Vacation

We went to see one of the world’s most iconic shipwrecks

The Peter Iredale shipwreck at sunset WHAT IT IS: The Peter Iredale is a classic story of sea change. She was making her merry way to Portland, to pick up a shipment of wheat. She left Salina Cruz, Mexico on September 26th, 1906, and met her fate in the early hours of October 25th. After […]

/ July 12, 2019

The Vanishing Seattle Instagram account helps us remember

With the Vanishing Seattle Instagram account, Seattle local Cynthia Brothers tracks changes in the city in light of its history with photographs of businesses, landmarks, and citizen action.

/ June 12, 2019

How to light up the night in the bioluminescent water of the Hood Canal

A glowing view from a NASA satellite of the peak plankton bloom in 2017. (📸: NASA) TRY THIS: You don’t have to travel halfway across the world to see the extraordinary phenomenon of bioluminescence. Adventurers of the Pacific Northwest are in luck. You can grab a kayak and enjoy the shimmering sea in your very […]

/ June 5, 2019

Take a ride in Seattle’s time-traveling elevator

Want to go for a ride in one of the oldest vehicles in Seattle? You don’t need a license, but you should probably be okay with heights. It’s true that Smith Tower’s elevators were recently modernized and automated, but the cabs are the same brass cages that carried curious locals to the top of the […]

/ June 4, 2019

Seattle’s first boom

Thousands of new workers moving to town. A big influx of money. A small startup that would grow to become a major player in retail. Nope, this isn’t the Amazon boom. We’re talking about Seattle in 1897. We stopped by the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Pioneer Square to learn how a gold […]

/ June 4, 2019

A trip to the farm — in the heart of Bellevue?

THE LOCATION: Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue THE PERSON: Annamarie Solomonson, Kelsey Creek Farm Supervisor THE STORY: Bellevue has some pretty neat city parks, but there’s only one where you can watch a sheep being sheared, learn to ride a horse, and meet a 750 pound hog. Kelsey Creek Farm opened to the public in 1972 […]

/ April 15, 2019

Fish, With a Side of Ballard History

Pete Knutson is a 47-year commercial fisherman, a fourth-generation Ballardite, and a college professor. When he’s not up in Alaska catching salmon, you’ll find him down on the dock at Fishermen’s Terminal selling it.

/ March 27, 2019

How Did Ballard Get So Scandinavian? You Asked, We Answered

The flags of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden fly high at Bergen Place in downtown Ballard. (📷: Caitlin Moran) When Seattle’s old-timers think of Ballard, the first thing that comes to mind might be lutefisk. Or Aquavit. Or freshly baked Kringle. Scandinavian culture has been a fixture of the neighborhood for decades, but a […]

/ March 27, 2019

Meet the guy who runs Ballard’s boat elevator

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Ballard THE PERSON: Larry Meyer, lockmaster of the Ballard Locks THE STORY: What do you get when you combine a fish ladder, a botanical garden, and a bunch of boats? The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks – also known as the Ballard Locks. And you can find one person at the center of it […]

/ March 19, 2019

What are the best drinks in South Lake Union?

South Lake Union can be a real urban jungle: Cranes perched on every corner, construction equipment lying in wait to snarl traffic, and a steady stream of tech workers weaving around closed sidewalks. Lucky for you, the thirsty traveler, there are plenty of great spots to hunker down and wait out the building boom. And […]

/ February 5, 2019