A Brand New Seattle Beachfront Rental + 5 Tips for a Great Weekend Trip

A weekend getaway to a beach house in Seattle is the perfect opportunity to relax, unwind, and enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. With our famous rugged coastline, abundant water, and access to a thriving city scene, a weekend trip has so much to offer. Before you go, here is a home tour of a stunning new Des Moines rental and some tips to get the most out of your trip!

1. Plan Ahead and Book Early: Securing a beach house in Seattle can be competitive, especially during peak seasons. To avoid disappointment, start planning your weekend getaway well in advance. Research and book your beach house rental early to secure the best options. Consider factors such as location, amenities, and proximity to the beach to find the perfect spot that suits your preferences. There are many waterfront areas, some in more urban settings (including houseboats in Seattle!) and some are more remote (Whidbey Island, Vashon Island). This beach house in Des Moines offers a little bit of the best of both worlds. It’s pretty secluded but is a short drive to lots of restaurants and activities.

2. Pack Accordingly: Seattle's weather can be unpredictable, so it's essential to pack clothing suitable for various conditions. Even during the summer, coastal areas can experience cooler temperatures, fog, and occasional rain showers. Layered clothing, including a light jacket or sweater, will ensure you're prepared for any changes in weather. Don't forget to bring comfortable footwear for beach walks and outdoor activities. And if you forget something, enjoy a visit to the downtown Nordstrom flagship!

3. Explore Local Beaches and Parks: Seattle is packed with beautiful beaches and parks waiting to be explored. Take the time to discover some of the area's hidden gems. Alki Beach has a boardwalk that feels very west coast and has a strip of tons of restaurants, Golden Gardens Park is one of the only sand beaches in the area (and allows bonfires!), and Discovery Park is a sprawling park with beach access if you’re up for a little hike (or you can vie for the few parking spots available at the beachfront). This house is situated a little ways south of Seattle just next to the Des Moines Marina and beach, which is a beautiful place for walks and tossing rocks.

4. Embrace Outdoor Activities: Seattle's beach towns offer a plethora of outdoor activities to enjoy. Engage in water sports like kayaking, paddleboarding, or even take a scenic boat tour. This rental comes equipped with kayaks so you can launch straight from shore! If you're an adventure seeker, consider hiking along nearby trails or try your hand at beachcombing. Visit local marinas to rent equipment or join guided tours for a unique experience: Seattle by Pontoon is a great way to take in Seattle views and jump into the refreshing water! If you happen to catch a rainy weekend, the Seattle CityPass is a great way to get into some indoor-friendly activities!

5. Indulge in Local Cuisine: Seattle is renowned for its diverse culinary scene, and a beach house weekend presents an excellent opportunity to savor local flavors. Treat yourself to fresh seafood and all kinds of snacks at Pike Place Market. Visit the Des Moines Farmers Market for a taste of the region's finest produce. Enjoy a sunset dinner with a view at Anthony’s or have a beachfront picnic on a budget.

Enjoy the home tour of this beautiful new Des Moines rental on Airbnb, and book a weekend trip!

Heron Haus | Seattle Airbnb Photographer

Just over an hour from Seattle, Port Orchard is a quaint little seaside town where you can find the Heron Haus. This beautifully appointed vacation rental is designed to bring forth the greatest sense of rest, relaxation and hygge. Set right on the water, the house affords incredible views all day long, with passing ferries and the occasional friendly harbor seal. It’s quiet as can be and is the perfect destination for a close-to-Seattle getaway.

In November I made a trip over to photograph the gorgeous natural interior design and to document a weekend of relaxing travel. I went with a dear old friend and treasured each moment of long conversations and life catching up. There were snacks, there were antiques, there was late night hot tubbin’, and (not pictured) a When Harry Met Sally snack-a-thon with impressive damages.

I recommend taking an old friends getaway ASAP. It’s so nice to have each other all to yourselves and to really catch up, reminisce, life-reflect and CHILL.

@the_heron_haus is generously offering you 20% off your stay with code EMILY20.

Book here 👇👇
theheronhaus.staydirectly.com

*Terms & Conditions: Not available on holidays. Offer not valid in combination with length of stay discounts. Strict cancellation policy, please see Haus rules. Reservation and stay must be completed by 2/28/2023.

Letting That Sh*t Go: A Retrospective

Summer has gone on and on here in Seattle (and the SMOKE) but it’s slowly getting better. A few crisp mornings have felt really good and helped ease me into a different mindset. Unpacking a lot of feelings (as one does) about my habits toward work, and also feeling gratitude for the path I’ve taken and the ways in which I’ve evolved over the years. I had a camera roll moment the other day — you know, when you fall backwards in time and it all replays to you in a new and different sense?

I lost my favorite beanie two Christmases ago. We were staying with family in a big cabin near Chelan and I arrived with it and departed without it. I’ve toiled about it for two years, maybe ridiculously so. I got that beanie when Mike and I first arrived in Seattle years ago. We were getting ready to meet my aunt, uncle and cousins at Kalaloch for our first camping trip (together, ever, and first in WA). It was mid-summer, and we Chicagoans figured we’d be fine in whatever tee and shorts we packed. We were WRONG. As we made our way around the peninsula we were frigid. And wet. And a little panicked. We pulled off in a very very remote Goodwill parking lot and ventured forth to get some warmer gear that we’d probably never use again. I pulled the hat off the rack, gave it a sniff (like one does at Goodwill), and bought it for two or three dollars. It didn’t leave my head (sleeping in a beanie will always feel like camping to me) for four days. After that we were bonded.

The earliest photo of my beloved hat.

Flash forward to the two Christmases ago, I was bulging pregnant with my second and devastated at my loss. Every now and then I go back to the many many many photos I have of myself wearing that hat and study its details trying to compare it to the zillions of other gray wool beanies I’ve seen online. Nothing has been just right, even though I’ve made several 85% right purchases.

I fell into one such hole the other night and came across some photos from 2016. I was miserable. I mean, my face was smiling but my eyes told a different story. I felt so lost during that stage of my life. I was working a job that demanded an incredible amount of my energy, and had some very toxic leadership situations. I was also in a life stage where I was expecting my job to save me. I thought my career would make me happy, or that it should. I felt like I was truly failing because I wasn’t thriving and didn’t see a way out. I googled “how to leave retail” in desperate fits feeling utterly deflated that I hadn’t figured it out.

I could go on about the transformation that happened over the next few years, and about how I left that job and started my own business, but that’s another story for another day. It’s relevant to now because I’ve been making shifts and changes in my own business ever since it started. However, sometimes I get stuck in ruts where I believe that the sum of my suffering is the sum of my tenacity, and that seeing through difficult situations is virtuous, even when those difficult situations are probably toxic and detrimental to my wellbeing. I’m telling myself as much as I’m telling you: the suffering doesn’t do shit. No one is rewarding any suffering on my part. As a matter of fact, that kind of suffering out of dedication’s sake is the biggest drain on my productivity and inner creative genius that is desperate to make bold choices and create from passion.

In a rare moment of total clarity the other night as the lead-heavy blanket of anxiety and doubt was starting to settle in for a long winter’s nap I suddenly zoomed 10,000 feet above myself and realized that the suffering I was enduring was optional. And I decided to end the source of it and stop working on that project. Along with any freedom from a decision to stop something professionally as a freelancer comes the equal and opposite panic of the well of income drying up. But then I remember something my grandpa told me years ago as I was starting out. He had his own business for many years and he said, “Once I started I always had work.” And it’s the truth. The work comes, and it always has. Whatever superstition you might be telling yourself about your income situation (and I’m saying this to myself as much as to you"): freaking cut it out. Look at how far you’ve come, the beautiful things you’ve created, the wonderful people you’ve met. If you think the well is running dry look around at all the beautiful proof that you’re being an utter fool and get on with the good work.

One thing I will not let go of: replacing my hat.

I created these photos for Laude the Label on a beautiful October afternoon as I was basking in all of these thoughts. Laude creates beautifully made pieces that transcend trend and give back to the earth and the people who make the garments. Really good for existential pondering, too. :)

Sleepwear That Makes Me Feel Like an Actual Thriving Lady

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to pajamas my MO had always been convenience and comfort over style. I wore the same cotton shorts and whatever tee for years and years. It never felt special, it always felt like resigning myself to blah-dom. I thought that stylish pajamas were uncomfortable (remember: flannel and lace nightgowns a la 1997, for my fellow millennials?).

Getting to the point: when this Lunya set arrived I was shocked at how much of this design is literally designed for my comfort. Not to mention the washable silk is absolutely gorgeous and the drape of the fit is stunning and falls somewhere between breezy and sexy. (The latter is a word I’m working on taking back from a youth in purity culture, and is feeling good and empowering to use these days.)

After satisfaction after a few spins in front of my mirror I knew the true test would be sleeping in this. Best. Sleep. Ever. The waistband has little grip beads so the shorts don’t twist and the top, even with the low v, didn’t twist and reveal a truly nude self in the morning.

Basically, you can have your cake and eat it too and be comfortable AND sexy and a full-ass grown adult woman thriving.

Shop the Lunya Washable Silk Tank Set and use the code GIFT-EMILYK20 for $20 off your order of $100.

Sleep well!