Visit to the Mount Olympic National Park!

Out of all the National Parks that I have visited, my favorite so far has been Mount Olympic National Park in the Pacific North West. Crystal clear lake water surrounded by tall evergreen trees all year round, Olympic peninsula is one of a kind. City of Port Angeles borders the Mount Olympic National Park and is right about 3 hours from Seattle which includes both drive and ferry. There are so many scenic spots in this huge park but we were very limited because our visit was just about two days. Nevertheless we still tried to make the most out of our short trip.

Rain forests have never failed to fascinate me and therefore I was inclined towards visiting the Hoh Rain forest by Forks. As we made our way to the rain forest, we drove past Lake Crescent and enjoyed magnificent views of the rainbow while it rained and shined. We did stop by for a couple of beautiful pictures with the backdrop of mountains, rainbow and lake.  As we got closer to the rain forest, our roads were covered with huge trees and we wondered if the trees talked and shared with each other just like us. It was such a memorable drive which finally led us to the rain forest area. It started raining heavily as we got ready to hike with our rain jackets and hiking boots.

I did read that rain forests are the most beautiful and green while it’s actually raining and I was lucky to experience it as well. The heavy rain did not stop us from exploring the trails of Hoh. The Hall of Mosses was the first loop we hiked and it appeared to be a rain forest right out of a fairy-tale jungle. The giant trees covered with Mosses reminded me of the jungles in the story of Rapunzel when she first stepped out of her castle. I also for a moment felt like stepping into the upside down world of stranger things. It really looked animated and lush. As we made our way through the trails we appreciated the fall colors of the forest. It was a perfectly rainy fall afternoon. As we made our way back getting lost through the trails looking for Salmon fishes in the river, we were ready to go spend a night at out farm house at the Acardia Inn.

We stayed at the Llama room at the Acardia Inn and I was beyond excited to wake up early in the morning to explore the farm house Airbnb. Early in the morning, we enjoyed the fresh organic eggs from the farm for breakfast. Our Airbnb owner Gail had about 70 pets in total in her farmhouse including 2 Llamas, 3 horses, 5 dogs, 10 sheep, 20 goats and 30 hens.  The sheep shelter was right next to our room and we really enjoyed feeding them the pallet food provided to us by Gail. I also did a farm house tour with her in the morning where she showed around the barn where she fed horses, goats and chickens. It was such a lovely sight and it was great to learn so much from Gail about the WOOF program where visitors from all over the world come to help her with her farm and barn work. I wish I could experience that someday too. Gail was so generous that she also gave away 2 dozen of eggs from her farm for us to take home.

As we checked out of our extraordinary Airbnb, we made our way to the lake trail of the Olympic Peninsula. As the roads were closed due to floods from heavy rainfall, we just hiked a short trail with gorgeous water views alongside the lust green forests. Running out of time we returned back from half way along the trail towards the lake, nevertheless I really enjoyed the precarious trails while it started to drizzle. It felt great to be so close to Mother Nature and I really cherished my short visit to the Olympic National Park. It was much more beautiful that what I had imagined and it caught me by surprise. I will definitely return back to enjoy the parts of the park that I missed this time.

Which is your favorite National Park? Please share, I would love to read!

Hiking Rattle Snake Ridge with Family!

Every time I go to Seattle to visit my Aunt, it seems like a new adventure each time. This time round the reason for the visit was my mom and aunt’s reunion. Our trip was short but yet such a fulfilling family reunion. All we did was enjoy homemade delicacies, chit chat and shop. Although I was born and brought up in India, Seattle has been my home away from home because of my lovely aunt and adorable uncle. Their love is unconditional and I am lucky to have them in my life.

One of the days of our visit, we decided to go hike the rattle snake ridge which is about 45 mins away from where my Aunt lives. Weather being nice, there were lots of people around the lake kayaking along the shores, camping by the water and swimming in the lake. As we sat down by the lake, clicked a few pictures and enjoyed the fresh fruits and nuts by the lake. We started to get ready for our uphill hike to the Rattle Snake ledge which was a 2 mile uphill hike with an elevation gain of 1000 feet.

At first I was a little nervous as I started to get short of breath walking uphill. But walking at my own pace and taking stops where ever I needed to rebound, helped me get up to the top. As we walked through the hill cut sides surrounded by tall trees, the path seemed more and more challenging. Our motivation for the hike was the glorious view of the turquoise blue Rattle Snake Lake from the top of the ledge. As we kept going up and up, we would ask the other hikers who made their way down about how much more we had to climb and at last I was very happy to hear that we were almost there.

After reaching the top, I really forgot all about how tired I was and got immersed into the crystal blue color of the lake surrounded by the gorgeous mountains. The boats in the river appeared really tiny from far above the sea level. We sat by the edge of the rocks for quite some time and enjoyed our picture break from all the hiking uphill. After enjoying to the fullest, we walked back down which was relatively very easy compared to climbing up. It took as about 2 hours both ways, probably just half hour downhill and the rest of it up hill.

As we reached down by the lake, we bundled up together for family pictures and absolutely loved the day. We tried to capture each and every moment of us all being together. I did learn a lesson contemplating how at times the path might get tedious but the results make it all worthwhile. So instead of giving up, we should just keep going at our own pace working hard, one day we will definitely be able to reach to our destination and it will be all worth it that day. Sometimes travel teaches us surprise lessons!

The Evergreen City,Seattle!

My first city in the US as a tourist, Seattle will always remain close to my heart. Being surrounded by forest, lake, river and hills, it is a perfect destination for nature-lovers. The city just captivates you with evergreen trees, pleasant weather and clear sky(not so much).Be aware of the rain in Seattle, definitely plan your trip keeping weather constraints in mind as the evergreen trees also cause light showers every now and then. Here are some fun outdoor activities to do when you are out and about in Seattle.

Hiking Mount Rainier National Park

The drive to Mount Rainer National park through the hills and forest is very adventurous and scenic at the same time. After driving through a couple of hundred feet above the ground level, its time to hike the mountain by foot to explore the hills, valleys, waterfalls and meadows surrounding the cascade of mountains. The lovely view of the snow covered peaks of mountain makes it worth the visit.

 

Trekking the Snoqualmie Falls

A few hours away from Seattle, Snoqualmie falls is a massive 268 feet waterfall on the Snoqualmie river. Trekking along the forest trail to reach the bottom to catch a sight of the colossal fall is such an enjoyable experience. The flora and fauna on the trail makes it even more delightful. Once you are all the way down at the lowest point of the fall, you can step into the rocks, woods and water to enjoy it even more closely.

Exploring the Bainbridge Island

The best way to get in the water in Seattle is to take a ferry ride across the Elliot Bay to the BainBridge Island. While you are on your way, keep your cameras ready for the perfect skyline view from the ferry. Explore the island by foot, bike or car depending on what you like. The island is huge with trails by forests and lakes so the best way to explore it in and out might be by car.

Day in Downtown

The trip to Seattle is incomplete without a day well spent exploring Downtown Seattle. Stroll by the Pike Place market and relish the fresh fruits in the farmer’s market. Hop into the Ferris wheel to get a complete view of the skyline and the city. Enjoy a rickshaw ride along the shore and wander around enjoy smoky delicious cart food in the hilly Downtown.

 

Journey to Leavenworth

Few miles away from Seattle, Leavenworth is a small hilly city in in the middle of mountains. The Bavarian village there is a small shopping district with little unique boutique, art and gift shops. It is lovely place to stroll by and there are cultural dance performances by different countries in the streets. We were able to watch the England dance and music festivities where the men dressed as soldiers and women danced around them. The architecture of the buildings resemble the European design with domes and castles.  It is a lively place full of happiness and fun, definitely not worth missing if you are in Washington.

 

If you happen to have a few more days in Seattle,explore the zoo,aquarium,lakes and museums in the city.There are just endless destinations for tourists to explore in the state of Washington.