2. Show us what Spring looks like in your neck of the woods.
For the past couple of years my sister and I have made it a tradition to rent a house together and spend a couple of days giving the kids memories. The first year we did this I actually just intruded on a reservation she had made for her own family at a cabin near Lake Cushman. There was a lovely creek running through the property, we had s’mores, went hiking, and explored the nearby waterfront.
The second year we found ourselves in Coupeville and filled our time getting lost in bunkers, searching for crab, and riding ferries. Both Lake Cushman and Coupeville offered plenty of spring sunshine.
This year we decided on a Port Angeles mountain view cabin with a sweeping view of the Olympic Peninsula (lots of trees and water). However, Spring in our neck of the woods brought us a whole lot of rain, wind, and plenty of fog.
Our sweeping view was dramatically covered by fog and the kids spent their afternoons building forts, playing chess, and hot tubbing at sunset.
We fed animals bread at the Olympic Game Farm and made lots of new friends.
And I made my family pull over for a closer look at a School House that was built in 1903!
My family slept in a separate guest house that came equipped with it’s own bathroom, kitchen and living space. We stayed two nights and I just can’t get enough of these types of staycations. What a different world we live in that all of these cousins can bunk up together with all the comforts of home while exploring parts of the state that we might otherwise never visit. I love it!
If you are ever in the area (or live in the PNW) and are interested in staying on one of the properties I mentioned, I’ll share links to their listings below. I prefer using Homeaway because I find I have most success with their search engine, they seem to have more listings to choose from and I think their site is easiest to navigate. I also like all of our rentals in my account history so that if we ever want to go back and stay again they are right there in my trip profile.
This is the listing of where we stayed in Coupeville, this is where we stayed at Lake Cushman, and this is the mountain view retreat we just came back from. I’ll be sharing a more in depth video of our Spring Break there on YouTube soon! All of these places are obviously made a little more affordable when you travel with your sister. I recommend that.
Spring always looks a little different for us. This year it looks rainy and in the case of our little trip, very foggy. It also took our power out and knocked half of our fence over. How is Spring treating you?
Jennifer says
I would just love to go feed animals up close and personal like that. It makes me miss our Lucy goat.
Mama Kat says
They made us laugh so much. I had no idea bison had such huge curly tongues!
Jennifer says
LOl how cute!
Morgan says
The fog made it magical!
I love going to any place with animals that are well cared for. I really love bison. They are some of my favorite creatures.
The old school house is right up my alley too. Love love love things like that.
Mama Kat says
Some of the animals looked sick, but that may be because most of them are rescues. And they eat bread all day. I LOVED the old school house!
Morgan says
Bison don’t eat bread! That is not a naturally occurring source of food and you know they do not bake their own bread in wild. Poor animals. Hopefully, with the love and care a rescue facility should provide, they get back to their normal weight and non sickly looking characteristics.
Mama Kat says
Oh this facility sells wheat bread by the loaves and car after car just throws slices out the window. There is bread all over the place because clearly the animals are bored with it. I would have loved a bushel of apples or carrots or something! I agree with you completely, since when do wild animals thrive on bread? Maybe it’s considered a treat after they receive whatever actual food the facility provides? It would be interesting to see a “behind the scenes” on their operations.
Emily says
Being with the cousins is always fun. It looks like you and your sister are making special memories for the kids!
Abby says
How fun! And what a great idea for a spring tradition, even if you did just crash the inaugural one! Thanks for the links, I’ve never used Homeaway.
May says
One of these years I really want to come on Spring Break with you guys! You do it right! I spent mine cleaning house and doing a stock up run to the grocery. Boo hiss!!!
Lori says
Oh, that sounds fabulous! Taking vacations with the siblings and family is always fun and a great way to share costs. Your pictures on Instagram were so beautiful!
Jamie Miles says
That view was amazing. And a hot tub? Too bad it’s on the other side of the Lower 48. Beautiful. Our kids have a late Spring Break starting tomorrow. Looking forward to some slower mornings.