Since joining Seattle Met in 2011, Allison Williams has overseen the magazine’s travel and outdoor coverage, including deep dives into Olympic National Park, the Columbia River, and a Burger King drive-thru in Canada. She edits the travel-focused blog Tripster and contributes service, news, interview, and narrative pieces to the magazine, including long-form features about mountain mysteries and puppies in prison. She’s earned awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and been nominated for a City and Regional Magazine award. 

Allison was raised here in Olympia and studied writing at Duke University, Oxford University, Columbia Journalism School, and University of Alaska. She began her career in New York City in the newsrooms of Metro newspaper and Time Out New York, then hightailed it back to her native habitat so she could write guidebooks and climb mountains.

Growth Potential

The Tiny Mountain Town of Mazama Gets a Little Bigger

Methow Valley residents rallied to raise a new brew pub in their small settlement. But is the quiet corner of the Cascades ready for the big time?

05/27/2022 By Allison Williams

Mini Break

Where to Go for Long Weekends from Seattle

Summer is chock full of extra Mondays and Fridays off work. So where are we going?

05/26/2022 By Allison Williams

home screen

Best Phone Apps for Hiking and Camping

Your smartphone may be your best tool in the outdoors—and not just for the camera.

05/25/2022 By Allison Williams

Map Quest

The Long Road Trip Down Long Beach

Our southwest stretch of sand supplies almost 30 miles for beach walking and kiteflying beside the Pacific, with plenty of historic happenings along the way.

05/23/2022 By Allison Williams

Outdoorsy

The Subtle Shifts of the REI Co-op

As the annual sale kicks off at the Seattle-based outdoor recreation chain, REI has undergone small but notable changes.

05/20/2022 By Allison Williams

Fruit Forward

The Complete Guide to Pacific Northwest Berries

How we eat, harvest, and love our juiciest local fruits, from strawberries to huckleberries and everything sweet in between.

05/19/2022 By Allison Williams Photography by Carlton Canary

Short Stops

A Small-Town Coffee Shop Flourishes Deep in the Cascades

Sky River Coffee set up in an old Skykomish hotel to bridge history and community.

05/18/2022 By Allison Williams

Green Machine

Jim Stewart Allen, aka Broccoli Guy, Is Seattle's Biggest Sports Fan

"I want to be a professional broccoli dancer, and I think that’ll someday become true."

05/13/2022 By Allison Williams

Salty Salish

Guide to Tide Pooling and Beach Combing around Seattle

Searching for squishy sea life is a singularly Seattle sport.

05/12/2022 By Allison Williams

Northern Exposure

Highway 20 Opens This Week in the North Cascades

The first sign of mountain spring is when our northernmost pass opens for business.

05/09/2022 By Allison Williams

Now What

The Blue State Flail

It feels weird to know things won’t change much in Seattle when Roe v. Wade falls. So what do we do now?

05/05/2022 By Allison Williams

Pedal Power

The Best Bicycle and Skate Shops in Seattle

Wheels are life—and the city is full of places to keep us rolling.

05/04/2022 By Allison Williams

Outdoorsy

How to Plan Your First Backpacking Trip in Washington

Brave the wilderness with only what you can carry. Don't worry, it's fun.

05/02/2022 By Allison Williams

Gear Up

The Best Outdoor Gear and Clothing Stores in Seattle

Where to shop for all the backpacks, hiking boots, paddleboards, and rain jackets a Northwesterner needs.

04/29/2022 By Allison Williams

Outdoorsy

How to Plan Your First Camping Trip in Washington

Everyone can do it—even you.

04/26/2022 By Allison Williams

Anchors Up

The Seattle Cruise Season Restarts

With almost 300 departures this year, Alaskan cruising could come back bigger than it was pre-pandemic.

04/25/2022 By Allison Williams

Shut-Eye

How One Seattle Company Changed Camping

Therm-a-Rest turns 50, celebrating half a century of sleeping (almost) comfortably on the ground.

04/21/2022 By Allison Williams

sharesies

How to Rent Camping Gear in Seattle

You don't need to own your own tent and sleeping bag—or stand-up paddleboard or ice ax—to get outside.

04/19/2022 By Allison Williams

Getting Out

Accessible Hikes Near Seattle and Beyond

Try these six flat and paved trails in the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

04/13/2022 By Allison Williams

Southbound and down

How to Travel Between Seattle and Portland

Planes, trains, and all those automobiles stuck in I-5 traffic.

04/11/2022 By Allison Williams