We set off from Boise for our annual road trip! Bound for Gig Harbor, Alice and Noble would stay and enjoy some quality cousin time while Jared and I head North to Bellingham to celebrate 20 years together (12 years married).

1st leg: BOI to Yakima, WA

We opted to break up the drive and camp near Yakima. It was hot and the campground was …eh, so we went to Cowiche Canyon Kitchen & Icehouse for an early dinner. I love using Yelp to find good, local places to eat when traveling.

Then, back to camp where we set-up, rode bikes, found some feral kittens, played games (Noble is a master at Slamwich), and “camped”.

2nd leg: Yakima to The Gig

Jackson Bridge over the Tacoma Narrows is the landmark that tells us we’re getting close to Gig Harbor, WA. We have some ‘cousin combos’ in our family and Cooper’s matching cousin is Alice. They look like siblings but protest any stranger who says so. We enjoyed some backyard fun, relaxation, and a boat ride through Gig Harbor and under the Narrows bridge. The view of Mount Rainier, sunshine and sand dollars, and kids daring to jump into the ocean, all highlights from a perfect afternoon on the water.

3rd leg: Gig Harbor to B-Ham

Jared and I bid farewell to the cousin crew and set off with our mountain bikes for Bellingham. We met up with cousin Ned (who’s not really our cousin) and Amanda who graciously welcomed us with a fine dinner overlooking Bellingham Bay (from their porch!). After dinner, we walked through the dark woods to Lake Padden, at sunset!

Ned recruited his teacher team (plus 10 yr old Rudy!) to show us their favorite mountain bike trails at Galbraith and Chuckanut mountains. Bellingham’s trails = epic single-track with natural and man-made features through beautiful coastal forests.

And no road trip is complete until you find the best places to eat and drink. Bellingham did not disappoint and again, having local input made it easier to sample and taste what B-Ham has to offer.

We stayed in a cute little old Airbnb house in the Lettered Streets neighborhood where we could see the bay, hear the trains, and get a feel for what it might feel like to live here. We even took a short ferry ride to Lummi Island for a romantic little bike tour! Bellingham is beautiful.

4th leg: Back to the Gig

We took a different route back to Gig Harbor via the Coupeville to Port Townsend ferry (another great suggestion from B-Ham locals). The drive across Deception Pass, which separates Whidbey and Fidalgo Islands, was breathtaking. If you ever venture in these parts, stop at Butcher and Baker Provisions in Port Gamble for a bite.

Upon our return to The Gig, we found that everyone very much enjoyed their stay in Washington yet it was time to pack up and return home to Idaho.

5th leg: The home stretch

A long drive, good playlists, Podcasts, naps, and another pit-stop in Yakima got us home…to Boise at least. Here we said goodnight to Noble, rested up, and hit highway 55 for home the next day.

Road trips…worth it…every time.

xo

Happy 4th of July!