hi there!
We’re Josh and Annie, PNW-based world travelers always looking for an adventure. No matter how many countries we visit, the natural wonder of our home never fails to amaze us.
We share the best things to do in Washington, British Columbia, Oregon, Idaho, and surrounding areas
Based on a lifetime of exploration in this beautiful corner of the world
Our goal is to inspire and equip you to spend more time in nature, explore stunning places you’ve never heard of, and enjoy incredible plant-based food on-the-go.
Whether you’re a PNW native or a visitor, an avid outdoor enthusiast or a someone exploring the outdoors for the first time, this blog is for you! We lean toward more approachable outdoor activities like day hikes and short backpacking trips and highlight cute town, yummy food, and landmarks along the way.
fun facts
- Josh was born in British Columbia but has spent most of his life in Washington State
- Annie has lived in Seattle, Bellingham, Snohomish, Renton, and on the Kitsap Peninsula
- Josh’s favorite childhood memories in the PNW include jumping in ice-cold alpine lakes, backpacking Hell’s Canyon in Idaho, and salmon fishing in Northern British Columbia
- Annie’s favorite childhood memories in the PNW include swimming at Lake Cushman, camping at Lake Ozette, and endless ferry rides across the Puget Sound
- We got married during the first week of the covid lockdown (March 2020)
- Our favorite shared memories in the PNW include the date when we fell in love on Vashon Island, kayaking with otters in a secluded Pugect Sound inlet, camping on the Washington coast, and a plan-as-you-go road trip on Vancouver Island
- The first mushrooms we ever foraged were morels that we saw growing right outside our window in Snohomish
- Our favorite cities in the PNW are Bellingham, WA, Eugene, OR, Couer de Lane, ID, and Victoria, BC
why whales and morels?
We chose the name Whales and Morels because spotting marine wildlife and foraging for mushrooms have been themes throughout our marriage.
We both grew up in Washington state, Annie in a small beach town near the Olympics and Josh in a suburb of Seattle. Despite hundreds of ferry rides and days at the beach, we didn’t start noticing the abundance of marine wildlife that call the Puget Sound home until we started intentionally exploring together.
We also both grew up hiking and camping in the Olympics, Cascades, and coast yet overlooked the brilliant plants and fungi that thrive in PNW forests. Over the past several years, we’ve started to explore our forests with more curiosity and taken mushroom foraging courses with trained professionals. Foraging for mushrooms has changed the way we see the forest, encouraged us to explore new trails, and helped us connect with our surroundings.
