Alki Beach - Seattle



 Day View to Downtown Seattle



If you are on a visit to seattle I would highly recommend that you spend your lunch time here at Alki beach. Alki Beach is one of the best secrets of Seattle. Its not really a sand beach but its nice spending time here. Lots of locals

know the area but not many tourists.  Alki Beach is located in a neighborhood called "West Seattle," and faces west to the Olympic Mountains.   There are several restaurants here from coffeehouses (Tully's) to cheap eats (Alki Bakery) to more expensive seafood. 





The water is too chilly to swim in, but there in the summer there are hoards of people roller blading, walking their dogs and trying to soak up as much Seattle sun as possible.  Logs and fire pits complete a 'Pacific Northwest' version of a beach.  At the north end of the strip, turning around the point yields a fantastic view of downtown Seattle and sparkles at night. There are tons of shops and miles of beach. All have magnificent views of downtown Seattle. You can also stop by the Statue of liberty and have some nice shots.

Another interesting place nearby should be seeing is the Alki Point Light house. Just walking distance from Alki Beach. Its a nice calm place away from crowds.

There is one slight downside to getting there. In order to get to Alki from downtown Seattle , you must ride the West Seattle Freeway, a freeway notoriously known for is traffic problems. Once you get there though, you won't regret it. If you would like a restaurant pick, it's Salty's. Great dinning with amazing views. This place can get quite crowded and is expensive, but worth it. Great food.

Some of my shots at Alki



Night View to Seattle Downtown













My sons first Sand Castle



Deception Pass - "Hauntingly Beautiful"





Me & Wifey at Deception Pass Bridge 

Deception Pass is a unique and hauntingly beautiful state park in northwestern Washington, about 45 minutes north of Seattle. Although you can camp and hike here, the real allure is the pass itself, named "Deception Pass" since it is really an island. As soon as you cross over the bridge that looks out over the area, stop your car and hike down onto the rocky precipice that juts out like a delta in the waters. 

From this vantage point you can spend hours watching boats try to traverse the strong waters and exit into the sound. 

There are blueberries, sinds, wildlife and more. We didn't like camping here much; loud jet planes all night, drinking parties, no enforcement of quiet hour. Being there in the day was great: It's beautiful, it's spectacular, it has great beach and trail walking, and there's always the bridge. We hiked up to Goose Rock and had a great view. 

Mount St. Helens - National Volcanic Monument

 

Me @ St Helens



It is about a three hour drive from Seattle. Very rustic and peaceful. Great outdoor trip. We went to several visitor centers and all were wonderful.I went to the Johnston Observatory, and was pleasantly surprised. The view is amazing, and the rangers are very good at explaining everything about the volcano.

It is $8 per person, but I got around 3 hours worth of enjoyment for my money. They have a perimeter walk twice a day around 1300 and 1500 which lasts about 2 hours and is very good. They explain how the area is coming back to life naturally.



St Helens in July



The movie they show twice an hour (:10 and :40) is good. They show footage of the eruption in 1980 and explain the end result that they are dealing with now. And the view from the observatory is fantastic.

I got several great pics. Well worth it.



St.Helens in November

I have been there in summer and winter both. The view in winter was amazing. Check out the pictures shot in december.  If planning for december be sure to call the visitor center before starting,  as at times weather can be very bad and roads may be closed. You can check out the details from their official web site:

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm/volcano-review/index.shtml



Snowqualmie Falls: Seattle's Niagara Falls :)

Snoqualmie Falls is known for how deep it plunges. I believe the information I read states it drops 100 feet lower than Niagara Falls. That said, I had to check it out.From Seattle, it's a short 30 minute drive. At 268 feet and pouring water from the Cascade Mountains, it is awe-inspiring.   This is a very popular spot, so there is no opportunity for solitude. My friends and I encountered people speaking many different languages, showing that Snoqualmie Falls is famous all over the world. 

Despite the crowds, the falls are an enjoyable daytrip. Visitors have the option of an easy walk to a viewing pagoda, or to continue down a trail to see the falls from its base. It is equally impressive from both views.The trail includes wooden steps at points and is easy to follow. Able-bodied people should be able to tackle the trail. 

No dogs are allowed in the park, but this rule isn't very well enforced. Getting There Snoqualmie Falls is located about 28 miles east of Seattle, just north of Interstate 90. There are many signs to point the way. Lodging There is a beautiful lodge here that overlooks the falls. I have been there many times round the year. Taken on December after several days of temperatures ranging from about 15F overnight warming to maybe 35F for the highs have frozen the spray to the usually shaded rocks. 

Multnomah Falls : Beautiful easy to see waterfalls!!

Multnomah Falls

If you ever wanted to see a very large waterfall up close but only have to walk a short distance from a parking lot, then Multnomah Falls is for you. It was a refreshing view and experience. There's hiking trails that lead up to the top of the hill, with a bridge area midway up that gives a better view of the waterfall.Located just off I-84 and exit 35


You can see the falls as soon as you walk up to the park. A short .2 mile walk gets you to the famous bridge, that crosses the two rocks, that frame the falls. If you like, you can walk the additional .8 mile steep trail up to to the top of the falls.
After you are done, you can eat the beautiful and historic lodge at the base of the falls and dry off from the mist in front of the fire.

If you have any extra time at all, take US 30 back to Portland/Troutdale instead of I-84. There are many other waterfalls and spectacular pull offs of views of the gorge along US 30.

North Cascades National Park - Beautiful scenic views of mountains, lakes, dams, and forests.

We started out from Seattle on Highway 20, North Cascades Highway. The small towns leading up to the National Park are interesting. The views were beautiful. Viewpoints overlooking the Gorge Dam, Diablo Dam, and Ross Dam were not only breathtaking but also very informative. There is a viewpoint looking west down on Ross Lake and Ross Dam that is really worth seeing. I would recommend taking your time and stopping at every lookout, you won't be disappointed.

Gorgeous, especially in September! The North Cascades are the most astounding mountains in the Lower 48, and you can get a good look at them here and there along this highway, especially around Diablo Lake and Washington Pass. But the real treats here await just up the trails. This is a hikers and climbers National Park, with few roads.

For a peek at the real peaks, step out of your car and walk a couple of miles up the Heather Pass/Maple Pass trail (near Rainy Pass). Or stroll a more level two miles or so south past alpine lakes on the Pacific Crest Trail. Fantastic.

Clearly marked and almost impossible to miss, these falls are right along the highway about halfway between Newhalem and Diablo. You go over a large bridge that crosses the falls - on the western side of the bridge there is a pretty good sized parking lot. From here, you can hike to an overlook of Gorge Dam, or you can cross the highway for a closer look at the falls, which are just under 250 feet tall.

Ketchum Creek Falls descend about 200 feet (60 m) in a staggering rock hopping path. It is a very graceful waterfall but does not see much attention.Nearby Gorge Creek Falls steals most of the attention since it is labeled on park maps and also has many road signs directing visitors to take a look.Ketchum Creek Falls is actually the more visually appealing waterfall. It can be seen from the road and the most common picture taking location is actually from the road.

 There is a turnoff from Cascades Highway leading to Diablo Dam. The spur road is steep and winds a bit and then continues on this narrow two lane bridge. From this point, a gravel road leads to Diablo Dam.

Once we crossed the diablo dam, there was a beautiful scenic lookout view and a must see.