One of the biggest challenges in business is being able to respond to sudden disruption in society and economies. Such resilience can often be the key to a business’s long-term success.
17.10.2023 - 17:05 / lonelyplanet.com / Pacific Northwest
I’m an East Coast woman through and through – yet despite my loyalties, I’m not one to shy away from the Pacific side of the USA.
In fact, there are a few reasons I jumped at the opportunity to leave my new Brooklyn apartment for a quick trip to Washington State. First, I was craving a taste of fall weather, and the 90-degree days in New York (in September!) were taking a toll. Second, I’m a nature freak who lives in an urban jungle. Nothing cures my appetite more than a trail run – well, at least a trail walk. Third, I had never visited the Pacific Northwest.
It was about time I corrected that.
My quick trip struck the ideal balance of adventure and relaxation. Following my footsteps, though, it would be easy to favor one over the other.
I stayed at The Lodge at St Edward Park, just a half-hour drive outside Seattle. This elegant hotel, formerly a seminary, is cozy and modern. Yet touches like using blueprint-patterned wallpaper and repurposing the original dining hall as the main restaurant saluted the building’s history. The lodge is surrounded by state-park trails that lead to nearby Lake Washington, which is lined with towering fir trees that immediately put you at peace.
It’s the kind of place you might never want to leave for the entirety of your trip. There’s a gallery for local artists, a library with vintage board games, pickleball courts, a spa, two bars and a farm-to-table restaurant on site (more on that later). Between the grand historic building, sprawling lawns and surrounding forest, I almost felt like I was on the set of Knives Out.
A floatplane excursion above Seattle. I took full advantage of the lodge’s Kenmore Air hookup and hopped aboard an aircraft for amazing views of the city, flying over the iconic Space Needle, Ballard Locks and Lake Washington, and taking in mountain views in every direction. This is no ordinary plane ride: not only do you take off and land gracefully on the water, but there’s also only room for 10 passengers, which means everyone is guaranteed a window seat. The small plane can fly much lower than other aircraft, which meant I could make out every detail below; it almost felt like I was looking over a scale city model. My one regret is experiencing it all from behind a lens for about half of the 30-minute ride! Do yourself a favor and snap just a few photos before gluing your eyeballs to the window for the rest of the tour.
This is definitely more of a splurge activity (tours are $99 per person), yet it’s a classic – even essential – Pacific Northwest experience, and I’d highly recommend booking a tour if there’s room in your budget. You can also book flights to a handful of nearby destinations, like the San Juan Islands and British Columbia, and they would
One of the biggest challenges in business is being able to respond to sudden disruption in society and economies. Such resilience can often be the key to a business’s long-term success.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Norm Bour, a 69-year-old nomad who prefers ferry travel. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
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This as-told-to story is based on a conversation with Hailey Beaupre, 25, a fan of the Starz series "Outlander" who moved from her small town in Connecticut to Glasgow, Scotland, after falling in love with the show and all things Scotland. The following has been edited for length and clarity.