Seattle, WA

[BigV]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

My husband and I are planning a vacation, and the likely destination right now is Seattle. On the list to see are Mt. St. Helens and Pike Place Market, and possibly some kayaking. Any other recommendations?

A couple of years ago I went on a week long kayak expedition through the San Juans out of Anacortes. It was the paddle of a lifetime! We have some of the most beautiful, rewarding paddling options in the world. Here and here are links to a typical outfitters in the area. This account is an excerpt of a trip through the San Juans, and the part about Deception Pass is really exciting. The tidal currents there run up to NINE KNOTS!

For more urban trips, I have enjoyed in-city trips in both salt and fresh water, sometimes in the same trip! I will never forget my trip through the Ballard Locks! A couple of good places to put in are 14th street boat ramp, Golden Gardens park, and on Lake Union at NWOC, you can rent a kayak and start your paddle there. These guys rock, but they don’t let you take their boats through the locks, though. Another cool trip from there is to head north and west through the ship canal and the Montlake cut (watch out for the clapotis under the bridge if there’s any other powerboat traffic) into Lake Washington.