Note: This book was provided to me gratis by Mind Buck Media in exhange for a review.
The Great Depression. The Stovall family lives hand to mouth. This first time novel by Kathy Watson follows Barney and Lula Stovall and their eventual seven children from Mississippi to Montana and California in search of the elusive life of security and promise. Told from the point of view of each four members of this family, each well developed character has a story to tell. Here is my book review Orphans of the Living by Kathy Watson.
Personal History
Watson tells the story of her own impoverished mother and grandmother, and the difficult life they led in post depression era 1930’s. Surviving the death of her first husband, Lula is left with two young boys. She knows she can never love another man, but when Barney Stovall asks for her hand in marriage she consents, while still grieving the loss of her first husband. Kathy Watson’s real grandmother Lula will spend the rest of her life, either having babies or caring for babies, all while Barney jumps from job to job searching for a better life.
Lula agrees to leave her two boys Glen and Ray with her uncle, when Barney insists they can’t afford to take the entire family to California. He promises her they will send for the boys when they can. Lula falls into a depression as the years go by and she never hears from the boys.
The Last Straw
When Lula finds herself pregnant again, she attempts to abort the baby, only to nearly die herself. The baby is a little girl, Nora Mae. Lula’s deep depression and lack of interest in the new baby will color the child’s entire life, giving her a lifelong desire to just be seen.
Nora Mae
Little Nora Mae will grow up to be author Watson’s mother, despite her difficult and unloving childhood. Her siblings will serve more as parents than either of her parents, and Nora Mae will rebel and look for love elsewhere.
Book Review Orphans of the Living
Unfortunately this kind of family dysfunction was not unheard of during the early years of the 20th century. Families where poor, divided, overworked and underfed. Most American’s would find a similar family story in their own history if they searched. It’s a good reminder for us today, even despite difficult current times, we are still generally better off than our ancestors. We give gratitude to them for forging a path through poverty, racism, and inequality to help next generations achieve a better life.
****Four stars for Orphans for the Living by Kathy Watson. See last week’s READING ROUND UP YEAR END REVIEW 2025. Thanks for reading my book review Orphans of the Living by Kathy Watson.
We are grateful when you pin, share, comment on our book reviews. Thank you.
As you likely know if you have been following all these years, I track my reading year from July to July – why not be different from everyone else who tracks January to January?. Nothing fancy, just keep a little tally in my notebook of all the books I read. This year I read 85 books, (eight more than last year) and today I will share with you some of my favorites for the Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025.
Over the past year I have written 53 book reviews, pulling into reviews my favorites of the 85 books. Most of my reading is done on my Kindle while traveling, a few hardback and paperback and a few more on Audible. I like Audible for car trips, a great way to be entertained on the road.
So as in the past several years, I’m sharing my most favorites from July ’24 to July ’25. I have a top ten list, and ten honorable mentions too. Some outstanding novels, biographies, historical non-fiction, as well as Booker finalists. Other than the number one slot, The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, the books are in no particular order. So here we go, my Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025;
My Favorite Book of the Year. I listened to it on Audible while we were traveling in Australia. It was well written and well narrated. Though a work of fiction, Lawhon has well researched the story of real life 18th century midwife Martha Ballard and woven a remarkable tale of mystery, family, love and perseverance. Set in a cold frozen Maine in 1789.
There are thousands of really good writers. And then there are the masters. Akbar’s first novel, Martyr is a mastering of the art of language. Cyrus Shams, an Iranian young man, moved to America as a child with his father. He has struggled through his life with the tragic knowledge that his mother died on commercial plane, shot down by Americans over the Persian Gulf. An incredible story unfolds.
Ancient and modern this book felt like reading a fairy tale. I was enraptured from the beginning – the beginning where we meet a tiny raindrop and follow the rivers in the sky through generations.
Grace Winters leads a self-proclaimed boring life in England as a 72-year-old retired teacher and widow. That is until she receives an email from a former student. Grace’s response to her student Maurice will be the entire novel – in all it’s beautifully written language, incredibly developed characters, fantastical magic and mystery…and a tropical paradise too.
What a great feel good novel. This is a story of being different. Being bullied because of it. And finding a way through it all to succeed and be happy. Dugoni has two books in my top ten list this year, see below. You must read his work.
This is a story about an unlikely hero. Just a boy. A boy born with an abnormality to a single mother in the south in the early part of the 20th century. When anyone who was not white or “normal” was dehumanized, hunted, condemned and chastized. Johnny Cruel lives this life. Mustian has two books on my top ten list this year (see below).
This is a beautiful coming of age story set in the high mountains of Colorado post WWII. Love grows in many ways; between people, for the land, for family, for nature, for a way of life. At the heart of this story is love.
Incredible. I am an avid historical fiction reader, particularly when the plot is based on real events and people. Having recently been to and fallen in love with Armenia and the surrounding Caucasus countries, I devoured this story. Mustian makes my top ten list twice – see above Boy with Wings.
Hold Strong is a story of true events that occurred during war time, this story is WWII. Despite the fact there are literally hundreds of novels and non-fiction books about WWII – I was unaware of the horrific “hell ships” of the Japanese military. A truly remarkable book, and the second of Dugoni’s work to make my top ten this year. See Boy with Wings above.
The underlying theme of this mind-bending book is ambition and the evil it begets. The book bounces back and forth over a decade time frame with two brilliant college roommates, Eli & Victor, creating a chaotic and dangerous game for their Senior Thesis. When things go terribly wrong, people start to die. I am a huge fan of V.E. Schwab and this book was excellent.
Thanks for reading my Eighth Annual Reading Round Up 2025 and for reading all my book reviews this past year. Every Wednesday I post a new review…I hope you will continue to enjoy, share and comment as we read together.
“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.” – Robert Louis Stevenson.
The question I get most often from people about our travels is “what’s your favorite country?” Honestly, I don’t love that question, because after visiting 147 countries, there are really only a handful I wouldn’t return to. Certainly, there are ones I like more than others…but choosing a favorite? Impossible. When I look back at all my travels, I find I am most fond of the countries that were unexpected for beauty, kindness, cost, culture, food and people. Some of our favorite experiences have been in lesser traveled destinations, where we met few other people like us. And today with over-tourism in places like France and Spain – finding the hidden gems is our goal and pleasure. So instead of telling you what my favorite country is, let me encourage you to travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries, full of adventure with fewer crowds.
EUROPE
I have visited almost all the European countries in Western, Eastern and Central Europe. There are still a few on my list. And though I of course have enjoyed time in the most popular countries like France, Spain and Italy, these are not on today’s list. You probably have also visited places like France, Spain and Italy, but have you considered travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries?
Poland
Poland
Why go to Poland?
Poland has everything the other European countries have, but it is so underrated as a destination. We spent three week traveling around Poland (by train) and loved it. The history, particularly WWII, is astonishing. The food (pierogies for the win!) is outstanding and the cities are gorgeous. Poland was home to Frederic Chopin, Marie Curie, Roman Polanski, Helena Rubenstein and many more. Poland has a rich arts and music culture, beautiful public squares, many performance facilities, and delicious food. Not all Poles speak English, but that adds to the charm of the place, and we absolutely loved all the wonderful locals we met.
Don’t Miss
Krakow for the beautiful square, musical performances, and a tour to Auschwitz. Don’t miss the small towns of Poznan and Wroclaw. Be sure to visit Warsaw to learn about the Jewish Ghetto and to see the public art. See posts I wrote about the amazing food of Poland here.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Why go to Bulgaria?
We spent the month of June in Bulgaria early in the Grand Adventure travels. We chose Bulgaria because it is not in the Schengen so it did not count against our 90 Schengen days for other Europe countries. But we were so unexpectedly enamored of the food, the fabulous history and beaches. And it remains one of the least expensive countries we have ever visited.
Bulgaria has surprising Roman ruins that you can visit without any other tourists around. We met some of the most amazing people, who were so genuinely grateful that we chose their country. Even those we met who spoke no English were so happy to meet us, and hugging was not uncommon. Bulgaria, like many Eastern European countries has had many conflicts and political changes over the millennia. But the people take it in stride and are proud and patriotic. Bulgaria is popular with Russian tourists and we met only one other American couple during our 30 day visit.
Don’t Miss
Sofia the capital has incredible history right under foot. Veliko Tarnova was our favorite, a fabulous mountain town built hanging above a river. Great hiking there. And Sozopol on the Black Sea was gorgeous and the beach here was incredible.
Malta
Malta
Why Go to Malta?
Becoming more popular, but still under the radar, this island nation was such a big surprise. If you go consider spring or fall, not during the summer when it does get crowded. We stayed in the city of Valletta, which reminded me of Dubrovnik. It is a magical place. We rented a car a couple of days to get outside of Valletta and visit Peter’s Pool, Blue Grotto, Mdina & Rabat. We took a day trip to the tiny island of Gozo, which would be worth a longer stay if you had the time. Everyone speaks English, but Malta has its own language as well called Maltese. I would love to go back to this relaxing, beautiful and unique place.
Don’t Miss
Valletta is beautiful, has cheap and delicious food and wine. Read all about our wonderful visit here Marvelous Malta.
Georgia
Georgia
Why Go to Georgia?
Last fall we visited the Eastern European countries of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan over a three week period. We loved them all but Georgia really settled into a place in my heart. We spent the majority of our time in the capital city of Tbilisi, with some incredible daytrips outside of town to see the mountainous beauty of this country. Everyone spoke English and the people were kind and welcoming. Georgia struggled after the fall of the USSR but has come back strong. Yet like many countries around the world, mine included, an authoritarian leader has emerged, and the people are once again fighting for their rights. I loved the resilience of these people and the patriotism.
Don’t Miss
The food. Unexpected and incredible, the unique cuisine of Georgia is one of the best in the world. I took a food tour and a wine tasting tour (their wine is incredible) and loved every mouthful. Be sure to visit the thermal baths in the city of Tbilisi and make the trek to Kazbegi and Gudauri – stunningly beautiful. Read more about why I love Georgia here.
Cyprus
Cyprus
Why Go to Cyprus?
Cyprus will forever be in my heart because of the many kindnesses afforded us when we were locked down on this island nation in the early days of the world-wide pandemic. We were very lucky to find ourselves stuck here, despite not being able to move around the island. Luckily we made friends and felt safe and had everything we needed. We loved the people so much, two years later we returned for a ten day visit without restrictions. Read about it here.
Don’t Miss
Incredible UNESCO heritage sites throughout the island. Beaches that rival anywhere. Take a tour and cooking class with Cyprus Taste Tours. Eat all the food that is much like Greek, but also very much it’s own. If you are so inclined, you can walk across the UN Protected Border to Northern Cyprus for lunch and then walk back.
CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA
There are handful of countries, mostly island nations, I still have not visited in Central and South America. But I have spent a lot of time in the most popular destinations like Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil and Argentina. But the ones I had my favorite experiences in were;
Honduras (Roatan)
Roatan Honduras
Why Go to Roatan?
The island of Roatan, just off mainland Honduras, is not plagued with some of the crime and issues found on the mainland. And direct flights to the island from Miami are easy, skipping going through the mainland. We spent an entire month in the tiny town of West End, and loved the relaxed Caribbean vibe. Though the beaches in the town were not great, there are many beaches on the island that are remarkable. If you don’t have a car, it can be difficult to get groceries, but we found a driver who was helpful to us when we wanted to tour or to go to the super market. It’s a very laid back experience and worth a visit.
Don’t Miss
Do an island tour with a guide to hit the main spots around the small island including the most beautiful beaches, hidden restaurants and the local microbrewery. Other fun spots including Daniel Johnson’s Sloth Sanctuary and the Roatan Botanical Gardens. Read about our Favorite Things in Roatan here.
Guatemala
Guatemala
Why Go to Guatemala?
We enjoyed a self-guided three week tour of Guatemala, arriving by a small open air boat from Belize. Our visit included Lake Flora and Tikal Mayan Ruins. We adored Antigua and were witness to the spectacle of Semana Santa over Easter. And we left our heart in Lake Atitlan…one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been. The people are quiet and kind. Curious and welcoming. Few people speak English except in the cities, but we had no problems.
Don’t Miss
Gorgeous and historic Antigua is incredible. Do a walking tour, history tour and take a Cooking Class. Lake Flora and Tikal are incredible for the beauty and history. And sit back and relax for a few days at hidden Lake Atitlan. Read more what I loved about Guatemala here.
Bolivia
Bolivia
Why Go to Bolivia?
Long on my bucket list, Bolivia did not disappoint. A remarkable place. Difficult to get around as an independent traveler (but not impossible), we chose to do a group tour while in Bolivia. We have no regrets about that choice – Intrepid Travel and our guide made the experience unforgettable. I recommend it highly. Bolivia has its issues (like everywhere) but it is fast becoming a popular tourist destination. I recommend you go soon.
Don’t Miss
La Paz was astonishing and seeing the way of life at 12,000 feet is worth the trip. Hands down the best thing in this country is the Uyuni Salt Flats. Stunningly beautiful and indescribable . Reaching the highest altitude I have ever been at was worth it for the views, even though I was sick for a couple of days. Read more about our ten day tour and all we did here. Go to Bolivia!
AFRICA
The continent of Africa is huge, and incredibly diverse. Each of the 54 nations that make up Africa have their own cultures, foods, geology, history, language and people. No two are alike, and it’s one of the reasons we have enjoyed visiting this continent on several occasions. I encourage you to travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries –
Namibia
Namibia
Why Go to Namibia
When we get the question “What is our favorite country?”, we often list off a dozen or so, and Namibia is always on that list. We had one of our most favorite travel experiences in Namibia. We hired a guide from Wild Wind Safaris to take us for ten days around this remarkably diverse country, and we loved every minute of it. From ocean to mountain to the best safari of our three, Namibia has it all. Learn about our Safari here. Learn about the rest of Namibia here.
Don’t Miss
Everything about Namibia was incredible. If you don’t have ten days though, do a shorter tour and don’t miss Etosha National Park (mind blown) and the astonishing Sossusvlei Dunes. Otherworldly.
Madagascar
Madagascar
Why Go to Madagascar?
Oh My Gosh – it is awesome. The people in Madagascar are generally very poor, but they are also the hardest working people I have ever met. Other than in the very large and crowded capital city of Antananarivo, we felt so safe and welcome. The reason to visit Madagascar is for the incredible nature and wildlife – particularly the lemurs, found nowhere else in the world. We did a private tour (there are so many tour companies to choose from) and really felt we saw a lot of the country in ten days. However, there is much we didn’t see, and I would love to go back. Read here about why I am Mad about Madagascar.
Don’t Miss
Most tours will take you on generally the same route. You definitely want to see Avenue of the Baobabs (also called Baobab Alley), and lemurs, lemurs, lemurs! I had no idea there were so many different kinds. I also LOVED all the chameleons, and others: lizards, insects, butterflies and birds. Be sure and have your guide take you on a night walk – fascinating!
ASIA
Central, East and SE Asia all have a wide variety of culture and people, and the food is also incredible everywhere you go. I loved Vietnam and Japan and Indonesia but I encourage you to step out of the box and consider:
The Stans
The Stans
Why Go to the Stan Countries
Okay so what are The Stans? When I refer to The Stans I am talking about the five Central Asian nations of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. We visited all five of these countries on a 28 day tour with Intrepid travel last fall. I LOVED IT! I was worried about a 28 day tour but Intrepid is so great, our guide was incredible and each of these countries offered all that I dream of in a destination. History, culture, nature, beauty, food….and so much more. Did I have a favorite? Nope. But Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan definitely stand out.
Don’t Miss
The incredible cities of Samarkand and Khiva in Uzbekistan. The night market in Khujand, Tajikistan. Hiking Charyn Canyon and Issyk Lake in Kazakstan, Skazka Canyon and eagle hunting in Kyrgyzstan. Check out Intrepid’s tours to this remarkable region of Asia. I can’t say enough good things about the experience.
Borneo
Borneo
Why Go to Borneo
We made a quick visit to Borneo from Malaysia (where we spent a month) specifically to see the endangered orangutans. We stayed at the incredible Sepilok Forest Edge Resort, right next door to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center. Not a zoo but a place for endangered orangutans to come, at their own free will, to get additional and much needed nourishment. Seeing these creatures, not behind fences, but walking around the wild was so astonishing. I loved it so much.
Don’t Miss
Don’t miss the Sepilok Orangutan Center, and the nearby Labak Bay Proboscis Monkey Reserve. Both incredible. I highly recommend staying at the Sepilok Forest Edge Resort, and if it’s the season, sign up for an evening firefly boat ride.
Philippines
Philippines
Why Go to the Philippines
I have to say, our month on the Philippine island of Panglao was one of the most unexpectedly pleasant places we have been anywhere in the world. It was our first time in the Philippines, and we really had no expectations. What we found was sunshine, inexpensive restaurants, kind people, beautiful beaches and THOUSANDS of scooters.
Don’t Miss
One of our most astonishing days on Bohol was visiting the Philippine Tarsier Foundation Sanctuary and getting up close and personal with the endangered, fascinating and teeny Tarsier. Our other absolutely do-not-miss thing is snorkeling with a guide off of Napaling Reef on the NW side of Panglao. One of my favorite snorkeling experiences ever.
OCEANIA & SOUTH PACIFIC
Sometimes overlooked and misunderstood, this vast area of 14 island nations is difficult to get to, thus less touristed. But so worth it. Australia and New Zealand, two of our favorite countries, are totally worth visiting. And many people do visit, despite how difficult they are to reach. Although we are not planning to see all of the islands in this region, we do hope to visit a few more in the years ahead. So beyond Australia and New Zealand you should consider something completely different;
French Polynesia
French Polynesia
Why Go to French Polynesia
Often mistakenly referred to as Tahiti, the island nation of French Polynesia is made up of 118 islands, one of which is Tahiti. We spent seven weeks on the island of Moorea, with a quick three days on Bora Bora. I loved the laid back island vibe of Moorea, even though there isn’t much going on. We hiked, snorkeled, relaxed, ate great seafood and loved every day. Moorea is a big dive destination too.
Don’t Miss
Moorea can be reached by ferry from Papeete, Tahiti where the international airport is. But to access other islands there is also a small airport on Moorea. We loved our food tour, learning about the unique local cuisine, a mix of many immigrants and islanders. I also took two cooking classes with CookLab Cooking School, and we loved a day trip to Coco Beach.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Why Go to Papua New Guinea
A caveat. This country is not for everyone. It was not a pleasure cruise. Papua New Guinea has lots of issues from crime to poor water and bad infrastructure. But, it also has one of the most ancient cultures still remaining on this planet. It was eye-opening to attend the annual Goroka Festival, where more than 100 tribes descend to spend a weekend dancing and celebrating in their native costume. I will never forget it.
Don’t Miss
The Goroka Festival. Hands down one of the most incredible cultural experiences of my life. Village visit – make sure you have a tour that will take you into the villages to see this ancient way of life on this remote island. Our tour also included some amazing bird watching excursions – and we saw the elusive bird of paradise. It’s far from five-star hotels and first class dining, but it will make you a better person.
Travel to These Unexpectedly Amazing Countries
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Unknown.
We have worked hard, given up a lot, but have no regrets about the travel life we have created. I know some of the places we visit are not for everyone. But I implore you to consider travel to these unexpectedly amazing countries. Choose wisely in this time of both political and travel unrest. Be courteous and kind to host countries, and be aware of the impact you are making. The world is huge. There are so many undiscovered places to visit, many without millions of other tourists crowding the sites and restaurants. Be an explorer not a tourist. Just go.
PLEASE NOTE – we are heading out for the first of two North American road trips this summer. I will be posting regularly on Instagram but will not have a blog post on Friday for a few weeks. Wednesday Book Reviews will continue. Follow us on Instagram here.
We love it when you save, pin, share and comment on our posts. Thank you.
I have been a fan of V.E. Schwab ever since I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue about five years ago. At that time I did not see myself as a fantasy reader. But Schwab changed that with her unique style of reality against fantasy and good against evil. I have read a lot of her work since Addie LaRue, and this week I’m sharing another favorite. Here is my Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab.
Ambition
The underlying theme of this mind-bending book is ambition and the evil it begets. The book bounces back and forth over a decade time frame with two brilliant college roommates, Eli & Victor, creating a chaotic and dangerous game for their Senior Thesis. When things go terribly wrong, people start to die. Ambition gets the better of the friends, and they turn against each other after their fascinating discovery – how to create supernatural powers in humans.
Revenge
Victor will end up in prison for ten years, while Eli spends the decade trying to eradicate every other human with super powers. When Victor gets out of prison, he has one goal…revenge. Eli’s own superpower is to heal himself, while his girlfriend has the power to make others obey her. Meanwhile Victor has his own power to give and take-away pain. He meets Sydney, who is running from Eli and has her own remarkable superpower, and with Victor’s prison mate Mitch they hatch a plan to do away with Eli once and for all.
Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab
I really enjoyed this book and found the characters were fascinating and well developed. The story line is fast paced and violent but kept my attention, right up to the final sentence. It’s a story about loneliness, and searching for meaning. It is a story about family and grief and how a superpower is not always about being a hero. It can be about becoming vicious. It’s a story about redemption and bending reality, while coming back around to the strength of friendship.
*****Five stars for Vicious by V.E. Schwab.
Thanks for reading my Book Review Vicious by V.E.Schwab. See last week’s book review Unshackeled by Amanda DuBois. We love it when you comment, pin and share our book reviews. Thank you.
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is; “How do you find information and decide where to go and what to do when making travel plans?” In today’s world where we have a computer in our pocket, it is so incredibly easy! I can’t imagine trying to live a full-time travel life 30 years ago without the instant access we have now. Today travel apps, travel blogs and Pinterest are my go to source for ideas on places to travel and things to do.
That said, it can also be overwhelming because there is SO MUCH information out there. Where to start? I recommend you narrow it down and one of my favorite apps is GPSMyCity. You have seen me mention GPSMyCity multiple times in my blog posts over the years. It is a great place to get guided map tours, as well as read travel articles from experienced travel writers…like me! It’s fun to Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App.
Why GPS My City?
This app is great…and it just keeps getting better. For years we have used it for guided walking tour all around the world. Now, travel writers like myself will have featured articles you can download directly through the GPSMyCity App. Once downloaded it will be available to you to use, even without internet connection.
I am partnering with GPSMyCity, as one of their featured travel writers. For a limited time (July 7-21, 2025) my readers will have access via the GPSMyCity app to three of my articles FREE of charge;
It’s an awesome opportunity to check out GPSMyCity, and get to know a fabulous travel planning tool. A tool that I have used around the world in many of the 147 countries to learn, grow and experience the rich cultures and history of the world. Just like me, you can Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App.
Next use the search bar to type in any destination. Chances are good you will find a travel article (maybe mine!) for the destination you want to explore.
Next download the articles so you have access to them offline…then get ready to explore!
Try It Today
Want to try it? You definitely should. Click and get started at www.GPSMyCity.com and be sure to check out my free featured articles between July 7-21 so you can Travel Smart and Easy with GPS My City App.
Port Gamble, Washington, at the northern tip of the Kitsap Peninsula, is a historic mill town. Founded in 1853 by Pope and Talbot’s Puget Mill Company. Originally known as Teekalet, the name was changed to Port Gamble after the bay it is situated on. Let me tell you about one of my favorite Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Port Gamble Washington.
Stroll around this preserved mill town
History
Founders Josiah Keller, William Talbot, and Andrew Pope developed the company town reflecting the New England style of East Machias, Maine. Port Gamble served as a lumber community, shipping lumber worldwide. After 142 years, the mill closed in 1995. The town has been preserved as a National Historic Landmark District, showcasing its unique 19th-century architecture.
So many historic buildings to admire
Entrance to the Historic Museum
Registered Historic Landmark
Where is Port Gamble
It’s a perfect stop for travelers headed to the Olympic Peninsula via Bainbridge Island or the Kitsap Peninsula. An unincorporated community, it is part of the Port Gamble Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. Port Gamble sits on the west side of of Port Gamble Bay and near the shores of Hood Canal. The Port Gamble S’Kallam Reservation is on the east side. It is definitely a Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Port Gamble Washington.
A perfect place to order a take away lunch and wander down to the picnic tables with a view. Easy to order ahead on the website. There are a few tables inside too and a great espresso stand.
Butcher Baker Provisions is housed in a historic service station
Shared this giant fried chicken sandwich with my mom. It was amazing
You must spend some time in this unique shop with a wonderful selection of unique items. For gifts or for yourself, it’s hard to leave the Port Gamble General Store without a treasure. A small cafe in the back serves sandwiches and ice cream. A new restaurant is slated for late 2025 as well.
With extra time you should visit this lovely forested 3500 acre park. Trails for walking, biking, and horses, and access to water for kayaks. Just south of the town of Port Gamble.
Port Gamble Heritage Forest Park
Make a Visit
Port Gamble is close to many other fabulous Kitsap Peninsula destinations like Poulsbo and Bainbridge. It is also an easy day trip from Bremerton, Tacoma, or Seattle. Make a visit to this true hidden gem, and step back in time for a perfect day. It is a favorite Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Port Gamble Washington.
You may read this title and think – Portland is not a hidden gem. I absolutely agree! Quirky and delicious Portland is far from a hidden gem. It is a well known Oregon destination and Oregon’s largest city (620,000). But tucked away in its fabulous little neighborhoods are many wonderful places that are hidden gems. And a few of those I am going to share with you in today’s post, Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Portland Oregon. And don’t miss a special offer in this post for a special Portland tour…
Welcome to Oregon
Portlandia
The land of Portland is home to many iconic places including Powell’s City Books, Voodoo Donuts, The Pearl, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland Japanese Garden, McMenamins and the Portland Trail Blazers – to name a few. All of these awesome and well known. But on our recent visit to Portland we set out to visit new to us places. We were looking for places that locals likely know, but me as a visitor had yet to explore. We found a colorful and fun collection of Portland treasures. So here they are, my hidden gems of the Pacific Northwest – Portland Oregon. I welcome you to add more in the comments!
The famous Portland Oregon sign
Go Outside
My visits to Portland have always been brief – a day or two at the most. But I had a little more time on this long weekend, so we made a point to enjoy some outdoor hiking and flower sniffing;
This immense urban forest park covers more than 5100 acres with over 80 miles of trails. We were astonished by the vast park just west of the city of Portland. We did a five mile hike through thick forests and shared the trail with a few other hikers, walkers and mountain bikers. It was beautiful, peaceful and a true hidden gem.
Not to be missed, the hillside Hoyt Arboretum is a testament to Portland’s forefathers who valued forests and education and had the foresight to preserve this beautiful space. Open year around and FREE OF CHARGE this amazing park is home to 2300 species from around the world. I highly recommend it..
I don’t know how I have never been here. We were lucky to visit during the peak of rose season, and we absolutely marveled in this free park, home to 10,000 individual rose bushes. Founded in 1889, the Portland Rose Society is a nonprofit organization offering educational programs on rose culture and encouraging the use of roses in the landscape. The primary purpose of the garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. I will certainly visit here again in the future.
A definite hidden gem. I will stay here again. We chose this hotel because it was close to Keller Auditorium where we were seeing Elvis Costello in concert. It’s a bit south as far as downtown is laid out, but we walked everywhere (five minutes to the river and 15 minutes to the Pearl). For only about $160 a night we had a comfortable room, secure parking (extra), beautiful patio, breakfast, excellent happy hour and a free s’mores hour. How fun is that?
Comfy room at Hotel Zags
Funky and fun art at Hotel Zags – a definite hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest
Happy Hour at Hotel Zags
S’mores Hour every night at Hotel Zags
Wander Wonder
On Saturday we decided to just wander, both on foot and in the car and here are a few hidden gems we discovered along the way;
Southeast Division street is one of Portland’s coolest neighborhoods with eclectic mix of funky, fun and food too. We were not looking for anything specific, but I had never wandered this area, so that is exactly what we did. Great coffee shops, restaurants, vintage, book store and more.
Not a hidden gem for locals, this riverside market is celebrating 50 years, and is one of the original outdoor markets. Today every town seems to have a farmers or craft market. But this one is tried and true and not to be missed when visiting Portland on a weekend.
Serving Portland since 1919, they don’t make ’em like this anymore. Selling classic western, cowboy boots, Pendleton blankets and more. It’s like stepping back in time.
Yep. I said Ghost Tour. We have done one other Ghost Tour in our travels and loved it. A Ghost Tour is much like a walking history tour, but with some terrifically tragic history and often debauchery thrown in. We booked with USA Ghost Adventures (similar tours around the country) and our Portland Ghost Tour guide Victoria Rose was spot on for the theme. Dressed the part and with a wonderful tour presentation, which she told me she had worked to develop and present over a decade. Portland has some sad events, much like most of the rough and tumble west coast cities that developed in the 1800’s. We learned about the Shanghai Tunnels, Portland’s Chinatown (once one of the largest in the country and today just a shell of itself), the tuberculosis plague, prohibition and prostitution. The tour ended at what is considered one of the city’s most haunted space – a parking lot. Here the site of a mass grave for dozens if not hundreds of the Chinook Nation. After three structures burnt to the ground on this property, no one will build there and it is a parking lot.
Learning Portland History
Old Town
I am a ghost skeptic, but I enjoyed the tour a lot, learned great history and stories and found our guide very entertaining. I highly recommend it for something educational, fun and fantastical. And if you book this tour (or maybe you want to try the Lizzie Borden tour), my readers get a 10% discount. So why not try it? Use Code FAB50S when booking at US Ghost Tours – if you dare…
Lots of tunnels run under our feet in Old Town
Victoria Rose had a fun and engaging tour
A little editing magic to this photo for a spooky effect
Fill Your Belly
Of course no matter where we are, food plays a big part in our travels. Portland is a wonderful foodie city, with something for everyone. We went in search of new-to-us places – from one of Portland’s top rated restaurants to Portland’s famous Food Truck Pods. Here is what we found;
Portland is home to 76 Food Truck “pods” as they are called here, with more than 500 food trucks/carts active. Isn’t that amazing? Though not the original city to host food trucks, Portland was one of the earliest municipalities to embrace this food culture. Today it is a integral part of this foodie town. We had never explored the “pods” located on the east side of the river, so on this trip we drove to the Hawthorne Asylum Food Pod located in Southeast Portland. We found street parking and enjoyed this colorful and busy spot, with delicious local beer too. I would go back here for sure.
As many of our readers know, we like beer. Well my husband loves beer. And Portland, like much of the Pacific Northwest, is a beer lover’s haven. Arne chose to visit Grand Fir Brewing where we enjoyed several of their beers and a really delicious lunch too. Grand Fir has a female brewmaster and owner, so I’m all over supporting women owned, local owned and Pacific Northwest businesses. Food was great too.
Born in Portland in 1999, Stumptown Coffee (Portland was once nicknamed Stumptown after they cut down all the trees) can now be found in many other cities too. But Portland loves their Stumptown, so we had to try it. We loved the funky vibe of the Stumptown location in Old Town, and it was a great place to have a cuppa, and watch Portland wake up.
One of the best meals we have had in a long time, we chose Q because it had great ratings and it was walking distance from our hotel. Service was great and they asked right up front if we had a time crunch. Since we were headed to a concert at Keller Auditorium, they assured us we would get out with plenty of time.
Warm olives and hummus
Amazing Lamb
The menu was amazing, unique and northwest. We started with warm olives and a delicious deep fried spring roll. So good. I chose the lamb, although I was waffling and almost had the catch of the day. Lamb was perfect. Arne had Osso Bucco, one of his favorites and certainly not something I make for him at home! So we were both very happy with the food, service and the ambiance. Reservations a must at this trendy Portland hot spot. Don’t miss it!
Portland’s go-to for comfort food since 1992, we had to visit for the first time, after reading the reviews. It was a Sunday and also Father’s Day so I was really glad we had made reservations. It was crowded, but the food was great and the coffee even better. I had the Northwest Salmon Hash and Eggs and Arne chose the Corned Beef Hash and Eggs. I was tempted by the Eggs Benedict, but I order that so often I thought I would be a rebel and try something new. Glad I did!
What a wonderful surprise to find Nordic Northwest, a place I had never heard of before. We went in search of Olle Bolle, the last of the Pacific Northwest Thomas Dambo trolls I wanted to see. And “ya sure ya betcha” we found him – at Nordic Northwest. What a wonderful spot for food and education and heritage of the Nordic history of the region.
Olle Bolle at Nordic Northwest
Peek a boo!
About 20 min outside of Portland, check out the Nordic Northwest calendar of events, make a reservation for good Scandinavian meal, or bring a picnic and enjoy visiting Olle Bolle. The original Scandia House on the property is open for tours a few times a year. Check the schedule to learn more.
I loved it.
My new friend Olle Bolle
Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Portland Oregon
We loved our visit to Portland and enjoyed an adventure to discover new-to-us gems. If Portland is new to you, include our recommendations here in your itinerary. If you are visiting again, you might enjoy some hidden gems, or you certainly can find your own hidden gems in this West Coast city. Thanks for reading my Hidden Gems of the Pacific Northwest – Portland Oregon post.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
