Lil' Getaways

You don't have to drive far to find serenity and solitude. In fact, you don't have to leave Seattle at all! The Japanese Garden is just off 520 in the Arboretum, near the Univ. of Wa. Senior gardener Kathleen Blanchard suggests visiting here during your lunch-hour or for the entire day. It's a place that promises peace

Within the garden are classes on Japanese tea ceremonies in a teahouse. You're not only learning about the unique culture of how to pay attention, how to be a good guest and how to be a generous person, you're also taking a trip back in time. Consider the Japanese Garden for your Lil Getaway!

Here's their website for more information: http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/japanesegarden.htm

1075 Lake Washington Blvd E
Seattle, WA 98112
(206) 684-4725

Welcome to Leavenworth, Washington! This German getaway, two and a half hours east of Seattle off Highway 2, is nestled in a beautiful valley surrounded by mountain peaks that rise more than 8-thousand feet.

Leavenworth is perhaps best known for its popular celebrations such as "Oktoberfest" or "Christmas Lighting." But it's also a great Summer getaway for couples and families alike from all over the world!

They do things just a little differently here in Leavenworth. At the Enzian Inn hotel, the Alp-horn will serenade you every morning. and across the street in the village is where much of the action takes place.

A must see is the Munchen Hause where beer flows and the brats sizzle. Dozens of unique shops line both sides of the streets.

So come here for a day away from the norm. And enjoy a little bit of Europe in our beautiful Northwest.

It took us about 2-and-a-half hours to get to Leavenworth from Seattle, and it took a full tank of gas in our SUV.

This week, we're not going far at all. In fact, we're staying right here in Seattle and discovering our own backyard!

At Greenlake you can practice your morning meditation, take a stroll, or walk the dog. An oasis in an urban environment and a little hub of outdoor activity.

Pretty much any time of day, this nearly 3 mile track around the lake is busy with walkers, runners, bikers, and rollerbladers. But getting "off track" there are plenty of other activities this beloved park offers.

Swimmers come to escape the summer heat under the watchful eye of lifeguards - on duty through August 24th. And through September, depending on the weather, you can rent a kayak or paddle boat starting at $14 an hour. Bring a tennis racket and spend a few hours rallying with a friend or hit a few balls of a different kind on the green at the 9 hold golf course.

It's $7 to play if you have your own clubs and $9 total if you need to rent them.

We should also mention there are volleyball and basketball courts, a pool, and the Seattle Public Theater at the boathouse, which offers events throughout the summer and into the fall!

If you're looking for something fun to do with the entire family, just head to the Eastside for a day of fun at Remlinger Farms in Carnation.

More than 60-thousand people visit Remlinger Farms every year. During the fall around Halloween is peak season, but summer is just as much fun! And it's not just any farm...it's a mini amusement park!

The farm has a roller coaster - which is a favorite for almost every child and it's just one of more than a dozen rides.

For just 11 dollars, you have unlimited access to rides at the park all day. There are pony rides, or try to catch each other in the Hay maze! And make no mistake, it's not just fun for kids, it's also interactive entertainment for mom and dad.

You can go to the farm and spend the day picking berries. Right now, Raspberries are in season.

And before you leave - don't forget to pick up fresh produce for dinner at the farm's market! There's everything from fresh carrots, red peppers and lettuce to beets, eggplant and cabbage.

You're sure to enjoy your day with the fam at the farm!

For more information on Remlinger Farms, just go to http://www.remlingerfarms.com/

We all know that the Yakima Valley is "Wine Country" and there's plenty of wine tasting to do. But Yakima also has some hidden gems!

Over the Cascade Mountains from Seattle ... and across the river ... is the city of Yakima! Some consider it the "Palm Springs" of Washington.

John Cooper, President of the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau says, "We have 300 days a year that we have sunshine in the Yakima Valley.. Just like Palm Springs, we're sunny a good part of the year."

You'd be surprised at the area'a attractions. This part of the state attracts people from all over the world.

Cooper adds, "The Yakima Valley that goes through the canyon is internationally known as a fly fishing destination!"

We caught up with a few anglers who say it's one of their favorite places to catch rainbow trout. They're surprised to see such an arid area with such a nice river in it. That's the biggest draw. Not only that, they highly recommend the Yakima River for rainbow trout fishing.

But fishing isn't all it's known for. The Yakima River is just as popular with kids and teens. On any given summer day, you'll find inner tubes, kayaks or rafts tied up... floating down the lazy river!!

Floating the river here is free... but here's what you need to know: Bring $5 cash for parking at the campground. Also, you must wear a life vest. Plus, after a full 3-4 hours floating down the river, you'll want to make sure you have a separate car parked downstream for a ride back to where you started. And, never forget snacks like water.

After you're done floating, how about a free movie!? Every Friday and Sunday night until August 17th, the city inflates a 16x20 foot screen in Gilbert Park. The only request? Bring a food donation for Northweset Harvest.

For more on Outdoor movies at Gilbert Park:
Http://www.alliedartsyakima.org/">

Information about Yakima:
http://www.visityakima.com/
http://www.yvrl.org/reference/refYakimageneraltourism

We head south to a wildlife park near Mount Rainier.

Welcome to Northwest Trek in Eatonville.
This 723-acre park is 55 miles south of Seattle near Mount Rainier.
It's where you can see wildlife in their natural environment!

Cherilyn Williams of Northwest Trek says, "out in the free roaming area, we let the species mingle because they're all prey species. They're all peaceful and we let them wander about wherever they want in the forest, meadow and wetland out there."

You're surrounded by more than 200 North American animals including bison, big horn sheep, rams, mountain goats, caribou, trumpeter swans, ....and moose!

Visitors ride the tram around the free-roaming area to see the wildlife face to face. Along the way, you're learning lessons. For example: When elk shed their antlers, the antlers are left in the wild for other animals to feed on as vitamins because they're full of calcium. On this particular day, some guests came within several feet from this herd of bison!

In the enclosure area, the grizzly bears bask in the sun.
And several species of birds - such as the majestic bald eagle - are on display!

Admission to the park is $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for kids. Kids 3 and younger are free.

Williams says, "we do want them (visitors) to understand how important animals are to the life of this planet and how important conservation efforts are. So all of those things you hear about reduce, reuse, recycle, don't pollute."

We were able to get to Northwest Trek and back on less than half a tank of gas roundtrip from Seattle and we were in an SUV.

For more on NW Trek, hours and directions, here's their website: http://www.nwtrek.org/

Enjoy!!!

If you need a Lil' Getaway to re-connect this weekend, there's a new resort and spa you may want to check out that's open in Snohomish County.

Step inside the Tulalip Casino in Marysville, about 45 minutes north of Seattle. Come here to be at the *center* of it all.. or come here to get away from it all. This casino just expanded. It's now the Tulalip Resort and Spa.

Brent Magnan, Vice President of Tulalip Resort and Spa, says, "This is an in-state resort that allows you to get away and yet still feel like
you've gone to some great resort in Las Vegas or southern California or Arizona."

When it's finished for the grand opening in mid-August, the spa here will have 16 treatment rooms. The indoor oasis pool will seat more than 200 people and feature a garden setting with a relaxing waterfall.

You'd also be surprised at the guest rooms! They're upscale and there's a
special rate of $120 a night if you book by the end of July.

But if betting against the dealer isn't your thing, you *can* bet you'll find some good deals just catty corner to the resort. The Seattle Premium Outlets is just steps away. With 110 designer stores people come from as far away as Calgary for a bargain!

At the end of the day, if you haven't spent all your money, check out the artwork that graces the walls of the resort and spa lobby. Everything you see there is for sale.
So if a destination retreat is in your summer plans.... Tulalip Casino may just be *your best bet*.

We were able to go there and back on less than a quarter tank of gas round-trip and we were driving an SUV.

For more information and directions to Tulalip Resort Casino, here's their website: http://www.tulalipcasino.com/

And Seattle Premium Outlets: http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=71

On the north end of the Olympic Peninsula is the quiant, quiet, artsy victorian seaport of Port Townsend, where you can find musicians practicing their craft on street corners on any given day.

It's a wonderful town filled with shops, restaurants and beautiful bed and breakfasts. Port townsend is easily walkable and a great place to stroll around... but one big attraction in the area is Fort Worden State Park. This former military base was home to up to 3,000 soldiers during World War I and World War II. The grassy field in front of the officers' quarters is actually where Hollywood filmed a scene from "An Officer and a Gentleman."

There are plenty of activities for families at the 464 acre park. Kids can explore the bunkers, visit the three museums on site or get up-close-and-personal with marine life at the science center. You can even explore the 2 miles of beaches here at Fort Worden State Park... or you can walk, run or bike some of the 12 miles of hiking trails in the upper hills. If you'd like to stay the night here, you can rent a home right on the base or check into the honeymoon suite called Alexander's castle.

The legend is... it's haunted.

"Doors open that normally wouldn't and some sounds take place," says Steve Shively of Fort Worden State Park.

Critics would say there's no proof, of course. But Alexander was a Scottish reverend who built the fort for his prospective bride in 1883. When he went to Scotland to marry her, he found she had married another man. Some say he still haunts the castle waiting for her.

"They say that they sense a presence and so forth .. and particularly brides and grooms seem to have more activity than other guests who rent the castle," adds Shively.

Port Townsend is also home to some good wine tasting! Stop by the award-winning Fairwinds Winery. It's one of two wineries here in town where you can try unique grapes you'll rarely find anywhere else.

Fairwinds owner, Micheal Cavett, says, "We have an algute. There's only 3 acres of it in Washington state. We're the only winery to make the wine."

And tasting here comes with a guarantee!

Cavett adds, "If you don't have two laughs at least, you get a 10 percent discount!"

But great views and great wines aren't the only highlights that define Port Townsend. There are two award-winning microbreweries here including Water Street Brewing and Ale House. The brews here have won North American beer awards!

Owner Skip Madsen says, "I'm known for my big hoppy IPA's and big strong ales."

In the downtown area there's live music every weekend. So escape the big city noise and make some new friends here in Port Townsend.

By the way, with the ferry ride from downtown Seattle, we were able to get there and back on about a quarter tank of gas.

Enjoy the town. They are some of the nicest people you'll meet in Washington state.

For more information on visiting Port Townsend:
http://www.enjoypt.com/
http://www.ptguide.com/

Just 25 minutes northeast of Seattle, Woodinville is a small town in the Sammamish River Valley. It's home to more than 40 wineries, along with 7 wine bars and tasting rooms.

One of the crown jewels is Chateau Ste. Michelle, Washington's oldest winery and one of the Seattle area's top visitor attractions. It receives many national awards and was named "American Winery of the year" in 2004.

You can tour the grounds then taste a wide range of wines. Winery President Ted Baseler personally enjoys the cold creek cabernet.

He says, “It's an historic vineyard, has some of the oldest cabernet vines on the west coast, and produces intense, beautiful cabernet.”

Hey, even if you don't know much about wine, don't be intimidated. Woodinville retains a small-town feel. Most wineries here are small, family-run operations where you can
taste at your own pace and talk with the owners.

At Distefano, if you don't know what to choose, just ask the winemaker herself!

The goal here is simple: teaching you to be wine savvy, not wine *snobby.*

Distefano is Wine Press Northwest's 2008 winery of the year... and its most popular summer wines is the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc. The 2004 Sogno, which means ‘dream’ in Italian, is another signature wine.

Down the street is "Brian Carter Cellars." They’re known for blending grapes in all six of their wines.

“We believe that blended wines are the cutting edge of where washington is going and we're having a lot of fun doing it”

Some of the names may be tough to say-- Tuterosso, Byzance and L'etalon.

Then there's Columbia Winery, founded in 1962. As a pioneer in Woodinville, the tasting room features wine educators whose goal is to help you find what you like.

So come for a wine tasting in Woodinville...

There are fees to taste at some of the wineries-- from 5 to 8 dollars per person, but some will waive the fee if you buy a bottle of wine to take home.

The kids are getting out of school and you're looking for a place to have some family fun without breaking the bank, right? Of course you are! Every friday this summer, i'm hitting the road to highlight local destinations that take a tank of gas or less. We're calling them "Lil Getaways".

Less than an hour east of Seattle is a spectacular sight that draws more than a million visitors a year.

"It's an entirely different world up here, so people can relax and get away without having to go away", says Carl Meyer, General Manager of Salish Lodge and Spa.

Even some locals are discovering this gem for the first time.

"I never knew about it, actually. our room is gorgeous, looking right over the falls," says Carrissa Welch.

She and her husband Ryan are here for a romantic getaway from Tulalip. Rooms here aren't cheap. They start at 350 dollars a night. But the world class spa by itself is an attraction for mom and daughter duo, Judy Anderson and Tonya Keats from Arizona.

"Hiking down to the falls ... hearing that roar that water that mist, we're from the desert, oh look we're getting wet. It's just wonderful!," says Judy Anderson.

You should also know the falls are free-- you can see the river and falls without spending a dime.

Daughter Tonya Keats says, "It's so powerful and so beautiful and it brings out so many more emotions and it makes the whole experience so much better".

if you need more r&r... how about tee time! just down the road from the falls is the scenic mount si golf course in snoqualmie. it's well-maintained year round and is known for it's beautiful landscaping and amazing cascade views. if you're still looking for more fun... how about some horseback riding along these wooded trails in nearby Issaquah.

But if speed is what you need, grab your gear, head for the hills and discover Tiger Mountain. Experienced, or not... there's a biking and hiking trail for everybody. And at the end of the day, head back to the splendor at Salish. You'll quickly realize why *tradition* has kept visitors coming back here for 90 years.

"We have a lot of guests and families who've come here for generations so it's not just the newest thing. It's something that's been able to be a part of the Seattle community for quite some time," says Carl Meyer of Salish.

FYI, Snoqualmie Falls is roughly 40 minutes east of Seattle. It took us less than half a tank of gas roundtrip and we were driving an SUV.