Northwest Cheapsleeps – Favorite Places for Budget Travelers

Friday Five: Tourism Office Closes, Safe Hiking, and More

July 1, 2011

Happy Friday! And more importantly, happy summer. The July 4th weekend is cause to celebrate our American independence, sure. But here in the Pacific Northwest, we double our celebratory capacities this weekend. See that yellow ball in the sky? July 4th marks our unofficial start to summer. Time to fire up the grill and get [...]

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Port Townsend Farmer’s Markets

June 27, 2011

You have heard me go on and on about my adoration for farmer’s markets before. My friends will tell you that I drag them for miles off a previously-planned itinerary if I see a sign for one. But this past weekend, it was my friend Susan who spotted it first. We were on our way [...]

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Tasting Cider on Vancouver Island

June 24, 2011

Is wine totally passé? That’s a cider flight. Before our lunchtime stop at Merridale Cider in Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley a few months ago, I couldn’t have told you a single thing about English-style craft cider. Now, I’ll tell you a thing or two. It rocks with food. Really good cider (and Merridale’s is really good [...]

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Cheap Sleeps: Step Up Your Game

June 21, 2011

As a budget traveler, I sometimes lament the loss of quality, affordable places to stay. Travel, even local travel, has gotten far more expensive than it used to be while at the same time, our wages have more or less stayed the same (if we managed to hold onto our jobs these past few years.) Maybe because [...]