Anxiety Aside – Summer Fun

I had the pleasure of visiting my sisters in Washington State for 2 1/2 weeks and it was a blast. In this blog post I want to highlight some of my favorite things we did while I was in town! Summer is over but that didn’t stop me from soaking up the last few weeks of fun in the sun. Enjoy!

I love the Pacific Northwest so much and have been lucky enough to spend a lot of time in such a beautiful place. I have considered Washington my second home for years and one of my favorite places I have gone to is this place called Bowl and Pitcher. Bowl and Pitcher is a breathtaking state park that has a huge rushing river and towering trees that surround it. I went there for the first time several years ago and fell in love with it from the start. I am in awe each and every time I go there and will never get tired of the scenery. It has a wooden bridge that goes over the river and although walking across it scares me, the view from the other side is definitely worth the trek.

The next thing we did that I want to talk about is Manito Park. If you have never been to Washington and you find yourself there for the first time, Manito Park is a must see. I have been there for every season and there is so much beauty held there, no matter when you go. Summer and autumn are particularly stunning and I highly recommend going during those months. The same person who designed Central Park in NYC designed Manito Park and I’m just going to let that fact speak for itself. Summertime at Manito brings the lush rose gardens that smell and look beautiful from a mile away. We strolled through the gardens and took pictures of the pretty scenery and I loved every minute of it!

Growing up a Cali girl, beaches were my stomping grounds and you would most likely see me in the ocean every day of summer. I love beach days with all my heart, but my second love is for sure lake days. I am definitely not a seasoned lake person, but I vibe with it so much. Lake Pend Oreille is next on the list of places I want to highlight because I think I left a piece of my heart there! While staying in Sandpoint Idaho, we spent a night on the lake and it was so much fun. We swam and had an amazing day soaking up the rays. When night fell, a full moon reflected off the water and it was so peaceful. My sisters and I sat under the stars and talked about life while the shimmering moon danced on the lake. Moments like that keep me centered and bring so much joy to my heart.

Idaho as a whole is a wonderful state and to be honest I could see myself living there one day. As well as Sandpoint, Couer d’Alene, Idaho is a spectacular place to visit. I try to make a trip there every time I am visiting my sisters because it’s not a far drive from where they live. I have done Couer d’Alene a bunch of times, but this trip was the first time I went during the summer. Their downtown is very quaint with cute shops and restaurants that I love. This time around we did the lake which was a first for me and I had a blast! I definitely recommend going all year round because there is beauty in the city with each season.

One of my all time favorite things we did while I was in the PNW was go on a boat ride in Couer d’Alene. We didn’t know we were gong on one, but the resort we were staying at had boat rides that took you to another part of the lake where they had an amazing infinity pool. I had never been in an infinity pool so it was a first for me that I could definitely get used to! If you ever find yourself in Idaho, I highly suggest staying at the Couer d’Alene Resort! The rooms are gorgeous and since it’s located right at the edge of the water, the views are breathtaking. I’m pretty sure I spent half my time there staring outside our room window watching all the boats go by. The free boat ride was an added plus and there is just something so peaceful about being on the lake that soothes the soul in my opinion.

If you know me you know I love sunflowers. They remind me of my Grandma who passed away in 2014 because they were her favorite flower and it’s the reason I got a big one tattooed on my arm last year. When my sister Lisa found a place where we could go sunflower picking, we both jumped on that opportunity in 2.5 seconds. Walter’s Fruit Ranch is an amazing place and I am so happy I was able to go back there this trip. I went for the first time in the fall of 2016 and I had a blast picking apples and pumpkins. It’s such a festive atmosphere and all the workers are so friendly. We had to dodge quite a few bees, but picking the sunflowers was so worth it.

Those are just some of the many fun things I did in the PNW and I hope you enjoyed reading about them. Thanks for stopping by!