travel Archives - Love, Rachel.

Explore: Oregon Hikes: Tamanawas Falls

Fall is the perfect time to be outside. Anyone in the Pacific Northwest knows fall reigns supreme. The sunny days are becoming few and far between. A beautiful Saturday was in the forecast so we planned a trip to the Mt Hood National forest. My great friend Kelsey is an avid hiker so finding a hike neither of us had done was a challenge, but we found one. Tamanawas Falls.

The Hike:

First off, It’s a quick 3.4 mile journey at the backside of Mt Hood. The hike is easy and well suited for beginners. It also a good bang for your hiking buck. The scenery is rather beautiful for not much sacrifice. Even though Kelsey and I have traveled many hikes in the area, we both were struck by the beauty of this hike.

One thing I remember about this day, neither of us brought our quality camera. To be honest, I don’t regret leaving my camera behind. You can feel this “pressure” of getting great shots when you carry a camera. A hike can turn into a chore or job. I felt a sense of freedom to enjoy the hike to the full capacity. Being present in the moment is important to me. With everything going on in the world these days- it’s a sigh of relief to “disconnect.” Get out into nature and leave the stress of life behind. I can still smell the scent of pine and the deep breaths of fresh mountain air. Those moments propel me when I’m back at my desk crushed by email.

Most of all, enjoy those moments, get outside, spend time with friends who make you a better person. Enjoy the life you lead without feeling glued to the digital. I can’t recommend Tamanawas Falls enough. It’s scenic, its a beautiful drive by Mt Hood, and its great to enjoy with loved ones.

Insider tips:

1. Enjoy lunch at Timberline Lodge on the way home.

2. The hike is dog/family friendly

3. Follow the highway into Hood River to breweries or the Fruit Loop.

Love, Rachel xo

travel

Explore: Seattle & Motif Seattle

I love a good adventure to far reaching ends of the globe. I also love a good staycation. The longer I live in Oregon, the deeper I fall in love with the Pacific Northwest. With so much to explore, it’s easy to stay close to home.

Motif Seattle reached out to me about visiting Seattle. D and I jumped at the chance to head up to Seattle for a night, one of our favorite places. Upon arriving at Motif Seattle, you can feel the elevated level of hospitality. They are doing it right. D and went up to the room.

First, I noticed the incredible view. I’m an ocean person and the view of the Puget Sound took my breath away. I wanted to sit by that window for hours.

Next, we headed to the rooftop bar. We watched the hustle and bustle of Seattle streets below as we sipped on delicious cocktails. The hotel restaurant Frolik has an amazing cocktail menu, it’s worth checking out.

In my opinion, the best thing about Motif Seattle is the location. It is a mere couple blocks from Pikes Place Market. My favorite Seattle attraction. The beautiful flowers, the fresh seafood + produce. It’s near perfection. I loved to be able to pop over to the market from our room.

Next time you are in Seattle, make sure to check out Motif Seattle + Frolik. It’s a great location in a city filled with places to explore.

Seeing the world is so important, but don’t forget about the wonders in your own backyard. I’m so glad to call the Pacific Northwest my home.

Thank you to the Motif Seattle for hosting us. Even though our stay was complimentary, the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. It is truly a wonderful hotel in Seattle.

Love,
Rachel xo

outdoors, portland, travel

Explore: Oregon Hikes: Cape Lookout

If you are located in the Pacific Northwest, you know about the heat wave we’ve been having. Our current living situation (more details coming soon!) has AC (thank GOD) so we’ve been able to cope with this heat. Many of you may not have AC- When it’s hot it’s a good idea to get outside and find water. There are a lot of amazing water hikes in Oregon but, I do have a favorite when you need to escape the heat: Cape Lookout.

I love everything about the Cape Lookout hike (especially in the heat). It’s a very easy hike. Easy hikes are good in extreme heat because you won’t overextend yourself. It has some of the best views I’ve ever seen. You will find dramatic coastline views. I’ve even seen sea lions, coastal birds, and WHALES! You can’t beat a hike with whales can you? The hike is also (obviously) on the coast which usually is cooler than the Willamette valley. Next time you are trying to beat the heat or just want a stunning coastal hike. Try Cape Lookout. I promise you will love it.

My Tips to Enjoy Cape Lookout:

Bring a Camera!
Bring a snack/lunch and enjoy on the beach once the hike is over.
Do some research to see what types of wildlife may be in the area during your hike (late March- June is prime whale spotting time. Estimated 18,000 gray whales pass the Oregon coast during their migration in that period). Bring binoculars if you have them!
Stop by the Tillamook Cheese Factory for a post hike ice cream.
Be prepared. It takes about 1.5 hours from Portland to reach the trailhead
Wear SPF- many portions of the trail are exposed to direct sun all times of the year.
Bring friends, family or pets. This is a very easy and pet friendly hike. Perfect for out of towners- first time hikers, etc.

Love,
Rachel xo

travel

NYC Sights: The Highline & Chelsea Market

Here is yet another NYC Post! Are you getting sick of these yet? I hope not. If you’ve missed the other posts from my epic trip, you can find them here and here.

Today we are talking about the Highline & Chelsea Market. This was one of my favorite days in NYC. I had a recommendation from my friend Lew who lived in NYC. He knows me well, and didn’t lead me astray. Being from the Pacific NW, I am drawn to the outdoors, nature and fresh air. It’s hard to find those things in New York City. The Highline used to be an old railway, early 2002 the community rallied together to use this space as an outdoor public use area. They covered the old railroads with a beautiful path lined with trees, flowers, and benches. It’s now a perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city below as you stroll high above the streets along the Highline. Our visit happened in the dead of Winter, so the landscape was pretty bleak, but I can imagine the blooms come springtime in the city.

Once we were starting to get a bit chilly we descended from the Highline and walked into Chelsea Market. Yet another perfect recommendation from Lew & friends. If you’ve ever been to Pike’s Place in Seattle, Chelsea Market is a similar concept, but all indoors. You stroll the long corridors of the market which is teeming with people, vendor stalls, and restaurants. I loved the upscale feel of this market. It was an elevated “market” with boutique jewelry, wine bars, yet still had flower shops and coffee stands. We peeked in almost all the shops in the market. I actually went BACK to Chelsea Market on my last day in NYC because I wanted to walk through one last time. That tells you something!

I’ve loved sharing my NYC trip with you! Thank you for following along. I have a couple more NYC posts I will be saving for future, but this will be the last one for now. I’ve got some BIG news coming to the blog soon. Stay Tuned.

Love,
Rachel xo