A Pacific Northwest Adventure: Dining, Mountains, Bodies of Water, and Sightseeing 

Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market.

This is the time of year when many start planning and taking vacations so I thought I’d share an amazing trip I took to the Pacific Northwest in late October/early November of last year. Regional travel stories have generated a lot of interest on Entertainment Central so we thought we’d share this one. This journey took me to Seattle and Tacoma, Washington; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Portland, Oregon, and other points of the compass.

I had never been to that part of North America. My brother Steven lives in Portland, and he’s tired of the climate there and has recently started talking about moving to Florida. So, I thought this is the perfect time to go. 

One of my other brothers, David, had taken a similar trip to mine a few months previously. He additionally took the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria on Vancouver Island. From him I learned that Alaska Airlines has a daily nonstop flight between Pittsburgh and Seattle.

I checked with Steven on the dates I wanted to come and made my travel arrangements. Flying nonstop is great, but the way the flights are scheduled it eats up most of two days. The flight to Seattle leaves at 5 p.m., so by the time you get there and reach your hotel it’s already getting late. On the way back the flight leaves at 9 a.m. so you need a hotel room for the night before. That said, I’ll still take the non-stop choice and try to stay an extra day or two.

I arrived at Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and approached parking. The parking prices had gone up since I was last there a few years ago. I chose the cheapest option which was on the outer fringes of the airport parking area and had no shuttle buses. Packing like Diana Ross on a concert tour, I pulled my two-wheeled suitcase, gym duffle bag and messenger bag, with laptop, across numerous lots to the moving walkway building in the center.

I had signed up for the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) Known Traveler Number and had received my number just a few days before my flight. The Known Traveler Number, after it is checked, goes on your boarding pass and gets you through a shorter security line and you don’t have to take off your shoes. This is good for me as I always seem to be fumbling around before and after the security check.

After emerging from the security check I looked for The Club Lounge. My American Express Travel Card has a feature that gives me, and several guests, free entry into the airport lounge. There they have free hot and cold bites, free soft and alcoholic beverages, comfortable chairs and nice spacious bathrooms.

The flight to Seattle took about 5 hours. Our plane flew over the Emerald City and the night time view was beautiful, albeit a little drizzly. The Alaska Airlines crew were wonderful on both legs of the trip. Upon landing I got my duffle and messenger bags and was heading through the jetway to the terminal when I got a bad hamstring cramp. I was doubled over in pain working frantically to work out the cramp. Luckily there were only a few people behind me. One kind soul stopped to ask if I was OK? I thanked her and told her it was a bad hamstring cramp. I lumbered along towards baggage claim with a Frankenstein-like gait, trying not to trigger the cramp again. Contributing factors possibly for the cramp were pulling the luggage through all those parking lots and not stretching before my flight.

I found the baggage claim and caught the shuttle bus to the rental car center. The woman who was working the counter at Thrifty Rental Car, Mecca, was very nice. I was telling her about all the traveling I was going to be doing and she said they had a Honda Accord Hybrid that had been returned that day and got great gas mileage. It could be mine for only twelve dollars more per day. I told her that was reasonable. I turned down the extra insurance as I had used my credit card to book the car rental on Priceline.com. I’ve had good success booking autos on Priceline using their blind bidding feature. Mecca was right about the great gas mileage, I got 45 miles to the gallon highway! SeaTac (Seattle-Tacoma) Airport is south of Seattle and since I was heading north to Vancouver the next morning I had booked a hotel room in the northern suburbs of the city. 

Pike Place Market Building right at opening.

Welcome to Canada

The next morning after breakfast I headed out for Vancouver, British Columbia. At the border is a beautiful park, Peace Arch Park between the U.S. and Canada, with wondrous views of Semiahmoo Bay and Vancouver Island and other islands in the distance. There was no traffic ahead of me at the border and I pulled up to the border agent. 

She asked me the normal questions. “Why are you visiting Canada? Who are you visiting? Where are you staying? Do you know anyone here? Do you have any weapons? Do you have any pepper spray?” I answered that I thought I had pepper spray in my hiking pack. The border agent told me I could either drive back across the border and get rid of the pepper spray or pull ahead to the parking spot which had trash cans next to it. Not wanting to go back across the border and come back I told her I would pull forward into the parking spaces next to the border building. I parked and another agent told me to leave my keys and go to the counter in the building. 

I went to the counter and two border agents asked me to take everything out of my pockets and turn all of my front and back pockets out. They proceeded to ask me a series of general questions in a somewhat suspicious manner. They then instructed me to go sit at a waiting area in the building. I think they went out and searched my vehicle while I was waiting inside. After about twenty minutes I got the go-ahead to leave. It was hard to believe at first that I was being questioned for having pepper spray. But then I thought, it’s great to be in a country that takes all weapons seriously. Maybe I fit the profile of a drug dealer or arms runner. After all, I was going to Vancouver for only one day, didn’t know anyone there, and didn’t have any firm plans for what I was going to be doing while there.

I traveled on to Vancouver and drove around a little bit before checking into my hotel. If you are into high level fashion shopping, Vancouver seems to be a great place for that with top name stores and popular local boutiques spotted. In planning the trip I took advantage of the favorable U.S./Canada dollar exchange rate and splurged a little by booking a room at the Hilton Vancouver Downtown. I’m very glad that I did as the staff there was exemplary, from Arif who greeted me at the door like I was an old friend and parked my car, to Lisa, the concierge, who was just as nice and gave me tips on where to dine and drink. In booking the lodging for my trip I used a combination of my hotel loyalty programs and Hotels.com.

Seafood Spectacular in Vancouver

Oysters on the half shell.

One of the places Lisa mentioned was an oyster bar restaurant that also featured other seafood. She said she was from Vancouver Island and they have a sister restaurant there and they have great oysters. The restaurant, Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market, is fairly close to the Hilton and after checking in, I walked there for an early dinner. Upon entering Fanny Bay, on the left is an array of oyster tanks in which different kinds of live oysters are visible and identified. I sat at the bar and was warmly greeted by the staff. I ordered a local beer, Tilt Lager, and perused the day’s oyster offerings that were written in chalk on a blackboard. I chose a sampling of various oysters, the Shucker’s Dzn, and watched them being shucked and plated at the bar. The oysters included Kusshi, Olympia, and Sweet Select. They were fresh and succulent. Still a little hungry from my drive from Seattle I ordered sauteed sablefish, which was also delicious and served on a bed of fresh made gnocchi with a savory sauce. For dessert I had the Apple Tarte Tatin (gala apples, vanilla caramel, and puff pastry). Apples are a big local crop in the Pacific Northwest.

Sauteed sablefish on gnocchi.

I hadn’t had much sleep the night before my trip and the night before leaving for Vancouver, so, unfortunately, I forwent the nightlife and hit the sack early as I was to have lunch with a former Handler Marketing/Entertainment Central teammate in Seattle the next day. I was also still running on Eastern time which is three hours later than Pacific time. Vancouver is a fascinating city with beautiful mountains and water around many parts of it. There are a lot of things to see and do—and shopping.

I got up early, took a walk and stopped in a Tim Hortons for a donut and coffee and then packed up and headed for my lunch back in Seattle. When I was checking out, the front desk clerk asked if I had breakfast yet and that I got a free breakfast with my stay at Hilton’s Hendrick’s Resto Lounge. It was a buffet so I ate quickly and was on my way.  It was good that I left early as there was a big backup at the border. I knew I was probably going to be delayed for a while so I texted Ariel to let her know I was possibly going to be running late. She said that was fine and to keep her posted. While waiting in the border crossing line, which looks out onto a beautiful bay, I saw a pretty good-sized tail fluke not too far from shore. I was very excited to see it because one of my goals on this trip was to see if I could see any whales or killer whales. It was a little late in the season for it. I don’t know what the animal was, but I definitely saw a tail fluke. The border lines were fairly long and slow moving. It took me about an hour to get through. After the big morning coffee and the drive and wait at the border, my next step was going to be looking for a place for a pitstop bathroom break.

Deep Flavored Ramen Bowls

Many pots of ramen broth a-boiling.

I arrived back in Seattle and met Ariel at a really cool ramen house, Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya restaurant, in the trendy Capitol Hill neighborhood. It was great to see her and we gave each other a hug. Ariel is a talented graphic designer and web developer and a nice person. She did a fantastic job for Handler Marketing and Entertainment Central. Ariel had moved to Seattle to work in the high-tech industry and is now developing her own video game.

Garlic Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen.

The contemporary-looking restaurant had a busy kitchen with various sized pots cooking on several burners and stoves. Cooking ramen broth can be a fine culinary art. Ariel had the Miso Ramen (rich pork broth blended with Hokkaido miso and garlic paste). I dined on the Garlic Tonkotsu Shoyu Ramen (specialty extra-rich shoyu-flavored pork broth with lots of garlic). We both opted for the pork belly add-on and split a container of sake. My ramen broth was good and garlicky with a boiled egg and other flavorful accouterments. After lunch we embraced and went on our separate paths each sporting a positive glow from seeing one another again.

Flying Fish

That night I went to bed early again so that I could get up early and go to one of Seattle’s top tourist attractions—Pike Place Market—before heading to see my brother in Portland, Oregon. Pike Place Market is in Downtown, several blocks long, and on Puget Sound. I explored the long market building and the market buildings across the street. It was a wonderful mélange of local business stalls and shops featuring fish and seafood, fruits and vegetables, clothing, trinkets, restaurants, bakeries, a piroshky store, and even a barber shop. The most famous business in Pike Place Market is Pike Place Fish Market where they are known for throwing the fish. They put on a good show and will ship their fish just about anywhere. One of the buildings houses a local business that has gone international in a big way—it’s the original Starbucks Coffee Store. There was a line outside and a friendly greeter. 

Beautiful French-style tartes at one of the several bakeries across from Pike Place Market.

Fear of Needles

Looking up at the Space Needle.

Leaving the market I spied the Space Needle (605 feet tall) which was originally built for the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle. I’m not much for structural heights. As I drove closer the Space Needle loomed ever larger. As I parked and walked closer to it, the Space Needle became even more imposing with two outside elevators going up and down its structural spine. Could I work up enough courage to ride up and look out over Seattle and environs? I walked towards its base and decided I was going to do it. After paying $39, I walked up the indoor ramp and had my photo taken (part of the admission price). I waited with others for the elevator. I noticed the elevators had outward facing windows at the front so I made sure when I got in to go to the back of the elevator and closed my eyes for most of the trip to the top. 

When I arrived at the top there were inner and outer viewing rings. The view was spectacular although it was a little cloudy and drizzly. Normally, Mount Rainier, which is 60 miles away, can be seen. Unfortunately that day it was not visible. However, the view was still amazing. The outer viewing ring is open air with plexiglass panels about 10 feet high with three inch gaps in between them. I did venture outside, but not for too long. There is also a portion of the floor on the lower level that is clear and you can stand on it and look all the way down to the ground. I didn’t see it and I didn’t go looking for it. Adjacent to the Space Needle is the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. If I had more time I would have toured it. A combined admission ticket for the Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum is available at a discount.

After the Space Needle I headed south to Portland, Oregon. When I saw a distance to Tacoma sign I remembered that a friend of my brother’s, Mike, lived in Tacoma. He was helpful to me with hints about my trip to Seattle. I called him to see if he’d had lunch. He hadn’t so he told me to stop at his house and we would go to lunch. After picking him up we proceeded down to Puget Sound (the sound is part of the Salish Sea and runs 100 miles from north of Seattle, south to Olympia, Washington). We went to a seafood restaurant, Harbor Lights, right on the sound. It was a beautiful spot and the sun was shining. Normally Mount Rainier can be seen from there, but clouds were obscuring it. Tacoma houses several joint military bases and is one of the nation’s busiest ports.

View from the outer deck of the Space Needle near downtown Seattle looking across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island.

On the way to the restaurant, Mike said Sto and his wife Jacquie would be joining us. They are also from Pittsburgh and are very nice people. I ordered clam chowder and fried oysters. The clam chowder was Rhode Island-style which features a clear broth. This lets you see just how many potato chunks there are in clam chowder. On my way in I had seen someone eating a beautiful looking baked dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I asked the man what it was and he said, “Wild Mountain Huckleberry Slump.” It is hand-picked wild mountain huckleberries baked under a tender buttery biscuit crust. I ordered it and savored every little bit of it. On the way back, Mike gave me a little tour of Tacoma which included the crossing where the infamous “Galloping Gertie,” the Tacoma Narrows Bridge once stood. The bridge was built in 1940 and swayed so much during windy conditions that it ultimately collapsed during a gale several months after opening. The only fatality was a dog that was in a car. The bridge was dismantled and two bridges are now on that spot.

Wild Mountain Huckleberry Slump and vanilla ice cream.

I dropped Mike off and continued on my journey to Portland. On the way I could smell smoke from wildfires. It started raining and I got to my hotel after dark in the Pearl District. I let Steven know that I was in town.

Mount Hood Excursion

The next morning I drove across the Willamette River and up the hill to Steve’s house. We then headed out to do some hiking on Mount Hood (elevation 11,249 feet), which is about ninety minutes away. We drove along the Columbia River Gorge and stopped at Multnomah Falls, a tall, beautiful waterfall. A little further up the road we stopped for lunch at the rustic Bridgeside restaurant next to the Bridge of the Gods bridge. The name comes from an Native American legend, according to my brother. And there were some Native Americans slicing smoked salmon and placing the pieces in mason jars for sale at a tent in the parking lot. Bridgeside is known for its charburgers so we ordered some and ate with beautiful views of the bridge and gorge outside the windows.

Mount Hood with its summit shrouded in clouds.

We were soon back on the road to Mount Hood. Our destination was Timberline Lodge, a historic, finely crafted ski lodge that was built by the Works Progress Administration. It opened in 1939 with a dedication by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Another claim to fame is that it was used in the exterior shots for the 1980 horror movie, The Shining. The lodge has a beautiful wood and stone interior adorned with many ornamental wood carvings and stone hearth fireplaces. The ski lodge is located on the side of Mount Hood at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

View from Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood looking out over other mountains of the Cascade range.

Timberline wasn’t offering skiing yet for the season, but there was about six inches of slushy snow on the ground. We tried hiking on one of their cross country trails for a bit, but the slushy snow made for a slip and fall hazard with every step. Instead we hiked around their expansive parking lots which were plowed and offered panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges. There was fog on the mountain above the lodge so the top of Mt. Hood was not visible. 

Baerlic Brewing. Notice the Halloween face paint on one of the bartenders.

That night back in Portland we went to Baerlic Brewery & Taproom for craft beers and pizza. The Brewery is housed in a medium-sized warehouse building. The brew pub offered over 40 beers with pizza being ordered from a separate counter area. Both the beers and pizza were very good. The Portland Thorns women’s soccer team were playing in the 2022 NWSL Championship that night so all the TVs were tuned into the match. They won! 

Fresh brews at Baerlic Brewing.

Foggy Coast

The Pacific Ocean in Seaside, Oregon, on a foggy day.

The next day Steve and I took a two hour drive through the coastal mountains to Oregon’s Pacific coast. We first went to the quaint seaside town of Cannon Beach. There is a famous rock formation, Haystack Rock, just off the coast there, but it was so foggy we couldn’t see it. Unfortunately, the whole town was fogged in. We were also low on gas and went looking for a gas station in the next town up the coast, Seaside.

At the gas station in Seaside we asked where a good beach was to visit. We were given directions and found a quiet strip of beach. There was a firepit and some driftwood and small boulders on the beach. It was less foggy in Seaside, but we could only see a few hundred yards out to sea. Nonetheless, it was exciting, my first view, albeit limited, of the Pacific Ocean. After visiting the beach we drove into the main street area of Seaside with an array of shops and restaurants. We chose Doogers Seafood & Grill restaurant for a quick lunch.

Steven ready to start his Deschutes beer sampler.

After driving back to Portland, that evening we went to Deschutes Brewery Public House in the Pearl District, not far from my hotel, for some high quality craft beer and dinner. I chose the Reign Stick Lager and Steve ordered the beer sampler. I had the elk burger (third-pound Durham Ranch elk patty, Gruyère, bleu cheese, mixed greens, caramelized onion aioli, housemade bun, and beer-brined pickles). It was delicious, not gamey. Like a hamburger with a deeper, richer flavor to it. Steve enjoyed his pub burger and chocolate cake. He was a great tour guide for Portland stops and our side trips. 

The elk burger and French fries with melted cheese.

A Voodoo Morning

One of several doughnut cases at Voodoo Doughnuts.

Before leaving Portland there was one more stop I had to make—Voodoo Doughnut, where they say “The Magic is in the Hole!” Voodoo Doughnut was at the forefront of trendy doughnut shops some years back. Steve says there are better, less touristy doughnut shops in Portland, but I wanted to try Voodoo. All the very colorful doughnuts are displayed in vertical display cases. I did my best not to drool while choosing a few. I picked the Old Dirty Bastard, being a fan of the Wu-Tang Clan, one of whose members is of that name (raised ring, chocolate frosting, chocolate cream filled cookies, and peanut butter drizzle), The Homer (raised ring with strawberry frosting and round sprinkles), and a plain cake doughnut (one of Steven’s favorites). The Old Dirty Bastard was dirty-delicious. The Homer was strawberry infused sweetness. I saved half of the Homer and the cake doughnut for Steven as I was stopping by his house on my trip back to Seattle. He had grown some figs in his garden and we ate a few. They were splendid.

Voodoo Doughnuts to go.

I had booked a hotel room close to SeaTac airport. It  was very close! I could hear the planes taking off very loudly. I can often be a light sleeper so I’ve started packing ear plugs on my travels lately. When I was going to get bags out of the trunk of my rental car I noticed an abrasion on the passenger side rear corner. My heart sank. How, and when, did that happen? It could have been in the narrowest of hotel parking garage ramps I’ve ever encountered in Seattle. Or it could have been a valet or someone scraped the car on the street. Luckily, I made sure to use my American Express card when booking the car rental. They take care of your deductible if you have an accident.

Early the next morning I got up very early and headed downstairs to get my free breakfast, but the breakfast person hadn’t shown up. So I grabbed a piece of fruit and headed for the airport. I turned the rental car in at Thrifty and told them about the scrape on the car. They couldn’t have been any nicer or more understanding about it. Everything got worked out smoothly in the following weeks. Since I didn’t have any breakfast after I got to the airport I went to their Priority Pass Lounge, The Club SEA, and had a quick breakfast. Soon I was inflight to Pittsburgh. 

Post Trip Reflections

Beautiful view of Puget Sound from Harbor Lights restaurant in Tacoma,

This Pacific Northwest trip was not just a vacation, it was, a little like Lewis and Clark’s expedition, a “Journey of Discovery.” I had never been to Portland, Seattle, or Vancouver and wanted to see as much as possible while I was there. The trip was not a relaxing vacation. I crammed in as much as I could and it was a huge success. The drive between Vancouver and Portland is approximately 313 miles.

I experienced the wonderous natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, saw my brother and some friends. I ate some fantastic meals and enjoyed local craft beers. I saw most of the sights I had wanted to see. Any vacation has its highs and lows. One just has to keep a good attitude and roll with it. I hope you have some fun travels soon, too!

The author at Multnomah Falls.

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Story and photos by Rick Handler, executive producer of Entertainment Central.

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