Welcome to

Pacific Northwest & Beyond

A crunchy granola of Pacific Northwest, Travel, Photography, Outdoor Adventure...and a whole lot of other little goodies.

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!

Recent Posts

Durness Beach Visiting Durness Scotland
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

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.

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ScotlandTravelTravel Destinations
Tacoma Ferry with Movember Mustache image for post about how to ride the washington state ferry system
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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.

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Getting Around in the PNWFerriesPacific Northwest Blog
photo of a horned owl on a magazine rack at ikefukurou owl cafe in tokyo
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

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.

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TravelJapanTravel Destinations
Washington National Parks Featured Image
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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.

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Outdoor Adventures and ActitiviesPlaces to Go and Things to SeePNW Things to Do
Sasquatch during Victorian Country Christmas at the Washington State Fairgrounds
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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.

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EventsPNW Things to DoSeasonal ActivitiesWinter

Recent Website Updates

Illustration of hands with a blank page and pencil with a plant and a cup of coffee Email Newsletter Frequency and Email Newsletter FAQ image guest post terms and conditions
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Changes to login and membership functions (and new post types).

We’re revising this site yet again. Here’s what’s going on.

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Recent Routes

Recent Places

Mackay's Durness
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Mackay’s Rooms

Mackay’s offers luxury accomodations in Durness, Scotland.

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The Wallabys Durness
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Wallaby’s

The Wallaby’s is a VRBO-type guesthouse offering accomodations in Durness, Scotland.

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Smoo Cave Hotel
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Smoo Cave Hotel

Smoo Cave Hotel is a small, family-run hotel right by — you guessed it! — Smoo Cave in Durness, Scotland.

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PNW Wiki

salmon cascades coho salmon jumping
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Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is a 1442-square-mile National Park situated on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State and includes a number of different types of habits and climate zones.

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National ParksParks and Natural AreasPlacesPNWWiki
Tolmie Peak Mount Rainier National Park
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Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier is the higest peak in Washington State, visible from many points in Western Washington State.

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MountainsGeological FeaturesPlacesPNWWiki
Tolmie Peak Mount Rainier National Park
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Mount Rainier National Park

Glossary (PNWWiki) entry about Mount Rainier National Park including information, maps, and links to posts on and off of this website with information about this National Park.

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National ParksParks and Natural AreasPlacesPNWWiki

Trivia Quizzes

outdoor shakespeare in seattle
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How Much do You Know About Shakespeare? Trivia Quiz

How much do you know about Shakespeare? Test yourself with this 15-question quiz!

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Books and Literature
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 2024 12 13 17341412011
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

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!

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Photography
Famous Landmarks Quiz image
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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.

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Travel and Places

Photography Articles

Chocolate Square Oatmeal Cookies Recipe Featured image
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

Chocolate Square Oatmeal Cookies

For the new year, I thought I’d be adding something healthy — smoothies? Salads? But, no! I’m adding this cookie recipe. This is my favorite cookie ever and have been baking it ever since my mom cut it out from somewhere. It has just the right balance between crunchy and chewy and the chocolate and pecan tops that all off!

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CookiesBaked GoodsDessert
Shortbread recipe featured image
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Classic Scottish Pan Shortbread Cookies

This shortbread recipe is one of the cookies I normally add to any Christmas cookie tray I make to give away — and too, too, many of them get eaten by the cook as well!

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CoursesBaked GoodsCookiesCuisineDessertDietScottishTreats
Hot spiced cider recipe featured image
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

Crock Pot Hot Spiced Cider

It’s Autumn! Time to bring out the crock pot and whip up a batch of spiced cider again — which is the easiest way to do it! Here’s my recipe.

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DrinksAutumnCoursesSeasonWinter

Photography Articles

Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. Dark Flowers
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

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.

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Mindful PhotographyPhotography Books

Galleries

Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. pexels alex andrews 271121 1983037
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

Galleries

You’ve reached the galleries homepage!

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Search Galleries
A photo of a blue grey California Quail on a backdrop of wood.
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

PNW Nature

Photographs I like of PNW creatures.

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Stock and Purchasable Photos
A cat looks through a magnifying glass.
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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.

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Search Galleries

Book Reviews and Lists

Red Rising featured Image
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

Review of Red Rising

A review of Red Rising by Pierce Brown.

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Sci-Fi and FantasyBook ReviewsFiction
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. remarkably bright creatures
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

Remarkably Bright Creatures Book Review

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby van Pelt, set in a fictional town a couple hours north of Seattle, is a good read if you like: books set in the PNW, the giant pacific octopus, or feel good reads. This is a brief review.

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Literary FictionBook ReviewsFictionGenresLocal AuthorPNW BooksSet in the PNW
Seattle Fiction Books
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Set in Seattle: Seattle-centric books to quench your lust for the Emerald City

We just updated this one…a bit. Here are some great (or possibly great, we haven’t read all of them but we eventually want to) books set in the Emerald City.

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Book ListsFictionLocal AuthorPNW BooksSet in the PNW

Asides (Off-Topic Posts)

A woman sitting at a computer desk.
Pacific Northwest and Beyond Pacific Northwest and Beyond is a blog about anything PNW and a collection of things BEYOND that including travel and a crunchy granola of other types of goodies. 1718113868 bpthumb

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).

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Guest PostingBloggingWritingWriting Online
Puppy Metta article on Buddhist metta meditation practice lovingkindness meditation
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Puppy Metta

An essay about Buddhist metta (Lovingkindness) meditation practice and how I found the perfect first "target" to practice it upon.

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BuddhismMeditation and MindfulnessReligion and SpiritualitySelf, Health, & Fitness
How to Sew a Zafu
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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.

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SewingArts and CraftsBuddhismMeditation and Mindfulness

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.

Almost Live Exhibit at MOHAI

Almost Live Exhibit at MOHAI

August 31, 2024 - February 23, 2025
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Lincoln City Retro Expo

Lincoln City Retro Expo

February 8, 2025 - February 17, 2025
All Day
C3 GameCon

C3 GameCon

February 15, 2025 - February 16, 2025
10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Winter Beer Festival

Winter Beer Festival

February 15, 2025
12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
International Guitar Night

International Guitar Night

February 15, 2025
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Northwest Flower and Garden Festival

Northwest Flower and Garden Festival

February 19, 2025 - February 23, 2025
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
19 Feb

Traveler's Tea

February 19, 2025
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
20 Feb

Garden Tours

February 20, 2025
8:00 am - 9:00 am
20 Feb

Traveler's Tea

February 20, 2025
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
FanExpo Vancouver

FanExpo Vancouver

February 21, 2025 - February 23, 2025
All Day
21 Feb

Garden Tours

February 21, 2025
8:00 am - 9:00 am

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