Oh, Leavenworth. I was pondering if 4 or 5 stars was what I was going to drop for the town of…read moreLeavenworth. In the end I decided to be generous and give 5 stars. What could deduct at least one star is all of the traffic and congestion in this quaint German styled town. Once you do get your car parked you are in for a really long walk. Not that I personally am against walking per se and I am actually fond of doing this activity daily but those who may have mobility issues it could be a real struggle. It doesn't really matter what time of year you come here as it always seemed extremely congested. But I know to avoid Leavenworth around Christmas time as the level of congestion definitely "levels up" considerably from what I hear. Leavenworth's prime time is Christmas and from the pictures I have seen the town looks beautiful. There is an option to take a train to Leavenworth during this season which sounds like a lot of fun and it would definitely avoid parking problems. Despite throwing in congestion and parking problems at the very start of my review each time we have visited and endured these things the shops, the German style chocolates , the restaurants that serve German Sausages and the breweries have proven to make the hassle worth it. However with that said one kind of has to psych yourself up for a Leavenworth trip and if you are looking for a super chill vibe perhaps exploring towns like Lake Chelan and Wenatchee might be better and they aren't too terribly far away from here. Not only is Leavenworth is heavy in German themes and decor it's also nestled in the mountains which really add to the dramatic effect and you can get the feeling you may be in Europe aside from closer observation that everything is written in American style English.

Came here on a weekend after Christmas weekend is not as fun as I thought. It was raining and it…read morewas too crowded. Not many parking lots around the area and it was all full. I got stuck in traffic vast majority of the time trying to get into town. Drove another 20-25 mins just to find a parking spot on the street blocks away from the park. Once parked, we tried to find a restaurant to eat but all of the places have a waitlist of 3hrs to 6hrs long for a party of two. How ridiculous is this? So we opt on picking up bratwurst and pretzel/cheese dip at a food stall next to the park called Leavenworth Village of Lights. Bratwurst ($14) and pretzel ($10.50). It cost a total of $26.61. The area is pretty and a cute little town but over crowded and no other activities for families. It is no longer than 5 blocks stretch. This is a one and done area to visit but will not be coming back again.

A must visit if in Ellensburg -- interesting pieces of art -- my favorite is the bear! Street…read moreparking is plentiful and it's near downtown as well.

Dick and Jane's Spot is a must-see in Ellensburg. Directly across from the Ellensburg police…read morestation, it is an eclectic house and yard that is full of art created by its owners, Dick Elliott, and Jane Orleman, who had a dog named Spot. Dick and Jane, who are both artists, bought the home in 1978. The rest is history. Dick passed away in 2008, but Jane continues to add to their masterpiece. I stumbled across the home while driving through town one day. It was one of the highlights of my week long trip. I made a point of walking all around the house, taking photographs of everything I saw, with the goal of giving those who may not have the opportunity to visit a sense of what a magical place this is. Enjoy! Highly Recommended!!!

Olympia buildings are covered in murals which makes the buildings entertaining to look at…read more The Star Wars mural is located on a building, in a lot, with three food trucks. The lot has a picnic table for those interested in ordering from the food trucks. Paid street parking is available. While I enjoyed the Star Wars mural, I liked the superhero mural much better. Keep up the artsy work Olympia!

"Honey, let's go check out the Star Wars mural."…read more (silence) There are many times when I suspect that Mr. K rolls his eyes on our little road trips. We are going where? To see what? I came across this local gem when browsing the highest rated spots in Olympia. It was an easy stroll from the center of town and just a couple blocks from the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. When asking a local for directions to the mural, he informed me that his friend created the mural and although it is a caricature, all characters are truthful in their representation. He was dead serious when describing the artist's motivation. This is when I turn to Mr. K and nod knowingly. Just stick with me, kid. The mural is painted on the side of an apartment building and is in good condition. Someone actually has their apartment in the Death Star. **jealous** The grassy area alongside the building appears to be home to the only food cart in town, so it was a fun little journey of discovery. Not to say all my wanderings are successful. But in this case, the Force was with me.

I poked the beast. It roared but quickly went back into hibernation. Lol. But seriously, whoever is…read moreclimbing to the top just to throw away their blizzard cups needs to stop. It's just tacky hand pathetic you can't put your trash in the bin.

1) The Lake Stevens Monster is very cool geology, but a few things detracted from the experience…read more 1a) some developer thought it would be a great idea to build a neighborhood around this piece of incredible geology and it is near impossible to get a good look at it or appreciate it because the homes are so close to it, they left no wiggle room to squeeze a trail or park area by it. 1b) the surrounding area is not well maintained.

What a fun attraction in Issaquah - and a great way to learn more about the area. My friend told…read moreme about the miscellaneous trolls that are around the western Washington area, created by artist, Thomas Dambo from Denmark. So, I had to see it for myself. I took my dog on a walk around Issaquah - and we made it a point to check out Jakob Two Trees while in the area. To get here, online sources referenced the Rainier Multiple Use Trail in the old town of Issaquah. If you map to Rainier Trail, it does not take you to the entrance to the trail. However, this trail is near the Issaquah Community Center, which is where I mapped and was easily able to find the entrance to the trail. Along the Rainier Multiple Use Trail in a short distance is Jakob Two Trees. There's a sign that explains more of the artwork and artist, using only up-cycled materials to create these trolls. It was cool to see and you're able to walk all around the giant troll and get pictures up close. Although I am not Scandinavian, I do love how treasured trolls are to the Nordic countries, so now I want to find more of the trolls around the Pacific Northwest.

We visited Jakob Two Trees 2 years ago, it was our first troll my wife wanted to seek out. I didn't…read morerealize how cool they would be till I saw Jakob! Now we have found 5, and this year have more on our bucket list to visit this summer! Totally hooked and hoping to see so many more!

I mean, what can be said about this strange abandoned art installation that hasn't been said…read morealready. It's not a great area, there's currently a homeless encampment right behind it. It has a chain link fence surrounding it giving it a 'We haven't torn this down yet' vibe. Being from the Bay Area and having seen pieces created at The Crucible I personally would call it exceptionally lazy art - if you're generous with the word 'art'. It's a sign, with some pointed cylinders around it. In my opinion the painted pieces at Gas Works are more interesting. I personally think it's only a matter of time before they tear it out and make it into another park so all in all, it's an easy skip.

At one point, I'm sure The Wall of Death was a very cool public art installation in Seattle. It's a…read morepermanently sited installation located along the Burke-Gilman Trail under the University Bridge along NE 40th Street. It was designed and built by Mowry Baden and his son Colin in 1993. While the exhibit sounds ominous, it's neither a memorial or some gothic art piece. Instead, it's a tribute to the structure used to perform "the wall of death," a motorcycle and miniature automobile stunt. While it looks like it was initially quite amazing, The Wall of Death has largely fallen victim to time and graffiti and it's really that graffiti that negatively impacts the appeal of the exhibit. The exhibit includes the cylinder itself on the south side of the Burke-Gilman Trail, as well as a concrete ramp to the north of the trail, which includes a "series of stylized metal chairs mounted to the existing concrete bridge columns and serves as the stands from which the stunts were viewed. The exhibit was originally intended as interactive with skateboarders intended to use it. However, after several skateboarding accidents including one involving a head-on collision between a skateboarder and a cyclist the exhibit was adapted, by Baden himself, to include 25 concrete parking stops. At this point, the exhibit is somewhat fenced in and much more difficult to access. However, it remains one of the more intriguing public art exhibits in Seattle and is still free to see. It's listed in Atlas Obscura. The exhibit was also reportedly damaged on 11/15/20 when a homeless camp tent caught fire. The exhibit is made of concrete, steel, and aluminum and measures 16' x 65' x 30'. It's easy to access the exhibit from the Burke Gilman Trail in the University District. It's near University of Washington housing and only a few blocks from Lake Union. The trail itself is wheelchair friendly and accessible quite easily.

Completely. Fucking. Amazing…read more There are cows, pigs, chickens, rabbits, horses, cats, owls, ducks and more in this 100+ year old barn. The massive 1200lb Nutmeg greets you near the front, as do the several feral cats (some blind), and the spotted barn owl. Depending when you visit, sometimes you are able to feed cows potatoes with your hands (it's awesome, but very, very slimy), or feed baby cows (as young as 1 week old) from a bottle. They suckle on your fingers/clothes/anything you put near them. This is an active dairy farm, and they have a lot of education about how dairy farms work, which is also nice to hear about. They also give military ID discounts, which I think is pretty awesome since I have one :) The bad news is that they're only open to the public in April (unless you arrange a special group trip). This year, I'm not even going to the Tulip Festival to see the tulips.. I'm going to Cowtown. Seriously. There aren't words I can put into a review to give you an idea of how much I love this place, except to say.. if I were to die today and there was some sort of Heaven (and I mistakenly got in..), it'd be Cowtown.

If you are looking for an usual experience on Orcas Island do not forego visiting this very special…read moreprivate museum that has over 800 works of art from 250 San Juan Island artists. It features the largest collection of HELEN Loggie's work and an extensive collection from James Hardman all in an exquisite architectural setting on the water with breathtaking views complete with follies. It is breathtaking and will provide you with inspiration and awe along with thanks that people like Leo Lambiel exist in this world.

Leo Lambiel's guided tour of his awesome home cum museum is awesome, and well worth the $20 fee per…read moreperson. His taste in art by San Juan Islands artists is eclectic -- inspiring, humorous, ironic, abstract, representational -- in a range of media. The house reflects his own craftsmanship in construction and decoration, and grew from its origins as a cabin to a mansion of many rooms, soaring ceilings, windowed walls, and outdoor stairways. Leo's folly is the grotto, which he continues to work on after 17 years. Wine also is his passion, and his wine room has patterned walls made of used corks. Altogether, a wonderful tour.

Secret?! i think not. ;) Although it can appear rather secretive if you consider walking through it…read morethe first time (w/o knowing it's a tunnel) and ask yourself upon exiting "I was in an underground tunnel?" Yup. And a super COOL one at that, too. :) Fine shops, great lunch options, and a jackpot of historic Seattle photos - everything from the early days of dumping Pill Hill fill into Elliot Bay to the early Boeing airplanes. Downtown? Take a stroll down this tunnel. It begins/ends in Rainier Square and ends/begins in One/Two Union Square. Happy strolling. :)

I haven't visited enough underground tunnels to know if this one deserves 5 stars or not, so let's…read morework this out, arithmetic-style! 1 star for keeping me out of the rain, cold, and wind and away from motor traffic and waiting for crosswalk signals. 1 star for neat photos of old-time Seattle 1 star for a display of upcoming shows from the 5th Ave 1 star for the convenience store selling cards and snacks. There are also some little deli type eateries, a salon, and an art gallery, though I haven't taken advantage of any of them yet. All in all, this is a pretty spiffy way to get from 7th and Union to 4th and University without having to set foot outside - always a plus when it comes to dealing with Seattle's variable weather.