no matter where you live, you can find experiences within a reasonable distance by car that will provide you with new insights and new landscapes—and all without the need of a passport! A good place to look for exciting travel ideas is a tourism bureau. Every state, including Washington, has one. To start you off, here are four directions on which to set your sights. Think of them as the North, East, South, and West of easy and fun discovery!
North: New Terrain
In these pandemic times, if you’re reluctant to travel abroad but still yearn to explore the world, opportunities to expand your horizons are nearer to home than you think. There’s no doubt about it: The COVID pandemic has made many of us, regardless of our vaccination and booster status, reluctant to travel on vacation via plane or other form of mass transportation. This can make visiting many foreign locations out of the question. And yet, we still want to explore unfamiliar places and cultures. Perhaps you feel this way, too. So what can you do? As the French author Marcel Proust once wrote, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Fortunately,
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3rd Act magazine | fall 2022
One of the most obvious options for exploration is to visit a place that’s geographically different from where you live. Are you a city dweller? Then consider venturing out to rural areas, especially those orchards and farms where you can pick your own fruits and vegetables. You might also check out some of the more than 1,000 wineries in the state where you can see how the local grape varieties are grown and harvested—and taste the results. If you live along the coast, take a trip to the mountains, or vice versa. In other words, literally seek out a change of scenery. Washington’s state and national parks offer countless opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, and other kinds of outdoor recreation. And if you feel particularly adventurous, you can tour Gardner Cave in Crawford State Park or bike the Cascade Trail. Of course, if you already live in a rural area, treat yourself to a day trip or a stay in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, or another city, where artistic, cultural, and culinary experiences await to delight you.
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