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.

Planner

What to Do in Washington State in April

Apples and tulips hold down classic festivals, while the Washington State Fair makes a comeback. Plus: Racing crabs.

03/31/2023 By Allison Williams

Seattle Dining Guide

Brunch Is Back: Here Are 30 Seattle Favorites

Waffles, bloody marys, french toast, and chilaquiles: 30 favorite restaurants for Saturday and Sunday morning.

03/29/2023 By Allecia Vermillion With Allison Williams

And on your left

The Top Guided Tours of Seattle

Walking tours, boat cruises, and food circuits through Pike Place Market. You don’t have to be a newbie to appreciate a shrewd insider look at the city.

03/28/2023 By Allison Williams and Allecia Vermillion Illustrations by Ryan Snook

Flower Power

Guide to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

New tulips just dropped: The rural farmland north of Seattle erupts into a rainbow of color during the state's biggest flower fest.

03/27/2023 By Allison Williams

Look, honey!

Ranking Seattle's Tourist Traps

From the Space Needle to Smith Tower, just how cheesy are the city's biggest attractions?

03/23/2023 By Allison Williams

Road Warriors

How to Rent a Camper Van in Seattle

Four wheels, a bed, and the open road: Van life is within reach with Volkswagens, Sprinters, and more.

03/21/2023 By Allison Williams

Map Quest

A Road Trip from Fort Spokane to Kettle Falls

Deep in Central Washington, the mighty Columbia spreads itself into Lake Roosevelt, and a scenic highway traces its shores.

03/17/2023 By Allison Williams

Spring to It

Where to Hit the Slopes for the End of Ski Season

The Washington ski season is almost over—better make those last turns count at these local ski resorts, including Crystal and Mount Baker.

03/15/2023 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach and Allison Williams

not refreshing

New Reservation Systems Have Complicated Camping

First came the online systems for calling dibs on a campsite—then the ways to circumvent them. Who wins in the battle for a few square feet of dirt?

03/09/2023 By Allison Williams

Book It

Seattle Book Readings and Literary Events During AWP

A massive creative writing conference is coming to town, so it's time to party with the wordsmiths.

03/02/2023 By Allison Williams

Show-offs

Where to Take Tourists in Seattle

Where Seattle Met editors go to show off the city to our guests.

02/27/2023 By Allison Williams

Inspiration

Winter Road Trips from Seattle

Need ideas for the next weekend getaway? The open road is calling, even when it's chilly.

02/23/2023 By Allison Williams

Locals

Walking the Streets of the New Downtown Seattle

The city's core emerged from the pandemic with a burst of energy—and some old issues.

02/22/2023 By Allison Williams

Short Stops

Crystal Mountain's Famed Snorting Elk Bar Sold to New Owner

But the nachos aren't going anywhere at Washington state's classic post-ski spot.

02/21/2023 By Allison Williams

Well Curated

Seattle's Essential Museums

Seattle Art Museum, Museum of Flight, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture, and other cultural institutions that define the city.

02/20/2023 By Sophie Grossman, Zoe Sayler, Benjamin Cassidy, and Allison Williams

Cold sleep

How to Go Snow Camping in Washington State

Pitch a tent in a blizzard? Yep, really. Here's how.

02/17/2023 By Allison Williams

Destination Guide

Port Townsend: Where to Eat, What to Do, and Where to Stay

The Olympic Peninsula's prettiest town is here for a good time, from Finistere to events like Thing Festival.

02/13/2023 By Allison Williams

Map Quest

A Road Trip through Out-of-the-Way Oregon

Partway between Portland and Bend, a quiet stretch of high desert holds a quirky escape.

02/07/2023 By Allison Williams

Romance on the road

Romantic Valentine's Day Vacations in the Northwest

From hotel spas to cozy getaways, nothing says love like leaving home.

02/02/2023 By Allison Williams

Short Stops

Whistler's Bobsled Ride Delivers Bone-Rattling Realism

Cue the Olympic fanfare and climb in behind a real athlete to live out all your Cool Runnings dreams at Whistler Sliding Centre.

01/30/2023 By Allison Williams