Seattle is a travel destination on its own, but for many people the Emerald City is also the preferred gateway for a cruise to Alaska. Seattle offers 7-day round-trip itineraries to Alaska, sold by a number of different cruise lines. The cruises from Seattle will not give you an in-depth exploration into the interior of…
Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington state, after Seattle and Spokane. Tacoma is an urban port city with a population of 219,326, according to the 2020 census. Tacoma has a dynamic economy that includes maritime industry, health care, manufacturing, and military contracts. Despite its reputation as kind of a “blue collar” cousin to…
Background In 1956 President Dwight Eisenhower started Sister Cities International as part of a White House conference on citizen diplomacy. The broad idea behind developing sister city relationships is to create a person-to-person exchange between Americans and citizens of other countries based on cultural, educational, information and trade exchanges. Americans can and should learn about and…
Salty’s on Alki Beach is without a doubt Seattle’s premier all-you-can-eat brunch experience. Located on the waterfront in West Seattle, Salty’s offers an amazing array of food options, impeccable service and fantastic views overlooking Elliott Bay and the Seattle city skyline. The real star of Salty’s, though, is the food and you won’t leave here hungry.…
Navigating the visa hurdles of your Baltic cruise vacation The crown jewel of any Baltic cruise itinerary is the port of call in Saint Petersburg, Russia, with most cruise lines offering 2 days (1 overnight) and some even offering 3 days (2 overnights). Saint Petersburg has an incredible amount to offer, from a rich and complicated history…
Sihanoukville, Cambodia – Seattle sister city since 1999 Seattle’s most recent sister city is Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The relationship has been active since 1999 when Sihanoukville became Seattle’s 21st sister city. The Seattle-Sihanoukville Sister City Association provides a central source of communication between the two sister cities. Projects in the past have included: raising funds to build…
The Seattle Great Wheel (official site here) at Pier 57 is now a main waterfront attraction, and, at 157 feet it’s the largest Ferris wheel on the West Coast, unique in that it extends over 40 feet past the end of the pier. The Great Wheel has been open to the public since June 29, 2012.…
Bergen (sometimes called by the Norse Bjørgvin), located on Norway’s scenic west coast, is the 2nd largest city in Norway, with a population of about 275,000 as of 2014. Bergen has a rich and unique history, very different than other Norwegian cities. A member of the Hanseatic League, Bergen was home to German merchants in the wharf area…
Bigfoot is alive and well in the Pacific Northwest, Bigfoot lore at least. One of the best places to indulge our curiosity of the Sasquatch phenomenon is at Espresso Chalet, a roadside espresso stand along the Stevens Pass Greenway segment of U.S. Route 2 in Index, Washington. The Espresso Chalet has been at this location over…
Located just west of Sultan, Washington, along U.S. Route 2 sits Wayside Chapel, a small roadside church with just enough room for a preacher and eight worshippers, at least in theory. The tiny church, measuring 8 x 14 feet, just barely fits a pulpit, four two-person pews and two vases of flowers. Blink as you’re driving…