Author: Kylie Campbell

The first thing I saw was a 17-foot purple flamingo staring down at my car like it owned the parking lot. That bird is named Filly-Mingo, and she guards a…

I have never needed much convincing when warm scones are involved. Add clotted cream, a proper pot of tea, and a little British charm, and I am basically already looking…

There are road trips for sightseeing, and then there are road trips fueled entirely by raw, unadulterated gluttony. Guess which kind I just took? I recently pointed my car toward…

My original plan was to spend the day wandering shops, eating something warm, and pretending I had somehow landed in a little European village. Then someone mentioned reindeer nearby, and…

Last summer, I tried to plan a “dream family vacation” and ended up eating instant ramen for a month just to pay for it. Never again! My new motto is…

Have you ever looked at a historic lighthouse and thought, “Yes, I definitely need to live there and pretend I’m a salty 19th-century sea captain”? Because I certainly have. My…

Let me tell you a secret: I am officially ruined for all other steaks. Last weekend, my GPS looked at me like I had lost my mind as it led…

Gravity is usually my enemy, but out here, it became my best, slightly terrifying friend. I am not what you would call an extreme athlete, my idea of hardcore cardio…

I have passed Washington restaurants that looked too quiet to matter, only to discover that I had missed something exceptional. This was one of those places. Nothing about the exterior…

I expected a wildlife tour. I did not expect the road beneath me to disappear into forest, open grassland, and the kind of wide space that makes a vehicle feel…

My bank account usually weeps every time I look at a trendy menu, but lately, I’ve discovered a delicious plot twist. Food critics are raving that a dozen Washington restaurants…

My GPS led me deep into the scenic wilds of Washington, and honestly, I was expecting big trees, maybe a stray Bigfoot, not a full-blown Australian delegation hanging out in…

There is a very specific kind of summer madness that takes over me around blueberry season, usually starting right after I stain my favorite white t-shirt purple. Last year, in…

I have always believed lunch tastes better when you have to pull on boots and collect it yourself. Along Hood Canal, one tiny Washington shoreline turns an ordinary low tide…

A garden center becomes much harder to leave when it comes with a real windmill and a bistro. This one brings those pieces together in a charming Washington village built…

Nothing tests your patience quite like traveling with people who constantly ask, “Are we there yet?” which is why my latest solo escape to Washington was the best decision I’ve…

I have learned that some of the best meals in Arizona come with absolutely no warning. There is no velvet rope, no dramatic entrance, and usually no parking attendant pointing…

A good thrift haul should make you feel clever before you even reach the checkout. Washington still has stores where a modest budget can produce a cart full of clothing,…

Every time I try to snag a table at my favorite local haunt on a Saturday, I am met with a line of hungry tourists that stretches halfway to the…

We’ve all been there: it’s ninety degrees outside, your air conditioner is putting in its two weeks’ notice, and you’re one melted popsicle away from a full-blown meltdown. I recently…

They say you can’t buy happiness, but you can certainly buy a plate of fish and chips by the sea in Washington, and honestly, that’s close enough for me. My…

Dragging my partner along to a giant outlet center usually requires bribery, but the promise of endless racks of discounted goods makes the trip worth every second of their dramatic…

My confidence around haunted buildings usually lasts until the first door moves without anyone touching it. Then suddenly I remember every sensible reason I had for staying home. This abandoned…

I’ve always joked that my retirement plan involved moving into a cardboard box under a bridge, but after discovering this little Washington secret, I’ve officially upgraded my expectations. Living here…

I’ll be the first to admit that my idea of a perfect date is mostly just me, a pastry, and enough caffeine to power a small city. My search for…

Butter is my primary love language, and apparently, I’ve found its spiritual home. There is something dangerously addictive about an endless supply of succulent, buttery lobster tails waiting to be…

Adventure is usually associated with rugged peaks or dramatic coastlines, but occasionally, the best memories are made in the patches of woods behind the neighborhood fence. Deep in the heart…