travel

From Astoria to Pacific City – Exploring the Northern Oregon Coast

Laura Irwin
Haystack Rock at Sunset – Cannon Beach, Oregon

“…the grandest and most pleasing prospects which my eyes ever surveyed,                        in front of a boundless ocean…”  -William Clark

Where can you find rugged coastlines, secluded beaches, and stunning vistas, all in one area?  If your answer involved the Oregon coast, you’re correct!  The Oregon coast has long been known as one of America’s most beautiful and scenic coastlines, and it’s easy to see why.  Around every bend, there is seemingly one beautiful vista after another.  Add to this the fact that the majority of the Oregon coast is comprised of small coastal villages scattered amidst miles of beaches, and you have the perfect recipe for a seaside vacation.

Continue reading →

The City of Roses – Portland, Oregon

Laura Irwin

Portland, Oregon may not seem like a vacation destination, and sure, there’s plenty of beautiful scenery to explore outside the city.  But spend a day in this funky, eclectic city, and you will see why thousands of people give up the dream of blue sky and sun and choose to live with what feels like endless days of overcast skies and clouds.  Portland’s weather is notoriously overcast, but the city has so much to offer, both indoors and out, that it’s easy to understand why so many people choose to call this city home.

Washington Park – International Rose Test Garden

Continue reading →

From Mountaintops to Seashore – A Visit to Santa Barbara, California

Laura Irwin
Santa Barbara, California

With its location a mere 90 miles from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara is a perfect day trip destination from the L.A. area.  Get an early start to beat the traffic heading to the coast.  I would recommend starting in Santa Monica, and heading north up the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).  The drive along the coast is part of the fun of a day trip to Santa Barbara.  The PCH hugs the coastline for most of the trip from Santa Monica to just south of Oxnard.  Along the way, you will pass numerous turn-outs and state parks/beaches at which to stop.  Many of these charge for parking, so you may want to pick one at which to stop and get a “taste” of the Pacific coast beaches as you make your way to Santa Barbara.  Surfers frequent many of the beaches between Malibu and Santa Barbara, so you will have plenty to see on your way up the coast.  If you’re lucky, you may even see dolphins playing in the water not far from the shore.

Continue reading →