December
49. Start Winter in the Valley of the Sun
Sun Valley (208-622-4111; sunvalley.com) outside Ketchum, Idaho, fits Seattleites like a glove—skiing, snowshoeing, and we-know-they’re-there-but-we’re-keeping-our-cool stargazing. (Both Clint Eastwood and Bruce Willis call Sun Valley their second home.) Check in at Aston Hotel and Resort (800-635-4444; astonsunvalley.com) and strap on your skis or board atop either Dollar Mountain (great for beginners) or Baldy Mountain (it’s a doozy). At night throw back a few and devour a rib eye at Pioneer Saloon (208-726-3139; pioneersaloon.com).
Getting there 1 hour, 40 minutes to Sun Valley on Horizon Airlines (alaskaair.com)
50. Holiday Shopping in Emerald City
The Hyatt at Olive 8 (206-695-1234; olive8.hyatt.com), on Eigth Ave, is just steps away from Pacific Place (206-405-2655; pacificplaceseattle.com) —home to Tiffany’s and, just opened in November 2010, Michael Kors. It’s also within loot-carrying distance of a number of unique, locally owned boutiques, including plush-toy palace Schmancy (206-728-8008; schmancytoys.com). Rest your weary holiday-shopping dogs while you stuff your face with tapas like albacore tuna at Bisato (206-443-3301; bisato.com).
51. Not Home for the Holidays
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Don’t count on it in typically snow-free Seattle. Instead, put on the chains and motor up Evergreen Highway to Skamania Lodge (509-427-7700; skamania.com) for the holiday weekend. As of press time, there are still suites yet to be booked for Christmas 2011, but hurry—availability won’t last. Come brunch time, head to the lodge’s Cascade Room for the annual Christmas buffet, where you can scarf Rockport shrimp and Dungeness crab like Santa with a plate of cookies.
Getting there 3½ hours south on I-5
52. Ring in 2012 in Vancouver, BC
Kiss 2011 goodbye in style with a room at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (604-684-3131; fairmont.com) before it sells out. The good news is that after that the script for the ultimate 31st is already written. Visit Vij’s (604-736-6664; vijs.ca), two miles from downtown and just off Granville Street. Fill up on samosas and grilled salmon in coconut and green onion curry, then cab it back downtown for Massive Gala 2012, featuring live music, lots of bubbly, and several thousand Canadians counting down the seconds left in the greatest year of weekends you’ve ever had.
Getting there 2 hours, 40 minutes north on I-5, plus wait time at the border
Published: January 2011
Damn it. It’s hard enough keeping the Red Mtn. sectet without folks like you telling everyone! Great terrain for the expert to the beginner. One day skiing under the granite chair, my ski buddy and I stopped for a mutual pat on the back for our “great” skiing. About that time, a family of 4, mom day and two little kids blew past us on the same terrain, only back in the trees in a couple feet of powder. The place hosted the canadian national downhill championships a couple times in the 1980s. Best kept secret for skiing in BC !!!
These getaways are great! The Cascade Kiteboarding sounds like it would be a blast- I may have to try that this summer! Another fun, unique getaway or day trip is Waterways Cruises’ dining cruises- a fun way to get out of the city and onto the lake! They offer exciting cruises all summer along- http://www.waterwayscruises.com/
Sarah- Same magazine, cover story is great places to stay and visit in WA and Oregon, by month/season.
The yoga studio review is at the end of the other article, maybe called
“Bend it Like Beckam”?