This Concord Coach, the first stagecoach in the Walla Walla Valley, was shipped by steamer around Cape Horn. It's on display at the Fort Walla Walla Museum in Walla Walla, Washington. Photos by Cheryl Landes The Fort Walla Walla Museum covers 15 acres of the original military reservation in Walla Walla Park. More than 50,000 … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Fort Walla Walla Museum
A covered wagon on the Oregon Trail at the Whitman Mission National Historic Site near Walla Walla, Washington Photos by Cheryl Landes In the spring of 1836, five years before anyone traveled west on the Oregon Trail, newlywed couple Dr. Marcus Whitman and Narcissa Whitman left their home in upstate New York for Oregon Country. … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Whitman Mission National Historic Site near Walla Walla
Photos by Cheryl Landes The Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve near Arco, Idaho, is a surreal landscape of black lava rock, cinder cones, and gray sagebrush. The rock and cinder cones are the remnants of a volcanic eruption more than 2,000 years ago. You can see many signs of the aftermath on a … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve near Arco, Idaho
Edith Humphreys in Mad Genius Escape Rooms' "The Truth About Edith" virtual escape experience (photo credit: Mad Genius Escape Rooms) Escape rooms have become popular during the past 10 years, but these games require you to go somewhere to play. So, what do you do when you can't get lost in an escape room because … Continue reading Find your way out of a virtual escape room
Photos by Cheryl Landes Kubota Garden, a hidden gem of beauty and history in of South Seattle, is my favorite garden in the city. It's the work of Fujitaro Kubota, a self-taught gardener who immigrated from Japan to Seattle in 1907. He dreamed of creating gardens that showcased the Northwest in a Japanese manner. In … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Spring at Kubota Garden in Seattle
Photos by Cheryl Landes The 230-acre Washington Park Arboretum is on the shore of Lake Washington in Seattle's University District. The arboretum is managed by the University of Washington Botanic Gardens and the City of Seattle. Trails wind through seven themed gardens, from Azalea Way to the Japanese Garden. On today's tour, we'll spend the … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A spring walk in Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle
Photos by Cheryl Landes Lakewold Gardens in University Place, south of Tacoma, is a horticulturist's haven. A historic estate, the name of the gardens originate from a Middle Eastern term meaning lakewoods. The estate overlooks a lake and is a beautiful place to wander rain or shine. Unlike many gardens in the Pacific Northwest, Lakewold … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Lakewold Gardens
Photos by Cheryl Landes Hendricks Park, Eugene's oldest park, is a beautiful retreat at the northern end of the 12-mile Ridgeline Trail near the heart of the city and the University of Oregon campus. This 80-acre forest of Douglas fir trees contains world-renowned rhodendron and native plant gardens. Trails wind through the gardens, attracting walkers … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden in Eugene
Santa's reindeeer ride the waves during a Christmas Ships Fleet parade on the Columbia River (photo by Cheryl Landes) Update, December 4, 2020: All meet-and-greets have been cancelled this year due to COVID. The sailings continue as planned, except the Columbia River fleet will not go into Hayden Bay this year. The 2020 schedule for … Continue reading Portland’s Christmas Ships Fleet announces 2020 parade schedule
Colorful reflections of lights and swan on a frozen pond at The Lights of Christmas festival in Stanwood, Washington (photo by Cheryl Landes) Every December, Warm Beach Camp in Stanwood transforms into a 15-acre holiday park with light displays totaling more than a million lights. But there’s much more to The Lights of Christmas festival … Continue reading Stanwood’s Lights of Christmas ignites holiday cheer with activities for all ages
Tabby Cat's Pawprints 