Erika Bisbocci
Erika is an avid traveler and explorer of over ninety countries on six different continents. Since 2011, she has spent time studying Arabic in the Middle East, teaching English in Namibia and working as a flight attendant for a major US airline. When not traveling overseas, she loves exploring her own backyard in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
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10 Things to Do on an Orcas Island Getaway
Orcas has long been one of Seattle’s favorite island getaways. Considered by many to be the jewel of the San Juans, it is a place where time slows down and the frenzy of city living seems worlds away. Due to its difficult-to-reach location in Washington’s northern Puget Sound, the rugged and laid-back island has struck a delicate balance between development and preservation, tourist dollars and authenticity. It is pricy but not pretentious, touristy but not overcrowded, and pretty but not packed with must-see attractions. Orcas Island has everything you might…
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Lake Chelan and Stehekin: A Weekend Getaway Guide
Lake Chelan is an elongated body of water that snakes through the hills of Central Washington. It is a scenic wonder, one of the state’s premier outdoor playgrounds, and a magnet for anyone with a penchant for water sports, wine, and relaxation. On summer weekends, it seems that everyone in Seattle descends on the sunny shores of Lake Chelan. And as a result, the lake is a place where ‘the great outdoors’ and ‘getting away from it all’ do not necessarily go hand in hand. Unless, of course, you decide…
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Visiting Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier is the contiguous USA’s fifth-tallest mountain and the highest peak in the spectacular Cascade Range. Depicted on every Washington license plate, eponymous to everything from beer brands to cherries, and visible throughout much of the state’s western half, it is a towering landmark that has become one of the Pacific Northwest‘s most recognizable and beloved symbols. The sky-scraping mountain is a constant visible reminder of the region’s remarkable geology. Within its confines, Mount Rainier National Park hosts an ecosystem that is studded with geologic wonders and natural splendor.…
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Off the Grid at Hells Canyon in Oregon
When explorers came across the immense canyon that forms the border of present-day Oregon and Idaho, they figured they may as well have stumbled upon Hell. The inhospitable landscape—home to rattlesnakes, sweltering temperatures, and rugged barren landscapes—proved to be a formidable obstacle on their westward journeys. Many tried to tame the Snake River with boats and ferries, but hardly any were successful. Even today, Hells Canyon is no easy place to visit. The cavernous river gorge is remote, desolate, and hundreds of miles from the trodden tourist trail. But it…
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Hiking the Wallowas: Guide to Oregon’s Eagle Cap Wilderness
The Wallowa Mountains are one of the Pacific Northwest‘s most impressive geological features. Their snowcapped peaks adorn the pristine Eagle Cap Wilderness and tower over the bucolic farmlands and chiseled canyons of northeast Oregon. And yet, unlike many of Oregon’s other natural highlights, they remain largely undiscovered. The scenic splendor of the Wallowas is particularly surprising considering that I—a native Oregonian and lover of the Pacific Northwest—hand’t even heard of them until a few years ago. Prior to my visit, I believed that the northeastern corner of Oregon was a…
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Olympic National Park Travel Guide
Olympic National Park is one of the Pacific Northwest’s great wilderness destinations. Encompassing large swaths of a peninsula that shares its name, the UNESCO-recognized park boasts a temperate rainforest, glaciated mountain peaks, and lonely wind-battered beaches. The national park is one of the most popular places to visit in Washington State. Still, it is far enough from Seattle that it avoids being inundated with day-tripping tourists. Ninety-five percent of Olympic National Park is designated wilderness. Its untouched reaches shelter pristine landscapes and mile upon mile of hiking trails. With its…
