LeeAllison Goryl

I was fortunate enough to take a train trip to the Canadian Rocky Mountains. My dad and I began our journey by spending a couple of days in Banff and continued on a two-day Rocky Mountaineer train trip to Vancouver. We took in the beauty of the Canadian Rockies by taking tours in Banff and Lake Louise. We snapped some great pictures from the train, on a boat ride, and while strolling the towns and created beautiful memories.

In February of 2024, I had the opportunity to attend a Portland site inspection of The Hotel Grand Stark. This independent hotel is part of the Paliosociety group and is a FORA partner hotel. Starting as a family business, the Palio brand is expanding. The Hotel Grand Stark made Travel and Leisure's 2022 It List. I recommend visitors stay at this neighborhood friendly hotel and experience the unique, artsy Portland vibe.

Historic and artsy, but full of outdoor fun, Port Townsend (PT) is one of many small Pacific Northwest towns. Located on the tip of the Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend is known as "one of the coolest small towns in America" and offers outdoor fun for all ages.

Vancouver is one of the first places that my husband and I escaped to after COVID. We were so excited to "run for the border" and have outdoor weekend fun up north. For a major city in Canada, Vancouver is a clean place to visit and ranks as one of the most desirable places to live. Living in the PNW allows us to easily travel different ways to British Columbia (BC). In addition to driving, we can ride Amtrak or take a seaplane out of Seattle. One reason we enjoy visiting Vancouver is because it is a city with different types of seasonal outdoor fun.

Phoenix, Sedona and Tucson stand out as top choices to visit in Arizona. But, I know another smaller town that has big outdoor fun! Page, AZ is a small town in Northern Arizona and is a beautiful place to visit. With close proximity to the Grand Canyon and so many other incredible slot canyons and rivers located in the town, Page has people from all over visiting.

Great weather and fun outdoor activities attract all kinds of people to the artsy desert town of Palm Springs, California. Coming from the Pacific Northwest, I love to get away to the desert warmth in the winter months. I recommend staying at the Kimpton downtown. There are many excellent restaurants within walking distance. From art exhibits to golf and hiking, there are all kinds of outdoor activities to choose.

Seattle may be known for Starbucks, Microsoft and Amazon, but for me, Seattle has lots of fun outdoor activities. From the mountains to the sea, there is fun for all ages.

Sedona is one of my favorite places to visit! I could dine on southwest cuisine every day! The red rocks of Sedona are both awesome in stature and calming to the mind. Sedona can be a good stopping point on trips. Some friends and I drove from Phoenix up to Zion National Park and checked out Sedona on the way. Sedona can be peaceful, adventurous and filled with fun.