When I began talking about taking a trip to Tofino for my 30th birthday, the one question I always got was how I had heard of it and to be honest I couldn't remember. It felt like one of those places I've always known about. However, after thinking about it more I recalled a resort, found in my wanderings around the web maybe six years ago, called Ocean Village.
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Welcoming guests since 1897, Chevy Chase Beach Cabins (CCBC) offers a combination of welcoming proprietors, fascinating history, and a comfortable laid back vibe. Creating just the right spot for a peaceful break as opposed to feeling like it's just temporary escape. Of all the cabins I've stayed in around the Pacific Northwest, CCBC felt the most like coming home for a much needed rest.
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Situated right on the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon, the Cannery Pier Hotel is one stay I just can't shake. I don't remember the last time a hotel had any kind of lasting effect on me - but our waterfront (really overwater) room actually helped me remember something very important to me; I simply love being on the water and seeing it just outside the window brings out my happiest self.
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In January 2012, while researching for our trip to Northern Spain, the GOOP newsletter arrived in my inbox with some details about visiting Portugal for a film festival. As I scrolled down, I noticed a small entry about an eco-friendly bed and breakfast named Colina Flora. Following the link to their website, I was immediately enchanted and suddenly Portugal had made it on to my travel wish list. So you could say that Colina Flora was the initial impetus for our two-week trip to Portugal this year.
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On our last road trip through the Canadian Rockies, we were haunted by some unfortunate weather and terrible private campgrounds - so we ended up making tracks for home a day or so earlier then planned. This decision presented the challenge of finding a nice campsite in the middle of the night in far northeastern Washington without any cell phone reception. At first we drove straight past the Evans Campground in Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area in hopes of finding a spot with hot showers. When we found cell phone reception again and deemed it not practical to drive even further to a different campsite, we made a u-turn and headed back to Evans.
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We'll call this the site that almost got away from us - the one we spent the previous night in the cab of the truck in an overflow parking lot hoping to get. The biggest downside with Kicking Horse Campground is that all the sites are first-come first-serve. So if you're planning to arrive on a weekend during the summer high season, you'll have to cross your fingers and hope for the best! There is a small overflow campground just down the road and the parking lot takes over after that.
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After spending five nights in Jasper National Park's Wapiti Campground, I was ready stay another ten. Maybe even more.
It's the first campground I've stayed at where I could see myself sticking around for an extended stay. It all started with our handpicked campsite, RR22, which sits at the very edge of along the Athabasca River. From this rather perfect campsite to the incredibly clean and updated facilities - Wapiti is where I'll be returning to on my next summer camping trip in the Canadian Rockies.
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Our stay at the Adrift Hotel in Long Beach, Washington was not at all what I was expecting. From the Living Social page I purchased our stay on, to their website, to photos I've seen on other blogs - it was definitely a different experience than I anticipated. Rather than the trendy minimalist boutique hotel I expected - the Adrift Hotel seemed more like an upscale hostel designed for families, fun loving adults, and dogs.
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When I booked this little Princeville condo, found on AirBnb, I wasn't quite sure how well it would work out for us based on its location. About an hour after arriving and a four minute walk down a tree lined path in our backyard, we found ourselves at this view point - overlooking Anini Beach. Aside from staying directly on the coast, it doesn't get much better than this.
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