crater lake As a travel writer, I’ve been lucky to visit amazing places all over the country and world, from the wine vineyards of New Zealand to the dusty sand dunes of Namibia to the honky-tonks of Tennessee. As much as I love to see places afar, there’s just something about the Northwest that’s captivating. Every year, I make sure to set aside time to explore the area, lest I get so caught up in hopping on a plane that I miss the wonders in my own backyard. 36 | november 2015 reflections
Choosing a favorite spot is impossible. I’ve probably written most about MOUNT RAINIER (a trend I continue in this issue; see page 46!), whose beauty I can’t do justice in words. I never tire of dropping by PIKE PLACE MARKET, and I find the beaches of LA PUSH to be completely magical. The deep blue water of CRATER LAKE is an enduring memory from my childhood. VANCOUVER is one of my favorite big cities, and VICTORIA is as adorable as it gets, with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. That’s really just the beginning. To uncover more gems, I turned to the experts—my colleagues in travel writing—to see where they love to visit in the Northwest.