Activities

Climb, ski, ride, hike, bike, float, pitch a tent, cast a line or tee it up in Washington’s Great Outdoors
November 10, 2011

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washington olympic mountainsNo matter what time of year it is, Washington State is an excellent venue to travel to to experience the great outdoors.

Washington’s scenic byways are just the ticket for exploring many of the state’s greatest treasures. Recognized as the premier driving tours in the state, experience it all from culture and art, to agriculture and industry, to outstanding natural landscapes and outdoor recreation.
No other place in the world can you visit a rainforest, wine country, a river gorge, two mountain ranges, five volcanoes, numerous rivers, streams, and lakes, a desert and several islands – all without leaving Washington.

From the Osoyoos Lake State Park to estate and vineyard tours, the region lets you strike a balance between culture and the untamed wilderness.

Year round, wine festivals are held in and around Washington State to showcase the skill and quality of Washington vintners.

While each region is home to its own set of vintners, they’re also home to a unique set of opportunities to get active outdoors. The Ancient Lakes area is home to waterfalls in the desert, deep coulees, lakes, sagebrush, wildflowers, and a cacophony of bird songs. The Ancient Lakes area is part of the Quincy Lakes Unit, a product of erosion of lava flows by glacial floodwaters. Many layers of basalt are exposed in towering 800-foot cliffs, isolated mesas, stair stepped benches, box canyons and potholes.

During your travels, you might want to take in some of the local flavour over your radio. Here’s a list of the stations available to you:

Grunge, hip-hop, hair bands and everything in between. - GenX 104.9

The Classic Rock Station in Spokane Washington – KKZX 98.9

QCountry - QCountry 102.9

Spokane and Coeur d’Alene’s best country – KIX 96

(Mix) – “Your music – your station.” – 103.1 KCDA

Oldies – 95.7

Spokane and Coeur d’Alene’s Best Mix of Lite Rock Favorites – Kiss 96.1

Sports – Seattle’s Local Sports Station - AM 950

Top 40 and pop – Kiss 106.1

Hip Hop – KUBE 93

Don’t forget to stop at the Duty Free before you cross the border!

There are plenty of goods that you can save tax on, on already discounted merchandise!

Visit your nearest store:

British Columbia

Peace Arch – Surrey, Hwy#99
West Coast – Surrey, Hwy#15
Aldergrove
Abbotsford
Osoyoos
Kingsgate
Tobacco Plains – Roosville

Alberta

Altan – Coutts

Drive down the west coast – make it the drive of a lifetime.
October 24, 2011

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Have you ever noticed how many car commercials are shot on a winding highway, high above the ocean, with nothing but a mountainous coastline and a shiny car in view?

The majority of these are shot on California’s Pacific Coast Highway.

Listed on National Geographic’s list of Drives of a Lifetime, this 1056 km (656 mi) highway runs down the majority of the west coast of the United States.  The Big Sur section from San Luis Obispo to Carmel is an official National Scenic Byway.

Bloggers have catalogued their trips down the west coast by letting their pictures do the talking.  Indeed there’s not much more to be said than “sheer beauty.”

You can click on the links above to see official information on these destinations.  Or, you can take a look from the point of view of some recent west coast road trippers:

Seattle City – Mariners Style: @DaleTidy

Seattle to Vancouver “The Coast with the Most”:   @SarahDickerman

West Coast Road Trip – Spokane to Anaheim: Craig Shillam

Road Trip Adventures – Santa Monica: @manicmanagedmom

Stop at the Duty Free Canada land border location nearest you before you cross the border.  You’ll save tax and more on premium goods!

The Ultimate Round Trip – United States segment
October 20, 2011

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Two South Africans have gone on an extended vacation around the world to take in and share their experience in an online blog. This follows the trend of staying connected with friends and family by way of the internet during long-distance journeys.

Tristan had just finished studies in Town Planning at university. Likewise, Dominique finished postsecondary studies and wanted more. Tristan said, “I feel like there’s so much more fun stuff to do rather than sitting behind a desk all day. So that’s where this trip, and subsequently this blog, come into the frame.”

To say this is a small undertaking would be a gross understatement. “I’m absolutely petrified about traveling around the world,” he said.

However, Tristan says he feels a “true sense of excitement and adventure” and that he will try his best to keep the stories (and photos) coming.

Their most recent updates are updating the Southern US portion of their travels. When you visit their site, you can browse through their tour of Daytona, Orlando, New Orleans, Austin, San Diego and more.

Their trip has amassed

    156 days travelling

    66 271 kilometres travelled

    14 flights

    14 bus trips

    4 4X4 trips

    11 train rides

    5 ferry rides

    3 self-driven car rides

    1 self-driven RV road trip

    40 places visited

    12 countries visited

Visit their website at www.theultimateroundtrip.com for many great pictures and videos describing their travels mapped out below! And you can follow them on Twitter @theURTblog
View Larger Map

The Best of Food, Coffee and Camping in Oregon
October 5, 2011

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Oregon is a place where people often find themselves roaming endlessly with no other goal than the next great meal, powdery slope, lighthouse view or salmon run. We encourage you to approach Oregon the way Oregonians do, with a sense of humor and adventure.  Don’t forget to stop at the Duty Free border location before you cross.  Each has specials ready for you each time you travel across.

With all of the things to do in the state, bloggers are eager to travel the region and share their experiences.

From notworkrelated88′s Stumbleupon:

This was our last morning in the Olympic National Park, we really enjoyed our travels through the peninsula and drove onwards towards Astoria. En-route we stopped off at Long Beach for some more foggy beach views. We had been given an Oregon coast guide by a friendly camper and through this found the Astoria Coffee House, we drank chai and wrote blog posts, as well as editing the images from Canada. This place is very cool indeed, we felt like we’d stepped into a bit of a retirement spot and yet the coffee house was really funky and quirky. We also enjoyed a good lunch here, if you’re passing through it’s worth a stop.

You can read more of notworkrelated88′s article here.

The Commodore Hotel in Astoria compiled a list of their Top 9 favourite restaurants in their city. Check them out:

#1 Astoria Coffee House -  Coffee Shop

243 11th St.,
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-1787

By day, a bustling coffeehouse offering breakfast and lunch and by night, an intimate bistro. Serving comfort foods, homemade desserts, and sharp cocktails.

#2 Baked Alaska – American Restaurant

1 12th Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 325-7414

Featuring NW cuisine from Wild Salmon to hand tossed pizza and fresh cut steaks.River views from every table, deck seating in nice weather. Fri Night Trivia & Live Music at the Northern Lights Lounge.

#3 Street 14 Coffee – Arcade

1410 Commercial St.
at 14th St.
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-5511

Featuring handcrafted coffee drinks, fresh pastries, breakfast, lunch, beer and wine.

#4 Drina Daisy – Bosnian Restaurant

915 Commercial Street
Astoria, OR 97103-4516
(503) 338-2912

Menu prepared by a third generation Bosnian Chef, just as she prepared it for over 20 years in her restaurant in Gorazde, Bosnia near Sarajevo.

#5 Himani Indian Cuisine – Indian Restaurant

1044 Marine Drive
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 325-8171

Southern Indian cuisine made with love. Offering lunch buffet and a full dinner menu.

#6 Clemente’s Restaurant – Seafood Restaurant

1198 Commercial Street
Astoria, OR 97103-4126, United States
(503) 325-1067

European style, serving casual lunch and formal dinner with emphasis on fresh seafood. Dinner offers authentic Adriatic of Italy and Croatia.

#7 Bridgewater Bistro – Pizza Place

20 Basin Street, Suite A

Astoria, OR 97103

(503) 325-6777
Well regarded local bistro featuring mouth watering burgers, fresh seafood, soups, salads, Sunday Brunch and more.

#8 Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe – Breakfast Spot

1493 Duane Street
Astoria, Oregon 97103
(503) 338-7473

This worker collective features artisan breads, pastries and foods using local and organic ingredients. Children’s play area, wide array of periodicals for purchase.

#9 Geno’s Pizza & Burgers – Pizza Place

3693 Leif Erickson Dr,
Astoria, OR
(503) 325-4927

Pizza, burgers and fantastic milkshakes. Go in and admire the local sports memorabilia or order delivery! They have super fast delivery in town, food usually arrives within 15 minutes of ordering it!

The ultimate afternoon indulgence – tailgating, Jack, and cheeseburgers
September 12, 2011

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The typical notion for “afternoon tea” is changing from a quaint, tidy affair to one a bit more loose.  Today’s afternoon teas cater to a new crowd.  The trend is to include Jack with your cheeseburgers… and that’s not Monterrey.  Billed as “the ultimate indulgence,” there is less tea and more meal, served in three courses, alongside a bottomless selection of Jack Daniel’s.

The trend could make its way into NFL tailgating parties.  These get-togethers are known for their camaraderie.  In cities close to the border, Americans and Canadians get together to celebrate their similarities and differences in parties that last up to five hours in parking lots around stadiums.  These areas are often sanctioned for cooking and drinking, but be sure to have a designated driver or take the bus to drive safe.

Partiers often bring their own tents, BBQ supplies, food, drinks, and footballs to throw around leading up to any given Sunday’s big game.

At this past Sunday’s New York Jets game, the musical selection blaring from boom-boxes included George Thorogood’s “I Drink Alone,” Van Halen’s “Jump,” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird.”  Song and activities during the tailgating raised spirits amidst remembrances of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks.

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whisky is available in Duty Free Canada land border stores at discounted prices.  Check your store’s specials page for details.

BC Specials – Prairie specials – Southwest Ontario specials – Niagara specials – Quebec specials – Atlantic specials