2008 Woodie Awards
Escape from your couch
Three regional mini-adventures to cure seasonal
Issue date: 11/29/06 Section: Features
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If any of the following are staples of your ideal vacation, you may want to skip reading this page: double-decker tourist buses, fanny packs, gift shops full of overpriced trinkets, American flag motif t-shirts, pina coladas, being herded around by tour guides like a flock of sheeple...you get the point.
But if the thought of a typical red-blooded American vacation drives you insane, and you’d like to get out of the house for a few days over winter break, we’re here to help. Whether you need to decompress after happy-holiday-family-fun time or just want to blow off some steam following finals, we came up with a few unique ways to lose yourself without breaking the bank.
Oh yeah ... we kept the list somewhat local, just in case you’re heading across the country to the in-law’s house sometime soon. One airport trip per month is about all the human soul can handle. So don’t worry about remembering whatever weird pneumonic device the TSA concocted to help you remember how much liquid you can get through airport security. There are no restrictions for our trips.
Rent a yurt on the beach
Dont forget the wine...
It may be gray, cold and wet outside, but that doesn’t mean you have to become a slave to your couch over the winter. Despite the crummy weather, you can still take in our region’s top attraction, the breathtaking wilderness, without becoming soaked in the process.
The Washington State Parks Department offers several options to get you out of your living room and into the wild this winter. Cabins, yurts and even tepees are available to rent for a modest price at numerous Washington State parks. Our pick: crash for a night with some buddies (or maybe just one really special friend) in a beach-side yurt.
Spending a night in a yurt is like a comfortable version of car camping without the hassle of packing the car – the Parks Department takes care of everything for you, except bedding, food and an obligatory bottle of vino. Stocked with electric heating, bunk beds, a queen-size futon and hardwood floors, yurts offer all the comforts of the indoors. Even better is the price: At $40 per night, packing the digs to maximum capacity (6 adults) will only cost you roughly $7 each.
Several of these shelters are available to rent near at Cape Disappointment State Park, making the short car ride to Long Beach friendly both to the environment and your pocket book. Go to http://www.parks.wa.gov/yurtsandcabins/yurtcabins.asp to book your yurt and get more info.
Nick Przybyciel
Crash for a night at a Vancouver hostel
All the fun of backpacking without having to walk anywhere
Aside from free health insurance, a socially progressive society and Tim Hortons, our neighbors to the north have another perk not to be found in the good ol’ U.S. of A – killer hostels. Maybe that’s bad wordage. I don’t mean "killer" like Quentin Tarentino had in mind, but "killer" in a "you’ll have the best time of you life" kind of way.
A visit to one in particular, the Cambie Hostel in Vancouver’s Gastown district, is like nothing you can experience in the United States. Within the first five minutes of checking in, you can tip back pints with worldly travelers, meet hip locals, and hook up with other hostel guests to go hiking or take in the city.
Vancouver’s main shopping district sits only a few blocks away, and ground-zero for night life can be found just outside of the Cambie’s doors.
However, don’t be surprised if you never actually leave the hostel for a night out, as the first floor hosts a giant pub. In all my travels, it’s one of the few bars where locals don’t mind mingling with the tourists. That’s probably because the typical Cambie guest isn’t your typical tourist – expect to fight for bar space with Aussies, Brits and lots of German backpackers. Take it this way: You will not be let down with the bar banter.
Whatever you’re into, you’ll have access to it for less than $20 per night by staying at the Cambie. However, the low price for accommodations comes with a few strings attached, as the hostel features communal showers and shared rooms. I also advise you to bring your own bed linens. Nothing can ruin a good time like a mysterious itch.
Private rooms are available for a bit more cash, but the price is well below market rate for a hotel room. For more information, current rates, or to book a room, go to http://www.cambiehostels.com/
Nick Przybyciel
Sick of the snow?
Try sandboarding
Love to snowboard, but want a change of pace? Try sandboarding.
It’s not a quick trip, but roughly six hours south of Tacoma lies one of the largest sandboarding parks in the United States, Sand Master Park. The park offers 40 acres of sculpted dunes, some of which are imbedded with rails and jumps for more experienced boarders.
Instead of riding on the side of a mountain, a sandboarder rides on dunes using a board. Boards range anywhere from the size of a skateboard to a larger, snowboard-like model.
Sand Master Park is located in Florence, Oregon. Boards and bindings are available for rent starting at $10 for a discount board to $25 for full-size boards. Admission to the park is free with a rental or $5 per vehicle without rental.
Sandboarding instruction is also available: $45 an hour for one person, $35 an hour for two people and $25 an hour for three to five people.
The park is open six days a week in the winter, closed on Wednesdays. Hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sand Master Park is located at 87542 Highway 101, N. Florence, OR, 97439. For more information, call (541) 997-6006, or visit the park’s Web site at http://www.sandmasterpark.com.
Damian Boudreau
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