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.

Cover Story

29 Epic Washington State Park Adventures

Washington’s got more than 100 of them, and from half-acre grounds to cross-state trails, our state parks are a whole different kind of wild.

07/17/2018 By Allison Williams

Super Market Sweep

How to Do Pike Place in 30 Minutes or Less

Got out-of-town visitors? We've got the guide to showing them the sites.

06/19/2018 By Allison Williams Illustrations by Mike Holm

Travel, Eh?

25 Reasons to Visit British Columbia Right Now

Great things are afoot up north. Dig out the passport and pack your best toque—it’s time for a fresh visit to Vancouver, Victoria, and the rest of British Columbia.

06/19/2018 By Allison Williams Illustrations by Ryan Snook

Civil Society

The Battle Over the Burke-Gilman Trail

Decades of fighting, lawsuits, and an altercation on the Ballard waterfront: How one little path divides a neighborhood.

06/19/2018 By Allison Williams

Tread Lightly

Trail Running Is Taking Over (and It's Not as Hard as You Think)

Sometimes running means walking.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

No Chihuahua Left Behind

Northwest Adventure Dogs Have Their Very Own Search and Rescue

Dog in danger? Call WASART at 425-681-5498. The policy: Call sooner rather than later.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Pooch Perks

Dogs Are Gearheads, Too

Taking Fido on an adventure? You need more than a leash. Check out how many toys there are to kit out your canine for Northwest extremes.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Guns on Board

Who Packs a Gun When They're Backpacking? More People Than You’d Expect.

And you might say it's a bit controversial.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Bear With Us

Grizzlies Might Return to the Cascade Mountains

And for that we may have to thank…the Trump Administration?

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Judgment Calls

Should You Be Doing That on the Trail?

We weigh the arguments for and against controversial outdoor activity.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Feature

White Users Dominate the Outdoors Nationwide, and the Pacific Northwest Is No Exception

The outdoors are for everyone—but getting everyone outside isn't going to happen on its own.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Gear Guide

Here in Seattle, Our Gear Better Be Next Level

Outdoor togs and toys have to clear a high bar these days. We expect multifunctional gear that’s loaded with extras, and Seattle makers’ newest offerings oblige.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Best of the Northwest

The New Classics: 25 Amazing Washington Hikes

Guys, we don’t all need to hike Mount Si this weekend. Once you’ve explored Washington’s busiest trails, make these your to-do list. Plus: our favorite weekday and kid-friendly hikes.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Lottery Life

Permits Are Changing Everything

Welcome to the great outdoors. Do you have a reservation?

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Room with a View

Four-Star Campsites in Washington's Wilderness

We expect more from our campgrounds than a few dirt clearings in the woods. High-end amenities from ice cream stands to volleyball courts pop up next to scenic sites across the state.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Cover Story

The Insider's Guide to Pacific Northwest Hiking

Welcome to the age of next-level gear, dog rescue squads, and campsites with hot tubs—and a new list of do’s and don’ts. Dig into our guide to the brave new world of playing outside.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Society by Starbucks

Is Starbucks Still America's Town Square?

It's what the coffee giant set out to be—but its racial bias fiasco may place that in jeopardy.

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Light a Fire 2018: Extraordinary Board Member

Rachel Prusynski Is a Catastrophe Survivor with a Mission

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

Light a Fire 2018: Extraordinary Volunteer

Ted Neill Is Wise in the Ways of Recovery

"At closing time he stacks chairs and mops floors so staff can leave—he remembers nonprofit burnout."

05/22/2018 By Allison Williams

A Better Place

Light a Fire 2018: Honoring Seattle's Best and Brightest Nonprofits and Volunteers

05/22/2018 By James Ross Gardner, Stefan Milne, Hayat Norimine, Rosin Saez, Allecia Vermillion, and Allison Williams