Paradise Valley Conservation Area

One of the places on my summer bucket list was the Paradise Valley Conversation Area. Paradise Valley is a  793 acre conservation area located fairly close to Woodinville, off the 522.  I'm not sure where I read about it, but it was some article about good hikes/walks with kids. My mom and I took the kids and the double stroller along the Mainline Trail, and had no problem navigating it. There were several small offshoots from the main trail that we didn't venture on because we weren't sure if we could take the stroller on it.

The mainline trail is open to mountain biking, foot traffic, as well as horses, so I imagine it might be busy on the weekend. My mom and I saw one other group of hikers, otherwise we didn't see anyone/anything else. It was a beautiful walk through dense old growth woods. There is a great spot called the clearing which is exactly what it sounds like.. a grassy clearing with some benches. We stopped and had a snack and enjoyed listening to the bird sounds all around us. We saw a couple bunnies, but no other wildlife.

We only walked about a mile down the mainline trail, but there is so much more to explore here. There are over 13 miles of trails! I always want to send my hubby back on his mountain bike.. seems like tons of possibilities!

I would definitely recommend this place for an easy way to feel in the middle of no where. My kids always love our nature adventures.

Edmonds... My favorite spot in the nw.. So far

if I had to tally up the number of times I've been to Edmonds since moving to the nw it would be in the hundreds. We have seen some seriously incredible places , but my heart always comes back to loving Edmonds the most.



There are endless things to do , but ill highlight a few of my favorites.

Beaches. There are lots of places to set up camp on the beach in edmonds. We circulate between three different spots. For the convenience and ease, we often hang out at brackett's landing , which is to the right of the ferry when looking at it. Brackett's is easy because you can park and get to the beach in literally feet. There is also a decent bathroom with flushing toilets. It's perfect for train watching and also a great spot for low tide beach combing. It's dangerously close to waterfront coffee shop, which we frequent on chilly days for a spot to warm up.

We also like marina beach if the kids are in the mood for a playground. Otherwise, I usually skip this spot because kids and port-a-potties doesn't mix, and it takes a bit of gear hauling to get down to the beach. It's also usually windier there too. One highlight of marina beach is walking to the bridge and watching the boats get lifted out of dry storage and into the water.

                                          

The third beach we like is directly to the left of the ferry. We love the actual beach here the most. It is almost always clear of sea weed, and it is always less crowded. There are bathrooms right inside the ferry dock. From here a fun quick adventure is to walk the pier and see what people have caught.

For additional Edmonds fun I would highly recommend the farmers market on Saturdays during the summer. We have been to several markets and this one is by far our favorite. Cold pressed cider, mini donuts, Deborah's pies, the garlic sauce place, and the flower stalls are our facorite stops. There is sometimes a vintage fire truck the kids can play on. We usually make our rounds in the morning, then head down to the beach afterward.

There are some fun shops on Main st. Most are more enjoyable without kids. The toy shop has lots of fun things, but is overpriced, so I usually get some ideas and make notes for later. I also enjoy browsing at the Papery and the kitchen store.

Another favorite Edmonds adventure is walking on to the ferry. Little kids are free, and adults only have to pay one way, so it's a super affordable day trip. If you find yourself in Kingston, I would highly recommend the crepe shop and Mora ice cream.

Ben and I love to go to Edmonds for date night. Our favorite restaurant hands down is Epulo. On the pricey side, but everything we have had there has been absolutely amazing. We also like Demetris and revelation yogurt. There is a gelato shop that is decent.. really cute atmosphere, but not the best gelato we have had. Our friends/neighbors also just opened a new bottle shop that would be a fun date night spot. It's in the old antique mall and they have a great open air patio. They allow you to bring food in, and they also have cream soda for non beer drinkers.

                              

A kid friendly eating spot is the outside area of Anthony's. They have a great kids menu, and there is a sandbox right in the eating area so your kids can eat before and after dinner while you take in the incredible views and have actual conversation!

We also like to go down on the boat docks below Anthony's and look for star fish and other sea life.

So there you have it.. some insider tips to my favorite place. You can't help but fall totally in love with this place.