Staycation

stay·ca·tion

ˌstāˈkāSHn/

noun

informal

noun: staycation; plural noun: staycations; noun: stay-cation; plural noun: stay-cations

1. 1.

   a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Though my company was on vacation from England via Florida these past two weeks I took a much needed "Staycation." I forget what beauty I have in my own backyard (literally, I have a squirrel feeder that meets about 20 hungry mouths a day, a beautiful wooded area where a wooden walkway awaits just past the hidden gate to the back half of our property, it's honestly kind of magical)! I call the Pacific North West (PNW) home and forget that others don't have the luxury to drive to the beach/mountains/city all in one day. I forget others don't have rushing waterfalls flowing along the highways as you drive that you can just stop at or pass on by. 

   
   

   It was a nice time for me to remember why I love the PNW and what we have to offer as a whole. 

   
   

    

   The photo (above) was taken at Lake Quinault Lodge on the water front, we arrived as the clouds hugged the tops of the surrounding mountains and we watched the sun set while the smell of a wood burning fire greeted our noses. <3 GAH! This place was everything I had hoped it would be, and more! TAKE ME BACK???

   
   

   

   This photo was taken on our drive over to the Tillamook Cheese factory, just tucked back from Highway 6. He was amazed so I stopped a lot and let him take photos.... there's nothing quite like this in Florida.. a great reason as to why I didn't stay there!!! (;
   
   

   

    Of course I also had to take him up to Seattle to see the Space Needle. (We also explored the Seattle Aquarium, the Experience Music Project (EMP), and had the opportunity to do a few more things with our awesome CityPasses but didn't have the time.) We walked up and down Pike Place Market where I took him to the first Starbucks, he made me try a crumpet (I love!) and then stumbled into some bars to stay warm as we walked back to our hotel. We stayed at the Best Western just two blocks over from the Space Needle and EMP. Great view, good hospitality, and made our adventures easily done without a car.
   

    

   My lovely view of Seattle from atop the Space Needle.

   
   

   

    The gorgeous Lake Quinault Lodge we stayed at up on the Olympic Peninsula.
   

   

    The waterfall again (but my view, from inside the car.. where the heater was on... )
   

   

   ....and of course we had some fun in Portland. We parked on the Burnside Bridge, took a few photos like this, and then walked a few blocks down to Voodoo Donuts. ( voodoodoughnut.com ) <-- Check out WHY Voodoo is a Portland staple. Also, if you ever go, this is your best bet for parking. Another though, the line is ALWAYS out the door and around the corner. YOU WAIT. Don't leave suspecting the line will be shorter, it wont. Even at 2am. Actually... Especially at 2am. It's open 24/7 and we like it that way. <3