It’s Lunar New Year which means... Monkeyshine season is upon us in Tacoma! If you haven’t heard about it before, it’s an annual guerrilla art hunt where local artists hide a couple thousand glass orbs and medallions stamped with the Chinese Zodiac around the city.

Originally, it was started by someone known as “Ms. Monkey” and a friend who wanted to create joy and excitement for residents during our long grey winters. While deciding what they were going to create and hide, they were inspired by Ms. Monkey’s friend’s brass stamp he had created with a monkey on it. With access to a hot shop and donated glass, they decided stamping glass balls was the perfect creation. Plus, it would also pay homage to the city’s glass roots. From there, they created 200 creations and with a cohort of volunteers they hid them around the city. Here’s a peek at what some of them look like!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Halley Knigge (@halleyrebecca) on Feb 5, 2019 at 8:08am PST

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Grit City Magazine (@gritcitymag) on Feb 5, 2019 at 12:26pm PST

Their idea was a hit right from the bat, even with some initial confusion. Apparently the finds were being confiscated at first because they thought they had been stolen from the glass museum! After a very buzzworthy first year, Ms. Monkey’s crew decided to commit to hiding what would be known as “monkeyshines” each year for 12 years to complete a cycle (and later another cycle). How fun right?! You can learn even more about the back story of the tradition in this great article from Joanna Kresge of South Sound Magazine including an interview with Ms. Monkey herself.

Since then, the event has continued to evolve and others have decided to join in the fun including, now infamous, Marble Man who leaves marbles and others who leave their own gifts of charms, bracelets, and painted rocks to name a few. Adding even more treasures to be found! There aren’t any formal rules, but you can find monkeyshines in public places around the city and be sure to keep the honor system of 1 per person (that is if you’re lucky enough to even find one!)

Last year was my first year of hunting for monkeyshines and while we didn’t find anything, it was a really fun day of exploring the city — especially because we’d just moved. You could say we fully embraced the original mission of the event! That was also the day we ended up discovering my favorite brewery, 7 Seas Brewing (where I just celebrated my 30th Birthday party at)!

This year, I was lucky enough to (unsuspectingly) come across a red envelope with a pig charm inside too! I also walked by a guy who found a really gorgeous glass ball in Wright Park! So there are definitely treasures to be found out there! I’ve been keeping up with the hashtag on Instagram of finds too! No matter if you find something or not though, remember to enjoy the hunt and this great city because that’s where the real fun is!

Ah, you guys! I have been wanting to visit the Olympic Peninsula since moving back to Washington and it FINALLY happened! I may or may not be already planning our next trip there too because it was MAGICAL — all caps and all of the emojis worthy🤩✨. Truly though, it was everything and more I thought it would be, even in the dead of winter. Planning a trip at the end of January may seem like a dicey plan because the weather out there is pretty unpredictable but even with a few detours in our original plan we had the best time! So today I’m sharing all the dets to help you plan your own trip.

Kalaloch Lodge

First things first, where to stay?! I’ll be honest… this was a question that stumped me for a while. Like, I may have spent hours looking at Airbnbs trying to decide where would be best. Here’s why… nothing is very close together. I’m talking it may more than an hour drive to get to what you want to visit. Being that it was winter and I had ruled out hiking or visiting Hurrican Ridge, most of the other things I wanted to do were along the coast or further south. There’s definitely a lot more options of places to stay up north though, especially in the Airbnb category. There are also a ton of campgrounds all over, which would open up options for the summer but again.. January! After doing a little hunting though we decided to stay at the Kalaloch Lodge. It was one of the closest options to the beaches and the rainforests I wanted to visit plus I really wanted to stay in a cabin and they have some right on the bluff.

The cabins also have wood-burning stoves which was so cozy plus super handy because the power went out the first night we were there! I told you it can be an adventure out there haha! For real, in the 4 days we were out there we had a windstorm, rain (lots of rain as expected), sun, hail and snow! Honestly, though, don’t be afraid to plan a trip in the winter because even with all the rain — they were supposed to get 6 inches that weekend — we still had such a blast and actually had a lot more sun than we thought we would.

Now back to the cabins, I loved staying here for so many reasons. The cabins were super adorable and cozy, it was close to some of the top things on my to-do list and they also had a great little store and restaurant and bar right there in case you needed anything. Which was great because, like I said, nothing is super close out there! Another thing to note is the cabins and rooms at the lodge don’t have Wifi, TVs or much cell phone reception. It’s funny that disconnecting has become an amenity but as someone who is always plugged in for my business, this was nice. This also brings up the fact that you may want to carry a map for your adventures. The lodge gave us one and it was super helpful as we were driving around because our Google Maps didn’t always work. There’s really only one main highway out there too so that also helps when you’re directionally challenged like us.

Kalaloch Tree of Life

Even if you don’t stay at the lodge, you should definitely add the Kalaloch Tree of Life to your to-do list! This tree is crazyyy! The ground has eroded below it, but somehow, it has managed to hang on and thrive despite it’s roots being exposed. You can see the tree by entering through the Kalaloch campground and when you get to the beach entrance, take a right and the tree isn’t too far of a walk down. Definitely worth a visit.

Visit Some Big Ol’ Trees Throughout the Peninsula

The Olympic National Forest is home to some of the biggest trees in the world — some even holding world records!

We visited two of these giants, Big Cedar and the World’s Largest Sitka Spruce Tree. Big Cedar is located a few miles north of Kalaloch Lodge right off of the main highway. There are signs for it too so you can’t miss it. This one actually used to be even bigger but it split in a storm in 2014. Even with the storm though, the tree is still MASSIVE and worth a visit. The Sitka Spruce Tree is located in the Quinault Rain Forest, not far from the Lake Quinault Lodge and is one that holds a world record. This one also has ample signage and isn’t a far walk off the road. Definitely make sure to bring appropriate shoes too — especially during the winter. I had rain boots, but it was one of our first stops and Evan hadn’t changed his shoes yet and the trail was filled with puddles that took over the path. Legit, I ended up carrying him on my back through some of the wettest parts. 😂Worth it to see the tree though!

Explore the Beaches — My Picks being First, Second and Ruby Beach

The beaches on the peninsula are just glorious! They have such rugged beauty and I just could not get enough. It was stormy the weekend we were there but I’ve never seen such powerful waves before. It felt like Mother Nature in such a raw state that’s both beautiful but also slightly terrifying. That’s the best way I can describe it. You do need to be careful too, because all of those logs and rocks on the beach that give it its rugged beauty, come right out of the water. There are also signs warning about logs that can shoot out from the surf so definitely pay attention to your surroundings. It’s mother nature’s house, you’re just visiting!

If you’re coming from the south, you’ll need to head north to get to all of these beaches. We started by going to First Beach and then worked our way back to our cabin. If you’re headed north, Forks will be the biggest town you’ll encounter. The power was still out when we drove through so we just made a short stop to be tourists by the welcome sign, but there are a variety of stores and restaurants that you could stop at. We just continued through and headed for La Push though. On our first attempt, the road leading there was closed so we tried to go to nearby Rialto Beach only to find that road was closed too from the storm from the night before. If you have service, definitely check the road reports before heading out because things can change on a day-to-day basis. We thought we had struck out on our luck for the beaches but we drove back to the road that led to La Push and by then the water had receded some so they had opened the road, YAY!

Our first stop was First Beach, which again was just magical! It’s right off the road so it’s easily accessible. You just need to climb over some rocks to get down to the actual beach. There were so many HUGE logs washed up and it was just such an experience to watch the waves go in and out. There is also a restaurant nearby if you’re looking for a bite. Like most towns out there, La Push is pretty small and on tribal land so nature is definitely the attraction.

Next up was Second Beach (my personal favorite) which isn’t too far of a drive south from First Beach. There’s a short hike to get to this one but it’s less than a mile and there isn’t much of an elevation change. If I could have just stayed here all day I would have. Second Beach is quite a bit bigger than First Beach and it just had a ton of rock formations that were so pretty. If you look closely in the pic above, there was also a keyhole in the rock where waves would come crashing through, and I really mean crashing through, it was insane to watch! I must have taken 10 videos of it I just thought it was so cool. I’ve never really considered myself much of a “beach person” but these beaches were my kind of beaches.

Closing out our beach tour for our trip, we also stopped by Ruby Beach which some say is the most beautiful beach in the state. We didn’t go too far down on this one because the tide was in, but just walking down there I can see why people say that! The landscape was really pretty and definitely one I can’t wait to explore more on a future trip!

Quinault Rain Forest

Like I mentioned, we had to make a few detours in our plans. One being visiting the Hoh Rain Forest. Unfortunately, the road washed out a few days before we visited, but I still wanted to get in some rain forest time though so we decided to visit the Quinault Rain Forest instead. Oh boy, did I get my dose of mossy trees too! We decided to do the Quinault Rain Forest Loop Drive coming from the north side and it was really a treat. If you do the full loop, they say you should allow 2 hrs but we turned back at the Upper Quinault River Bridge which was still a decent drive.

I was truly just blown away by all of the trees in the rain forest. Not only were they HUGE! I mean look at the circumference of this one they had to cut apart from a storm… Evan is over 6’ for reference! The amount of moss on the trees is so crazy too! I loved it. Everyyyy single tree! The loop was mostly paved until you got closer to Bunch Fields where it turned into a dirt road. We were driving a car with all-wheel drive and were totally fine but just something to consider! I’m also a little chicken and there were some parts of the road that were on dropoffs right above the river that kind of freaked me out on the dirt road. So just a few things to consider! The north side of that road was really where it was at though. Once you get on the south side, it’s not as foresty and eventually you hit a residential area. So I definitely recommend going in from the north side!

Lake Crescent

If there’s one place I definitely want to explore more our next trip, it’s Lake Cresent. Originally, we had planned on taking the long route to our cabin on Friday and hitting up north first, but since there was the storm coming we switched up our plan and went home this way instead. The lake was absolutely gorgeous though and there’s definitely a lot to explore around there as well. Although, honestly I could have totally just sat by the lake all day and been happy without exploring. It was truly a slice out of peaceful heaven. Since we explored a lot of things down south this trip too, for my next trip I’d probably want to stay around the lake. Which is a closer hub to get to Hurricane Ridge (about an hour) which would have been closer to 2.5 hours from where we stayed. There are also a ton of hiking trails around there that I would love to check out!

Ah, just writing this post is giving me the itch to go back… I loved the peninsula SO much! In many ways, I feel like it still has an undiscovered vibe (even being one of the top 10 visited national parks). The landscape… the views… ah, it’s just the best. Beyond my suggestions on where to go, my biggest advice for planning your trip is to plan where you want to go ahead of time so you understand the lay of the land and how far away things are from each other. Also, pack for all kinds of weather (even during the summer) and just enjoy your time of being a little more disconnected from the rest of the world for a while!

P.S. If you like keeping up with my PNW adventures, Evan and I started an Instagram account focused on just that! Follow along at @TheHicksintheSticks

I can’t even believe it but the first day of summer is officially here! I’m probably a little biased, but I think we have life pretty dang good in the PNW this season. I used to reallyyy dread summer when I lived on the east coast because the weather killed me, but now that I’m back on the west coast it’s quickly become one of my favorites! It gets hot, but not too hot and we rarely have to deal with that humidity nonsense — thank God! Even more important than the weather though, Washington just has so many options for different things you can do both in the cities and outdoors. The best of both worlds! So today I’m sharing some of the things that are on calendar (which is somehow already filled up 😳) in case you need some adventure ideas!

Taste of Tacoma

The Taste of Tacoma is really kicking off summer this year because it’s THIS weekend at Point Defiance Park Friday-Sunday in Tacoma. It will be going on 11am-9pm on Friday and Saturday and then 11am-8pm on Sunday. It’s been going on for the last 33 years and it highlights everything from local restaurants and breweries in the state, family fun and there’s also live music. It’s also free! Parking can get a little crazy near the park but they have a free park and ride shuttle service from Tacoma Community College which I’d recommend.

Fab Fridays Emerald Downs

If you’re looking for something to do on Friday nights I recommend checking out Emerald Downs for their Fab Fridays. The first race is at 6:30pm and they also have beer specials and live music. Plus, it’s wayyy chiller on Friday nights than on Saturday or Sundays. They have different specials and things going on each Friday but it’s become one of my favorite times to actually go to the races. Another cool thing is the first Fab Friday of the season (it’s usually the Friday before Mother’s Day) they give away free t-shirts and if you get one you have free admission for the rest of Fridays in the season. Score right?! My mom and I have gotten them the last two years so it makes it a cheap Friday night out — especially because I don’t bet lol. If you don’t have a t-shirt though they also have a Groupon which is a great deal. It’s $10 and it gets you in, a free program and a $10 food voucher. Plus they have a tent set up right outside the gate so it’s super easy to use.

Fremont Fair for Solstice Weekend

Summer solstice weekend in Seattle goes hand-in-hand with the Fremont Fair, which let’s be honest, is probably most notorious for the naked bike riders in the parade. The fair is a lot more than that though with lots of food and drinks, art, street performers, crafts and other fun. Plus Fremont is just a cute neighborhood in Seattle too so it’s the perfect way to kick off the summer!

Stars and Stripes Parade in Enumclaw

I have to give it up to my little small town. They’ve definitely stepped it up a lot since growing up here with their events. If you’re looking for an all-American small town 4th of July parade then this is the one to go to! It starts at noon on Cole Street and it’s a fun parade to go to. Bonus, stop by our restaurants, shops, and breweries after (yes Enumclaw even has breweries now — say whattt?!)

Concert at the Gorge

Summer concerts are just the best and ones at the gorge are definitely a summer bucket list item here in Washington. The views at the gorge are so pretty and I always love a change of scenery driving to central Washington. Plus lawn seating tickets are usually pretty affordable. I’ll be hitting up Eric Church in a few weeks but they have an awesome line-up this summer so you should definitely check it out!

Back to the Old West in Winthrop

We have a trip booked to Winthrop that I’m really looking forward to! It’s located about 3.5 hours northeast from Seattle and makes a great weekend getaway. If you haven’t been, the main street looks like you took a trip back to the old west! One of the most well-known destinations there is Sun Mountain Lodge which is a really cool resort too. We stayed there as kids (the last time I was there) and it’s still one of my favorite vacations. Even if you don’t stay at the resort they have restaurants and activities you can check out too.

Get Outdoors and Go Hiking

It’s not a summer in the PNW without some hiking, right?! I have a pretty big bucket list for hikes this summer (and I’ll be writing a separate blog on those recs soon) but there’s no better way to enjoy the beautiful scenery our state has to offer than hiking. Some of the ones on my summer bucket list this year are Diablo Lake, Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls, and Kendall Katwalk. I also want to get a few hikes in on the Olympic Peninsula. So many places to explore! If you’re looking for more suggestions I’d recommend checking out the Washington Trails Association website and All Trails.

Strawberry Festival on Vashon Island

Vashon Island’s Strawberry Festival is happening July 19-21 and this is the 110th year! The festival includes a parade, car show, live music, street booths, food, beer gardens and a street dance. Plus it’s just a quick ferry ride away from both Tacoma and Seattle so if you’ve been looking for an excuse to get out and explore this is the perfect time to do it!

King County Fair

Also going down the 3rd weekend of July, the King County Fair will be happening July 18-21st. I used to look forward to this fair every summer as a kid! It’s definitely a bit smaller than it was back then, but it still has all of my personal fair favs — animals (lots of them!), elephant ears, scones, and pig races!

Kayaking at Local Beaches or Lakes

I bought kayaks last year and it’s quickly become one of my favorite things to do in the summer. In fact, Scooter is even a fan! He took his first trip out and actually liked it so he’ll be coming along on some adventures this summer. I recommend kayaking at Titlow Beach if you have your own kayaks and Owen Beach in Tacoma if you need to rent some. Personally I think Titlow is a little less crowded but both are great options! Or if lakes are more your thing (no current!) there’s a ton of options locally too. I’m back and forth between Tacoma and Enumclaw almost weekly so I like to go to Deep Lake but check out what is near you!

Homespun Happy Hour Fort Nisqually

Fort Nisqually is a living history museum located in Point Defiance park and last year they kicked off an event series called Homespun Happy Hour. The museum is popular for kids but this event is actually only for adults 21+. The event offers a cash bar and different 19th century crafts like candle making, tinsmithing, felting, and more! We went to one of the events last year and it was such a blast! Not only was it something different but we also learned a lot about history while we were doing everything! Definitely recommend it and you can get tickets to this year’s events here.

Mariners Game

Another summer classic… baseball games! I’ve been to more baseball games than I can count for someone who doesn’t even really love baseball but the games are always a blast! I love Safeco too.. ok.. ok.. T-Mobile Park (that’s going to take some getting used to) because you can just hang out in the beer gardens. We usually just buy cheap tickets and then do that! Plus let’s be honest, you know I’m just there for the grub! Some of my personal favs are the donuts from On Deck Donuts, the crab fries from Way Back Crab Shack and dumplings from Din Tai Fung. All of which are featured in this article from Eater!

Art Festival Proctor

One of my favorite neighborhoods in Tacoma is Proctor, it’s such an adorable area plus they have a nice farmer’s market every Saturday (I’m obsessed with the scones from Upper Crust Bakery). Well, once a year they do a HUGE art street fair called Proctor Arts Fest. This year it’s taking place on Saturday, August 3rd from 10am-4pm and it will feature art, food, live performances — all of the goods. Tacoma is so supportive of local businesses and artists which I love so this is a good one!

Cabin Living at Loon Lake

I’ve always been a sucker for lake living in the summer in Washington. I have so many great memories growing up going to Lake Chelan, Lake Tapps, Green Lake, and more! So many lakes! The latest to join the list of favs is Loon Lake outside of Spokane. Evan’s family has a cabin on the lake and each summer they have a family weekend so I’m looking forward to that! With so many options in the state you can find some great Airbnbs to rent out to get some lake time in or a campground if you’re into that! The one aspect of outdoor living I haven’t really embraced yet haha.

Explore the Olympic Peninsula

One part of the state I am SO looking forward to exploring more is the Olympic Peninsula. Every time I’m out there I just love it and I have a few more places I definitely want to check out this summer including Lake Crescent and La Push. As well as a long list of hikes! Definitely worth researching a little and finding the perfect day trip or weekend adventure for you or your family over there!

Washington State Fair AKA the Puyallup Fair

If you’re looking for some big fair action then the Washington State Fair is what you’re looking for! It is the state fair after all! I’m a sucker for a good fair so you can bet I’ll be there getting my corndog action on, again with the scones, and probably a big ol’ slushie because that’s how I do. This year the fair will run from August 30- September 22nd.

Dinner at the Summit at Crystal

Then last but not least, if you’re looking for an adventure with a view out of this world then you need to get up to Crystal Mountain this summer. The ski resort offers gondola rides up to their Summit House Restaurant and it literally feels like you’re on top of the world. Photos don’t do it justice at all either, it’s just gorgeousss! On a clear day you can see Mt. Rainier, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Baker… Insane! It’s not a cheap adventure… but it’s totally worth it. You don’t have to eat up there if you don’t want to either but it’s a nice option.

Hope you enjoyed some of these suggestions! Hopefully they get you started on all of the potential we have in the state. If you’d like to keep up with my adventures throughout the summer too be sure to follow me on Instagram! Because you know I’ll be sharing 😉

P.S. If you like keeping up with my PNW adventures, Evan and I started an Instagram account focused on just that! Follow along at @TheHicksintheSticks