Vacations Blog

Snoqualmie Falls Washington

If you are from the Seattle area, or will be visiting soon and are looking for a short day trip which provides a taste of Washington’s stunning scenic beauty, along with the option to do some hiking, picknicking, or even have a first class spa and lodging experience, consider a trip to the foothills of the Cascade Mountains to see Washington’s picturesque Snoqualmie Falls.

Snoqualmie Falls, a short 30 minute trip east of Seattle off of Interstate 90, is one of Washington State’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting over one and a half million tourists each year to the picturesque 270 foot high waterfall. On a recent trip to Snoqualmie Falls my wife, son and I spent the afternoon on the grounds alternating our time between a large open grassy space (where we picnicked), walking some family friendly hiking trails, and a covered observation point jutting out over the the canyon which overlooked the raging water careening over the edge of the falls.

The Bottom of Snoqualmie Falls

The observation point has a concrete slab and sturdy railing which put us at ease while we allowed our young toddler to take in the sheer power of the falling water without his parents suffering a near heart attack every few minutes.  Many energetic visitors to the falls take advantage of the relatively steep trail to the bottom, where they can visit a powerhouse and watch large turbines generating power then follow a boardwalk which brings them closer to the base of the falls, before having to turn around and make the trip back up to the top.  We opted out of this option with our toddler in tow, but plan on taking him to the bottom as soon as he is big enough to walk most of it himself.

Salish Lodge perched above the falls.

Lastly, If after visiting the falls you decide that the picturesque scenery warrants a longer stay, consider booking a night at the Salish Lodge and Spa uniquely situated right above the falls themselves.  I have not stayed there but I have only heard rave reviews from those I know who have.

All this scenic beauty is just minutes from Downtown Seattle.  If you are here, what are you waiting for?

Photo credits: From Flickr Creative Commons top photo KM photography, second from Randy Wick; Salish loadge from salishlodge.com

The 2008 Lodging Survey from the American Hotel & Lodging Association showed up that 20% of the more than 10,000 hotels surveyed have implemented LEED standards in the past year, and 21% are planning to do so in the next 12 months. New York has its fair share of these green hotels and eco-friendly lodging properties, and listed below are best of these digs, so you can enjoy guilt-free vacations in the ‘Green Apple’.

The City’s official tourism website NYCVisit.com has an excellent Go Green page, where you’ll find listings of green lodgings, organic restaurants, outdoors activities and other stuff which falls under sustainable tourism. The lodging suggestions include the Benjamin & Muse Hotels, Greenpoint Lodge, Sugar Hill Harlem Inn, West Eleventh Townhouse and the East Village Bed and Coffee.

Goes without saying that they don’t really update this list regularly, so there are a few more options worth considering. For starters, there’s the 70 Park Avenue, which, as a Kimpton Hotel, has a host of green practices and product use in place, including the free organic coffee served in the lobby. Then there’s the Moderne, which underwent a comprehensive green conversion last year, and now features things like recycled biodegradable paper products and, 100% bamboo unbleached linen.

Not to say that others, like the New York Marriott Downtown, are not eco-friendly (they are – to a certain degree), but if we’re talking about a top-to-bottom green experience, then this list is what you need to start with. One more green lodging option very much worth mentioning is 1 Hotel & Residences - It won’t be opening until 2010, but when it does open, it will rival the Orchard Garden in San Francisco as the nation’s premier uber-green hotel.

If you move Upstate and into the Adirondacks, the focus is more on weekend getaways at lodges and inns, and a prospective list of green lodging options in Upstate New York should include the DoubleTree Hotel Syracuse and the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid with its sprawling green roof and many green programs.

Another good green getaway option in the Adirondacks is the Stoney Lonesome B&B, about 10 minutes from Lake George, which utilizes solar energy to power its needs. Then there’s the Glen Lodge & Market, which uses 100% wind power, composts waste and uses vehicles running on biofuels.

Not to say that this is a comprehensive list, but I guess its enough to get you started. I’m writing this as New Orleans awaits Hurricane Gustav, fearful of a Katrina redux. Maybe you can’t go to the Big Easy to help rescue stranded people, but you can start saving the earth - one green vacation at a time.

Photo copyrights – Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort