Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a Pacific Northwest and Adventure/Activities blog but with many things BEYOND that!
We started off with the intention of being a travel blog — and we LOVE to travel — but we find that we spend more time right here in the PNW — and it’s a great place to spend time!
Alongside posts about the PNW, travel, cycling, and other activities, you’ll also find a PNW events calendar, a recipes section, articles about photography, galleries, book reviews and posts, trivia quizzes, and an “asides” section for when we want to go off-topic. We also have a “PNWWiki glossary” of PNW stuff — but also with terms related to photography.”
Continue, onward, for the latest on this site!
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Recent Posts
Visiting Durness, Scotland
I loved so many places on our trip around the NC500 (Scotland’s route around the Highlands), but if got the chance to return, aside from the places I didn’t get to visit, I’d spend a bit more time in Durness with its many white sand beaches. Sure, it’s anything but tropical, but a change from the rocky beaches we have in the PNW.
A Curmudgeon’s Guide to the Washington State Ferry System
Are you visiting and want to know how to ride the Washington State ferries? My ferry curmudgeon says, "Don’t!" But I know you’re going to go against his advice and do it anyway, so here are some tips.
I Visited an Owl Cafe in Tokyo…and just felt sad.
Japan is full of animal cafes — not just cat cafes but we noted otter cafes, penguin cafes, and more. We love owls, so we visited an owl cafe…but it just made me sad. Here’s more.
Your Guide to Washington State’s National Parks
Washington State’s national parks—Mount Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades—offer some of the most diverse and breathtaking landscapes in the U.S. This guide provides an overview of each park’s unique features, top activities, best times to visit, and important safety tips. Discover where to hike, camp, and explore, along with tips for photography, wildlife viewing, and seasonal highlights.
Seattle, Puget Sound, and Western WA Holiday Events 2024
Here’s our list of holiday events to check out — near Seattle, and beyond depending what our users submit. Christmas lights, concerts, gift shows — find something to make your holidays sparkle.
Viewing the Autumn Salmon Run at Salmon Cascades on the Sol Duc River
Salmon Cascades on the Sol Duc river is one of the best places in Olympic National Park to view salmon during their annual Autumn migration.
Recent Website Updates
Changes to login and membership functions (and new post types).
We’re revising this site yet again. Here’s what’s going on.
Recent Routes
Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park in Port Townsend: A Great Bird Walk
Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park in Port Townsend is a great walk — especially for birdwatching or bird photography!
Sandpiper Trail Walk at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge
The Sandpiper Trail at Grays Harbor Wildlife Refuge in Hoquiam, WA is a short, easy hike and a great place for birdwatching, especially during Spring migration.
Poulsbo’s Fish Park: A Meander Around the Trails
Poulsbo’s Fish Park is a wonderful natural area and easy family-friendly hike in Kitsap County.
Recent Places
Smoo Cave Hotel
Smoo Cave Hotel is a small, family-run hotel right by — you guessed it! — Smoo Cave in Durness, Scotland.
PNW Wiki
Trivia Quizzes
How Much do You Know About Shakespeare? Trivia Quiz
How much do you know about Shakespeare? Test yourself with this 15-question quiz!
Photography Terms Quiz
Test your knowledge of photography terms with this 10 question quiz. We are relocating trivia quizzes and probably will be bringing photography content back to this site, so here’s this quiz to start!
Can You Identify the Famous Landmarks (Trivia Quiz)
Can you identify where the famous landmark is located? We’re moving some quizzes from a different website and we just posted this travel-themed quiz here. Test yourself.
Photography Articles
Photography Articles
What is “contemplative photography”? + some books on the subject
What is contemplative photography (or mindfulphotography)? Here’s a look at the subject along with mini-reviews of a number of books that are available on the subject.
Galleries
Image Search Gallery
Search images that appear in galleries on this website. Note that this, currently, is in process as we are fixing the way we initially implemented image tagging. So, as of yet, you won’t find all images here. This search gallery will show both photographs and other image types.
Book Reviews and Lists
Asides (Off-Topic Posts)
Dear Prospective Writer: Please Check the Writer’s Guidelines Before You Pitch!
After answering 10 guest post inquiries, I just had to write this. In a nutshell: if you want to publish a guest post on a blog, there are some things you should do (this goes for getting published in a magazine as well).
Puppy Metta
An essay about Buddhist metta (Lovingkindness) meditation practice and how I found the perfect first "target" to practice it upon.
Sewing a Zafu
This post is an image with instructions on how to sew a Zafu that I saved long ago. It is not a pattern and calls on you to cut your own out of paper. But it’s what I used, for a long time, to sew zafus.
Upcoming Events
The grid below shows the next 12 events listed on our calendar. For more events or to search events, visit the calendar page.
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