-
School-year vacation: Why and how to pull it off
Just because school’s in session doesn’t mean you have to swear off all family getaways. In fact, non-summer travel offers some of the best bargains on hotel and transportation options. Here are lessons in school-year travel: 1. Shoulder season travel is a steal. Spring and fall are called “shoulder seasons†in the travel biz. Book during the shoulder season, and you’ll typically save about 25% off of summer prices. 2. Winter offers dark days and deep discounts for hardy travelers. Up to 40% in some tourism-dependent regions like Victoria, BC and the Oregon Coast. If you select a city location with plenty of indoor options (Seattle, Portland, Vancouver or Victoria),…
-
Harry Potter, Picasso & Purses: Fall Museum Round-Up
Wow, cool exhibits are in Cascadia! From Vancouver, BC to Portland, Oregon, here are my picks for the very best fall exhibits in science, art, history and children’s museums. Most end in January or February, so visit before the exhibits pack up and roll down the highway to the next town. — Harry Potter: The Exhibition Pacific Science Center, Seattle; October 23, 2010 – January 30, 2011. This hands-on exhibit is a dream come true for Harry fans: A walk through Harry’s world. View the movie’s costumes and props, try pulling a mandrake from a pot, sit in Hagrid’s leather chair and toss a Quaffle. Online ticket purchase options include daytime…
-
15 Haunted Spots in BC, Oregon and Washington
What’s that strange noise in the hotel? Hopefully it’s a ghost, not a blown-out water heater. Here are 15 goofy, ghastly spots in Cascadia to delight your easily-spooked big kids. At right, the Davenport Hotel’s lobby. Can you spot a spectre? (I can’t, either!) Washington Haunted Spots Mt. Baker Theatre, Bellingham Judy didn’t want to leave, but she was evicted from her home to make way for the 1917 theater. So she’s supposedly returned, year after year, to haunt the theatre, showing up as gusts of cold air and the sound of old-timey skirts. Read more about Mt. Baker Theatre’s ghost stories. Roche Harbor Resort, San Juan Island The cemetery…
-
Kid Picks for Seattle Restaurant Week
On Sunday, October 17, Seattle Restaurant Week kicks off. For almost two weeks (October 17-28), Sunday through Thursday, diners will enjoy three-course dinners for just $25 at over 100 area restaurants. Evado PR helped me collect information on kid-friendly restaurants that offer children’s menus. I’ve highlighted menu items that might be more adventurous, along with the standards. Of course, these menu items are offered the other 51 weeks, so you’re not limited to dining during SRW. Don’t see your favorite restaurant listed here? Don’t stress. Call ahead and ask whether they make special accommodations for kids, whether smaller portions or appetizer options. Go to the Seattle Restaurant Week site to…
-
Stormwatching at the Coast: Tips and Hints
Winds howl outside at 55 miles per hour – fast enough to tip over a toddler. Waves explode on the beach, each one more spectacular than the last. The lights flicker, but stay on. Your family is inside, dry and happy, playing “Apples to Apples†with a warm drink (Hot chocolate? Hot cider? Hot toddy  — just for grown-ups) in hand. During this season of storms and seas, some upscale resorts even offer a “stormwatcher’s package,†like this one at the Wickannish Inn in Tofino. But you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the wild weather at the coast. Here are tips for enjoying stormwatching in the Pacific…