Gig Harbor, WA

Since we're falling into a bit of a routine here with the school year starting, i'm figurin it's time to start catching up on the blog here a little bit.  We've had some great adventures this summer and i'd love to share some pictures with you.

First up is Gig Harbor, WA.  It's a town nestled on a bay about a 40 mile drive from Seattle with gorgeous views of the water and island topography with Mt. Rainier as the backdrop.  Fitting of this area, you're first views of Gig Harbor come when you cross Sturdy Gertie (the Narrows Bridge).

Gig Harbor taken from Finholm Hill Climb

Gig Harbor residences from Uptown

View of Downtown Gig from opposite shore

 The first day we were there, i focused on gaining my bearings.  After finding the Chamber of Commerce and picking up a couple maps, i drove around locating a few of my areas of interest.  Most of the area is residential, and we're not talking like any kind of middle class residential spots either, so i was a little nervous to be walking around looking for things like lighthouses and such if it looked like i had to "trespass" on property.  The driving out there is easy and gorgeous though.

I had just enough time to investigate the Finholm Hill Climb.  A family by the name of Finholm has a market in Uptown.  They are long time residents of the area.  Behind their store is a huge parking lot with a set of stairs that heads up the cliff there.  It's in the style of an urban park--along the sides of the stairs are beautiful weeping cedars and fir trees with rhodies and such.  It's worth the climb to get views like these.

 
The town is full of little shops from bakeries to whole foods grocers to women's boutique clothing and knick knack shacks.  They even have a cafe with a pottery painting store in it. 

Tomorrow i'll be back with a few little field trips i went on...in the surrounding parks.