Wild Tales of…2014 Travel and Adventure Highlights

Happy 2015! We hope your new year is off to a great start. Here in Seattle we enjoyed a quiet celebration with all four of us sleeping soundly when the clock officially struck midnight.  Not to worry though: Two of us were up soon after though as someone was in search of another meal.

With a fresh start and a brand-new addition to the family, I’ve found myself reflecting often on the past year because let’s face it: Things will never be the same! Growing from 3 family members to 4 is a big change and babies create a whole new dynamic of family life.  Routines, sleep habits, and the way we go about doing life are all shifting, so I’ve actually found it fascinating to look back at 2014’s adventures.

In order to get a complete look at our year, I decided to take it month by month.  Some months were busier than others making it hard to choose just one highlight, so here you’ll find our most memorable and significant explorations.

January-Cle Elum, Washington

In search of quick cold weather getaway, we traveled just an hour and a half or so to the small central Washington town of Cle Elum.  Instead of mounds of snow, we found sheets of ice creating difficult hiking conditions, but we enjoyed the escape and chance to unplug (no phone service or internet access!) nonetheless.

• Cozy Cabin Getaway
• Search for the Iceless Hike

February-Local Adventures

Even though we didn’t actually leave town (overnight) during the month of February, our days were still filled with adventure.  Hockey games, trail running, hikes at local parks, and snow in Seattle were all part of the fun, but one of most spectacular sights we saw was Snoqualmie Falls after several days of freezing temperatures.

March-Phoenix, Arizona

For the third year in a row, we traveled down to the Phoenix area to visit Slaed’s mom, see the Mariners for spring training, and get a nice dose of Vitamin D.  For this visit, some of the highlights included a trip to the Phoenix Zoo, fun at the J.W. Marriott Resort, and hiking at Lake Pleasant.

April- Puerto Rico

April was one of our busier months with adventures in Oregon and the Carolinas, but the highlight of our month was our first kid-less trip (post Bergen-2.5 years at the time). We traveled to San Juan, Puerto Rico to celebrate the wedding of two dear friends.  While we relaxed on the beach and enjoyed Piña Coladas, Bergen got to explore North and South Carolina with his Grandmother, Aunt, Uncle, and cousins who all live close to Charlotte.

• Stand-up Paddleboarding
• Spanish Forts

May-Hope, British Columbia

Once late May rolled around, we had more than recovered from our jam-packed April and were ready for another quick getaway.  We decided that it was high time that Bergen put his passport to good use, and traveled north of the border to the little town of Hope in British Columbia.

• 4 Fun Little Adventures in Hope, BC
• Alexandra Bridge

June-Orcas Island, Washington

Another wedding and another fun travel opportunity. This time to our beloved Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands north of Seattle. Aside from the obvious celebration, we fit in plenty of hiking, beach exploring, and my personal favorite—eating.

• Turtleback Mountain Hike
• Seaplane Take-off
• Camp Orkila 

July-Golden, Colorado

Our visits to Colorado tend to become full and overwhelming with tons of folks to visit all over the Denver metro area.  This time though we resolved to stay put, really explore one area (Golden) and let the people come to us! It worked out perfectly.  We felt settled, and really got to appreciate all that the fun mining town has to offer.

• Family Friendly in Golden, CO
• Golden Gate Canyon State Park

August-Long Beach, Washington

What better way to celebrate birthdays (Bergen’s 3rd) and anniversaries (our 5th)? A trip to the beach, of course!  While in Long Beach, along with plenty of time spent in the sand, we finally got to play a full round of mini-golf with Bergen, which is something he’d requested for months.  That’s a long time when your just 2 years old/about to turn 3!

• Long Beach, WA-Peaceful, Simple Seashore Walk
• Lewis and Clark Discovery Trail

September-Sausalito, California

While Bergen was settling into life as a preschooler, I had the opportunity to travel to the Bay area solo.  Dawn (the dish soap) invited a dozen or so bloggers to Sausalito, California to learn about their involvement in marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and education.  What an adventure–that culminated with witnessing an actual release.  Watching 3 sea lions return to their natural habitat along the Point Reyes National Seashore after months of recuperating and building up their survival skills was the experience of a lifetime.

• Reviving Environmental Stewardship
• Volunteers at the Marine Mammal Center
• Sea Lion Release

October-Oahu

Likely the highlight of our entire year (in terms of travel destinations) was our week vacation in Oahu.  We rented a house along the North Shore of the island in the small surfing town of Haleiwa.  Most of our adventures centered around the North Shore area, though we did take a few day trips to other parts of the island and even ended up staying an extra night unexpectedly in Waikiki!

• Staying Sun Safe on Oahu
• Our North Shore Rental: Haleiwa Getaway
• Dole Plantation
• Pearl Harbor with Young Children

November-Wallace Falls State Park, Washington

Needing one last getaway as a family of 3, after a quiet Thanksgiving at home, we traveled just a little over an hour or so to Wallace Falls State Park in Gold Bar, Washington.  We rented one of the state park cabins and enjoyed much of what we love about camping, but without little details like pitching a tent and trying to sleep in the cold.  The cabins are heated, something we welcomed after a long afternoon of hiking in the rain.  We even took the easy way out with our meals, and had pizza delivered to the cabin! We ended our evening by roasting marshmallows by the fire until the return of the rain drove us inside.

December-Birth of Baby Georgia

Travel away from home this month was out of the question with our new little adventurer on the way, so instead we hosted lots of family who came to town to help us with the transition.  We are over the moon (and yes, a little tired) with our new addition (arrived on 12/14/14) and feel like she just fits right in.  We look forward to many travel and outdoor adventures in 2015–this year with TWO little ones in tow!

So far we have trips planned to the Bay Area, Arizona, and a big road trip through WA, OR & CA… What’s on the horizon for you in 2015?

Come join the conversation! We’d love to have you join us on all of our adventures by “liking” our facebook page and following us on twitter! You can also keep up to date with each and every post by subscribing to the blog via email.