Maybe because I grew up with a hunger to see the world, traveling with my kids has always been a high priority for me. Rather than toys or electronics, presents and rewards often came in the form of a trip; Disneyland for earning Straight A's (well, any excuse for Disneyland, really...) birthday concert tickets to shows in Portland, school clothes shopping in Phoenix, and for this trip, Eastern Washington.
My son graduated from high school this spring and rather than the traditional cash, I went with my traditional gift of travel. We took a long weekend to fly to Seattle, then drive over to see Jack Johnson and the Avett Brothers perform at the Gorge Amphitheatre.
Located roughly 150 miles east of Seattle, the Gorge opened in 1985 and is considered one of the premiere concert venues in the country. With sweeping views of the Columbia River and the Columbia Gorge Canyon, you're not only treated to amazing concerts, but equally amazing scenery all around.
I’d been to the Gorge once before, but it had been a good 20 years so I was just as excited as if I’d never been. I remembered it as being incredibly beautiful, fun and mellow. This kind of trip fit my son to a “T” so I got on StubHub and found tickets for a fairly reasonable price.
We flew out of Anchorage Thursday night. As a retired airline employee, I still get a number of free travel passes each year, as do my family members. Flying on passes, or nonrevving, as those versed in airline lingo call it, means you need to give yourself time to potentially get bumped off a flight or two (or sometimes 10) before you make it to your destination. We managed to make the second flight we tried, which was great luck considering summer in Alaska is the heart of tourist season and flights are usually very full.
I’d researched Seattle hotels earlier in the month and for whatever reason, downtown Seattle was off the chain expensive. In my search, I stumbled upon a Hilton hotel under $200 in nearby Bellevue. We decided to spend Friday exploring Bellevue since none of us had ever spent time there, and I knew it would make for an easy exit onto I-90 the next day.
Bellevue is one of the prettiest towns I’ve seen in a long time. Clean, quiet, with tree-lined streets and a decidedly upper-crust feel, we enjoyed walking around their small “Old Town” district (really just a couple blocks) and had breakfast at Gilbert's on Main, a nice local restaurant with some of the best raspberry jam I’ve ever had. I could barely finish my breakfast, with its ginormous dinner-plate pancakes!
Our favorite area was their downtown park, a green oasis nestled between office buildings, a mall and busy streets. We purchased a to-go lunch and spend the afternoon picnicking and people watching.
Yes, that's me, being a professional model....
The Hilton, wasn't a terrible hotel by any means, but it wasn’t anything special either. $200 is still a lot of money to me, and it's a little disappointing when the hotel falls short. Good location and a decent pool, but overall kind of rundown and in need of a facelift. It was fine for one night though, and we were well-rested when we set out to see good ol' Jack Johnson the next day.
Driving through Snoqualmie pass in the summer is a delight (winter is another story entirely, I’ve done both, trust me.) We made our way through what was fairly minimal traffic, passing huge green mist-filled trees on either side of us which eventually broke away into sunny flat eastern plains. We passed the Wild Horses Monument on our way (which I wish we'd had time to stop at) and traveled alongside the mighty Columbia river.
Funny how quick the weather changes as you come through the pass.
I’d insisted on getting a hotel room in Ellensburg Saturday night. B was very much against this, said he had no problem driving back to Seattle after the concert. But I could not see the point in risking that picturesque drive turning treacherous by attempting it in the dead of night. And because I waited a bit too long to book a hotel, losing out on rooms in Quincy, which is right next to the Gorge, or the nearby Cave B Estate Winery and Inn which I guess sells out before you can blink, we ended up at the Ellensburg Econolodge:
It might look reminiscent of the Bates Motel (according to B anyway!) but don't be too quick to judge. The front desk manager was incredibly professional, kind and helpful. The motel was full but he let us check in early, thanks to an efficient cleaning staff, and the rooms, while definitely Econolodge chic, were clean and had everything we needed. We checked in, dropped our luggage and continued east. It was a long drive, but so worth it.
Finally, the Gorge.
I'd made sure to get us pretty close to the stage, and Jack didn't disappoint. We danced and sang along as that eastern Washington heat blasted, eventually cooling into a lovely summer evening with stars lighting the night sky.
After an uneventful, but not especially comfortable night (it is an Econolodge and the beds are cheap hotel beds...) we headed back toward Seattle. The original plan was to go to a baseball game. It was B's birthday and he's a pretty big sports fan, so it seemed like the perfect way to spend our last day. Time was kind of slipping away from us though, and the last thing we wanted was to be rushed. B, being the birthday boy, chose to skip the game and we headed to the last, and best, hotel; the lovely, magical Cedarbrook Lodge.
Located less than five minutes from SeaTac airport, this little oasis is a hidden gem that is easy to miss. The rates can be a little higher than comparable hotels, like the nearby Doubletree, but in this case, you really get what you pay for.
Their restaurant, The Copperleaf, features farm-to-table dining that is consistently rated five-star.
The grounds have koi ponds, fountains and green lawns.
Really, you'd never know you were at an airport hotel (okay there is the occasional plane flying over, but I barely noticed it!) They also have a nice bar area with an outdoor patio, a spa with complimentary bath salts that you can mix yourself, and best of all, each wing has a kitchen area with free candy, water, chips, yogurt and cheese. Snacks for days people, for days.
We napped and noshed around the hotel for a bit, then hopped the Link Light Rail downtown. The Link travels right into the heart of Seattle, removing the obstacles of rental cars and parking. And it's usually less expensive to stay near the airport as opposed to one of the downtown hotels, so you can save money in a myriad of ways by making use of it!
It wouldn't be a visit to Seattle without stopping in at Pike Place Market. In addition to the usual fish-flinging and fresh produce, there are mazes of shops buried deep underground.
My kids were both fascinated by this magic shop when they were little. It always makes me smile to see it.
We wandered downtown for awhile, just enjoying the nice weather and the sights of the city.
Dinner was at the Brooklyn, a Seattle landmark with some of the best oysters in town (I'm taking B's word for this, as I don't actually eat oysters, the slime just grosses me out...)
My son, a much more adventurous eater than me, even tried his first oyster. He said it was "fine" which is 18-year-old speak for "good".
I had a hard time deciding, so we went with a little of everything. Yes, I'll admit it, the chocolate covered twinkie was mine. It was delicious, I tell you!
Yep, there it is, the cheesy love selfie pic!
And most importantly for this soon to be empty-nesting mom, those long weekends can give you some much-needed family time. My time with my son is precious to me, moreso now that I know he will soon be venturing out into the world on his own, making his own memories and planning his own trips. But I hope he will remember his mom dancing to Jack Johnson, laughing with him, showing him what's really important as we go through this life. Because those memories will last much longer than the latest iPhone.
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