Northwest Travel and Life
In the Shadow of the Cascades: A Highway 97 Road Trip
Originally published on Northwest Travel & Life. Besides the scenery, the joys of a road trip include the stops along the way—roadside curiosities, a small town or city, historic markers, the best burger in the state. You can map out your itinerary in advance or let spontaneity reign. I chose the free-and-easy spontaneity method on […]
Inventive Jet Boat Tour Brings Stargazing to the Willamette Valley
Originally published on Northwest Travel & Life. On a warm spring evening, still under bluebird skies, six of us piled into a vessel piloted by Scott Heesacker, owner and operator of NW Jet Boat Charter, for a trip down the Willamette River. Within a few minutes of leaving the dock outside Newberg, Oregon, we’d left […]
A Sweet Summer Getaway in Nanaimo, British Columbia
Originally published on Northwest Travel & Life. If you’ve ever wished for a culinary trail dedicated to desserts, Nanaimo is the summer getaway for you. This coastal city on Vancouver Island is a place to enjoy the sweeter things in life while soaking up Indigenous culture and art. Start with a taste (literally) on the […]
Meeting News Northwest
Big Connections Start Small: A Q&A with Deborah Hoskins on Meetings in the San Juan Islands
Originally published on Meeting News Northwest. While massive conferences have their place, oftentimes smaller gatherings make for more meaningful connections. And that’s where destinations built for smaller gatherings are having a moment. The San Juan Islands have long specialized in intimate retreats and meetings where attendees can step away from daily distractions, reconnect with colleagues […]
Looking Back Toward the Future: Why In-Person Events Are Booming Again
Originally published on Meeting News Northwest. Last year, Forbes released a report that showed meetings and events industry saw a surprising amount of optimism in 2025. That continues to be good news for destinations, convention centers and hospitality businesses across the Pacific Northwest. According to the Forbes report highlighting the American Express Global Business Travel […]
IACC Report: Making Large Meetings Feel Personal
Originally published on Meeting News Northwest. Venues are often evaluated on metrics. After all, there are many to consider: square footage, room layouts and audiovisual capabilities, just to name a few. While those fundamentals still matter, a new report from the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC) shows the industry’s priorities are shifting. The modern […]
425
Mercurys Coffee Co. Sponsoring New Lenny Wilkens Documentary
Originally published on 425. Eastside staple Mercurys Coffee Co. is celebrating Pacific Northwest basketball icon Lenny Wilkens by serving as title sponsor of “Cornerstone,” a documentary exploring Wilkens’ life, career, and legacy, premiering Aug. 1 at Seattle’s Egyptian Theatre. Mercurys joined the project after the unveiling of Wilkens’ statue outside Climate Pledge Arena, seeing the […]
California-Based Thai Chain Comes to Bellevue
Originally published on 425. Fast-casual Thai chain Rooster & Rice recently opened its first Washington location in downtown Bellevue. Located inside the residential Soma Towers, the establishment is part of a growing food community which already includes La Ma Tou Hot Pot, Xiao Chi Jie, and Toasted, the Bellevue Downtown Network noted. Founded in the […]
Out & About: Rockin' on the River, Pop 2000 Tour, and the Edmonds Museum Summer Market
Originally published on 425. Redmond’s Rockin’ on the River is Back Rockin’ on the River, a free concert series in Redmond, is returning on Aug. 5 with a show from the Chicago Transit Experience. It continues on Aug. 12 with Laurel Canyon Legacy and Aug. 19 with Prom Date Mixtape. The concerts begin at 6 […]
425 Business
Visit Bellevue Launches Free Light Rail Shuttle from Downtown Station
Originally published on 425 Business. Visit Bellevue on Monday will begin piloting a new, free electric-shuttle service from Sound Transit’s 2 Line downtown station to hotels, restaurants, shopping, parks, attractions, and other locations throughout downtown Bellevue. Bellevue Light Rail Shuttle, powered by Amazon, is an extension of the existing BellHop service, a free electric shuttle […]
Microsoft, Databricks Expand Enterprise AI Partnership
Originally published on 425 Business. Software company Databricks and Microsoft are expanding their partnership to further integrate data management and artificial-intelligence technologies for business customers. The updated agreement extends the companies’ collaboration into the next decade and focuses on connecting enterprise data with AI applications across Microsoft’s cloud platform and productivity tools. Under the agreement, […]
Swiss Coworking Company Adds 5 New Locations to Washington Roster
Originally published on 425 Business. Switzerland-based International Workplace Group is expanding its presence in Washington with five new flexible workspaces under its Regus brand, bringing the company’s total to more than 45 locations across the state. The new branches include private offices, meeting rooms, and coworking and creative spaces for businesses ranging from startups to […]
South Sound
1889 Prime Steakhouse Turns 3, Names New Executive Chef
Originally published on South Sound. After 1889 Prime Steakhouse opened its doors in Olympia in 2023, South Sound magazine reported on the restaurant’s aim to bring elevated Northwest dining and hospitality to the region. Three years later, that vision is continuing to thrive as the award-winning steakhouse celebrates its third anniversary while welcoming a familiar […]
How Pierce County is Driving Awareness of the 988 Crisis Lifeline
Originally published on South Sound. To raise awareness of the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Pierce County has partnered with the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs to equip every county fleet vehicle with a 988 emblem. The emblems are displayed on the bottom of license plates. With 573 emblems purchased for fleet vehicles countywide, […]
Out & About: A Kite Event, a Mountainous Music Festival, and Sunflower Days
Originally published on South Sound. Kite Festival Taking Over the Skies in University Place Spend the day looking skyward during the annual Kite Festival, which is returning to University Place’s Chambers Creek Regional Park between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Aug. 1. The free event features professional kite demonstrations, family kite-flying opportunities, inflatables, food […]
South Sound Business
HMM Shipping Line Plans Modernization Project at Tacoma’s Washington United Terminals
Originally published on South Sound Business. HMM Shipping Line is strengthening its long-term commitment to the Tacoma Harbor through a major investment in Washington United Terminals that will increase the terminal’s cargo capacity by nearly 50% and position The Northwest Seaport Alliance gateway to serve larger container vessels well into the future, according to a […]
Tacoma Arts Live Appoints New CEO, Shares Details on New Educational Direction
Originally published on South Sound Business. Tacoma Arts Live has named Katie Stricker as its new chief executive officer. Stricker has been with the organization for 19 years, starting with TAL as a summer-camp musical choreographer and serving in other roles such as director of education and program director. She has helped TAL through a […]
Puyallup Warehouse Fetches $175M
Originally published on South Sound Business. A newly completed industrial warehouse in the Frederickson area has been sold for nearly $175 million, marking one of the Puget Sound region’s largest industrial-real-estate transactions of the year, Hoodline recently reported. The 782,875-square-foot distribution facility, located at 6920 192nd St. E in Puyallup, was purchased by Bridge Logistics […]
Southwest Travel and Life
Trade Neon Lights for Stars: See the Perseid Meteor Shower at Great Basin National Park
Originally published on Southwest Travel & Life. Las Vegas may be famous for dazzling lights, but one of Nevada’s greatest shows happens far from the Strip. Each August, the skies above Great Basin National Park come alive as the annual Perseid meteor shower streaks overhead, offering a front-row views to the annual spectacular celestial event. […]
What's New at Utah's 140-Year-Old Lagoon Amusement Park
Originally published on Southwest Travel & Life. Before it could call itself a state, Utah had an amusement park. Celebrating its 140th anniversary in 2026, the Farmington attraction has been entertaining generations since 1886, making it one of the oldest family-owned amusement parks in the United States — and the 15th oldest amusement park in […]
24 Festivals, Rodeos & Can't-Miss Celebrations
Originally published on Southwest Travel & Life. August might be the Southwest’s most surprising month for festivals. One weekend, you can watch world-class surfers carve waves in Huntington Beach. The next, you’re stomping grapes in Arizona wine country, cheering on rodeo champions in Payson or celebrating Palisade’s famous peaches in Colorado. From Japanese cultural traditions […]
West Sound
Poulsbo Café Supporting Homeless Youth Reopens with Updated Menu and Hours
Originally published on West Sound. The Coffee Oasis, a nonprofit organization providing services and support to youth and young adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Pierce and Kitsap counties, recently reopened its Poulsbo café on Northeast Iverson Street. The café is now open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday, and in addition […]
Bainbridge Island Author Releases Vietnam-Era Historical Fiction
Originally published on West Sound. Bainbridge Island-based author Susan Wiggs, whose penned more than 30 books, added one more to her repertoire this summer — a historical fiction novel titled “Wayward Girls.” “Wayward Girls” is based on a true story and follows six teens from Buffalo, New York in 1968 amidst the unsettling Vietnam War […]
Look Up at the Bremerton Airshow
Originally published on West Sound. The Port of Bremerton at the Bremerton National Airport will host the Bremerton Airshow on July 11-12. The show will feature a full lineup of classic military and civilian aircraft, para-commandos, and lots of action in the sky. On the ground, check out planes, military vehicles, take pics in an […]