What to Expect and How to Explore the Northwest Culture web site.

What to Expect The Northwest Culture web site was designed to be an intimate guide to the Pacific Northwest, providing visitors, residents, and people new to the area, with a means to explore some of the wonder and beauty here. It's intended to show a range of city districts, small towns and islands that are easily accessible from metropolitan areas like Seattle/Tacoma, and to help with planning day trips, weekend getaways, or weeklong excursions visiting multiple destinations. There are currently 6 destinations to explore on the Northwest Culture web site: (click any of the links below to go to that location or use the Northwest Culture menu at the top of the page)

City Districts 1.   Fairhaven District, Bellingham, WA:  This district has a European atmosphere with courtyards, outdoor cafes, art galleries, local artists, quaint specialty shops and restaurants for shopping, dining and exploring. There is also a transportation port for ferries departing to Alaska, and the San Juan Islands. 2.   Fremont District, Seattle, WA:  In "The Artists Republic of Fremont" public art abounds. Quaint specialty shops and ethnic restaurants fill the landscape transforming this light-industrial/manufacturing district of Seattle into a mecca of art and culture; Northwest style. It has an annual Summer Soltice parade with floats designed by local artists, and a art fair with local artists showing their work. Small Towns 3.   La Conner, WA:   A small village and arts community on the banks of the Swinomish Channel with art galleries, local artists, quaint specialty shops, restaurants, and museums for shopping, dining and exploring. It has a world renowned tulip festival with hundreds of acres of tulips and daffodils in the spring. One of the museums features art of the region, including artists of The Northwest Mystic School of painters, Mark Tobey, Morris Graves, Guy Anderson, and Kenneth Callahan. (Located in the Skagit Valley) 4.   Port Townsend, WA:   A National Historic Victorian Seaport with well preserved and renovated Victorian buildings and hotels downtown along the watefront, and Victorian houses throughout the town. It has an annual Woodenboat festival, an annual Victorian festival, music festivals, and writers and other workshops throughout the year. There are sweeping views and miles of sandy beaches to explore.(Located on the Olympic Peninsula, along the Strait of Juan de Fuca) Islands 5.   Vashon Island, WA (Located in the Puget Sound): A close-in island off the shores of West Seattle. The town area has a main street with quaint shops, art galleries and restaurants for shopping, dining and exploring. You can find bed and breakfasts, cottages and other hideaways throughout the island. The island has one of the oldest artist communities in the state. From various locations around the island there are breathtaking views of the Puget sound, neighboring islands and mountains. 6.   Whidbey Island, WA (Located in the Puget Sound and along the Strait of Juan de Fuca):                  Langley:  A small seaside village and arts community on the shores of south Whidbey Island on a bluff overlooking the Saratoga Passage, Camano Island and the Cascade mountains. It has art galleries, local artists, bed and breakfasts, specialty shops and restaurants for shopping, dining and exploring this quaint village.

How to Explore Each destination has it's own: Home page History page Selected annual events Alphabetical listing of businesses Map: interactive Weather: current conditions and 7-day forecast Scenic views of the area Suggested Trips In addition to the general information for each destination, there is an index of 13 categories which lists most businesses in that location. Businesses that are members of the Northwest Culture web site have a description, photo, and a link to their web site for more details. Many of the businesses offer products through Mail-Order via their web sites or by direct calls to their shops. Non-member businesses are listed with name and address only, to show the range of things to see and do in each location. The following is the index of categories for each location: Antique shops Artists with open studios Art Galleries Bed and Breakfasts, and other Accommodations Bookshops Coffeehouses, Tea Rooms, Cafes, Bakeries Farmers Markets, and Specialty Nurseries Local Activities Micro Breweries, Pubs and Taverns Museums Restaurants Specialty Shops Wineries and Wine Tastings

You can also explore the destinations by going to the Alphabetical Listings page. The alphabetical listings page is organized by:

Location (a brief description of each location with links to the individual places) Business Name (these are member businesses with a brief description, photo and link to their web site) Category ( categorized into 13 groups by type with links to individual pages for each category) for all destinations Scenic Views (for all locations) Search (use this feature to locate a business or product on the Northwest Culture site) List of locations

For info regarding site contact STE.