Whale Watching and Wine Tasting

Washington’s Olympic Peninsula is one of the few places in the state where one can go whale watching and wine tasting in the same day.

Killer whales, humpback, minke, and gray whales all swim in the waters of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia. Puget Sound Express, based in Port Townsend, takes passengers out to see them all. For the past few months, gray whales have been most visible. For the next few months, orcas should be most prevalent.

A glass of Washington State Wine is just what is needed after an exhilarating day searching the waters for whales. Sorensen Cellars and FairWinds Winery are both located in Port Townsend, and both offer wine tasting. Wine and cider tasting is also available at Finnriver Farm and Cidery, located outside of town in lush Chimacum valley, and Eaglemount Wine and Cider, in the hills on the southeast banks of Discovery Bay.

The Pacific Northwest is home to some of the most majestic creatures on earth – whales. It is also home to some mighty fine wine – Washington State Wine. The Olympic Peninsula is the place to experience both.

Additional information about whale watching tours is available at Puget Sound Express.

2011 Sequim Irrigation Festival

2011 is the “One Hundred and Sweet Sixteen” Sequim Irrigation Festival. The oldest festival in the state is currently underway, and concludes Sunday, May 15. What a great excuse to drop everything and travel to the Olympic Peninsula this weekend.

Experience the 2011 Sequim Irrigation Festival, May 6-15.

Sequim Irrigation Festival Highlights:

Logging Show, Truck & Tractor Pull. May 13, 5-10 p.m., May 14, 10-5 p.m.

Strongman Showdown. May 13, 6-8 p.m.

Fireworks. May 13, 9:30 p.m.

Kids Parade. May 14, 10 a.m.

Grand Parade. May 14, noon.

Carnival. May 13-14 until 11p.m., May 15 noon to 5 p.m.

There are several Washington State Wineries close to Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula. When you’ve had your fill of parades and tractor pulls, slip away to taste locally made Washington wines at one of the wineries in nearby Port Angeles: Olympic Cellars, Camaraderie Cellars, Harbinger Winery, and Black Diamond Winery. As you head home on Sunday, allow time to try Washington wine and hard cider at Finnriver Farm & Cidery or Eaglemount Wine & Cider.

The 2011 Sequim Irrigation Festival is a wonderful tradition. Please visit the Sequim Irrigation Festival website for more information.

Cape Flattery

Cape Flattery sits at the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula, on Makah land. Indeed, it is the northwestern-most point of the contiguous United States. For that reason alone, it’s worth a visit.

The Cape Flattery Lighthouse on Tatoosh Island.

It’s easier to travel to the tip of Cape Flattery than it used to be. A couple of years ago, the rough and pitted dirt road that once lead intrepid travelers 4.5 miles from Neah Bay to Cape Flattery was paved. The muddy, poorly maintained trail to the tip of Washington state was transformed into a groomed earthen and cedar plank trail. The Makah Tribe rightly decided that more people would come to Cape Flattery if it was easier to get there. Still, the journey requires a commitment – Cape Flattery is nearly 90 miles northwest of Port Angeles.

Once there, it’s worth staying a while. There are several options available. Hobuck Beach Resort on the Makah Indian Reservation offers cabins, RV camping, and tent camping. For more information, please see the Hobuck Beach Resort.

You’ll want to have a good supply of Washington State Wines with you while you’re exploring Cape Flattery and Neah Bay. Be sure to allow time for wine tasting on your journey west; there are several Olympic Peninsula Washington Wineries in Port Angeles – right on the way. Wine tasting ensures you’ll be drinking a wine you really like when you’re at the northwestern tip of the contiguous United States.

Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival

Each spring, historic Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula celebrates community and Washington’s beautiful state flower during the Rhododendron Festival. In 2011, the 76th Annual Rhododendron Festival takes place May 16-21. Rhody Fest means spring has come.

Relax in Sweet Laurette's courtyard after the Rhody Festival Pet Parade in Uptown Port Townsend.

Residents of Port Townsend and surrounding communities participate in numerous parades just for the fun of it during Rhody Fest. Everyone gets caught up in the celebratory mood while watching the great Trike Race downtown and the fancy Pet Parade Uptown. The Bed Race is one of the most entertaining and hilarious events in Washington State, while the Grand Parade is reminiscent of a bygone day. No Rhododendron Festival would be complete without the carnival that takes over Memorial Field at the end of the week.

It’s worth traveling to Port Townsend for the Rhododendron Festival. While there, we suggest you visit one or all of the Washington State wineries in and around Port Townsend. Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery are located in Port Townsend proper, while Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cellar are tucked into the beautiful land outside of town.

Bring a bottle of your favorite Washington State Wine back home with you, and when you drink it, remember the good fun you had during the Port Townsend Rhododendron Festival.

A schedule of festival events is available at Rhodyfest.

Sol Duck Hot Springs and Washington Wine

Wouldn’t a soak in natural hot springs feel good right about now?

Sol Duc Hot Springs are located in the Olympic National Park, about an hour beyond Port Angeles, WA. It is a rustic paradise. Leave your cell phone at home and journey to a place where the main activities are soaking in mineral hot springs, hiking in the Olympic Mountains, and breathing in the fresh air.

Cabins are tucked among towering evergreens and along the Sol Duc River. There are non-kitchen cabins and cabins with kitchens; some sleep up to five people, some accommodate as many as ten. Come for a romantic getaway with one special person, or gather a group of friends for a weekend of fun.

If you are traveling from the Seattle area, you’ll pass through Port Angeles on your way to the Sol Duc Hot Springs. Take a few moments to stop at the Washington State Wineries there for wine tasting. You won’t want to travel into the heart of the Olympic National Park without a few bottles of delicious Washington State Wine.

The first winery you’ll pass is Olympic Cellars, which is just east of Port Angeles in a lovely old barn. Black Diamond Winery is three miles outside of the heart of Port Angeles, beautifully situated on 20-acres overlooking the Tumwater Creek. Camaraderie Cellars is a lush, intimate space just two miles west of Port Angeles. Harbinger Winery is in a wonderful converted ex-logging truck shop, right on 101 west of Port Angeles.

Stop by all four Port Angeles Washington Wineries; you’ll need a good deal of wine, for soaking in hot springs creates great thirst. On your way back home, you can stop by and pick up a few more bottles of your favorites.

Bring Washington State Wine to Sol Duc Hot Springs.

To make a lodging reservation, visit Sol Duc Hot Springs.

Port Townsend Kitchen Tour

The kitchen has long been the heart of the home. People are drawn to the warmth of the kitchen and sustained by the meals that emerge from it. For many, the kitchen is the embodiment of the word “home”. Perhaps that’s why it’s so interesting to see other peoples’ kitchens.

The 14th annual Port Townsend Kitchen Tour takes place Saturday, April 30, 2011. Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., participants may tour eight different kitchens in Port Townsend’s historic Downtown and Uptown. This is a unique opportunity to peek into some of the homes you’ve most admired in Port Townsend.

Some of the kitchens are in historic homes, updated to meet the needs of our time. Others are in new homes, and reflect current trends in design. If you’ve been considering a kitchen remodel, the Port Townsend Kitchen Tour is a fantastic opportunity to see a variety of kitchen designs, cabinetry, counter tops, and more. Plus it’s fun.

There may be no better activity after a day of kitchen touring than Washington State Wine tasting. Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery are located in Port Townsend; both offer wine tasting on the weekends. Two more tasting opportunities are just outside of town in beautiful Chimacum: Finnriver Farm & Cidery and Eaglemount Wine & Cider.

Local Washington State Wines and Ciders are also available at The Wine Seller, on Water Street in Port Townsend.

Please visit Port Townsend Kitchen Tour for additional detail.

Wine and Cheese on the Olympic Peninsula This Weekend

It’s finally here, the weekend all wine and cheese aficionados have been anticipating for weeks. The Northwest Wine and Cheese Tour of Olympic Peninsula WA Wineries is tomorrow and Sunday, April 16 and 17, 2011.

Blue Cheese from Willapa Hills

Hire a sitter for the kids or call your closest friends – a variety of wine will be poured at the eight participating Washington State Wineries in Port Townsend, Chimacum, and Port Angeles. Each will be paired with a local cheese, and together the wine and cheese will bring out the best in each other. (more…)

More Local Cheese to Pair with WA Wine

It’s true. Our Washington State Wineries have found more local cheeses to pair with our wines during the annual Northwest Wine & Cheese Tour on April 16 – 17, 2011.

Past blogs have featured Mystery Bay Farm of Marrowstone Island, Mt.Townsend Creamery of Port Townsend, Golden Glen Creamery and Gothberg Farms, both from Bow, and Wild Harvest Creamery of Chimacum.

Other local cheese makers to be featured at the Northwest Wine & Cheese Tour: (more…)

Port Townsend Farmers Market Opens April 2

The Port Townsend Farmers Market is a big market for a small town. Each week, more than 70 vendors set up their stalls to sell their wares and thousands of people visit them. 40 farms sell fresh, locally grown produce. 4 artisan cheesemakers sell cheese created from locally raised sheep, goats, and cows. There are many crafts and some fine live music. One can purchase hand-crafted Washington State hard apple and pear cider and Washington State Wine. It is, in short, a gustatory paradise. (more…)

Meet the Washington Cheesemakers

It is an honor to be serving our Washington Wine with locally crafted cheese during our NW Wine and Cheese Tour, April 16 & 17, 2011.

The following cheesemakers all use only the finest quality milk from locally raised cows, goats, or sheep in their cheeses. One of them focuses on the production end of cheesemaking, and the others also raise the animals that produce the milk from which the cheese is made. All of these cheesemakers are keeping an important tradition alive in this country – they strive to live off the land in a sustainable, ecologically responsible way, or they support farmers who do. (more…)

Celebrate Locally Grown Wine and Cheese

Locally grown. It’s a movement that has been quietly growing for years in this country, especially in the Pacific Northwest. More and more people are shopping at farmers markets and joining CSAs. More and more people are purchasing eggs freshly hatched from local chickens, raw milk, and grass-fed beef. These foods may cost a bit more in dollars, but there is growing consensus that the cost to the environment is less.

Spend the weekend of April 16 - 17, 2011, exploring locally made wine and cheese.

Washington State is blessed with a mild climate, fertile valleys, and abundant grasslands. On the Olympic Peninsula alone, our farmers produce a great variety of fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood, and milk. A trip to the Port Townsend, Sequim, or Port Angeles Farmers Markets reveals not only these fresh foods, but a host of items made from them; fresh jams, baked goods, artisan cheeses, and of course, Washington State wine and cider.

NW Wine and Cheese Tour: April 16 – 17, 2011.

Olympic Peninsula Wineries and Cideries are joining together the weekend of April 16 and 17, 2011, for the NW Wine and Cheese Tour – to celebrate Washington State wines, ciders, and cheeses. Vintners and Cheesemakers are lining up sensational pairings of wine and cheese (it’s a tough job…), and look forward to sharing them with all who attend the NW Wine and Cheese Tour.

We hope you’ll plan to visit the Olympic Peninsula for the NW Wine and Cheese Tour, April 16 – 17, 2011. Advance Tickets for the self-guided tour include a commemorative wine glass and complimentary wine and cheese tastings at all seven participating Washington State wineries. Individual Wine and cheese tastings are also available at all participating wineries and ciders, for a fee of $5.

For additional information or advance tickets, please visit see the NW Wine and Cheese Tour.

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Washington Wine

March 8, 2011, is the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. This is a day for women to come together, recognize achievements, and look toward the future. In countries all around the globe, women meet to discuss politics, business, art, and societal needs. The overriding theme for 2011 International Women’s Day is “Equal access to education, training, and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women.”

Join Washington State Wineries in celebrating International Women's Day.

Two Washington State Wineries on the Olympic Peninsula are owned and operated by women: Olympic Cellars and Harbinger Winery. The other six Washington Wineries / Cideries are owned and operated by families or couples.

Support local Washington State wine and women winemakers on March 8, 2011. Olympic Cellars is hosting a Women’s Day Celebration at 6 p.m. There will be freshly baked bread, homemade soup, and of course locally crafted wine and cider. 2011 will be the 10th annual Olympic Cellars community IWD celebration, and all are welcome: women, men, and children.