A Valley of Flowers in Washington state

If you are in the Pacific Northwest in April, don't miss the spectacular Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. West of I-5, near Burlington, there are acres of tulips and daffodils. The festival is a delight for the senses. As you stand in the fields of flowers, the brilliant colours--yellow, red, pink, purple, and white--spread for miles in all directions, the sweet scent of thousands of blooms is overwhelming, and the low, rich sound of honey bees in the sunshine is a celebration of life.

I've been in Holland in the Spring and the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is equal to that gorgeous experience. With the snowy Cascades sparkling in the distance, the Skagit Valley might even surpass Holland for scenic beauty.

For more information, go to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival website at .

Quick Tips:

Plan to visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival more than once. The festival covers at least two weeks and different flowers bloom as the days progress. Daffodils and other narcissus flowers are out first and some of the most exotic tulips bloom last.

Best Way To Get Around:

Because the Skagit Valley is flat, it is ideal for walking and cycling but...tour buses and cars take up a lot of space on the country roads and only fit, experienced walkers and cyclists should attempt this type of sightseeing.

Tulip Transit (on five different bus routes) is definitely preferable. A small donation is all that is required to ride Tulip Transit. The nicest way to see the flowers in the fields is from a horse-drawn tram. Several of the larger flower farms have gaily painted trams pulled by handsome horses.

Best Things Nearby:
Historic Port Townsend, with many buildings dating back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, is well worth exploring.

The ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone, Whidbey Island is a fun excursion. From Keystone, it''s a short, scenic drive to the Skagit Valley, where acres of gorgeous flowers bloom from late March and early-to-mid April.

Best Things About the Resort:
Fabulous views of Puget Sound, great beach with miles of sea meadow and wildflowers, nice exercise facility, and indoor/outdoor heated pool.

And if you love to travel with your dog, the staff at Kala Point are exceptionally welcoming. When we arrived (late and tired), the receptionist not only greeted us warmly, she also had dog biscuits for our pooches.

Resort Experience:
This resort is serene, scenic, wild, and beautiful, yet still provides every modern convenience and amenity. The full kitchen in our two-bedroom unit was well-equipped and well-lit. The open design of the kitchen/dining room/living room allows the cook direct access to the rest of the family and there are scenic views right from the kitchen. The spacious living room was elegantly furnished, had beautiful views through large picture windows and French doors, and the television/stereo was just great for quiet entertainment at the end of the day. The bedrooms were a little smaller than other places we have stayed in and the bedroom furniture was not as new and deluxe as the rest of the unit but everything was adequate and comfortable. Kala Point is close to quaint Port Townsend which has history, classical music, fine dining, art galleries, antiques, cool jazz, movies, and nightclubs.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom
• Activities: Excellent
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Excellent

The beach right at Kala Point offers exceptional views of Port Townsend, Puget Sound, and the Cascade Mountains. It is a pleasant hike to and from the beach, and one can walk for miles through the beach grasses and meadow flowers or on the gray sands. If one heads north (toward Port Townsend) at low tide, one can find evidence of a huge shipwreck that occurred almost a century ago. The tides come in steadily but not as fast as on the open ocean, so it is safe to wade near the shore, build sand castles, and play on the beach. In summer, one can swim, but the water is still fairly chilly. Locals dig for clams and other seafood when in season.

Wildlife near the beach is mainly small and harmless. We saw birds, grass snakes, voles, and rabbits, but there were reports of larger animals, such as deer, and more dangerous ones, such as raccoons. We were also told that, on rare occasions, there have been cougar and coyote sightings.