Happy June! After a fun last two months in multiple states and countries, we finally made it up to the Pacific Northwest, where we’ll be for the months of June and July. It was quite a journey to get up here, and we have never driven this route so far inland. But our travels have been nothing short of adventurous, which is the whole reason why we’re doing it!
Reno, Nevada
We left Lake Tahoe at the beginning of the month, and headed to Reno, Nevada. My dad and his wife were visiting for the week, as my dad was playing in a senior softball tournament.
It was so fun being able to see him play again! And these old guys really know how to play. There were so many teams, and the level of competition was pretty high. Unfortunately, my dad’s team didn’t make it to the championship round. But that meant that we could spend more time with them in the city of Reno.
Bend, Oregon
After Reno, we drove up to Bend, Oregon. Bend is a gorgeous town located in Central Oregon, surrounding the Deschutes River. With the river running right through Bend, the town has made sure that there are ample walking trails for everyone to enjoy the sights.
This town is made for outdoor activities year-round! In the warm summer months, you can enjoy hiking, biking, and running all the various trails located in and around Bend. In the winter, Mt. Bachelor is less than a 30 min drive from Downtown Bend, where you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding, along with using those hiking trails for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. With highest average number of sunny days in the state1, who wouldn’t want to be outdoors year round?
Fun fact – the last operating Blockbuster is here in Bend! According to the employee, there are still a ton of people who still have their laminated membership cards and rent movies on a regular basis. Talk about a throwback!
Tri-Cities, Washington
After Bend, we made it to my in-laws house in Tri-Cities, Washington. After all the traveling we’ve done the last two months, we’re looking forward to spending some time here and staying in one place. We see his parents at least once a year, but it has been almost 4 years since we had been back to the Tri-Cities.
Tri-Cities is a cluster of three town – Kennewick, Richland, and Pasco – that surround the Columbia River in southeast Washington. Because it’s so far inland, the climate is the complete opposite of the coast. It boasts 300 days of sunshine every year!3 It is also considered the heart of Washington wine country with over 200 wineries within a 50 mile radius.
Walla Walla, Washington
We visited Walla Walla, a wine country town just under an hour from Tri-Cities. We visited a local lavendar farm, where we got to pick our own lavendar and frolic in the fields (haha).
We spent the day at Waterbrook Winery, where we enjoyed a tasting in the warm summer sun listening to the bullfrogs. We stopped for lunch at an Italian deli called Cugini Italian Import Foods, where they had the best eggplant and roasted pepper panini I’ve ever eaten in my life!
Spokane, Washington
We also visited Spokane, where my husband and his old high school buddies got together to play in Hoopfest! Hoopfest is the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world.2 With around 3,800 teams participating this year, the streets were full of hoops and people of all ages enjoying the game of basketball.
Not only is Downtown Spokane along the Spokane River, but there are two waterfalls that flow right through! In the heart of the city, you can see a roaring waterfall and even take a gondola ride over the falls. And that waterfall was LOUD, you could hear it from the city even if you couldn’t see it!
Even though we’ll be spending the month of July primarily with family, we still have some fun weekend trips planned – stay tuned!
If you want to follow us on our journey, check out our Instagram!
Want to travel more, or want to to learn ways to save your money? Check out some of my other blog posts:
- Tips on How To Achieve a >50% Savings Rate
- Values Based Spending – Determining Your Core Values
- 12 Tips to Save this Holiday Season
- What is a High Yield Savings Account (HYSA)?
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Note: I am not a certified financial advisor/planner or a certified financial analyst or a CPA or an accountant or a lawyer. Remember, I am an allied health professional, just like you! This website/blog is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Please consult with your financial advisor(s) regarding your personal finance, investment, and tax matters.
Resources:
- https://www.visitbend.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/General-Climate-Info.pdf
- https://www.visitspokane.com/events/summer-events/hoopfest/#:~:text=Hoopfest%20is%20the%20largest%203,for%20spectators%20and%20players%20alike.
- https://www.visittri-cities.com/
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