Jennifer Burns Bright

I’m in a tiny hut sitting beside the rushing Deschutes River in Bend, feeling waves of alder-scented, steamy heat circulate around my body. Sauna guide Halina Kowalski-Thompson — our mistress of ceremonies and co-owner of Gather Sauna House — dips a leafy bundle of cut branches into a tub of water and sprinkles it over my head like gentle rain.

Long known as a convenient escape from nearby Portland, the Tualatin Valley is a patchwork of green spaces, peaceful country roads and small communities, each with its own character. Beaverton, Hillsboro and Forest Grove are situated near Highway 26, the route to the Oregon coast; Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood are southwest, tucked amid farmland. Throughout this region, you’ll find everything from excellent Asian restaurants and markets to vibrant wine-country experiences and everything in between.

Known for its special blend of nature and culture, Victoria, British Columbia, located on Vancouver Island, has plenty to see and do. Although originally the ancestral home of the First Nations Esquimalt and Songhees peoples, the city was officially founded in 1843 as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. Today you’ll find its diverse history reflected everywhere from the stories and art in local museums to the imposing colonial architecture.

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Oregon is a food lover’s dream, from the farm-grown produce in its green valleys to the fish you can purchase right off the docks at coastal ports. Sourcing food straight from the people who grow and harvest it is budget-friendly and good for the environment, too. To help celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week (April 7-13, 2025) all year round, here’...

Served as Senior Editor for this statewide print visitor guide.

Served as Senior Editor for this print visitor guide.

Imagine a rugged peninsula with a weathered lighthouse and historic architecture. Situated northwest of Seattle, Port Townsend is a Victorian-era seaport on the Olympic Peninsula. Home to the S’Klallam/Klallam people for thousands of years, today visitors can learn more about the culture and history of local tribes, admire Victorian architecture in the walkable downtown, and more.

With its temperate climate and lush forests, Western Washington provides fertile ground for fungi. While anyone can spot colorful mushrooms on a hike, foragers with a trained eye and a sustainable approach can also harvest a range of edible varieties. Different species ripen throughout the year in a number of locations, making mushroom foraging in Washington a great multi-season activity.

Served as the Senior Editor for this print guide for the statewide Oregon Wine Board.

Seattle's neighbor, the city of Tacoma, is surrounded by the south end of Puget Sound on a hilly peninsula. With a long industrial history reflecting good times and bad, it shines now as a maritime hub with historic architecture, waterfront walks along Commencement Bay, and a charming museum district downtown.

Getting away from it all can mean a remote trip to the mountains or coast, but sometimes a staycation or getaway in the city can provide a refreshing break. In the past few years, downtown Portland’s lodging options have been growing steadily, and new hotels are not only located close to excellent tax-free shopping, dining and cultural offerings, they also have amen...

Velkommen til Poulsbo! This welcome greets visitors to Poulsbo, a historic town proud of its Nordic heritage. Sitting on Liberty Bay on the north end of the Kitsap Peninsula (the ancestral land of the Suquamish people), the town was founded by Norwegian families that had settled by the 1880s.

It’s a sunny afternoon in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, where Main Street divides the vibrant Canadian city in two. I sit in what looks like a typical busy, chic urban café. But instead of a cappuccino, I’m about to tuck into a bowl of Vietnamese noodles, which can only be described as a jewel box, with dollops of crab meat souffle, fried tofu, tomatoes, bean sprouts and little crab claws over a mound of soupy rice noodles...

If you’ve been to Seattle on a clear day, you’ve likely seen majestic Mt. Rainier—with its peak at 14,410 feet—rising high above the skyline. One of the tallest mountains in the United States, it watches over west-central Washington like a silent protector.

A small town with outsize charm in southwestern Montana, Helena offers visitors glimpses of its gold rush mining past with impressive stone and brick architecture, as well as a lively arts scene, outings in the foothills of the Rockies, and plenty of bakeries and watering holes within a walkable downtown.