Please consider Washington’s reopening plan and check all recommended locations’ current status and hours prior to planning a visit.

I really don’t have to go far for this week’s Travel Local highlight, because it’s where we live… Tacoma, Washington! When Evan moved here, I had NO idea how much I would fall in love with this city that would later become my home too. The beaches, the parks, the food, the small businesses and just the community… this city has SO much to offer. So today we’re diving into some of my favorite places to hang out in our city.

Neighborhoods

Something I love about Tacoma is there are so many great neighborhoods within the city that all have different vibes. This, by all means, is not all of them but here are a few we spend a lot of time exploring.

Proctor

This is probably my favorite in the city. Proctor is such a cute neighborhood with gorgeous homes and a really cute downtown area with some of my favorite restaurants and shops — including Compass Rose, The Fernseed, Lapis, Waffle Stop and more! I also love their Farmers Market that takes place on Saturdays and has my FAVORITE scones from Upper Crust!

Stadium District

This was our old neighborhood and I love walking up and down the streets checking out the historic and victorian style homes. There are great food and bar options in the neighborhood and it also overlooks beautiful views of the water! We spent a lot of time at Shake Shake Shake, Indo Asian Street Eatery, and the Rhein Haus.

Downtown

Back when meeting up with friends was a thing (I miss you pre-COVID life), downtown was one of our spots we’d go. Pacific Avenue is a great place to grab a bite to eat and bar hop. A few blocks up, Antique Row is another cool spot to check out. Downtown is also where a lot of the museums and theatres are located!

6th Avenue

This is another hot spot for going out. 6th Ave kind of gives me vibes of my old neighborhood in Portland which I also really loved, so it’s no surprise I love this area! There are a ton of great bars and restaurants and it’s impossible to go wrong down there!

Dome District

The Tacoma Dome is known for hosting concerts and large events, but its neighborhood is also filled with unique things to do too — including shopping at Freighthouse Square (be sure to check out Adorned Abode!), the LeMay Car Museum, Tacoma Glassblowing Studio and more!

Favorite Beaches & Parks

I didn’t think I was a beach person until I moved to Tacoma. Obviously our beaches are a little different in Washington than other places but that’s why I love them! I can’t get enough of the rocky shores filled with driftwood and the regular seal spottings.

Owen Beach

I can’t tell you how much time I’ve spent walking the waterfront at Owen Beach, I love it down there! It’s definitely one of my happy places. It’s so relaxing walking along the water and watching the seals swim around. It’s one of the more popular options so it can get busy during the summer but it’s a great option to visit year-round.

Point Defiance

We are so lucky to have a park like Point Defiance in Tacoma. It’s HUGE and there are so many different places to visit there — a little something for everyone. It’s actually where Owen beach is too. I love spending time in the flower gardens when they bloom, walking one of the many trails, visiting the Point Defiance Zoo, Owen Beach, Fort Nisqually, and taking in the views on the 5-mile drive!

Chambers Bay

Since we bought our townhouse, I’ve been spending more time at Chambers Bay, which is technically in University Place, but I group them together because they’re so close. This park is huge since it also has a golf course and I love walking on the rocky beaches or walking around on the walking trail.

Ruston Way

Another super popular option (especially in the summer) is Ruston Way. I love walking along the water down there and it hands down has the best views with Mt. Rainier peeking out in the background. At the end of Ruston Way there’s also a ton of development going up full of restaurants, shops and their own market.

Titlow Beach

We are SO spoiled with so many beach options! Titlow Beach is another great one to visit (and yes, that’s really its name). This one is on the other side of Tacoma near the Narrows and it has ample rocky beaches to enjoy. It’s also a go-to for kayaking for us.

Food

The food scene is hopping in Tacoma and there are still so many places we haven’t even tried yet! These are the spots that are on our tried and true rotate list though!

Shake Shake Shake

We used to live across the street from Shake Shake Shake and it was dangerous.. in the best kind of way! You cannot go wrong with any of their burgers, hot dogs or their delicious shakes. SO. DANG. GOOD!

Dirty Oscar’s Annex

If you’re looking for a bomb brunch or lunch Dirty Oscar’s Annex is the place to go. When you walk in, it has casual bar vibes but their food is Ah-mazingggg. You can’t go wrong with anything you order there.

Happy Belly

For delicious and healthy bites you need to make a stop at Happy Belly! Their menu is vegetarian focused plus they offer an amazing juice bar. Literally the besttt spot for a tasty lunch, juice or smoothie!

Pomodoro

Pomodoro is the perfect date spot in the adorable neighborhood of Proctor that serves up seriously delicious Italian. There’s a reason it was voted Tacoma’s Best Italian by the readers of Tacoma Weekly!

Cactus

We’re obsessed with the queso and margaritas at Cactus! SO dang delicious. There are other locations than just in Tacoma but we’re so glad they’re here now too!

Waffle Stop

If you ask me to go to brunch in Tacoma I’m probably going to take you to Waffle Stop. Because hello… waffles! These aren’t just any ordinary waffles either, they’ve gotten really clever with some of their menu items including one of my favorites, the messy but oh so delicious monte carlo sandwich.

Art House Cafe

Another great brunch spot is Art House Cafe in the Stadium District! It has cozy vibes and I love that the menu is built around local and in-season options. Everything is just always very fresh tasting.

Katie Downs

If my mom is visiting, you’re probably going to find us at Katie Downs! It’s one of our favorite places to go to Happy Hour and enjoy gorgeous views on the water. We usually order a bunch of their appetizers but they’re also well-known for their pizzas.

La Cà Bar

Pho! Something I didn’t realize was missing from my life until I moved back to the PNW was pho and I’m obsessed these days. My personal favorite is La Cà Bar off of 6th Avenue and let’s just say we’re regulars in the fall and winter!

Ice Cream Social

If you’re looking for some sweetness in your life, Ice Cream Social is the spot! They have two locations in Tacoma and you cannot beat their all-natural, homemade, local ice cream! They rotate flavors each month and my mouth is watering just thinking about them. My favorite that got added to the everyday menu is their Almond Poppyseed. Holy YUM!

Bars & Breweries

We also have a ton of unique bars to go to throughout the city, which makes going out so much more fun! Some of these are temporarily closed right now because of COVID but save this for later so you can check them out and support them when they’re back!

Triple Knock

Pinball bar, need I say more? I’m convinced there’s nothing more fun than enjoying a brew while playing pinball and Triple Knock delivers! If I’m being honest, I’m not even very good at pinball but it’s still fun nonetheless!

McMenamins Elk Temple

If you read my Olympia travel guide you know I loveeee me a McMenamins and the Elk Temple takes the cake for my favorite! It’s HUGE! It’s 7 floors and there are a variety of restaurants and bars, a tasting room, hotel, concert venue and even a hidden bar. It’s bomb and you could spend a whole evening exploring different areas.

The Red Hot

Craft beer and hot dogs FTW! The Red Hot is the spot to enjoy some quality beer or ciders and also get adventurous with their hot dog creations!

Rhein Haus

If you’re in the mood for German beer, grub and some bocce ball or miniature golf, Rhein Haus is the spot. Yes, they really have all of that inside! It’s a great spot to watch sports in the fall or enjoy some time by their fireplaces in the winter too!

The Camp Bar

If you love camping, or are just looking for an awesome local dive bar, The Camp Bar is where you need to go! Their decor is filled with fun camping vibes, they have bomb food and you can even order tableside s’mores!

7 Seas Brewery and Taproom

If I had to pick my favorite place to go out with friends, this is it! 7 Seas Brewery is the best! It’s located in Hilltop in a huge warehouse building and I just love the vibes. Plus their beer is BOMB, we love to do the tastings although the IPA is my all-time fav. 3uilt Tacoma is also located there and they have amazing sandwiches!

Locust Cider

If ciders are more your thing (I also love them) you’ll definitely want to check out Locust Cider. It’s located on 6th Avenue and is such a fun spot where you can have tasting and play board games. I’m all about the tasting and checking out their rotating ciders too!

Parkway Tavern

Last but definitely not least, Parkway Tavern is another one of our go-tos — especially when we lived in the Stadium District. It’s a great chill bar that has a ton of brews on tap and they also have games in the back! Can you tell, I like having things to do when we go out? Highly recommend!

There are so many awesome things to do on a visit to Tacoma, these recommendations don’t only touch the surface! This should give you a good starting point though. Have other favs? Drop them in the comments!

P.S. Want to keep up with my adventures around Tacoma and the PNW? Follow along on Instagram!

Travel may be a little different this year, but it’s not always going to be that way. So this summer I kicked off a travel local blog series to highlight some of the really awesome places you can visit right here in Washington state! Because guys, we have SO many amazing places to see in our area! And I for one know that I have an even bigger appreciation for supporting everything local these days and want to continue that even after this is all over. So whether you’re adding to your future travel list, or we survived this whole thing and you’re ready to get your adventure on, buckle up because today we’re exploring Olympia, Washington!

After our trip to Austin, Texas and exploring their capitol building and all of the history, I realized I had never really spent much time in our own capital here in Washington! 🙈 So last year, we decided it was time to make a visit. Especially because it’s less than an hour away from Tacoma where we live. Here’s a look at some of the places I’d recommend you check out!

Explore the Waterfront

If you’re looking for a low-key afternoon. Head to the waterfront to enjoy the views! Olympia has a beautiful park along the East Bay right next to the Farmer’s Market which is the perfect place to relax and watch the boats (or ducks) go by!

Go to the Farmers Market

Olympia has a fantastic farmers market that has been providing local produce and supporting local artisans and businesses since 1975! The days and hours vary depending on the season but you can check their website for the latest. I’m a sucker for farmers markets in general but this one is so worth the stop! It’s quite large and there was a lot of variety in the offerings — even when we visited in the winter. So I imagine the summer is even more impressive!

Explore the Capitol Building & Grounds

Whether you’re into politics or not, it’s pretty impressive to see the capitol building up close and personal. Even if it’s just for the architecture alone! They just do not build buildings like this anymore and the scale of them is just insane. They also offer free tours of the campus (not during COVID though) where they’ll show you around and share history about the building for free. Even if guided tours aren’t really your thing though you can still wander around the building and just take it all in! We definitely ran up the stairs Rocky style too, because.. had to!

Get a Bite to Eat at McMenamins

When you’re ready for lunch or dinner, stop by McMenamins! After going to college and living in Oregon for a while, McMenamins was a staple in my life so it’s always nice to visit them in Washington too. There aren’t as many here as in Oregon, but you can always count on them for a solid meal and brew. If you aren’t familiar, they’re a family-owned company that is known for revitalizing pubs, restaurants, theatres and hotels and bring their unique flair of art and vibe that celebrates the history of the location. Some locations also have live music and events too! They also have a fun passport you can get which makes the experience even more fun too.

Explore the Murals & Colorful Walls Around Downtown

Olympia has a vibrant art community and it shows in its downtown district. The streets are painted with a variety of art that is both unique and also tells stories of its history. You know I’m a sucker for colorful fun walls too… we even have a colorful wall guide at Bold & Pop I love them so much! Be sure to check out this guide to make a plan for what you want to see!

Support the Local Shops Downtown

For being the capital of the state, the downtown definitely has more of a small town vibe. The downtown is lined with adorable shops to fit any interest — bookstores, gift stores, novelties, coffee shops, and children’s stores. So many awesome options that will certainly fill up your day!

Olympia was such a pleasant surprise and I definitely recommend adding it to your local travel list! I for one know I will be! Have other recs? Drop them in the comments below!

If you’re looking for a fun weekend getaway in Washington boy do I have a fun weekend plan for you! We took a trip to the Methow Valley and I’m obsessed! Like I may be planning a yearly trip because I loved it out there so much.

I’d recommend taking a 3-day weekend if you can for this trip because it’s a bit of a drive at least if you’re coming from the west side (about 4.5 hours from Tacoma) but you can adjust your stops accordingly. We opted to go in a big ol’ counterclockwise loop for our trip taking I-90 and Highway 97 on the way there and then taking Highway 20 (North Cascades Highway) on the way back. Just be sure to check the routes for when you plan your trip because Highway 20 is closed in the winter. No matter which way you go though, it’s bound to be a great trip so let’s get down to where I rec stopping!

Leavenworth

Since it is a bit of a trek, we opted to stop in Leavenworth on the way over. Plus, it’s only about 20 mins off the original route so if you have some wiggle room on time it’s definitely worth a visit. I hadn’t visited since I was a kid and it’s just such a cute town to explore. It’s a top tourist destination year-round but it wasn’t too bad when we stopped midday on a Friday. If you’re not familiar, it’s a Bavarian-themed village in the North Cascades filled with German beer, food, and gift stores. It wasn’t always that way, but in the 60’s the leaders of the town decided to give the city a makeover to attract more tourists and boy did they ever! The downtown isn’t the only thing that’s picture-perfect either, the mountains in the background… holy ish, so gorg!

There are SO many different places to stop and check out. The downtown is a lot bigger than I thought so there’s definitely a lot to explore. We got a bite to eat at the Sausage Garten and I would go back for the sole reason of getting some more sausages. So. Dang. Good! Plus, I’m admittedly a condiment whore and then had like 20 different sauces to choose from, it was insane! The spot is right in the middle of downtown and you just order and then sit at one of the picnic tables available — so super casual dining. There were a lot of sit-down options as well but this was perfect for our timeline and by the time we got there we were so hungry!

After getting a bite, we wandered through a ton of the gift stores — which there were a lot of. All super cute! They ranged from clothing stores, touristy shops, to year-round Christmas and crystal/rock stores. There was a great variety and a little something for everyone. We also made a stop at the Hat Shop, which I remember was a favorite of mine as a kid.

After a little shopping, we closed out our visit at Icicle Brewing Company. I just loved the ambiance here. They had quite a bit of outdoor seating, complete with misters for those hot days (it was decently hot when we were there) and then they also had some indoor seating upstairs filled with games ,which is where we ended up.

After a few games of cribbage and brews it was time for us to hit the road again. As you continue to drive further the terrain continues to change and the houses start to get further and far between until you start passing orchards. One of my favorite things about Washington is how diverse the landscape across the state is.

Winthrop

After about a two hour drive, you’ll land in the wild, wild west…. Winthrop! Where my heart lives foreverrrr. 💖💖💖Guys, I love this little town so much. Similar to Leavenworth, it wasn’t always a western theme, but with the opening of the North Cascades Highway, the town followed Leavenworth’s lead and remodeled the downtown in the 70’s. Next to Twisp, Winthrop is one of the bigger towns you’ll find in the Methow Valley, which isn’t that big… with only about 500 full-time residents.

Winthop is much smaller than Leavenworth but there’s still plenty to do in the area. I was so captivated by this town too — especially all of its history. Even in modern-day, it kind of feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere so learning about the settlers that landed here in the 1800’s and started the town just blew my mind.

Definitely take the time to go up the hill from the main drag and check out the Shafer Museum. It’s free to go to (but they also accept donations) and you’ll get a really great look at what life was like there over the years.

Another popular destination and place to stay in Winthop is Sun Mountain Lodge. My family visited when I was a kid and we went horseback riding and it was one of my favorite memories everrrr. During our trip, we stayed downtown but we went up the hill to the lodge to relive my childhood memories and go horseback riding. They have a few different options, you can sign up to do a Cowboy Dinner where you’ll ride the horses out and then you have a BBQ dinner before riding back home or you can also just go riding. The dinners were already full on the day we wanted so we did an afternoon ride instead. Say heyyy to my horse Teddy!

Don’t mind Evan just looking like he’s a real-life cowboy too… haha. This was such a cool experience though! Having done both now, if you do the Cowboy dinners your path is relatively flat after you walk up from the stables. If you go on an afternoon ride though, you actually go up on the ridge which was insanely gorgeous. Both are really memorable options and the wranglers of the horses (I think that’s the right verbiage😜) were so kind and took such great care of the horses. 10/10 would do this again.

After we went riding we were ready to go back downtown to explore again. Like I said, I just LOVE this town and there are a lot of great places to visit, here were a few that made my favs though:

• Copper Glance: If you are looking for some BOMB food and cocktails in Winthrop, Copper Glance is your spot. We got into town a little later on Saturday so we were looking for a dinner and this was just what we were looking for. Their cocktail selection is really impressive and their menu stacked up with a lot of the restaurants I used to go to in New York — for real. They use local and organic ingredients and I just loved the creative options they had. The atmosphere and staff were just the best too.

• Methow Valley Cidehouse: After riding, we stopped by for some cider tastings (my fav!) and a snack. They had ribs on special which seemed necessary and they were so tasty! They have indoor and outdoor seating with a really relaxed atmosphere which was great. They also had a really diverse range of ciders too.

• Old Schoolhouse Brewery: Don’t be fooled by the outside of this place, it’s a lot bigger than it looks! Especially during the summer because they have a whole outdoor seating area in the back along the river. This was our round 2 of dinner and it was a great find. Specifically their totchos! Everything was really great and the views along the river were so pretty. We even saw a mama deer with a few of her babies walk by!

• Sheri’s Sweet Shoppe: If you visit Winthrop this is a right of passage! We closed out our evening with a game of put-put golf followed by some ice cream at the sweet shoppe, which was the perfect sweet treat.

North Cascades

After an amazing trip in Winthrop we started our journey back, this time going through the North Cascades. We had a hike planned so we got an early start around 7 a.m.. Usually, we make or pick up sandwiches along the way when we go hiking but weren’t quite sure what we were going to stumble upon since there’s not a ton on the way. We also wanted to refill on gas before heading into the mountains so we stopped in one of the last towns along the way to The Mazama Store.

From the outside, it looks like your standard old-school gas station but as I was waiting in the car I began to get curious because of how many people were going in. I figured it was likely because it was the only real store around (which is also true) but it turns out it’s more than that. Evan came out and told me I had to go in so I did and this little store had a little bit of everything! Color me impressed. They were just putting some sandwiches out so we picked a few up and then got suckered into getting a few muffins too because they had just come right out of the kitchen. Holy crap… if you’re in the area, make a stop at that store because the muffins and sandwiches were some of the best I’ve ever had. They grow their own produce right on site so everything was fresh and homemade. I’m still dreaming about my turkey sandwich with cranberry cream cheese too… So dang good and it was the perfect reward at the top of our hike.

After our stop we were back to being en route to our trail! If hiking is your thing you HAVE to add Maple Pass to your list. Hands down, this hike is going down as my favorite OF ALL TIME! It’s definitely a hike.. it’s almost 8 miles roundtrip with a 2.2k+ elevation gain, but dang is it worth it. This hike had views at pretty much every single step of the trail and truly it was just incredible. We saw views of some of the lakes, the cascades, wildflowers and even a few marmots! It was truly phenomenal. There are a ton of great options in the North Cascades but I definitely recommend this one. In the Fall they’re also known for their larches! Look them up, they look pretty cool. There’s also a decent-sized parking lot on-site and there aren’t any forest roads so it’s easy accessibility. Since it’s a loop, there are a lot of people who recommend hiking it clockwise because they say it’s a little easier. We actually intended to do that, but it turns out we went counter-clockwise but honestly, either way, would be just fine. The way we went may have been tougher but having the views the whole way was so worth it.

These photos don’t even do this hike justice.. it was THAT gorgeous! This was actually my first hike in the North Cascades too and I can’t wait to go back. Hiking in the Snoqualmie and Mt. Rainier areas have gotten so crazy during the summer since they’re so close to Seattle and this was a refreshing change. We definitely still saw people but with the early start, we were really able to just enjoy nature.

Even if hiking isn’t your thing, driving the North Cascades Highway is SO worth it. The views throughout were just amazing. Another stop I wanted to make on the way home which is right off the highway was to Diablo Lake. I’ve been mesmerized by photos online and couldn’t wait to see if the water was really that blue. Spoiler, it is! There’s a hike around here as well that we considered doing but the trail reviews were meh so we decided to skip it. Instead, we just joined the massed at the viewpoint.

Right after we left the viewpoint though, we saw that there was a beach right off the road so we decided to stop. During the summer, we pack around our inflatable kayaks justtt in case and we decided to make the impulsive decision to kayak on the inlet of the lake.

Which I’d say was the perfect way to close out our trip! If you’re looking for a getaway I cannot recommend this itinerary enough… even if you just went to one of these places! All are such a treat and we’re so lucky to live in a state with so much variety. If you have any questions or suggestions for other places we should check out, let me know in the comments or shoot me a message!

P.S. If you like keeping up with my PNW adventures, Evan and I started an Instagram account focused on just that! Follow along at @TheHicksintheSticks