Why go?

• Bellingham showcases the best of the PNW’s beauty without the hassle of a major metropolitan scene. Enjoy fresh seafood, island cruises, and quiet walks.
• Rock out to free live concerts downtown every weekend in July.
• Check out Bellingham’s visitors’ guide and the Emerald Palate travel blog for more things to do.

Act like a local

• Food: Capitalize on the proximity to some of the best oysters in the US at Rock and Rye Oyster House.
• Coffee: Get your morning started over at Makeworth Coffee Roasters with a lavender honey latte and an avocado toast.
• Outdoors: Take a hike in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest at Ptarmigan Ridge Trail, which features incredible views. The first ~one mile is a flat walk that’s navigable for any experience level before there are bigger hills that more seasoned hikers or overnight backpackers will enjoy.
• Sweet treats: Mallard Ice Cream parlor is well-known by locals for its creative flavors like ghost pepper peppermint and whiskey fig.

Where to stay

• Vrbo: Cozy micro-brewery home where you can sample tasty beers made right on the property ($110 per night)
• Airbnb: Treehouse with waterfall that lets you become one with the forest ($300 per night)

• Photo Walk with a Naturalist | Friday, May 26 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | Lake Sammamish State Park, 2010 NW Sammamish Rd., Issaquah | Free | Bring your own camera, learn about the ecosystem from an interpretive specialist, and meet some other photography-loving folks.
• “Queers, Queens & Everything In Between": a Gay History Tour of Seattle | Friday, May 26 | 5-6:30 p.m. | Ghost Alley Espresso, 1499 Post Alley, Seattle | $20-$25 | This 90-minute tour will take you through Seattle’s history of secret societies, openly gay bars, and local politics.
• Swipe Right | Friday, May 26 | 9 p.m. | Fremont Abbey Arts Center, 4272 Fremont Ave. N., Seattle | $15-$22.50 | Volunteers plug in their dating profile for improv comedians to critique and riff on.

• COLORFUL FÊTE: Mad Hatter’s Garden Party and Classical Music Concert | Saturday, May 27 | 3-5 p.m. | Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden, 3015 NW 54th St., Seattle | Donations requested | This whimsical garden party supports the Sacred Heart Shelter and comes with snacks, live classical music, and lawn games.
• Dogs and Doughnuts Dash | Saturday, May 27 | 8:30-10 a.m. | Brooks Trailhead, 3400 Stone Way N., Seattle | Free | Bring your pup for a 5K run and enjoy doughnuts + coffee afterward.

• Drag Karaoke | Sunday, May 28 | 7:30-11:30 p.m. | Julia’s on Broadway, 300 Broadway E., Seattle | Free | Karaoke is even more fun when you have a drag queen to intro your ground-breaking vocal performance.
• Yoga and Wine | Sunday, May 28 | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Prohibition Cellars, 19501 144th Ave. NE Ste. F-900, Woodinville | $20 | Relax with a 45-minute yoga class before enjoying a glass of the good stuff with some new friends.

• Kale: Dirty Dozen or Clean Fifteen? Find out.
• Papaya: Dirty Dozen or Clean Fifteen? Find out.
• Tomatoes: Dirty Dozen or Clean Fifteen? Find out.

• Belltown’s Caribbean restaurant Jerk Shack is gearing up to opening its second location. Owner Trey Lamont will host a preview party at the new 2301 E. Union St. outpost in the Central District beginning at noon on Monday, May 29. It’ll last until all the grub has been sold.

• The Washington State Department of Transportation has released its Memorial Day weekend travel charts that project when the roads will be most congested as people make their way out of the city. Today and Monday are expected to see the highest levels of traffic.

• The roaming Hello Kitty Cafe Truck will be making a pit stop on the Eastside to sell its paw-sitively adorable cookies, macarons, and clothes. Fans can find the truck at Bellevue’s Marketplace at Factoria near the Panera Bread tomorrow, May 27, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (Eater Seattle)

• Sounds seductive. The owners of Capitol Hill lounge The Rose Temple are working to open a second bar that they describe as “dark and red and chandelier-y” at 1355 E. Olive Way. No prospective open date was mentioned, but they are currently on the hunt for the restaurant’s chef. (Capitol Hill Blog)

• There’s a new proposal to replace two old commercial buildings near the Olympic Sculpture Park with a solar-powered, nine-story apartment building. If the plan is approved, construction would begin on the 3000 Western Ave. lot in 2025. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

• Two state routes near Mt. Rainier are opening up this morning after crews finished clearing the last bits of snowpack. SR 410 between Crystal Mountain Boulevard + Morse Creek and SR 123 between Stevens Canyon Road + the SR 410 junction open at 8 a.m. today. (My Northwest)

• Bellevue’s Downtown Park has opened its brand new 23-foot art installation named “Piloti.” The piece, designed by THEVERYMANY, is made up of 6,665 individual parts and 180,000+ rivets. It’s intended to create a sense of “otherworldliness” in those who stand underneath.

• Two nonprofits have petitioned for Washington’s Chinook salmon to be categorized as an endangered species. Only ~3,200 fish return to Washington’s rivers to spawn every spring, which is significantly less than the 27,000 historically in the region. (My Northwest)

• How does Going work? Sign up for free, follow up to five airports, and get notified when flights are 40-90% off. Bonus: You can browse deals immediately after signing up (like a ~$575 round trip to Fiji).*

• Hawaiian Airlines tends to be the most punctual, with only 9% of flights being delayed.
• Price4Limo’s report showed Frontier as the most frequently delayed, with 21% of its flights leaving later than expected.
• Leave on Saturday if possible, when 86% of flights make it out on time.
• Consider delaying your return trip until Tuesday — Monday is the worst travel day for the weekend, with 21% of flights delayed.
• If you’re delayed, don’t panic — over the past five years, only 2% of flights have been completely canceled.