Visiting Northwest U.S. this Summer

That is a great time to visit Western Washington - we can almost guarantee good weather - we don't do hot and sticky in August but do have warm and sunny. Tacoma is a lot nicer than it used to be. I just spent the afternoon there - celebrating the clean-up of Foss Waterway which was a superfund site. The celebration was in the Museum of Glass - an absolutely must see place. The downtown has really improved in the last few years with a branch university campus, a good historical museum etc. Unfortunately the best yarn shop I know of in Tacoma is not in the downtown but is a bit south. Here is their website:

This is the only Tacoma yarn store I have visited but I found a webreference toFibers Etc: Studio, 705 Court C # 301 , Tacoma, WA 98402 which is rightdowntown and quite close to the convention center if your husband'smeeting is there. I haven't been there, however. I will check and see if I can find any events - however that is a time of year when most of us can be found enjoying the outdoors. Also - if you are going to have wheels when your DH is busy, there are some nearby towns with some neat yarnshops and other fun things to do.

Here is a useful link

click on the "what's new" at the top of the page leads you to a pageof links that includes some personal reviews of places like ChurchmouseYarns and Tea on Bainbridge Island (fun place that can be reached byferry from downtown Seattle)I like the yarn from it is in Shelton and I haven't actually been to the store. If DHheads out across the Narrows Bridge to fish you might decide to spendthe day in Gig Harbor - fun place and good yarn store. is an alpaca farm in nearby Auburn which welcomes farm visitswith 24 notice

Judy,

Thanks for the information! Yes, we will have a rental car. For DH's meeting we are staying at the Sheraton and I expect his meetings will be there at the hotel although there is some kind of field trip he will be going on. Also, this year there is a registration fee for spouses so they may have some activities planned for the spouses. Last year our meeting was in Fort Myers, Florida, and there were no planned activities for spouses but no registration fee either.

Again, thanks for the info. I am looking forward to checking out the web sites you gave me.

BonnieBlue

These are all great South Puget Sound suggestions. Last time I talked to the gal at Fiber etc., her hours were mostly by appt. only -- so call ahead. You could actually do what we call "drive around" to Bainbridge...this means take the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to Gig Harbor, then go on to Silverdale to Linda's (a great yarn store), from there to Poulsbo where there are 2 yarns stores, swing down to Bainbridge to Churchmouse and back to Seattle, via the Ferry and then down I-5 to Tacoma. Here's another go list of yarn shops.

is also a fun place to visit. They have a great farmers marketand a yarn store.

Holly

Sorry,Bonnie Blue, I cannot help you - I have spent a lot of time in the area but DH who is *the* most avid fisherman saves his fishing for Vancouver Island and as for me I do visit every craft shop in the area but none comes to mind as anything especially noteworthy - bearing in mind that I think all North American craft shops are superb. God Bless Gwen

Beehive Wool Shop in Victoria, BC is a great shop, if you decide to take the ferry over. You can catch the car ferry from Port Angeles...but be sure to make a reservation. Just search on the net for the CoHo Ferry or the Black Ball Ferry. It a great 90 minute trip over. You can also park the car in Port Angeles and walk on the ferry.

Holly

I'll have to look into that. Thanks! BonnieBlue

Bonnie, if you make it to Victoria Eimear and I will take you around.

Els