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We had so much fun at the berry foraging experience! The guide, V, and their boss, Angela, made us feel so welcome like we were hanging out with friends. V was super knowledgeable, very enthusiastic and showed us many spots for foraging huckleberries, native blackberries, and we discovered thimble berries too! It was great to have Angela there too as they were also super friendly and fun, and they took photos and videos for us so we could fully be in the experience. They gave us a delicious little treat that included jam made from foraged huckleberries at the site, mint, goat cheese, and a candied morel on a little crostini! I loved that we were also given information about other berries we could forage on our own and a starter info. guide. I will now be eating berries on hikes that have "drooplets" bc now I know they are all edible in the northwest!
If someone had told me a year ago that I'd spend 2 hours and 15 minutes on a cold November morning willingly learning about mushroom identification and foraging, I would have laughed... and yet here we are. This experience with Forage Seattle (booked through Airbnb Experiences) was the perfect blend of education and exploration, and our guide Vassilissa made what could have been a dry lecture into a genuinely engaging forest adventure. We arrived promptly at 9:30am on November 9th at Bridle Trails State Park (you'll need a Discover Pass to park, which costs $45 annually). The Google Maps pin was accurate, and the only minor hiccup was that the portable restroom was being serviced that morning - so plan accordingly. Our group of seven joined four other participants, making it an intimate 11-person experience that still felt personal and interactive. What struck me immediately was how knowledgeable Vassilissa was - until she casually mentioned (at the very end!) that she was relatively new to guiding, we would have NEVER known. She demonstrated her expertise through every identification, every answer to our random questions, and every teaching moment when we stumbled upon something unexpected.We spent the first hour at the picnic tables. The setup was beautiful - black tablecloths, mushroom identification guides, jars of foraged specimens, and all the tools we'd need spread before us. She walked us through essential safety tips (the most memorable being "when in doubt, throw it out"). We learned about the seasonality of mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest (you can forage 10 months out of the year!), how to identify a mushroom by examining the cap, stem, and gills/pores, and how to use the specialized foraging knife with its curved brush. She explained each tool: the perforated basket (to redistribute spores as you walk), the UV flashlight (which she demonstrated on fluorescent mushrooms - SO cool), the lighter (for the maple syrup smell on candy cap mushrooms), and the identification guide.One of my favourite revelations? The mushroom emoji is actually a poisonous mushroom (Amanita muscaria). Who knew?! After our classroom session, we crossed into Bridle Trails State Park's forested trails. Vassilissa explained what to look for when hunting edible mushrooms: ideal conditions, the importance of "duff" (that thick layer of decomposing organic matter on the forest floor), and how to identify both edible and inedible specimens. We got INCREDIBLY lucky with the weather - a dry, sunny fall day that was cold but not uncomfortably chilly. Fun fact: if the forest is more than 50 percent red cedar, you won't find edible mushrooms! We primarily hunted for chanterelles but also found Zellers bolete mushrooms along the trail. While our collective bounty wasn't massive (each person walked away with a handful), the process of learning to spot them was incredibly satisfying. Every time someone found a mushroom, Vassilissa would get visibly excited and turn it into a teaching moment - examining characteristics, explaining what made it identifiable, and sharing fascinating facts. One memorable moment was when Vassilissa offered us homemade reishi tea that she'd brewed from mushrooms she personally foraged. The earthy, slightly bitter taste was fascinating (and apparently packed with immune-boosting properties).Beyond the practical skills, I learned genuinely surprising things. Did you know that ANY dog can be trained to be a truffle dog (chihuahuas and Burmese mountain dogs were examples)? Vassilissa's approach meant we could ask random questions and she'd thoughtfully explain her perspective (she's a self-proclaimed plucker!). The experience felt less like an educational lecture and more like a fun field trip with an enthusiastic friend who happens to know EVERYTHING about fungi. That's the magic of good teaching - you don't even realize how much you're absorbing because you're genuinely engaged. After foraging, we headed back where Vassilissa shared information about group trips, foraging permit requirements, and the best PNW spots (Mount Rainier but NOT the North Cascades!). She demonstrated how to properly clean mushrooms. As a parting gift, we each received a goody bag of cultivated King Oyster mushrooms grown in Seattle. There was also an opportunity to purchase the Opinel foraging knife or the tabbed identification book. We were complete beginners, and Vassilissa met us exactly where we were with patience and enthusiasm. If you've ever been curious about mushroom foraging, or you're looking for a unique outdoor activity that combines education with gentle adventure, Forage Seattle delivers in every possible way. Just bring your curiosity (and maybe use the restroom before you arrive).
Great mushroom forage 101 for the beginner! Will definitely recommend to friends in the area!
Super awesome class, lots to learn and appreciate about nature and mushrooms. Angela is an amazing host and teacher; gets you to love and appreciate all that nature has to provide. It was our first time foraging and the whole experience was outstanding! Super fun to come alone or with friends, all ages and love/knowledge experience. The cooking class was super fun too, learned so many things about cooking mushrooms that I now realized I have not been doing. This is your sign to book the class and forage some fun! Definitely recommend!
I booked the Seattle Mushroom 101 tour in late September. The booking process was clearly communicated and the location was fairly accessible (note that there was an option to pay for parking) I found the interactive portion of the class to be the most interesting and we were able to see a variety of mushrooms! Bring a notebook to take notes! I do communications and workshop facilitation in my day job and so I might make a few recommendations about improving the structure and flow of the sit-down learning portion, but overall it was a good starting point for future learnings.
I had an absolute BLAST doing the Chef-Led Intro to Gourmet Mushroom Foraging & Cooking class with Angela. Despite the rain, she was super prepared (even providing hand warmers, tea/coffee) and we stayed nice and dry during the cooking experience. She is super hilarious, entertaining, and really knows her stuff. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone!
I learned so much about local mushrooms! We did not forage a lot, but learned the skills to go back again on our own. Thank you, Ben!
Such a fun and educational experience! The mushroom forage group was incredibly well organized, and the guide was both knowledgeable and passionate about fungi. I learned so much about identifying different species safely while enjoying a beautiful walk in nature. Highly recommend it to anyone curious about mushrooms or just looking for a unique outdoor activity!
Amazing experience! The guide Ben was super knowledgeable and friendly, and we found some beautiful mushrooms. Great way to spend a weekend morning -- highly recommend for anyone who loves nature and good company.
Such an awesome experience! Absolutely obsessed! V and Angela were both so knowledgeable and fun to learn from! Can't recommend this enough! I will be taking more classes from them in the future!
Reviews are overwhelmingly positive. People highlight knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides, a welcoming and organized experience, and delicious food tastings.
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1 year ago
1 year ago
Angela/Savor The Wild Tours mushroom foraging 101 tour was great!! Angela is super friendly, funny, and knowledgeable about mushrooms. We took a short little walk/hike into the Redmond Watershed, which I didn't realize existed not very far from the city, and Angela took us around to hunt for mushrooms. We tried some raw samples and were able to identify different types of mushrooms. I even got some oyster mushrooms. Such a Fun experience and now I feel a tad bit more comfortable identifying mushrooms locally! read more
1 year ago
Super interesting! Gets a good whiff in getting into foraging shroomies! It goes by very fast but super fun and informative! read more
6 months ago
Took the educational mushroom class and it was such a wonderful and unique experience! Living in the PNW there are a lot of mushrooms and it's great to have some knowledge as to what some of them are! Definitely recommend taking the class! read more
2 years ago
This was my first time foraging, and I'm so glad I gave it a try. There was no need to worry about lack of experience - our guide Ben was incredibly thorough in going over the essentials before we even hit the trail. And the tea/coffee provided was very welcome as a way to warm up and awaken our senses before it was time to browse the woods. We didn't gather much, but the experience was more about learning how to pursue specific mushrooms and learning their appropriate habitats. The cooking demo and the bag of cleaned, prepared mushrooms to take home were both a nice touch as well. The cost seemed reasonable for the group size and the level of attention we each received, but it is important to note that an experience like this is an investment supporting a high quality small business. I look forward to trying other offerings from this company after I've saved up for them! read more
6 months ago
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3 years ago
Went mushroom foraging today with Angela - fantastic trip! Funny, friendly and knowledgeable we got to wander the woods of Redmond and find Oyster mushrooms, Turkey tails and even a Reishi! Unfortunately she didn't get to cook for us at the end because the weather turned wild, but I'm sure it would have been delicious! She did give us great instructions on how to properly cook mushrooms so I'm definitely following her steps from now on. Run, don't walk to sign up for one of Angela's tours! read more
2 years ago
Amazing experience and friendly guide. Would love to go on another trip and bring more friends!! read more
1 year ago
Ben is very knowledgeable and friendly. The trip is amazing! We found lots of mushrooms and learned a lot about mushrooms! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
8 months ago
2 years ago
Went to a mushroom tour with my brother and my dad it was absolutely fantastic. They are incredible! They had a beautiful table awaiting us with personalized books and notes along with knives for us to use as we were foraging. They provided us with immense knowledgeable details for identifying mushrooms. They made medical tea for us to try it was amazing! Highly recommend. 10/10 experience loved every minute of it. read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
Vassilissa is an awesome guide! We really enjoyed the walk in the forest and we identified a lot of fun mushrooms. read more
1 year ago
Great time! Very educational and a very passionate guide. Would love to do the advanced class and would recommend the intro class! read more
2 years ago
An amazing experience all around! Educational, fun, and so very delicious! The dig and shucking was definitely hard work, made me understand and appreciate the cost of oysters in restaurants, followed by a well deserved feast. Thank you Angela and team! read more
2 years ago
An amazing educational event from picking to cooking! My wife and I had a blast and will do this again! read more
2 years ago
Highly recommend doing the Foraging 101 w/ Cooking Class! It was a mushroom-packed 3 hours but me and my friends learned so much. From identifying edible mushrooms to how to prep and cook mushrooms. Angela was super funny and engaging, would love to take another class with her. read more
2 years ago
An amazing educational experience! After this, you will have confidence to forage without dying. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Really educational and fun! Angela went above and beyond making sure we are comfortable and experienced the most out of the day read more
Business owner information
Angela S.
You were so brave giving that witches butter a taste! So impressive.
2 years ago
Business owner information
Angela S.
You'll have to let me know how those turkey tails in your front yard…
2 years ago
Had an awesome time learning about mushrooms and how to forage for them. Angela was very informative and provided us with lots of helpful tips and tricks. We did the foraging and cooking class where she shared some delicious recipes with us! read more
2 years ago
It was amazing! Fun & well organized. They took care of everything. They were also very informative! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
This cooking experience was elevating in both my culinary and in-field educational understanding with mushrooms! We got to be hands on in a short hike to learn ways to ID, which helped increased my confidence. We had a chance to cook and try wonderful mushroom treats. If you're interested in the cross world of mushrooms and cooking, I recommend this beginner friendly class! read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Angela was fantastic! I had such a good time and all the mushroom dishes were absolutely delicious! Highly recommend for beginner mushroom lovers read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
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