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15 Haunted Spots in BC, Oregon and Washington
What’s that strange noise in the hotel? Hopefully it’s a ghost, not a blown-out water heater. Here are 15 goofy, ghastly spots in Cascadia to delight your easily-spooked big kids. At right, the Davenport Hotel’s lobby. Can you spot a spectre? (I can’t, either!) Washington Haunted Spots Mt. Baker Theatre, Bellingham Judy didn’t want to leave, but she was evicted from her home to make way for the 1917 theater. So she’s supposedly returned, year after year, to haunt the theatre, showing up as gusts of cold air and the sound of old-timey skirts. Read more about Mt. Baker Theatre’s ghost stories. Roche Harbor Resort, San Juan Island The cemetery…
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Kid Picks for Seattle Restaurant Week
On Sunday, October 17, Seattle Restaurant Week kicks off. For almost two weeks (October 17-28), Sunday through Thursday, diners will enjoy three-course dinners for just $25 at over 100 area restaurants. Evado PR helped me collect information on kid-friendly restaurants that offer children’s menus. I’ve highlighted menu items that might be more adventurous, along with the standards. Of course, these menu items are offered the other 51 weeks, so you’re not limited to dining during SRW. Don’t see your favorite restaurant listed here? Don’t stress. Call ahead and ask whether they make special accommodations for kids, whether smaller portions or appetizer options. Go to the Seattle Restaurant Week site to…
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Stormwatching at the Coast: Tips and Hints
Winds howl outside at 55 miles per hour – fast enough to tip over a toddler. Waves explode on the beach, each one more spectacular than the last. The lights flicker, but stay on. Your family is inside, dry and happy, playing “Apples to Apples†with a warm drink (Hot chocolate? Hot cider? Hot toddy  — just for grown-ups) in hand. During this season of storms and seas, some upscale resorts even offer a “stormwatcher’s package,†like this one at the Wickannish Inn in Tofino. But you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the wild weather at the coast. Here are tips for enjoying stormwatching in the Pacific…
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Families Travel! Breitenbush Hot Springs with Kids
Over the 2010 Labor Day Weekend, Portland mom Jennifer and her husband Tony (owners of Portland’s Milagros Boutique) took their two children to Breitenbush Hot Springs Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Oregon. This resort, founded in 1977, is old-school crunchy Oregon, through and through. It’s a worker-owned cooperative featuring geothermal heating, eco-conscious structures and an off-the-grid lifestyle (no phone, no TV, no wi-fi). The laid-back attitude extends toward clothing, which is optional in the tub areas. “A family uncomfortable with nudity would not feel comfortable in the bathing areas of Breitenbush,†Jennifer says. “The majority of folks in the bathing areas are naked.†So this may not be a resort for everyone – it depends on whether you’re OK…
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Book Giveaway: Camping British Columbia
This week, I’m pleased to give away a free copy of Camping British Columbia by Jayne Seagrave to one lucky, random reader. It’s never too early to start planning next year’s summer camping vacation (although I don’t suggest buying the hot dogs quite yet). If you remember, several weeks ago we spoke with Seagrave to discover the best BC camping spots for families. This book expands on the theme, although “Camping British Columbia” is not family-specific. Seagrave’s book offers photos (black and white and full-color) of every BC region’s provincial and national park campgrounds and includes the facilities, rec activities and any additional info that may sway you one way or…