52 Weekends in the Pacific Northwest<\/a>\u201d (out April 14 from Sasquatch Books), is a lifelong Washingtonian\u2019s guide to year-round getaways. It’s complete with Friday to Sunday itineraries like city guides and nature escapes, including day-to-day recommendations on where to stay, eat and play, plus anecdotes and tips from Patajo\u2019s own travels.\u00a0<\/p>\nAlong the way, there\u2019s room to add in your own adventures and time to be surprised by a new discovery or a recommendation from a local you meet. Patajo sat down with The Seattle Times to talk about why it was important for her to be a local guide for readers, why seasonality played a big role in how she organized the book and how tourists and locals alike can treat every day like an adventure. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve created content about travel in Seattle as Your Northwestie Bestie for years. What inspired you to go from creating content online to writing a travel guidebook?<\/strong><\/p>\nWhen I started creating content, I was more in the fashion niche, but most of the questions in my DMs were about where I was taking my photos and where they should go on their first visit to Washington state. As someone who was born and raised here, it was a natural fit to make travel content because it was a place I could provide value to my audience, and it also ended up being personally fulfilling for me.<\/p>\n
What inspired you to create this book? In what ways is it a travel guide and a love letter to home?<\/strong><\/p>\nI have a lot of travel guidebooks on my shelf, and I wanted this one to have some of my own personal stories and offer a friendly local voice, much like the other content I create online. It\u2019s an extension of my mission to inspire people to go on everyday adventures in their lives, whether it\u2019s as simple as breaking out of their routine by going to a park or coffee shop, or something bigger like going on a weekend getaway.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
I see my book as a culmination of all the years I\u2019ve been creating content and writing travel content on my blog. This book takes all of that knowledge and experience and puts it into one resource.<\/p>\n
In the introduction of the book, you share how many people think of visiting Washington in the summer when, in reality, there are adventures to be had year-round. Is that why you decided to organize the book by season?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe seasonal organization felt natural to me since it aligns with the natural seasons. Even locals can fall into the mindset that summer is the \u201cbest\u201d time to get out, but if you\u2019re open to adventure, there\u2019s something that makes each season special, whether it\u2019s a specific food dish or coffee special, animal migrations or blooming flowers. In the fall, there are larch hikes in the North Cascades. In the spring, there are tulip festivals. In the winter, I highlighted Crater Lake National Park, which receives fewer visitors during that time of year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even if you\u2019re reading this book and don\u2019t live in the Pacific Northwest, I hope it invites you to notice the beauty in each season where you are. At the end of the day, I want people to make the most of the time they have. If you keep an open mindset, there\u2019s no limit to what you might find in your backyard.<\/p>\n
How can locals and visitors use this guide to make the most of their time in Oregon and Washington and leave room to be surprised?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe book provides a good foundation if you don\u2019t know about a certain place and are curious about it. I find that people use guidebooks as inspiration and ideas on where to go, so you\u2019re always encouraged to tailor your trip to your own taste. With there being 52 places in this book, there are itineraries with popular national parks, but a lot of the itineraries are in small towns and off the beaten path.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, a jampacked itinerary can leave you feeling tired, so I\u2019m always learning to slow down. This leaves room to try out a local recommendation or stop by a shop that\u2019s new to you. For example, when I\u2019m in a new town ordering coffee, I\u2019ll strike up a conversation with the barista and ask about the local hiking trails they like or what they love about living there. Sometimes, I hear about places I wouldn\u2019t have otherwise, and some of those recommendations are in this book.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s your ideal Washington weekend?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s November, which means we\u2019ve timed it just right, (and it\u2019s) that quiet in-between season after Oktoberfest and before the Christmas crowds roll in. We spend most of our time slowing down, tucked just 10 minutes outside of town at Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort. The fall foliage is at its peak. The bucks have grown in their antlers. And the loudest sound is the steady rush of the creek.<\/p>\n
We revisit a few of our favorite local spots, like Boulder Bend Glassworks, The Gingerbread Factory and the 59er Diner, before catching sunset. And if the sky is clear later, we step outside once more, looking up through the ponderosa pines at a sky full of twinkling stars.<\/p>\n
What does it mean to you to be a published author and create a guidebook with images you\u2019ve taken?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s a surreal full-circle moment, especially as a creator who\u2019s been sharing travel content for years. You never know what opportunities will arise when you have an audience and a platform. I love connecting with business owners and amplifying them, and I\u2019m excited for them to get more recognition through this book.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Washington has given me so much personally, and I want other people to experience it, especially in the outdoors. I want other people to see the beauty in it, too. You may know of the popular hikes like Rattlesnake Ledge and Comet Falls, but there\u2019s so much else that\u2019s out there.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n