As our Pacific Northwest winter continues on, many of us are struggling more than ever with cabin fever. After not getting to explore our beautiful city and region nearly as much in 2020 as we all would have liked, it’s hard not to feel negative about the continuing COVID-19 situation.
Although we can’t change this situation, we can find ways to find hope for the future. By creating a post-pandemic bucket list, we can create anticipation for the time when we can freely enjoy the beauty of the Northwest. Here are some tips on finding unique things to put on your bucket list:
Request free tourism guides
Most cities have tourism websites where they do their best to “sell” their city to families. They typically have tourism magazines (both online and print versions) that highlight the uniqueness and charm of their attractions, nature, restaurants, and more. Grab a cup of coffee and enjoy leisurely reading about cities around the PNW – I’ve added so many unique spots to my bucket list this way!
Become a Google sleuth
I never would have discovered the amazing Stoneberg Alpacas farm during COVID if it weren’t for randomly searching for “Portland llama farm” during one particularly boring day inside. We’ve been able to bring our boys twice during a time when safe, outdoor, and free activities are worth more than diamonds! Think about activities, foods, and interests that you love. Then start searching!
Discover the great outdoors
Pinterest has cultivated such an environment of beautiful photos – which makes finding gorgeous PNW nature a breeze! Search for other people’s bucket list boards and save their ideas. You can also check out Washington Trails Association’s website, which is a giant detailed database of hikes throughout Washington. You can even save them to your account and sort your favorites by distance, location, etc. Pinterest is how I discovered and planned our romantic trip to Victoria, BC before COVID closed the borders!
Get organized
There’s no point in finding amazing things to do if you forget all about them once life is back to normal! I have a PNW Bucket List board on Pinterest, but I also have a list on Google Maps. This makes it really easy, because I can check out a region and see everything nearby that I’ve saved to check out.
I hope this post sparks some ideas on how you can plan to explore our beautiful Pacific Northwest! We could spend years exploring this region and still have more to discover. Enjoy planning for amazing memories with your family!
