Getting Away, the Local Way

By: Wes Simons | May 13 2010
Posted in Seattle - Find It - Seattle

Most locals would scoff at going on a tour through their native city, saying something along the lines of, “I live here, I know where everything is.” I said the same thing myself until last week when I took a trip with EverGreen Escapes, a Seattle-based tour company with a strong emphasis on local and eco-friendly tours.

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EverGreen Escapes offers tours all over Washington, from trips to the Olympic Peninsula to snowshoeing at Mt. Rainier. Most of the tours combine some physical activity with sightseeing and excellent local food and drink. For example, the Activino tour starts with a day hike in the Cascades and then shifts over to an afternoon of wine tasting and touring through the Woodinville wine shops. Stops along the way include a local butcher shop and a chance to sample some great cheeses.

I hopped aboard one of EverGreen Escapes bio-diesel vans for the Brews and Views tour, which highlights several local breweries and some of the better views in Seattle. Our tour went to the Elliot Bay Brewery, the Pike Brewery and Maritime Brewery. At each stop we received a sampler of beer, with Elliot Bay and Maritime allowing each person to pick which beers they wanted to sample. The Pike stop also included a brewery tour with a knowledgeable and energetic tour guide.

The Brews and Views tour was led by Dan, who was able to offer not only excellent Seattle knowledge, but also plenty of interesting facts about the breweries and their history. In my mind the price of the tour is worth the designated driver alone, as all of the breweries provide ample samples. We also got to partake in some wonderful appetizers which helped to soak up the excess alcohol. I recommend that anyone, local or visiting, interested in seeing more of the Seattle area hop on an EverGreen Escapes tour.

What is your favorite “local” tour?