We will be about an hour away from the beautiful Mt. Rainier National Park. July is known in the park for wildflowers. There are plenty of hikes to choose from! The paradise area is closest to Enumclaw, you can drive all the way up to Paradise visitors center, with beautiful views of the mountain just from the parking lot. From there, Myrtle Falls is a family friendly 1 mile hike, or if you would like a longer hike, the Skyline Trail is a 5 mile loop.

Last year, the national park required timed entry reservations for cars going through the park. The website says they are still deciding if they will do reservations again this year, but they booked out far in advanced last year! Consider frequenting the National Park Service website for updates and booking ahead of time on recreation.gov :)

Sam and Shannon both love the outdoors here in Washington, and July is seriously the best time to come! If you want individualized ideas we would love to have an excuse to chat over the phone with you and help you plan!

We love going to Whidbey Island when family comes to town. Our typical tour goes something like this: drive north on I-5 up to Mt. Vernon for a stop at the Skagit Valley Food co-op. Grab a smoothie and picnic supples and head to deception park state pass. The discovery trail will take you down to the beach, where you can often see seals and eagles. Next stop is to head south towards Coupeville - there is a cute book store and great options for food. If you are into casual dive bars, we enjoy the clams and mussels at Toby's Tavern. If you're wanting something more upscale, we've heard great things about Oystercatcher (book a reservation in advance!). Continue to head south and catch the Ferry home from the Clinton Ferry Terminal. The whole day has a very Pacific Northwest feel !

If your looking for an Urban adventure in Seattle, you can rent stand up paddle boards at aqua verde, and paddle towards Lake Union! There are beautiful views of the space needle and gasworks park. We recommend also renting a dry bag from aqua verde for your phone/wallet/keys. Don't forget water and sunscreen!

Gasworks Brewing is relatively close to the rental place and right on the lake with a dock. Part of the culture and novelty of the brewery is that people will often stand up paddle board right to the brewery. It makes for a fun afternoon!