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Sequim, Washington is on the northern edge of the Olympic peninsula at the base of the Olympic Mountains and along the shores of the Dungeness River. Its population is around 8,000. My brother, Rick, and my mother have lived in Sequim for about 5 years. I’ve visited several times since they moved here and each time I come back, I find even more surprises. It’s in what is referred to as a “Rain Shadow” which is an area with significantly reduced rainfall. Seattle just a few short hours away is known for its annual rainfall where rain jackets and boots are a must. Sequim only averages 16 inches a year. This is actually one of the reasons my brother and his girlfriend decided to move here 5 years ago. There are more surprises here than just it’s lack of rain.

My brother Rick and me hiking up Hurricane Hill with the Olympic Mountains in the background

Here are some surprising things about Sequim:

Coffee. Well of course there is coffee in Seattle but considering there are only 8,000 potential coffee drinkers in Sequim, there are an inordinate amount of coffee shops. I stayed in both an Airbnb and an RV park in different areas of Sequim. I could have crawled to two or three coffee shops from each location. When I did a search, there were 25 coffee shops…25! I highly recommend both Hurricane Coffee and Essence Coffee Roasters.

Lavender. I go for a walk every morning and, in Sequim in June, it’s an aromatic experience. There are lavender plants along practically every street in downtown Sequim. There seems to be several different varieties but some are especially fragrant. There is also the annual Lavender Festival which takes place in mid-July. I know I passed at least 10 lavender farms while scooting around Sequim. During the lavender festival this year, 19 farms will be open. In fact, my daughter, Natalie, and son in law, Kevin, had a magical wedding on a lavender farm called Purple Haze. In addition to all the farms, there many gift shops that specialize in all things lavender. So, you don’t need to go to Provence, just head over to Sequim.

Biking. Another one of the reasons my brother moved here was because it was a bike friendly town. A few years ago, we rode electric bikes over to Railroad Bridge Park which is within the city limits of Sequim and is a lovely park with a bridge over the Dungeness River. There is the Olympic Discovery Trail which is a 135 mile multi use trail from Fort Townsend to La Push (on the Pacific Ocean). 40 miles of the trail is paved and my brother explores a lot of the Olympic peninsula on his bike. We also took a rail trail a few years ago along Crescent Lake which is about an hour west of Sequim. Whether in town or out of town, there are bike trails.

Olympic National Park. I think the first time I was in Olympic National Park I was on a cross country trailer trip with my family when I was 8 years old. As an adult, I’ve been up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park which has a tremendous view of the Olympic Mountain Range including Mount Olympus, Obstruction Peak, Elk Mountain and Blue Mountain. My brother took me on a hike up to Hurricane Hill (not to be confused with Hurricane Ridge). It was a spectacular hike in late June with marine fog hiding the valleys below with a clear blue sky above and at least 15 snow covered peaks. The wildflowers came out throughout the day as the sun rose as the deer and marmots rested in the various meadows. If you hike one hike, head up to Hurricane Hill. I felt like Julie Andrews in Sound of Music with the vast meadows and snowy peaks in the distance.

Strait of Juan de Fuca. Sequim is only a few miles from the Strait of Juan de Fuca which is the waterway between Canada (specifically Victoria and Vancouver Island) and the United States. From Hurricane Hill we could see Victoria across the water. There are kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing and ferries that cross the straits on a daily basis. In the last few years, I have taken the ferry to Victoria for a vacation and went with my family on a day long whale watching boat with a stop at Friday Harbor. If you are headed to Sequim, there will be water.

Each time I visit Sequim I find new discoveries. I’m sure that there are many more waiting for me when I return. It’s a small town with a terrific location and many opportunities to explore.

My son and I spent Thanksgiving in Seattle with my daughter and her boyfriend. It was a first-time trip for my son and probably my fourth. My daughter moved to Seattle this July and it was fun to have her as the tour guide for her new stomping grounds. To see the city as a resident rather than a tourist.

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Here are my observations about Seattle:

Rain. This is by far the rainiest it has been on a trip to Seattle for me. Cold, windy rain. It’s funny but because of the rain, I realized how the city is built around rain. There are coat racks and umbrella racks by the doors of most of the establishments we went into. It reminded me of Phoenix with its covered parking spaces; obviously used for different reasons. Seattle has set up the infrastructure that works with its weather. Somehow it makes it all more tolerable. By the third day, I was just expecting rain at some point and carried along my umbrella. This apparently, is a sure sign of a tourist. Seattleites usually just wear raincoats. By the end of my visit, I had purchased said raincoat with a hood because carrying an umbrella is a wet, messy drag. Adapt to the rain because you know it’s coming.

Coffee. I have been to plenty of cities with ample coffee shops but in Seattle coffee is an art. It’s where the gourmet coffee industry started. Whether it was a freshly brewed pour-over coffee, a latte or a cup of coffee at a local diner, it was all terrific. You can’t serve Maxwell House in Seattle, only the best will do. There are the ubiquitous Starbucks everywhere, but we found a place called La Marzocco Café, which was a coffee shop inside a radio station studio. It was amazing. The kind of place to sit down and relax while you watch it rain outside and listen to great music from KEXP. It is a must-see in Seattle. My son and I ended going there several times to chill out and relax. It’s within walking distance of the Space Needle, so even tourists can make their way there. My daughter’s boyfriend, Kevin, made several pots of delicious coffee at their apartment. Be sure to relax and enjoy the coffee.

Transit. There are many modes of transportation in Seattle, and my son and I used Lyft for most of our journeys. Walking is another popular mode, and once you have purchased a raincoat (see bullet one), it’s really not that bad. Plus, walking with an umbrella becomes a game of strategy on crowded streets, so I highly recommend wearing a rain jacket instead, just so there isn’t collateral damage as you make your way on foot. Kevin and his brother Brian suggested we take a bus from Pike Place Market to their apartment in Ballard. We had a whole afternoon together with no rush, so I was game. I have to say I was skeptical. I can’t remember the last time I rode a bus, but it was cheap ($2.50) and took us to within a half mile of the apartment. There is a certain Zen to riding a bus, as the world rolls past and riders stare blankly ahead, or intently at their phones. I was glad I had the experience, since my daughter rides the bus to work every day and I now understand the appeal. There is this transition from home to work or vice versa that frees up time for thought and reflection that driving doesn’t.

Food. We had amazing food all week. Whether it was a diner near the Space Needle, pho at a local Vietnamese restaurant, or tacos at a Mexican spot. When we were walking around Ballard one night there must have been twenty plus restaurants we passed. I would have eaten in any one of them. There is something comforting about walking in the rain (again see bullet 1) and ducking into a cozy spot for some delicious food. Pike Place Market (with the world-renowned fish throwers) has an amazing assortment of everything, from chanterelle mushrooms to Dungeness crabs to moon drop grapes. I’ve always thought of the San Francisco Bay Area as the food mecca of the world, but Seattle could give it a run for its money. It was ironic that several of the places where we ate were Southern in theme. Whether it was shrimp and grits, biscuits or collards, I didn’t feel like I was a 6-hour flight from home. I think the cold rain makes food taste better. The pinnacle of food was our Thanksgiving meal with Brian and Natalie at the helm. There is a peace in letting go and not being responsible for the biggest meal of the year. I don’t need to worry about whether the turkey is carved. Turns out, it is still delicious, regardless of how it is carved.

It was a great trip with the highlight being a trip to the Japanese gardens at the Washington Arboretum and spectacular Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. There is always something fascinating to do in Seattle, regardless of the weather. What are your favorite spots in Seattle?