The Hollywood Walk of Fame has been honoring movie stars since 1960. It is one of the most iconic places in Los Angeles. Between the 2,500+ stars and the architecture on Hollywood Blvd, there is a plethora of interesting sights. As we walked passed the TCL Chinese Theatre (aka Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) I heard an …
The California Surf Museum in downtown Oceanside has been preserving surfing heritage for over three decades. Their exhibits are changed every six to eight months, so there is plenty new to learn about. The last time we were at the surf museum the majority of the floor space was dedicated to an exhibit on surfing …
The world’s oldest McDonald’s is located in Downey, California. When it opened in 1953, it was the third McDonald’s restaurant. Over the years the earlier buildings have been destroyed, moving this one up the ranks to the oldest store in existence. Little has changed to the building’s appearance since its opening. In 1994, it was …
Old Sacramento is a 28 acre National Historic Landmark and State Historic Park that features dozens of restored and recreated Gold Rush-era buildings. It is located right next to the Sacramento River, and includes a restored river paddle boat that is now a permanently moored hotel and restaurant. Old Sacramento is also the terminus of …
Yreka (pronounced why-reeka) was incorporated in 1857, but miners began flocking to the area in 1851, after a gold miner discovered some gold in the area. The name origin of the town remains a mystery, but Mark Twain claims, “there was a bakeshop with a canvas sign which had not yet been put up but …
The Pearl District in Portland used to be occupied by railroad classification yards and warehouses. Now it is home to eateries and fancy shops (and is considered one of the safest places in Portland). Portland has over 250 nationally registered historic places in the city, and Deschute’s Brewery is located inside one, the 1919 G. …
As we drove into Mount Rainier National Park the visibility decreased considerably. By the time we parked at Paradise Visitor Center, we had no idea how close we were to Paradise Inn (which the visitor center shares a parking lot with). After parking I realized how underprepared I was clothing-wise, so I ended up (very …
Just a five minute walk from downtown Leavenworth are the beaches of Waterfront Park. The park is located along side Wenatchee River, a 53 mile river which terminates at the Columbia River. The water is amazingly cool on a hot summer’s day. We had to share the area with other beach goers, but we appreciated …
In the middle of Washington state, a Bavarian town exists. Unlike the Danish town of Solvang, CA, which was actually founded by Danes, Leavenworth was not founded by Germans. Instead it was a gimmick, created by two Seattle businessmen trying to save the town after the lumber mills closed their doors in the 1950s. The …
The city of Everett began as a few homesteads in the 1850s. In 1890, plans to establish Everett as a city were drawn up, with the idea it would become “the Pittsburgh of the West” when the railroad was completed and Everett became the terminus. The railroad was completed, and Everett was a stop, but …
Founded in 1852, Coupeville is Washington’s second oldest community. It is in the middle of Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve (the one and only National Historical Reserve in the nation). In 1905, the brick red grain wharf exported grain produced on Whidbey Island. Until the Deception Pass Bridge was built in 1937, Coupeville depended on …
This morning we changed our plan and booked a whale watching tour with Outer Island Excursions out of Skyline Marine in Anacortes. Their whale watching guarantee is temporarily suspended since US boats cannot travel into Canadian waters, which limits their typical routes. This year the company is averaging whale sightings on 90% of their tours. …
From the top of Deception Pass Bridge, 180 feet above Deception Pass, the water looks calm. But Deception Pass is known for its strong current and turbulent waters. At peak conditions water flow reaches 8 knots, creating standing waves, eddies and whirlpools. Before the bridge was built in 1935, people who wanted to cross the …
Ferry reservations are released gradually; 30% two months before, 30% two weeks before, 30% two days before and 10% for emergency and stand-by vehicles. We knew when we wanted to return to the island and there were no issues getting the exact reservation times we wanted, going online at exactly 7:00am when the last 30% …
Pike Place Market opened in August of 1907. On the public market’s first day, farmers sold out of produce in minutes. Because it rains so often in Seattle, farmers asked for shelter. The city didn’t have the money for that but a developer with goldrush money drew up some plans and built the current market …