Fall drives: Savor colors galore along four favorite routes
The "Sunday drive" is an institution made for fall, when nature's palette suddenly goes eccentric and roadside leaves take on jewelry-shop colors like ruby red and burnished gold. October is the peak month for Northwest road trips. Here are four of our favorites, ranging from shoreline to city to mountains.
By Carol Pucci
Seattle Times travel writer
along Chuckanut Drive
I like to think of Chuckanut Drive as a 30-minute vacation from Interstate 5.
The chance to take this coastal route near Bellingham, known as Highway 11, comes about 70 miles north of Seattle on the way to Vancouver, B.C. Take Exit 231, switch off the radio for the next 21 miles, and treat yourself to a quiet country drive. You'll feel your blood pressure drop as the landscape gives way to acres of farmland, produce stands and nurseries in the scenic Skagit Valley.
Douglas firs dominate in the area but there are also western red cedars, vine maples and red alders. Views of Samish and Chuckanut bays are to the west, and there are plenty of roadside diversions. Watch for a llama farm, a place that sells fresh-cut flowers and a Japanese nursery and antique shop.
Pick up a sack of potatoes at Knutzen Farms or a few pumpkins at the Big Sky Garden self-service produce stand at the junction of Chuckanut Drive and Bow Hill Road. Next door is Bonnar's Trading Post, an old-fashioned store cluttered with plants and collectibles.
Picnic supplies are available at the Chuckanut Valley Store at the corner of Bow Hill and Chuckanut. But you'll likely want to plan on having lunch or dinner at one of the restaurants specializing in locally raised oysters.
The Rhododendron Cafe in Bow is a cozy spot known for its Northwest specialties. Along the most scenic portions of the drive are Chuckanut Manor, built inside a 1930s-style house overlooking Samish Bay, and the Oyster Creek Inn, reopened next to Taylor Shellfish Farm after being closed for a while due to mudslides.
Beyond Bow, two-lane Chuckanut Drive climbs and narrows with sharp curves and turns along the rock shoulder of Chuckanut Mountain. The road is smooth and well-paved. There are lots of spots to get out and feel the crunch of leaves under your hiking boots or just pull over and enjoy the views of the San Juan Islands and Olympic Mountains.
The drive ends in the village of Fairhaven on the outskirts of Bellingham. Its pottery shops, cafes and bookstore are worth a look if you have some extra time; otherwise, follow the signs back to I-5, hit the accelerator and crank up the music. All vacations have to end sooner or later.
IF YOU GO: CHUCKANUT DRIVE
Getting there:
Take Interstate 5 to Exit 231 (Highway 11) at Burlington, Skagit County. Follow the signs to Chuckanut Drive. The drive ends at the Old Fairhaven Parkway in Bellingham at Exit 250 from I-5.
Stops along the way:
Bonnar's Trading Post, 549 Chuckanut Drive. Open Thursday-Sunday. Phone: 360-766-6342.
Rhododendron Cafe, 553 Chuckanut Drive, 360-766-6667. Open Wednesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner and weekend for breakfast.
Chuckanut Manor, 302 Chuckanut Drive, 360-766-6191. Open Tuesday-Sunday for lunch and dinner and Sunday for brunch.
Oyster Creek Inn, 190 Chuckanut Drive, 360-766-6179. Open daily for lunch and dinner.
More information:
Bellingham/Whatcom County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 360-671-3990 or see www.chuckanutdrive.com.
Carol Pucci: 206-464-3701 or cpucci@seattletimes.com.