For those of you that didn’t see our announcement the beginning of the month, we have started on a long awaited journey into nomadic life! The dream of travel as a family – of focusing on experiences over things – of embracing minimalism for a season in life, has been on our hearts for several years. As Joel joins the studio full time, we know there’s no better time than now to embrace that vision, and hit the road for a while.
Our first adventure was to the Pacific Northwest! When I was in high school, I wrote a series of novels based in a new, tiny seaside town called Seabrook, WA – I was mesmerized by their quaint, storybook homes and darling community feel, full of festivals and gatherings. Over the years, we’d talked about visiting, finally seeing the sweet town in person, but life always had a way of keeping us where we were. It was the first place to check off on our list, and it did not disappoint.
Flags and banners flying everywhere for the 4th, Seabrook’s patriotic pulse was strong, and so encouraging to see. The designers were brilliant in their layout – keeping the whole village walking friendly with darling, seashell lined paths, and quiet streets. It’s still very small, and mostly gorgeous costal vacation homes, with a few darling shops and restaurants tucked in between them. The little details made this place unique – the crushed shells in lieu of gravel, the strawberry lined sidewalks and gardens, the long promenade down the cliff side to the sand. The beach was pristine, and we made the drive from our camping spot more than once to enjoy unbelievably soft sand, scout for shells, and of course, indulge in sand castle creation.
It was a great maiden voyage on our full time journey – and long overdue. Our journey home accommodated a detour to the gorgeous Cascade Locks, with its towering pines. We knew we just had to stop and hike the magnificent Multnomah Falls with Uncle Josh and the kids, and enjoy a quick lunch before hitting the road for the long journey home.
Our ‘musts’ for this stretch:
1)Get to Multnomah EARLY! There was no crowd as we wound our way up the path around 8am. Although it sounds like they’re working out a system for ticketing to disperse crowds.
2)Make the stop into Seabrook – it really is the cutest little storybook town. And pack snacks in a cooler for your time on the beach, as the long stairway is a bear to hike up and down with kids. Speaking of which, bathroom stops are a must before you head down.
3) If you like riding bikes, bring yours along, or rent some to enjoy a nice ride around town.
Travel safe friends!
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