We’ve taken the trip.
Personal observations, what worked, and what we’d do differently. Every trip currently in our report catalog is one I’ve taken.
A Northwest worth exploring.
Seattle has been home since 2015. The bucket list keeps growing. Come scout the places between North Vancouver and Mount Shasta.
Seattle is home.North Vancouver to Mount Shasta.There’s always another good trip.
A local’s never-finished bucket listI moved here in 2015.
I moved here in 2015.
I wanted to see it all.
I started working through a bucket list: the places I’d heard about, the weekends worth making, the corners of the Northwest I wanted to understand for myself.
Since then, I’ve seen so many places. Somehow, the to-see list keeps growing—and I’m still excited to work through it. PNW Scout is where those trips become useful reports, and the next ideas become plans.
— Mat, Seattle resident & curious neighbor
We’re planning to go.
A future-trip plan is labeled as research. We gather sources, compare options, and prepare the route before calling it firsthand.
Seattle is our base.
Our contributor standard: Seattle residents sharing a trip they’ve taken or the research for their next one, with practical Northwest context.
The report collection
Trips taken. Stories taking shape.
All 28 catalog trips are places I’ve been. One fieldbook is ready to buy; the others are drafts or reports in development.
Jarrell Cove & Harstine Island
South Puget Sound · Washington
A three-day, field-tested cove weekend for families, friends, changing weather, and real-life energy.
Last reviewed: not yet recorded. Current access, costs and conditions still need verification.
Preview & buy the fieldbook ↗Mount Rainier
Cascade Range · Washington
Mountain routes, seasonal decisions, timing, and the logistics that make a Rainier day work.
Last reviewed: not yet recorded. Current access, costs and conditions still need verification.
North Cascades
Cascade Range · Washington
A practical route into the lakes, passes, gateway towns, and big distances of the North Cascades.
Last reviewed: not yet recorded. Current access, costs and conditions still need verification.
Olympic
Olympic Peninsula · Washington
Coast, rainforest, mountains, and the hard choices required to shape a coherent peninsula trip.
Last reviewed: not yet recorded. Current access, costs and conditions still need verification.
Seattle
Puget Sound · Washington
The city-level orientation: neighborhoods, water, culture, food, transit, and where to begin.
Last reviewed: not yet recorded. Current access, costs and conditions still need verification.
Magnolia
Seattle · Washington
Bluffs, beaches, family rhythms, village stops, and a neighborhood shaped by Discovery Park.
Last reviewed: not yet recorded. Current access, costs and conditions still need verification.
North Vancouver → Mount Shasta
500 places. Still curious.
Neighborhood afternoons, islands, forests, towns, and weekends further afield. This is a living list, not a claim that I’ve been everywhere.
Loading saved visit history…
28 confirmed visited · 27 awaiting a finished report · 0 on the 2027 shortlist
500 places · showing 40
Metro Vancouver / Town
Vancouver
Coastal city between the Fraser River and Burrard Inlet.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Town
North Vancouver
North Shore waterfront city facing downtown Vancouver.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Town
Richmond
Fraser River delta city known for its Asian food scene.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Town
New Westminster
Historic riverfront city on the Fraser.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Town
Burnaby
Metro Vancouver city with lakes, parks and cultural venues.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Town
White Rock
Seaside community overlooking Semiahmoo Bay.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Gastown
Historic Vancouver district with brick streets and heritage buildings.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Culture
Granville Island
Former industrial peninsula with a public market and arts venues.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Kitsilano
Vancouver beach neighborhood overlooking English Bay.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Chinatown Vancouver
Historic district with Chinese Canadian cultural landmarks.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Yaletown
Converted warehouse district beside False Creek.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Mount Pleasant Vancouver
Main Street neighborhood with murals and independent shops.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Commercial Drive
East Vancouver corridor known for diverse restaurants and cafés.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Lower Lonsdale
North Vancouver waterfront district around the Shipyards.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Neighborhood
Steveston
Richmond fishing village with maritime heritage.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Park
Stanley Park
Forested Vancouver peninsula bordered by a seawall.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Park
Queen Elizabeth Park Vancouver
Hilltop gardens overlooking Vancouver and the North Shore.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Park
VanDusen Botanical Garden
Botanical collections and landscaped paths in Vancouver.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Metro Vancouver / Coast
Jericho Beach
Vancouver beach with mountain views across English Bay.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Seattle / Town
Seattle
Puget Sound city between Elliott Bay and Lake Washington.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Magnolia
Residential peninsula containing Discovery Park and bluff viewpoints.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Capitol Hill
Seattle neighborhood known for nightlife, cafés and Volunteer Park.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Fremont
Ship Canal neighborhood with quirky public art and shops.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Greenwood
North Seattle neighborhood centered on Greenwood Avenue.
Seattle / Neighborhood
University District
University of Washington neighborhood with bookstores and restaurants.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Montlake
Residential neighborhood beside the Ship Canal and arboretum.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Queen Anne
Hilltop neighborhood with skyline viewpoints and historic homes.
Seattle / Neighborhood
South Lake Union
Lakefront district with maritime history and technology offices.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Beacon Hill & Columbia City
South Seattle neighborhoods with diverse dining and historic business districts.
Seattle / Neighborhood
SoDo
Industrial district south of downtown with stadiums and breweries.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Pioneer Square
Historic downtown district with brick architecture and galleries.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Ballard
Maritime neighborhood with Nordic heritage and a busy dining district.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Wallingford & Green Lake
North Seattle neighborhoods connecting Lake Union to Green Lake.
Seattle / Neighborhood
West Seattle
Peninsula neighborhood with beaches and Elliott Bay views.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Seattle / Neighborhood
Georgetown
Industrial neighborhood with art studios and historic brick buildings.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Downtown & Belltown
Seattle's central business district and adjoining dining and music neighborhood.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Chinatown-International District
Seattle district shaped by Asian American communities.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Seattle / Neighborhood
Central District
Historic center of Seattle's Black community and cultural life.
Seattle / Neighborhood
Phinney Ridge
Ridge-top neighborhood beside Woodland Park.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Seattle / Park
Discovery Park
Magnolia park with forest, meadows, bluffs and shoreline.
○ Still to scoutPlanning source ↗
Unmarked means not yet confirmed in this notebook. Destination ideas and source links are a starting point; access and trip logistics are checked when we research a route.
Help choose the next report
The 2027 scouting plan.
Vote for the places you’d most like me to report on. One vote per signed-in reader, per destination; you can change your mind.
The next year is still taking shape.
I’ll share my 2027 trip shortlist here. Reader voting opens as destinations are added.
Good scouting starts with sources.
The 500-place index uses official tourism and park directories. A destination’s source link may open a regional directory; it is not a live check of access or conditions. We verify those details when researching each trip.
Explore the 27 source directories
- Visit Seattle — Neighborhoods ↗
- Seattle Parks — All Parks ↗
- Visit Seattle — Sightseeing ↗
- Washington Tourism — Cities & Towns ↗
- Washington State Parks — Find Parks ↗
- San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau ↗
- Destination Vancouver — Neighbourhoods ↗
- City of Vancouver — Parks, Gardens and Beaches ↗
- Destination Vancouver — Greater Vancouver ↗
- Olympic National Park — Places to Go ↗
- Olympic National Park — Day Hiking ↗
- Mount Rainier National Park — Places to Go ↗
- Mount Rainier National Park — Trails ↗
- North Cascades National Park — Places to Go ↗
- North Cascades National Park — Hiking ↗
- Travel Oregon — Places to Go ↗
- Oregon State Parks — Find a Park ↗
- Travel Portland — Neighborhoods ↗
- Portland Parks — Find a Park ↗
- Travel Portland — Attractions ↗
- Discover Siskiyou — What to Do ↗
- Crater Lake National Park ↗
- John Day Fossil Beds — Places to Go ↗
- Washington State Parks — Jarrell Cove ↗
- Travel Oregon — Mount Hood Hiking ↗
- Travel Oregon — Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway ↗
- Travel Oregon — Lava Lake ↗
Plan a trip with Mat
Three ways to make it your trip.
Visit Seattle, head out camping, or explore somewhere I’ve scouted myself. Tell me what you have in mind and we’ll start with the fit.
Visit Seattle
Make Seattle feel like a place you know. Plan a visit around neighborhoods, food, parks, culture and the things you actually want to spend time doing.
- A day-by-day plan shaped around your interests and pace
- Where to stay, how to get around, and what fits together
- Personal recommendations from a Seattle resident since 2015
Go camping in the PNW
Build a camping trip that fits your experience, your group and how you’re getting here. For Northwest locals and travelers flying into Seattle.
- Campground and route options, with reservation research
- Gear, vehicle and supply planning for locals or fly-in visitors
- A realistic rhythm, weather alternatives and time to enjoy the place
A trip shaped by experience
Choose a place from my scouting archive and we’ll shape a trip around you. Personal recommendations begin with my own travels; current logistics are researched for your dates.
- A personal conversation about what you want from the trip
- Recommendations grounded in firsthand visits
- A tailored route, practical options and clearly identified new research
By inquiry. Scope, fees and any booking support are agreed before work starts. A request does not reserve travel.
Put a place to the story.
One territory · a shared field map
Jarrell Cove & Harstine Island
South Puget Sound · Washington
The orange point locates this report within the Northwest. Gold highlights its state; the surrounding territory stays muted.
Reusable vector art for digital guides and print layouts. Geography: Natural Earth. Locator points are approximate editorial references.