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Old 01-03-2020, 10:46 PM
 
Location: Out West
499 posts, read 466,110 times
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Yesterday my husband and I saw the eagles off Highway 11 as described above by bartonizer. That wetland area is amazing for the number of eagles. Near Edison we saw a convocation of somewhere between 30-50 eagles in, and flying around a large tree just off the road. If you have kids with you, stop at the Farm to Market Bakery and get them a treat.

As you travel around Bow, Edison and La Conner, right now you will also see snow geese and swans just off the road. Down at Padilla Bay I saw a heron, starlings in murmuration and lots more eagles.

Agree with taking Chuckanut Drive out of Bellingham--it has been dubbed one of the 10 prettiest in America for good reason. The restaurant near the bottom of the drive, Chuckanut Manor, has great views of the sea, and "Nessie" out in the bay. Try the yummy whiskey crab soup and halibut tacos.
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Old 01-04-2020, 08:17 AM
 
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Excellent, thank you. We are going to print these post out so that we can reference them on our trip. As it turns out, we are now staying two nights on Chuckanut drive in a small cottage. Apparently it overlooks the water and is absolutely beautiful. We are so looking forward to the hikes around that area. Thanks for the recommendations. We are planning to dine at the Chuckanut Manor on Saturday… Now that we know about the birdwatching potential; we are definitely planning to pack the binoculars.

Our first stop on the way into Bellingham is Trader Joe’s (for provisions). Is there another grocery store or co-op that has pretty good prices on wine?
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Old 01-04-2020, 01:31 PM
 
Location: PNW
1,660 posts, read 2,671,051 times
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If you like owls, around dusk you can often see short eared owls around the Bow-Edison area (Fir Island as well). They hunt over the open fields and I've seen them between late afternoon and dusk. Deception Pass State Park on Whidbey is great for birdwatching and spectacular views as well, and heading down you can get excellent fish and chips etc. at the Shrimp Shack. You might also see sea lions from the beaches at Deception Pass.

You can drive onto Whidbey Island from the north if you are heading down from Chuckanut Dr. area. Best Road (that's the road name) heading south from Hwy 20 towards La Conner area offers another good chance to see snow geese and swans in the fields. It might be windy/cold so windproof gear is great for January near the water.

I hope you have a great trip. If you don't have a lot of time, the drive time can eat up much of your days and if you need to drop something off your list, I'd say Granite Falls would be the least interesting thing you will see (unless you are willing to hike up to a mountain lake).
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Old 01-04-2020, 01:34 PM
 
Location: PNW
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Another tip. If you do head over to Lake Stevens/Granite falls, the traffic will be terrible during rush hour (and almost any time of day if there is an accident) so check traffic reports and try to make the drive midday.
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Old 01-04-2020, 06:33 PM
 
Location: Out West
499 posts, read 466,110 times
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Trader Joes on James Street will have the best prices but no local selection, and you are visiting a state that produces some excellent wines. I would also recommend Seifert and Jones in downtown Bellingham for really nice local wines--they will find some in your price range. Or the two local groceries--Haggen (in Fairhaven) and the Co-op, on Forest St. will both have a good selection.

If you are in downtown B'ham, try Mount Bakery or Saltadena for delicious baked goods. The macarons at Saltadena are among the best I've had anywhere. Best coffee: The Black Drop, on the same street at the two bakeries above.
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Old 01-05-2020, 12:23 AM
 
Location: PNW
1,660 posts, read 2,671,051 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PartIrish View Post
If you are in downtown B'ham, try Mount Bakery or Saltadena for delicious baked goods. The macarons at Saltadena are among the best I've had anywhere. Best coffee: The Black Drop, on the same street at the two bakeries above.
Pure Bliss Desserts in downtown Bham is also amazing.
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Old 01-05-2020, 10:47 AM
 
Location: Alamogordo, NM
7,940 posts, read 9,413,458 times
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Another place to get a northerly glimpse of Deception Pass is Washington Park in Anacortes. You don't actually see the bridge (at least from where I was sitting on rocks at the Park) but you see the waterway that flows easterly under the bridge. It's absolutely beautiful from up there - the Deception Pass area is one of Washington State's gems!
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Old 01-06-2020, 10:06 AM
 
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PartIrish, perfect, these are exactly the type of recommendations we wanted. Really looking forward to sampling some of the great Washington state wines. All of your recommendations will work well for us. Many thanks.

Also, I have been to Deception Pass, two years ago, on a trip I did to Port Townsend/Orcas Isle. It was truly mind blowing. I know my husband is looking forward to seeing it. We are going to try to find hiking near the bridge or from a different angle (Washington Park).
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Old 01-06-2020, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Bellingham, WA
1,422 posts, read 1,915,697 times
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I second Seifert and Jones for a sampling of WA wines. Also, Old World Deli downtown has a well curated wine selection (though I can't remember how localized). And Haggen carries quite a few. You also may want to try Whole Foods, as well, which also has (believe it or not) pretty good deals and one of the better happy hour deals around for a glass of wine or pint on tap.... There are actually some wineries and tasting rooms in the area, too- and though we've tried many of them, we consider ourselves much more knowledgeable about beer, and will be glad to give suggestions on them!

Regarding hiking, if you're looking for a Deception Pass-like experience, yes Washington Park is a good one. But don't miss out on Sharpe Park, especially the Sares Head Trail- free, with easy access to the highest headlands in the area-and even a view of the pass (with not many people around)! Also, just FYI, Deception SP's Fidalgo side areas (Rosario and Bowman Bay) are generally less crowded than the bridge area and Whidbey side.

In any case, it's seeming more and more likely that a weather pattern change is coming, and you will be encountering some wintry weather while on your trip. It rarely slows anyone down for more than a couple days, but keep it in mind and dress accordingly!

Last edited by bartonizer; 01-06-2020 at 12:12 PM..
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Old 01-06-2020, 02:07 PM
 
Location: Embarrassing, WA
3,405 posts, read 2,693,995 times
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If you're going to visit the islands, try these guys near Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

https://www.sanjuanvineyard.com/

Their Seregbee (I'm sure spelling fail here-pronounced "Sare-reeg-bee" is amongst the best wine I've ever had.

Alternately, they have a wine shop near the ferry landing (to the right across the ramp when exiting the ferry) that has tasting and carries many of the local wines from the island and state, but they don't always have all of them. Best bet is to take the Ferry out of Anacortes near Washington park.

Regarding our potential winter weather, aside from being properly dressed is to simply beware of the other drivers. People with 4x4's seem to forget that we all have "4x4 brakes", and drive way too fast for conditions. Many times I've been passed and come around the next few bends to find the same car/truck facing me in the ditch.
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