skagit Valley Highland Games. The games are sponsored by the Celtic Arts Foundation and are held at Edgewater Park in Mount Vernon,WA on the 2nd full weekend in July. One of the reasons I like this particular event is that they are one of the few clan gatherings that allows leashed dogs on the grounds.
Parking is free and there are several lots with a free shuttle from parking to the entrance gate. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the gate. Pass though the colorful castle-like entrance to a world of Celtic traditions.
Skagit Valley Highland Games Entrance Gate
It goes without saying that there is a lot of plaid.
Plaids for sale at the Skagit Valley Highland Games
Both young and old demonstrating or competing in Scottish dancing.
Highland Dancing at the Skagit Valley Highland Games
One area features the athletic competition with traditional Scottish athletic "Heavy Events" throwing stones, hammers, cabers and sheafs.
Highland Games "Heavy Events" Competion
There are numerous vendors and crafts including woodworking and leather and traditional historical items like swords and shields.
Leather Crafts at the Skagit Valley Highland Games
Another tent had demonstrations by weavers and wool spinners.
Weavers and Spinners at the Skagit Valley Highland Games
There were 2 days of sheep dog herding competition. Although my border collie, Hank has only tried sheep herding once, he looked on with great interest. (See Hank Tries Herding Sheep) Just like my enjoyment of bagpipes, the interest in sheep herding must be in his blood.
Border Collie Herding Sheep - Skagit Valley Highland Games
Pony rides for the kids.
There was a variety of Scottish music featuring fiddles, harps and guitars.
Adult beverages like beer, wine and whiskey...
And of course, the bagpipes
Pipers practicing at the Skagit Valley Highland Games
and the pipe bands all marching together at the finale.
For anyone who would like to experience all three days of this colorful event, there are numerous lodging options in Mt. Vernon.
There is also free RV camping and parking area immediately adjacent to venue. However, it does NOT have any amenities available like electrical, water or sewer hook-ups. There are several RV Parks and Washington State Parks with overnight RV camping nearby as well.
RV Parking and Camping
Where is Mount Vernon, WA?
Mount Vernon is located about 60 miles north of Seattle.
A day in Port Gamble, Washington is like taking a trip in a time machine to the Pacific Northwest in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Port Gamble was established in 1853 as a company town, built by the Puget Mill Company, owned by Charles Foster, Josiah Keller, Andrew Pope and William Talbot. The company later became Pope and Talbot, Inc.
Port Gamble Water Towers - Port Gamble, WA
It is unknown exactly when these water towers were built, but these towers and the ones that preceded them are probably one of the reasons that the town has been preserved for over a century, instead of being burned to the ground like so many communities from that era.
Where is Port Gamble, WA?
Port Gamble is located on the Kitsap peninsula across Puget Sound from Seattle. The shortest routes are by taking either the Bainbridge Island Ferry from Seattle or the Kingston Ferry from Edmonds.
We opted to take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston. The crossing takes about 35 minutes.
Washington State Ferry
From the Kingston ferry dock it is about a 15 minute drive to Port Gamble. Using the water towers as a landmark we turned onto Rainier Avenue, the main street leading into town. The street is shaded by deciduous trees and lined by saltbox style houses surrounded by white picket fences making it resemble a New England village. The town founders were from East Machias, Maine and so were many of the employees they recruited to work in their sawmill. They designed and built Port Gamble to look like their birthplace. The town was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
Rainier Avenue - Port Gamble, WA
After parking the car, we did a tour of the town using the handy Walking Tour Map of Port Gamble that I printed off from the town website.
Sign with history information - Port Gamble, WA
In addition to the free printable map with information about the buildings, there are also numerous signs posted on the fences with the main details about the building. Because of the location where we found a parking spot, we began our tour with the Walker-Ames house, the grandest and largest house in the town. This house was built in 1888-1889, as the replacement for the original home that burned down in a fire. The street entrance photo is actually the back door of the house. Since most visitors arrived by boat when the house was built, the front door faces the bay and the site of the sawmill. The sawmill was the oldest continuously operating mill in North America when it closed in 1995. It was subsequently demolished.
Walker-Ames House - Port Gamble, WA
The Walker-Ames house was intended to be the home of the mill's resident manager, Edwin Ames, but since he was single and didn't need such a large home, it was offered to the mill master mechanic, William Walker who had a wife and several children. Later Edwin Ames married William Walker's daughter and the combined families lived in the house together.
The inside of the house was not available for tours when we visited, but I found a video about a paranormal investigation of the house that shows some of the interiors including some of the beautiful old woodwork and stained glass.
Port Gamble has a local paranormal organization which hosts ghost Walks, paranormal investigations and an annual Ghost Conference near the end of October each year.
Pope and Talbot Office and Port Gamble General Store
The General Store was the "Company Store" and company office where employees picked up their pay and could spend it to buy goods like work clothes, tools, household items and food. It was built in 1916 as a replacement for a succession of older ones. It currently houses a store, a cafe and the Port Gamble Historical Museum on the lower level.
Port Gamble is not only historic, but beautiful. Baskets full of lush flowers were hung on posts along the streets.
Port Gamble Community Hall and Post Office
The community hall was built in 1906. The first floor had spaces for community needs including office space for a doctor, a dentist, a barber shop, telegraph office, and post office. The second floor had an auditorium, theater, and dance hall. The building still houses the post office and community center.
Franklin Masonic Lodge - Port Gamble, WA
The Masonic Lodge was built in 1871 and is still in active use by the organization. The building was originally located at the site of the current General Store, but was moved a short distance in 1907 to where it is now..
Daniel B. Jackson House - Port Gamble, WA
Captain Daniel B. Jackson's built this house in 1871 on land belonging to Pope and Talbot. The company allowed people to build homes on company property and charged $1 per year for rent. Captain Jackson managed the company's fleet of steamboats used to transport logs and wood.
The New York House - Port Gamble, WA
The New York House was built in 1863 and originally served as a company guest house. Over the years it served as a hospital and the home for the town's resident doctor.
Cranmer House - Port Gamble, WA
The Cramner house was built in 1890 and was the home of Clarence Cramner and his wife Lulu. Clarence Cramner was a Past Master of the Port Gamble Masonic Lodge in 1896. The building now is used as a tea house.
Puget Hotel Stable - Port Gamble. WA
Now the home of several small shops, this building was once the stable of the Puget Hotel. The hotel was built in 1903 and was open for business until it was damaged in a wind storm in 1962. It was determined to be too severely damaged to be repaired so it was demolished in 1963.
Wedding Venues in Port Gamble
With such a scenic site and so many historic buildings, Port Gamble is a popular site for weddings.
Historic St. Paul's Episcopal Church with its classic architecture is a beautiful location for a wedding.
The Hood Canal Vista Pavilion - Port Gamble, WA
The Vista Pavilion was built in 2009 on the site of the old Puget Hotel, but it was designed in a craftsman style that blends well with the historic buildings in the town. The site is gorgeous with a view of Hood Canal. The pavilion can be used for weddings, receptions or both.
An adjoining spot with room for a tent is available for larger groups.
Honeysuckle vines
A close-up view of the arbor at the entrance to the site reveals that it is covered with fragrant honeysuckle.
Service Station and Garage - Port Gamble, WA
Due to the increasing popularity of the automobile, in 1920 the company built a gas station and auto repair shop. Ultimately the automobile gave employees the mobility to commute to work, and was one of the main causes of the demise of the "company town".
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