Mom & Daughter trip: PNW
I had been itching for a trip back to the Pacific Northwest and ideas started swirling in my head how to make it happen for a summertime getaway. Let’s face the facts, I wanted to wear jeans and sweaters for a week straight and feel a crisp breeze. I also wanted to showcase the beauty of the Pacific Northwest to Nora. The first time we took her there, she was only 9 months old.
Ara doesn’t have as much flexibility with work as I do (thank you, remote work!) so I decided it would just be a trip for Nora and I to take after she got out of school for the year.
Our friend who works for Delta graciously gave us his buddy pass privilege and we made our way from Atlanta to Seattle. I wasn’t sure we would make the flight out but we got on as the last passengers and they closed the airplane door behind us. Flying “non-rev” is not for the faint of heart!
First stop was lunch! I couldn’t wait to take Nora to Duke’s in Tacoma. She is our seafood enthusiast and I knew she would fit right in with all the great seafood in the PNW. I ordered the “dingy” of clam chowder because I wasn’t sure if she would dig the soup but turns out we needed to order another because she claimed it all for herself. Between the chowder and the bread, she was a happy camper. And so was I—it felt so peaceful to be enjoying the view of the Puget Sound, filling our bellies up and still feeling the high from making the last seats on the plane!
We made our “base” with our friends who live in Gig Harbor, WA - located right across the Narrow’s Bridge from Tacoma. We spent the evening catching up with them and taking in the sights of the downtown waterfront of Gig Harbor.
One thing is for sure about the PNW and that is the plethora of amazing, local coffee shops. Nora knows the routine now while we are traveling that we typically start the morning at a local coffee shop. We had to make requisite stops at a few of my favorites: Bluebeard Coffee Roasters, Manifesto Coffee and Olympia Coffee.
After a couple days in the Tacoma/Gig Harbor area we made our way via the Express Bus to Seattle. This was Nora’s first time on a big public transit bus and she was a fan! I love taking the Express Bus from Tacoma to Seattle because you never have to worry about parking.
I wanted to make sure we had a day in downtown Seattle to show Nora all my favorite touristy things. I had a surprise up my sleeve with a stop at Target to grab a pack of gum. Nora said, “Mom, why are we buying gum? We never buy gum?!”
I opened up the package and gave her a piece of Bubble Yum and told her “alright, chew this up!” We meandered through the city block and down the alley way past the Pike Place Market sign. We stopped in a dark alley way and I told Nora, “check out the walls!”
“Gum?! Mom, there’s chewed up gum everywhere!”
And that was her introduction to the Gum Wall located in Pike Place Market. We wandered around the rest of the market, stopping at many vendors, ogling at the fresh fish, sampling fresh crab and fresh produce. We ended up with a bag of smoked salmon to snack on as well as a delicious cup of frozen yogurt from Hellinika.
The next day brought us to Queen Anne where we spent the warm May Day enjoying a park and one of my favorite restaurants, How to Cook a Wolf. I hadn’t been in the area post-Covid and they had added some great outdoor seating options. It felt like a dream enjoying some crisp white wine while Nora sat across from me coloring—all while remembering this was a favorite date spot for Ara and I while we lived here.
General Porpoise is one of my favorite spots in Seattle to stop for breakfast. It was a “short” walk from our hotel—Nora thought it was entirely too long though. I indulged in the lemon tiramisu doughnut and decided since we walked, two was probably a good idea. It definitely was. I’m still dreaming about that doughnut months later.
We made our way back to Tacoma and picked up our car for a little road trip. Destination: Willamette Valley, Oregon. One of my favorite places on earth where delicious Pinot Noir wine is grown.
We checked into our cute Airbnb right off downtown McMinnville and made a plan for the evening. We strolled around 3rd Street and grabbed pizza from Capo—amazing Neapolitan style pizza.
Our day started early with breakfast at Crescent Cafe then a coffee at Flag and Wire to take on our way to a winery. I had made reservations for a tasting at Adelsheim Vineyard but upon arriving I realized they were having an event due to Memorial Day! Nora and I set up in a cozy spot out on their deck that took in their expansive views of rolling vineyards. I sampled my heart out of delicious wines while Nora colored and played with the outdoor toys. I may have texted Ara while there and told him that I was never leaving.
Since I was the only adult on the trip and needed to be responsible—we saved our next winery stop for the next day. We ventured to Sokol Blosser Winery to taste and procure some more wines. I was truly surprised how kid-friendly the wineries we visited were. The tasting room attendant brought out some activities for Nora to do while I sampled my way through the wine tasting. Nothing makes my mama heart happier than my girl happy while I enjoy something I love. I ended our Willamette time with a case full of wine to bring back to enjoy with Ara!
After traveling back to Gig Harbor, WA that night we set our sights on the flight loads for the next day back to Atlanta. The day of travel ahead seemed like a sure shot with a couple flights with many seats open for our “non-rev” flying. With a great view of Mt. Rainier from our plane seats, we said “see you later” to one of my favorite spots.
