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Although we are in the middle of a wet, Washington winter, summer will be here before you know it! Skagit county has so much to offer, and there are many great summer tours and activities that you should start planning now before the summer crowds book them out. From the Cascades to the sound and everything in between, there are activities in nearly every corner of Skagit County.

Whether you love the outdoors and feel at home in the mountains or enjoy guided tours overlooking beautiful views, this guide helps you decide what tours are right for you and your family this summer.

Whale Watching

In April, the whales enter the Puget sound for safe fishing grounds before they continue to Alaska for the summer. The month of April is when a group of grey whales ventures hundreds of miles off course to spend a few weeks in the Puget Sound eating ghost shrimp.

There are Orca whales, Mink Whales, humpback whales, and all kinds of porpoises, seals, and more from May to October. The resident Orca whales are also a regular sighting in most areas of the Salish Sea.

There are several different whale watching companies that operate out of Edmonds, Anacortes, and Port Townsend. The Puget Sound Express offers both full and half-day tours from multiple locations. Their tours are guaranteed, meaning that if you do not see whales, they will help you to book another tour on an upcoming day. Puget sounds Express tours last between 4 and 8 hours.

Their guides will help point our wildlife, and you will be able to spend a day cruising through the San Juan Islands. The boats work together to locate wildlife which helps to have regular whale sightings on most tours. The Orca Whales as well as all the other regular visitors of the area, are spectacular and worth scheduling a time for.

Bird Watching

Another popular activity in Skagit County is bird watching. There is plenty to spend an entire day searching for with snow Geese, Swans, raptors, tundra, and more. Skagit Guided Tours offers day trips to visit the Snow Geese come fall and many other bird species in their bird watching eco-tour.

Kayaking

With the Puget Sound at the edge of Skagit County, most visitors flock to the water for their stay in Skagit County. One of the best ways to enjoy the water is by kayaking through it! With seals, eagles, and so much wildlife to enjoy, kayaking through the sound is one of the best ways to spend the day.

With stunning views of the San Juan Islands and views of the Olympics, the Cascades and Mt. Baker, and the Canadian Mountain Range to the north, you are in for a real treat. No matter if you have kayak experience or are a newbie, there is a perfect kayaking trip for you.

Anacortes Kayaking Tours offers 1.5, 3, and 5 hours day tours as well as multi-day island hopping tours. Your trip will begin with a brief tutorial in a protected area to get your comfortable in your kayak before the group heads out for the day. If you are on a longer trip, there will be plenty of time to stop on beaches and stretch your legs while you explore the coastline. Anacortes Kayaking offers both tandem kayaks and single kayaks. Book your tour earlier to ensure there is space on the day you prefer.

Small Airplane Tours

One of the more luxury tours that are available out of Skagit County is a private plane tour. You can soar over the San Juan Islands, the tulip fields, and more, all while enjoying views of the ocean, the Cascades, and the Olympics. San Juan Airlines offer flights departing from Bellingham, Anacortes, Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Orcas/Eastsound, Blakely Island, or Lopez Island.

Deception pass jet boat tours

Deception pass is a popular sightseeing location in Skagit county. One of the best Tours of Skagit county to book for Summer is a Deception Pass jet boat tour. This is a cheap and family-friendly option that allows you to enjoy the beautiful waters around deception pass. The jet boat is an open-air deck boat with seats outside.

The boat named the Whaler will take you through Deception Pass and the surrounding area while a knowledgeable crew gives a history of the area and what transportation was like before the bridge was built.

Skagit River tour

With so many beautiful bodies of water to explore, it can be hard to pick just one. If you are interested in seeing more of the wildlife along the Skagit River, Skagit River tours offers 2-hour tours of Skagit River. These are small tours with only 5-6 people per boat and allow you to explore 7 miles of river on either the south/ west end of the river, starting in La Conner or a more northern section of the River. You’ll be able to learn about the history of the Skagit River as well as the fish and other wildlife that move through it.

Rafting tour

The Skagit River is one of the most unique places to Raft in the Northwest. Alpine Adventures is one of the only outfitters that takes rafters through a northern area of the Skagit River. The rafting trip is rated for class 2 and 3 rapids and is suitable for those six years old and up. You will raft through the Ross Lake National Recreation Area of North Cascades National Park. You can expect stunning mountain views, waterfowl, and more.

Skagit Farm to Pint Passport

While not a traditional tour, the Skagit Farm to Pint Passport is a self-guided brewery tour of the county. Trek the Skagit Farm to Pint Ale Trail and collect stamps and win prizes along your way. If you get all your stamps, you can claim a souvenir pint glass at the Burlington visitor center.

Fishing tours

Whether you are an avid fisherman or someone looking for a bit of guidance, fishing the Skagit River is so much fun. There are Chinook salmon, also known as king salmon, Coho, which are also known as Silvers, chum, Pink, also known as Humpies, Sockeye, steelhead, and cutthroat trout. Fishing seasons and days vary by year, but in a normal year, the river is always open for King, Silvers, Steelhead, and more. A fishing tour is helpful because they supply the gear and the best spots to fish. 365 charters and Skagit Eagles both offer Skagit River Fishing Tours throughout the year.

Hot Air Balloon Tours

During the Spring, during the tulip festival, you can arrange for tours of the best fields via a Tulip Festival Tour. Skagit Guided Adventures offers a tulip tour that takes you through the tulip fields and introduces you to some of the farmers. You will also learn about agriculture and horticulture in the valley and the history of the Tulip Festival. You will stroll through fields and gardens and take in the views of the Skagit Valley farm flats.

One of the most exciting tours offered in the Skagit Valley is a Tulip Festival Hot air balloon tour. During the Tulip Festival, the Balloon Depot brings in hot air balloons to the Skagit Valley so that you can fly over the best Tulip fields. This is truly a unique experience that very few people get to enjoy. To fly over tulip fields with views of the ocean in the distance and Mt. Peaks to the east is spectacular. This experience happens in the mornings when the weather is good. Check-in with Balloon Depot as Tulip Festival Draws closer to book your spot.

There are so many tours of Skagit county to book for Spring, Summer, and Fall. The views, recreation, and wildlife create a magical oasis for outdoor adventures and sightseers. Look into the tours that interest you most today and make sure to book early, as some spots do fill up quickly. The Clever Neighbor is happy to bring you the latest on the best activities for your vacations!

Visiting Boise in the winter months offers a plethora of activities to choose from. Whether you are wanting to brave the frigid slopes of one of the nearby ski resorts or would rather stay warm in a gorgeous natural hot spring, Boise offers something for everyone.

Bogus Basin

Just a 45-minute drive from downtown Boise, Bogus Basin offers easy access to countless winter activities. The main attraction is the ski hill which offers 2,600 acres of terrain, 80 runs, and 10 lifts. If flying down a mountain is a little extreme for your taste, they also offer cross-country skiing, winter tubing, and snowshoeing. Bogus Basin is also home to Idaho’s only mountain coaster, where riders can fly down 4,330 feet weaving in and out of trees and experience the mountain like never before.

Winter Garden aGlow at the Idaho Botanical Garden

If you’re visiting during the month of December, the Winter Garden aGlow at the Idaho Botanical Garden is a can’t-miss event for the whole family. Every night during December that Idaho Botanical Garden lights up with over 550,000 lights across its 14 acres of land. Along with the amazing visual experience, there are food trucks, live music, and fun events and activities for the kids. Winter Garden aGlow is one of the botanical garden’s biggest fundraisers of the year, so not only will you receive a memorable experience, but you will also be helping the garden provide a wonderful service to the local community.

Sun Valley

Sun Valley is an extremely popular ski-resort town about 3 hours northeast of Boise that offers skiing, fine dining, and an exciting nightlife. Bald Mountain is what brings most winter tourists up to the town. If you enjoy beautiful views, you’ll find plenty in Sun Valley, but the one you can’t miss is at the Seattle Ridge Day Lodge located at the top of Bald Mountain. At 8,800 feet you can see forever, and if you time it right you can see the mountains turn from white to a combination of a breathtaking pink and blue at sunset, just make sure you call ahead because you do need a reservation.

Along with the mountain, Sun Valley has a laundry list of other winter activities such as ice skating, sleigh rides, and ice sculptures. Once you have gotten your fair share of outdoor time, you’ll need to warm up inside with a hearty meal and a drink of your choice. There’s plenty of options to choose from, but some of our favorites include Sawtooth Brewery, Lefty’s Bar & Grill, and The Roundhouse.

Hot Springs

It’s difficult to find yourself anywhere in Idaho without being close to a hot spring. There are dozens of springs within a couple of hours of Boise, here’s a great guide that lists most of the ones available to the public.

If you’re looking for a hot spring experience that has a resort feel to it with built-out pools and some amenities such as bathrooms, food and drink, and on-site parking, we’d recommend Goldfork Hot Springs near McCall or The Springs at Idaho City. Both locations are easy to access while still getting all the benefits of a natural hot spring.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous and want to experience a more “natural” hot spring experience you can’t go wrong with Kirkham Hot Springs or Trail Creek Hot Springs. Both require a small but relatively steep hike down to the pools, but the scenery and experience is well worth it if you can make the trek.

McCall

Another lovely mountain town about 2 ½ hours north of Boise is McCall. With many of the same characteristics as Sun Valley, McCall offers all the typical mountain activities in a beautiful city built right next to Payette Lake.

Brundage Mountain & Tamarack Resort are both within a short drive from McCall and have some of the best ski terrains in the Northwest.

In late January to early February McCall hosts their annual Winter Carnival which is a favorite among locals and tourists. One of the main attractions is the ice sculpture contest, where amateurs and professionals compete for $1,000+ prizes for the best sculpture. There are upwards of 100 sculptures each year so just walking through town is an event in and of itself.

The supporting events are just as fun, with activities such as a dog sled challenge, chef collaborative dinner, mardi gras parade, and snowshoe golf.

Looking for more things to do while you are in Boise? Check out our other guides here.

_{Charles Knowles from Meridian Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

The fall months are some of the best times to visit Boise. Tree’s all around the city start to change, turning the city from a giant green patch to a kaleidoscope of red, pink, yellow, and orange. The weather is also quite pleasant in the fall months, nestled right between the 100 degree days of summer and the freezing, windy days of winter. Along with the city’s natural beauty, there are a number of exciting events going on during these months that are sure to please.

Spirit of Boise – Hot Air Balloon Festival

Probably the most popular fall event, as well as one of the most picturesque, is the Spirit of Boise hot air balloon festival. It is a 5-day event that usually takes place the first week of September. They do a wonderful job offering different types of events for the whole family.

It typically starts with a kid’s day where kids can take a “tethered ride” where they can experience a hot air balloon ride while still being roped to the ground, giving parents slightly less anxiety about watching their child float away. Later in the week, they have multiple flights where 20+ balloons take to the skies and float over the city and neighboring areas. On Friday night they have the Nightglow Spectacular, where they inflate all the balloons after dark and put on a light show along with music, drinks, and other fun events.

Treefort Music Festival

If music is more your thing, the Treefort Music Festival is a great opportunity to see not only great artists from Boise and the Inland Northwest, but the festival attracts big names from across the country as well. Previous years have featured artists such as Run The Jewels, Vince Staples, and Lizzo. If none of those appeals to you, there are over 100 shows every year, so you’re bound to find something that fits your taste. It’s typically a five-day event in the heart of downtown that features beer gardens, comedy shows, and plenty of food trucks to explore.

Boise Farmers Market

Every Saturday local farmers, artists, business owners, and chefs set up downtown for the Boise Farmers Market. Located in the heart of downtown, the farmers market is a great place to start your Saturday even if you don’t plan on purchasing anything. You will get the chance to see unique works of art by local artists, local and international cuisine, and tons of options for organic vegetables, beef, and fish.

Boise State Football Games

Even though Boise isn’t home to a major sports team, they still have one of the most exciting teams in college football. The Boise State Broncos rose to prominence in the early 2000s and have made it to a bowl game every year since 1999. The team is fun to watch and the environment is electric for a sports fan. Along with the great food and company at the tailgate, the stadium includes the famous “smurf turf” which was the first non-green playing field in college football history.

Boise Restaurant Week

If you consider yourself a “foodie”, or just enjoy a great meal in a fun environment, you can’t miss the Dine Out Downtown – Boise Restaurant Week. Dozens of restaurants participate in this event which includes special menus, deals on food and drinks, and fun events put on by each restaurant. Usually, this is held around the last week of October or the first of November. If you’re wanting to double down on your Boise food experience, there is also the Boise Grilled Cheese and Beer Festival held right before restaurant week.

Harvest Festivals

Few things get people more excited about fall than harvest festivals, and the Boise area has plenty of them. With pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides, along with numerous other activities there is fun for the whole family at any of these festivals. There are numerous festivals throughout the fall, including in Eagle, Garden City, Caldwell, Emmett, and Kuna.

Boo at the Zoo

If you’re visiting around Halloween the Boise Zoo hosts an annual Boo at the Zoo event for children and families. The event usually consists of costume contests, prize giveaways, trick or treating, face painting, and games for all ages.

If you’re in town earlier in the month you can still experience the Zoo with a Halloween twist. Every weekend in October they have Spooktacular Evenings from 6-9 PM. They call it a “merry-not-scary” event that is suitable for all ages. The Zoo will be lit up with Halloween displays and will also have activities and special entertainment every night.

Visiting Boise during a different time of the year or want to check out more of what the city has to offer, check out our other recommendations here.

_{Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons}

Whoever said you shouldn’t play with your food never visited our list of the best restaurants in Seattle for fun dining! Here are the 8 of the funnest and best restaurants to in Seattle that you have to try the next time you’re hungry.

Seattle can claim to be cool on so many counts. Whether you are local or a visitor, the funnest and best restaurants in Seattle have great food as well as a great experience.

It’s the birthplace of Jimi Hendrix, it has the oldest continuously operated farmer’s market in America. And though it is often cloudy, people in Seattle buy more sunglasses than any other US city. That’s cool, isn’t it?

Read on for cool food, loads of fun and the best restaurants in Seattle. Plus, a great experience to boot!

8 of the Best Restaurants in Seattle for Fun Dining

“One man’s meat is another man’s poison,” and when it comes to fun places to eat in Seattle, we are going to recommend some somewhat controversial options. Our recommendations are not to play safe or recommend the most expensive. Instead, there will be something for everybody on this menu of delights.

Read our comments, check reviews and decide if you agree with our idea of fun. Let’s get started. Read on and let the Seattle restaurant adventure begin.

1. The Pink Door

“Is this the place? There’s no sign. Just a pink door.” Your dining partner may be skeptical but enter the pink door and enjoy one of the top dining experiences in Seattle. A fabulous view, great Italian and American style dishes and top notch service.

There is a pleasing aesthetic to the place so you’ll feel more comfortable if you dress up a little. Great for a romantic dinner or celebration.

Best to book a table and ask about the entertainment. Cabaret, trapeze or even burlesque may be on the menu too. If you and your guests aren’t shy, book at table in the center of the restaurant!

2. The Crumpet Shop

Tea and Crumpets at Pike Place Market is a delicious treat. They make the crumpets in the store and after you’ve seen how it’s done taste one. They do other things too but don’t leave without having had crumpets.

As one of the funnest restaurants in Seattle, you would expect a creative range of toppings and you won’t be disappointed. There are sweet or savory toppings to suit all tastes.

Even people who’ve had English crumpets in England say they are authentic although the toppings might raise an eyebrow in the UK. Try maple butter and walnuts with cream cheese or egg, cheese, and Jalapeno peppers. They never had that in England.

3. Pike Place Chowder

Pike Place Market is the oldest continuously operated farmer’s market in America and so far our eateries have been in that location.

Don’t leave without eating fish. Why? Because Pike Place Market is world famous for throwing fish.

You will see huge fish, thrown and (usually caught) across the fish market to howls and cheers. There are many fish-eating opportunities so Pike Place Chowder has to be good to be so highly rated by diners. There are long lines but it’s worth the wait.

If you only visit once and you don’t know what to choose from the menu, the clue is in the name. Try the chowder.

4. Serious Pie

A list of the funnest restaurants in Seattle cannot ignore an eatery called “Serious” Pie. The pizza is seriously good and if you get there during “happy hour” you get a seriously good bargain too.

The tables are communal so not only do you get great food but perhaps some good company too. It’s fun to chat and compare pizza choices. Don’t go expecting safe cheese and tomato toppings.

5. Space Needle Sky City

Every visitor to Seattle has to visit the Space Needle but to get the full experience try booking a window seat at Space Needle Sky City. Romantic dinner or special occasion dining with a revolving view.

You expect to pay a premium for the location. With a reputation for quality, locally influenced food and special service, you should treat yourself. There is a planned refurbishment due for completion in Spring 2018 so check if they are open and book a table.

6. Collection Caf?

Lot’s of people collect things. Stamps, pins, shoes might be your collection theme. This place has taken collecting to a new level. Here, collecting is an art form.

Look under the glass of the table tops and find a collection of ceramic dogs, ancient cameras or glass bottles. The ceiling covered in flying accordions must be unique.

This might be a caf? but expect interesting salads, adventures in sandwich creativity and clams are on the menu too.

7. Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley

If Jazz and Blues is your thing then there is fun to be had at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley. No seat is more than 50 feet from the stage. Dine here before the show starts and enjoy Mediterranean influences as well as seafood, steaks and salads.

There is no dance floor but they say they can’t stop you from shaking in your seats. People have been shaking in their seats here for almost four decades. Here at one of the funnest restaurants in Seattle, you might see an up and coming artist or a living legend on their stage.

8. Ray’s Boathouse and Caf?

The Boathouse has amazing food at the water’s edge and the Caf? has an amazing outdoor deck with views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains. Watch the sunset, eat fresh seafood and if you’re lucky watch eagles fishing.

Ray’s began as a dockside caf? with the original coffee house opening in 1945. They are a Seattle institution and when you dine there you share the experience with generations of Seattle locals. Appreciate the heritage, commitment to supporting the local fishermen and the iconic location.

Time to Reflect

Start with quality ingredients and you are more likely to end up with a delicious dish. Seattle is a fun place to be. The diversity of food influences, amazing locations and culture are the raw ingredients for great dining experiences.

Don’t listen to the reputation of Seattle people being cold. The Seattle freeze soon melts. The Seattle Seahawk fans are officially the loudest crowd at a football game so they have some extrovert traits.

Our hope our list of the best restaurants in Seattle provide you an interesting, even quirky Seattle experience. The list covers romance, nature, music, spectacle, and character. Add to this some amazing food and drink and you have a menu of delights ahead of you.

Be prepared to soak in the ambiance but also contribute to the fun. Help make your fellow diners and servers day.

To learn more about Seattle click here.

Seattle waterfront and skyline - Unique things near Seattle to do

Seattle is well known around the world as for it’s eccentric style and cultural scene. It’s also a burgeoning tech hub, seeing growth in just about every other industry. Whether you’re here for work or for a vacation, there is a lot to see from the Space Needle to Pike’s Place Market or a Seattle Storm WNBA game. But if you want to get off the beaten path, you should look for some of the more unique things near Seattle to check out.

For people who want to avoid the crowds, getting off the main path can be a relief. The added bonus is that next time you end up in Seattle with family or friends, you can show them something cool and sound like a local.

To get a taste of some of the more unique things near Seattle, check out these 7 sites.

1. Archie McPhee

If you like to check out cute novelty shops, see what Seattle has to offer. Archie McPhee has every kind of gift you need for holidays or for fun.

Have you ever thought about getting a unicorn horn for your cat or a mustache for your baby? Well, Archie McPhee has it. Browse their aisles for hours and you’ll see products you’d never even imagined.

Even if you’re not into novelty shopping, it’s a great place to browse for the fun of it. Dive into the weirdness and more bacon products than you could ever fit under a single roof.

2. Fremont Troll

This is one of the many great free things to see in Seattle. Legend has it the Fremont Troll lives underneath the Aurora Bridge, on the north end near N 36th Street.

It was created by a group of artists in 1990. The troll is made of steel rebar, concrete, wire, hubcaps, and an old Volkswagen Beetle.

The troll has been guarding the bridge for a quarter century and will likely still be there when we’re all gone.

3. Shoe Museum At Pike’s Place

Don’t expect an actual museum when you arrive. This giant shoe is actually part of an old traveling show. For a few cents, you can see a shoe that was once worn by the world’s tallest man.

You’ll see some other oddities and strange shoe related objects. Expect something off-beat and kitschy and you won’t be disappointed. It’s one of the great locations of vintage charm and unique things near Seattle.

4. Vashon Island Bike Tree

If you’re making a trek to Vashon Island, look up. While wandering through the forest, you’re likely to see a bike that’s going through the middle of a tree. This is truly one of the unique things near Seattle that you won’t find on many tour guides.

Locals all have stories about how the bike got there, but good luck getting a straight answer. Some say that the bike was chained to the tree by a young soldier before he headed off to war.

Other people say that the bike was intentionally grown through the middle of the tree.

The common thread is that no one put the bike there on purpose. Closer to the truth is the story about a boy who left their bike behind and over time, a tree just grew through it.

No matter what you believe, there the bike sits, in the middle of the tree. You’ll have to see it to believe it.

5. Lenin Does Fremont

One of the stranger socio-political objects in the city of Seattle has to be the 16-foot high statue of Vladimir Lenin. It was created by a Bulgarian sculptor who built it as an element of the Communist propaganda machine.

While working in Slovakia, a local Seattle resident named Lewis Carpenter found the statue ready to be destroyed. Feeling like it would be a waste of the sculptor’s work, he bought the statue and spent the cash to get it shipped. It took a lot of effort to get the statue in the country.

Carpenter, unfortunately, passed before the statue was ever erected in the US. thankfully his family made a goal of getting it up and now it stands in Fremont.

If you’re looking for unique things near Seattle and have a love for Communist history, you’ll love this oddity.

6. Karaoke at Rock Box

Are you in town with old friends or looking for a bonding experience with co-workers after a long week of a conference? One of the best ways to shake off inhibitions is to engage in the mutual embarrassment of karaoke.

At $4-$7 per hour, per person, it’s a heck of a deal for a memorable night of entertainment. Be sure to call ahead to make sure something is available.

If you’ve got a group of 35 or more, you can book the party room and make it an all-out wild night of showmanship with your group.

7. Ye Olde Curiosity Shop

Along the tourist-heavy strip of Seattle’s waterfront, you might not expect to find anything interesting at all. Lucky for you, there’s Ye Old Curiosity Shop.

It’s another novelty shop selling curious items and Seattle souvenirs. You’ll also find interesting items placed in the style of a museum.

There are narwhal tusks, totem poles, and a couple of mummies. The mummies, named Sylvester and Sylvia, were found in Central America.

They were well preserved, so well preserved that the University of Washington has run studies on them. Sylvester was preserved with a special solution. Whoever mummified him used an arsenic solution hoping that he would one day be discovered.

There’s a Long List of Unique Things Near Seattle!

If you’re a nature buff, you’re going to find all kinds of interesting things to do in the Seattle area. Whether you want to walk along the waterfront or hit the nearby Old Growth Forest, you’ll find no shortage of great sights.

If you’re still looking for unique things near Seattle, contact us for more tips.