5 Perfect Couple Hidden Gem Destinations in the Pacific Northwest
Meghann Grah joins us to share some of the best-kept secrets of the Pacific Northwest! Meghann and her husband run a travel blog that inspires couples to explore new places and live life to the fullest. In this episode, we’ll dive into hidden gems across Oregon and Washington that are perfect for your next getaway.
Transportation
You will need to fly into Seattle or Portland and rent a car to get to these destinations.
Or if you’re willing to roadtrip, drive on over! Just be sure to have a car to get around.
Glacier, Washington
Glacier is a couple hours north of Seattle. This is an amazing year round destination! This is a more remote town with limited amenities. This can be a pro or con, depending on what you prefer! It's a great place to get away and recharge.
If you visit from July-September you will have perfect summer weather and access to stunning hikes.
Meghan’s favorite hike in the area is Huntoon Point off of Artist's Point at the top of the highway. This hike is only about 1.5 miles and has great 360º views of the surrounding peaks!
If you visit in the winter there is fantastic skiing and incredible snowy views!
For those who aren’t hikers or skiers, even driving the Mt. Baker scenic highway is an event in itself. This is Washington’s most scenic highway and it does not disappoint.
This is a great place to pack a picnic and eat while enjoying overlooks from view points.
Glacier, WA can be a day trip or a weekend destination! There are super cute cabins in this area that you can rent.
Bellingham, WA is about an hour away located on the Puget Sound which is also super cute! This is a great destination if you want access to more amenities, restaurants, and kayaking/water rentals.
Stehekin, Washington
This is Meghan’s favorite place in all of Washington! It takes a bit of effort to get here, but it’s well worth it!
Stehekin is in north-middle Washington, at the base of North Cascades National Park.
You can only reach this area by ferry, plane, or hiking.
Meghan took the ferry from Lake Chelan and rode about half way to Stehekin, where they disembarked the boat and backpacked 20 miles into the town.
If you don’t want to do the backpacking, you can ferry all the way into town! The boat ride itself is amazing!
What to expect from the town:
The town has only 90 permanent residents.
Be aware that there is no cell service.
There are a few lodges and restaurants that you can choose from. There is also an amazing bakery!
The town is very bikeable! You can rent bikes.
Pick apples from the local orchard in the fall!
The outdoor activity options are endless! There is great kayaking, horseback riding, ATV-ing, and hiking in the area.
Prospect, Oregon
Prospect is about one hour south of Crater Lake National Park. It is located in southwest Oregon.
You can drive down the coast from Portland for a beautiful scenic drive, or take the I-5 for the fastest route.
You can also fly into the Medford airport, which is a smaller regional airport.
Meghan stayed at the Prospect Historic Hotel Bed and Breakfast, which is one of the few places to stay in town.
This tiny town has so much natural beauty to offer!
You can take a walk around town that takes you past 3 waterfalls as well as natural swimming pools.
The river through town runs through lava rock, which makes for very unique views.
Alvord Desert, Oregon
This lesser known corner of southeast Oregon has extensive salt flats to explore!
The Alvord Desert does flood for parts of the year, so if you’re wanting to see it when it’s dry you’ll want to visit between July and November.
This area is super unique because you can drive around the desert and camp wherever you want in the dispersed camping areas. Since it’s huge, you have so much space to yourself.
There are also some rustic “bunk rooms” that you can stay in if you don’t prefer camping.
There are also natural hot springs at the edge of the desert.
This is an amazing spot to stargaze! It’s so dark out that the star views are amazing.
The Steen Mountains are also nearby where you can find great hiking. Visit in October for amazing fall colors!
Brookings, Oregon
Brookings is located in southwest Oregon. It’s a little more difficult to reach than the typical popular beach towns, but it’s just as beautiful as places like Cannon Beach!
Brookings is right next to the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor and Harris Beach State Park.
A popular way to get to Brookings is by driving the Oregon coast and making stops along the way.
If you’re up for a big roadtrip, you can drive down the Oregon coast, over to Crater Lake, and back up through Bend, and back to Portland to fly home.
Learn more from Meghan!