You can really get to know someone on the hiking trail — the lack of distraction, the sharing of adventure, the experience of making memories.
Which is why hitting the trail can make for a great date night — or day. Whether you’re just building your acquaintance with a significant other or reigniting a long-lit flame, think about a hike for your next romantic outing. Here are a few Seattle-area favorites.
Walking and wine
Nothing says romance like a leisurely stroll followed by a fine glass of Northwest wine. About a half-hour north of Seattle, Woodinville is home to the Paradise Valley Conservation Area, which has more than 13 miles of trails that wind through forests and alongside wetlands teeming with wildlife. After your walk, the wineries are ripe for the picking: Woodinville has close to 100 wineries in the area.
Boots and brews
Is your date more into a post-hike brew than pinot noir? Seattle’s great for that. The burly hike up Mt. Si will be more than enough to earn a pint at Snoqualmie Brewing afterward, or try the scenic hike up Rattlesnake Ledge topped off with a stop at No Boat Brewing.
Night owls
Sunsets are a great way to set the mood on a hike. Hit Meadowdale Beach up in Edmonds, where a 2.5-mile hike through a pleasant forest leads to a classic Northwest beach with sunset views out over Puget Sounds, Whidbey Island and the Olympic Mountains. Or, make more of an adventure out of your sunset-seeking and head to the Lighthouse Point hike in Deception Pass State Park. There you’ll find marine wildlife and trademark views of the Deception Pass Bridge and Whidbey Island.
Early (love) birds
The early-risers out there might prefer to get their hiking bliss on in the first hours of the day, which can make for some memorable mornings for sure. Snoqualmie Falls is known to look particularly amazing at sunrise — there’s a 1.4-mile roundtrip hike to the Lower Falls Viewpoint — or spend a summer night at the White River Campground in Mt. Rainier National Park and hit Dedge Peak before first light to start your morning off with an amazing vista.
http://www.activelynorthwest.com/food/best-places-to-learn-to-cook-healthy-in-seattle-portland/
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