Tag Archives: washington

hiker on boardwalk trail surrounded by green rainforest Olympic National Park Washington state

One Family’s Island Vacation: Socially Distanced in Washington State

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This traveler got this trip by starting with this questionnaire.  For a safe, smart, extraordinary trip, go to The WOW List, find the best destination specialist for you, then click his/her CONTACT button to reach Wendy’s questionnaire.

 

Kathy Gardner and her family managed to get a world away from their city lives this August. Based in San Francisco, she and her husband and their two teenagers had endured months working and learning from home; by the middle of summer, they needed time outdoors. So Kathy wrote to Ask Wendy, asking about the San Juan Islands, which had always been on her bucket list. We recommended that she consult with Sheri Doyle, trip-planning specialist for the Pacific Northwest. Sheri designed a two-week itinerary in Washington State, split between Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands—an itinerary focused on hiking, biking, kayaking, and the enjoyment of nature. “It was stunningly, stunningly beautiful,” Kathy told us on the phone soon after their return. We thank her for taking the time to tell us about her family’s trip and for sharing information that we know will be useful to other travelers.

Why made you decide to travel now and to Washington State?

Our daughter is getting ready to go to college next year, so we really wanted to take this time to get away in a safe, socially distant way. We’d never been to the Olympic Peninsula or the San Juan Islands, and the more we looked into it, the more it seemed it would be easy to stay away from other people and enjoy the beauty of that part of the country. Also, we wanted a short flight. [Editor’s note: The flight from San Francisco to Seattle is only two hours.]

Did you get tested pre-travel?

Yes, we are fortunate in San Francisco to have relatively easy access to Covid-19 testing, and so were able to have the test and see the negative results both before our vacation and then immediately after we returned.

How did the flight go? What precautions did you take?

We took Wendy’s advice seriously about how to fly in a pandemic, and we incorporated that advice with other advice from the CDC. We felt we were following all the rules. We chose Alaska Airlines, which I had read was doing well during Covid, and we thought they were fantastic. The plane was clean and spacious, and they kept to their word of keeping an empty middle seat and giving us the seats we asked for. Everyone was wearing masks the entire flight—we were hoping they would, and they did.

I had read Wendy’s article about picking seats and staying safe. And we did the whole thing: We got masks and goggles and gloves and had Clorox wipes, and we just tried to be really pragmatic about things. Having a short flight makes a difference too.

Where did you stay?

We rented a house close to Olympic National Park, but not in it. It was on the water, super pretty and an easy drive into the park. Then we spent three days on San Juan Island in another rental home, and a week on Lopez Island in another.

Lopez is low-key and a really nice community and awesome for biking. It feels like a place people go if they know about it, if that makes sense. We did one day trip to Orcas Island, which is fantastic as well. We loved it. We had really beautiful weather, and it was easy to be completely by ourselves.

We were never in a situation where we needed to be around other people, except on the plane, and even the airports were not full.

So you rented three different homes over two weeks?

Yes. Renting our own places was a criterion for us and, interestingly, hard to do. Houses were very booked up. So Sheri was hugely helpful in piecing together our places to stay.

The three homes were all very clean, and we were all by ourselves. We went to the farmers’ market to shop, like we would at home. We ate outside a few times at restaurants. We did a lot of hiking. Our main activities were hiking, biking, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The Olympic Peninsula is such a huge national park; we had just a couple days and barely scratched the surface.

How else did Sheri help?

Sheri was incredible—just so on top of things. She knows that anyone who wants to travel right now needs to be careful, so she has great ideas. Before we could even ask our questions, she gave us great advice about how to navigate the process.

I almost didn’t have to ask. She was like, “I know the questions you’re going to ask,” and she had the answers about socially distancing, about the ferries, about where to stay. Sheri could not have been better.

Now that you’re back, is there anything you wish you’d known before?

I’m just happy we went. Life is short, and our kids are growing. We made a really nice choice for our family. Our kids are going back to distance learning, and they were in distance learning since March 17, so it was so nice to be outdoors in a beautiful place and have some freedom and just drink it in.

We ended up getting a national parks membership this year. I feel like it’s a good thing to support our parks, and you can use it anywhere you go.

A note: While we at WendyPerrin.com do not encourage travel at this time, we believe it is possible to travel responsibly during this pandemic. We have done so ourselves—and we trust our community of global citizens to make smart choices for themselves and the people they’ll encounter. While most travelers want to wait until there is a vaccine for their next trip, some have asked us to help them travel safely and responsibly now—and we are happy to provide the intel and support they seek. We answer their questions every day at Ask Wendy. And we request their post-trip feedback as part of our effort to provide you with a realistic and useful view of the travel landscape right now.

We can help you figure out how to safely plan your own trip and direct you to the right travel specialist for your needs. Write to us at Ask Wendy.

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Point Vincente Lighthouse

The Biggest Hotel Group You’ve Never Heard Of

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Terranea Resort, on a sweep of California coastline that feels far more secluded than it really is (LAX lies just 20 miles away), might be the state’s best-kept secret. Situated on 15 cliff-top acres fragrant with sage scrub, it has three swimming pools, miles of seaside trails, and a few hundred guest rooms with endless ocean views. Staff are gracious, the food is good, and the rates are much more palatable than at SoCal’s better-known pleasure palaces. Yet, unattached to a big-name brand, Terranea flies well under the radar. I’ve been a guest at the resort three times in its five-year history (the most recent stay just last summer), and after each visit I’ve been asked by even my most well-traveled friends, “You were where?” That suits me just fine; I prefer an air of mystery.

As it turns out, Terranea is part of an even bigger secret: Destination Hotels, which manages the property, is the largest independent hotel operator in North America, yet most travelers have never heard of it either. I learned about the company a few months ago, when I was invited to attend a travel-advisor conference at Terranea. Here’s what I know now: Based in Englewood, Colorado, Destination Hotels manages 43 hotels in 17 U.S. states and Washington D.C. A third of those hotels are owned by Destination’s parent company, Lowe Enterprises. More important for hotel-obsessed travelers like me, many of the properties in the company’s portfolio are little and not-so-little gems: charming, original, well-priced hotels in appealing destinations. The best of the bunch are those in the Luxury Lifestyle Collection, which promises high-quality service and a distinct sense of place. Some of them are well known—Santa Fe’s venerable Inn at Loretto, for one. Others, like the Woodmark, just outside of Seattle, are less so. Here’s a rundown of all nine hotels in the collection and a few of their standout qualities. Have you stayed at any? We’d love to hear your feedback!

Inn and Spa at Loretto, Santa Fe

Inn and Spa at Loretto, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Inn and Spa at Loretto, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Pretty as a picture: Modeled after the 1,000-year-old Taos Pueblo, the Inn at Loretto is said to be the most photographed building in Santa Fe. With its inspired Native American decor and focus on local artwork, the hotel wins travel magazine awards year after year, as does the spa, where, along with hot-stone massages and desert-sage scrubs, you can get your astrological chart read and your “soul path” clarified.

 

Palmer Clubhouse at La Cantera, San Antonio

Palmer Clubhouse at La Cantera, San Antonio

La Cantera, San Antonio, Texas
The soon-to-be newest addition to the collection, La Cantera was a Westin property until recently. The megaresort—it sits on 550 acres and has two golf courses, five pools, and eight restaurants—is currently closed while it undergoes a big renovation. It is scheduled to reopen in April 2015.

 

L’Auberge Del Mar

Poolside at L’Auberge Del Mar, California

L’Auberge Del Mar, California
A seaside boutique hotel in the heart of adorable Del Mar Village, San Diego’s tony neighbor to the north, L’Auberge has long been a favorite spot for romance-seeking couples, elegant wedding parties, and dog people (the hotel is famously pet-friendly as long as said pet is a “petite pooch”). It also becomes party central during the racing season—the Del Mar Racetrack is a stone’s throw away.

 

Royal Palms Resort and Spa

Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Phoenix

Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix, Arizona
Another hotel made for romance, the Mediterranean-inspired Royal Palms dates back to 1929, when a New York moneyman (and nephew of J.P. Morgan) built his winter home at the base of Camelback Mountain. A few details from the original house remain—including the orange grove—but these days, guests stay in villas, casitas, or guest rooms, all scattered around the property’s gardens.

 

Stowe Mountain Lodge

Perfect skiing conditions at Stowe Mountain Lodge

Stowe Mountain Lodge, Vermont
Arguably the most famous—and best-located—ski resort on the East Coast, Stowe Mountain Lodge has 300-plus condo-style rooms (most have kitchenettes; several have two and three bedrooms) right at the base of the slopes. Skiing aside, the lodge offers all kinds of when-in- Vermont activities year-round, from ice climbing to furniture-making, as well as a spa that’s a destination in itself.

 

Terranea Resort, Palos Verdes

Enjoying the sunshine at Terranea Resort.

Terranea Resort, Palos Verdes, California (see above)

 

Vail Cascade, Colorado

Steam rising off the water at Vail Cascade.

Vail Cascade, Colorado
At the foot of Vail Mountain and on the banks of Gore Creeks, the 245-room Vail Cascade has knockout views from nearly everywhere you look. Most rooms come with fireplaces and patios or balconies, and the Atwater restaurant draws fussy foodies year-round. But the resort’s biggest claim to fame might be its three-story Aria Athletic Club, a far cry from your standard hotel gym.

 

Wailea Beach Villas Resort

A private villa at Wailea Beach Villas Resort

Wailea Beach Villas Resort, Maui
This luxury condo complex was named the No. 1 Hawaii Resort in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2014 Readers’ Choice Awards. As Hawaiian hotels go, it’s on the small side—fewer than 100 guest quarters—but the accommodations have at least two bedrooms, and the biggest have five. Every unit comes with a kitted-out kitchen, wine fridge and all. And though there’s no spa or restaurant on the property, you can arrange for a private chef or an in-room spa treatment.

 

The Woodmark, Washington

A room at The Woodmark.

The Woodmark, Kirkland, Washington
Just outside Seattle, on the shores of Lake Washington, the Woodmark is part hotel, part yacht club. For those guests who don’t bring their own, the hotel has a mahogany yacht for two-hour spins around the lake. In summer, you can also rent kayaks, Jet Skis, or stand-up paddleboards. Back on shore, the hotel’s wine-centric restaurant, Bin on the Lake, pairs an impressive wine list (heavy on the local vintages) with some stellar lake and mountain views.

 

Have you stayed at any? We’d love to hear your feedback!