Chinaberry Hill An 1889 Grand Victorian Inn Tacoma, Washington - Near Seattle Remarkable garden retreat - Bay views, fireplaces, Jacuzzis, cottage - walk to shops, waterfront restaurants, Antique Row. Contact Info | Email this page to a Friend | Click to see a map  | Visit our Web Site Additional Pages... Introduction Guest Rooms/Rates Breakfast and Coffee Ideal Location Creative Environment for the Business Traveler Comments Kid Friendly Reservation Request Form How to Find Us   Availability Search: See which rooms are available during your stay. Check in: Check out: Powered by Webervations Clear search results Rooms Available from  to  Learn more about these rooms These are our base rates - certain discounts and/or charges may apply

The Pacific Northwest/Puget Sound area is a vacationer’s dream, filled with scenic daytrips exploring natural rainforest settings, rugged coastal and cascade mountain trails, pristine ocean beaches and the many islands and diverse marine life of Puget Sound. Add to that a wealth of antiquing, shopping and nightlife opportunities, along with the Pacific Northwest’s obsession with a good cup of coffee and you’ve got vacation nirvana on your screen.

The following is a list of suggested touring itineraries and key points to achieving the Pacific Northwest Experience during your stay in the Seattle - Tacoma - Puget Sound area. To fully appreciate life in a coffee-induced culture, one must never succumb to simple tourist tactics, such as "buy a guidebook " (or worse, buy several), then drive yourself to distraction in trying to see everything that is labeled "must sees".

You’ll notice, for example, that you will not find the Seattle Space Needle in any of the following lists. The reasoning is simple - it is there, you can’t miss it while you’re touring Seattle - and you’ll eat up valuable experiential time just trying to get to the structure, then up to the top for a quick view, then down, and back out - only to discover it’s just another tall building - not as tall as some, actually - and the best experience is to see it from a distance, anyway).

Very few books even mention the Java Jive (highlighted below), yet what better symbol of coffee mecca exists than a building in the shape of a coffee pot that was pushing caffeine long before Starbucks was even a consideration. And while Starbucks outlets exist in most major cities across the U. S., there is only one Java Jive (it would be impossible to franchise it - but then, who would want to?).

At the same time, it would not do to visit Pike Market and not touch the counter of the VERY FIRST Starbucks. Remember, there are tourist attractions, then there are Pacific Northwest experiences. Off we go...

Step 1. MOST IMPORTANT

Allow yourself plenty of time for:

• Sleeping late
  
• Lingering over breakfast with a friend
  
• Long walks with NO DESTINATION IN MIND
  
• Serious tub soaks with a good book in hand
  

And, of course, consuming massive amounts of coffee while:

• ship-watching from the inn’s wraparound porch
  
• island hopping on the ferries, and
  
• people watching at a nearby waterfront café
  

...after all, a vacation is supposed to be a departure from the over-scheduled lives that most of us lead.

Step 2:

Review amount of days allocated to visit and add at least 2 more.

Step 3:

Review amount of vacation/personal days still available. Repeat step 2.

(ok, ok - we know you want to save a few vacation days for other trips and cleaning out the garage - just don’t shortchange yourself on the Pacific Northwest experience).

Step 4:

Depending upon the amount of travel time you’ve accumulated from steps 2 and 3, select from our suggested "java journeys" outlined below:

Java Time: 6 months - 1 year

Lucky you! Forget the vacation - just pack your bags & move here!

Java Time: 1 month

Life is just too wonderful - everyone else will be crazed with envy, cuz you get to see everything AND have lots of time to do nothing:

• 1 week in Seattle/Tacoma area (of course, we know a great inn that we could recommend...)
  
• 1 week in Victoria/West Vancouver Island/Vancouver area (don’t miss Butchart Gardens and the B.C. Museum in Victoria, as well as Stanley Park in Vancouver)
  
• 1 week on the Oregon Coast
  
• 1 week in the Olympic National Park (be sure to visit the Hoh Rainforest, coastal beaches, and the boardwalk trails thru the dense rainforest and secluded ocean beach at Lake Ozette).
  
• And back to Seattle/Tacoma area for the last night
  

Java Time: 3 weeks

• 1 week in Seattle/Tacoma area
  
• 3 nights/days in Olympic Peninsula
  
• 3 nights/days in Victoria
  
• 2 nights in Vancouver
  
• 5 nights on Oregon Coast
  
• and back to Seattle/Tacoma area for last night
  

Java Time: 2 weeks

• 1 week Seattle/Tacoma area
  
• 3 nights - Olympic Peninsula
  
• 2 nights - Victoria
  
• 1 night Vancouver
  
• and back to Seattle/Tacoma area for last night
  

Java Time: 1 week

• 4 nights Seattle/Tacoma area
  
• 1 night Olympic Peninsula
  
• 1 night Victoria
  
• and back to Seattle/Tacoma area for last night

Java Time: 5 days

Seattle/Tacoma area

Main attractions and daytrip opportunities are listed below (can probably do 5-6 in a 5 day visit - or just do 3 and explore Tacoma’s historic neighborhood, waterfront park, and downtown theatre district on foot (10 - 15 min walk from Chinaberry Hill). Take in a play, concert, movie, grab a cup at Grounds for Coffee or a brew and meal at The Swiss - both have live music regularly).

• Pt. Defiance Rainforest Park, Zoo & Aquarium (Tacoma - 15 minutes from inn - can also take the ferry from Pt. Defiance to Vashon Island, an artist community w/several galleries, then on to Seattle via another ferry).

• Pike Market, Pioneer Square & Underground Tour, Pacific Science Center (Seattle - 45 min to Pike Market)

• Mt. Rainier & Northwest Trek (45 min - 1 hr from inn)

• Victoria via Washington State passenger ferry in Pt. Angeles (2 hrs drive, 1/2 hour crossing time, several departure/return times throughout the day) - or you can take the Victoria Clipper passenger ferry from Seattle (2.5 hr crossing - costs quite a bit more, since is privately run, and only departs once per day, at 8 am).

• Antique Row (be sure to visit Sanford & Sons and Ramp Art - both are truly unique and wonderful!), Tacoma Art Museum, Union Station (Chihuly Art Glass exhibit), and Washington State History Museum (Tacoma - 5 minutes from Chinaberry Hill.)

• Ocean beaches and rainforest trails at Lake Quinalt - Olympic National Forest (1.5 hrs to beach from inn, another hour to Lake Quinalt National Forest).

• Mt. St. Helens and Centralia Antique District (2 hrs from inn to mountain, catch Centralia along the way).

• Gig Harbor - quaint fishing village - great photo opportunities, shops, restaurants, sea-kayaking (20 min from Chinaberry Hill).

• There’s also a lot of shops, eateries in Proctor Shopping District (North Tacoma, 5 min from inn) and Freighthouse Square (old railroad warehouse by Tacoma Dome - 10 min from inn).

Java Time: 2 days

Seattle/Tacoma area

• Seattle Pike Market and Underground Tour
  
• Pt. Defiance Rainforest Park & Aquarium
  
• Antique Row and/or Washington State History Museum (Grab a bite and a brew at The Swiss, just a few blocks from the museum)

Don’t forget the Java Jive! (see above)

Java Time: 1 day

Just make a day of it at Seattle’s Pike Market and Pioneer Square (be sure to catch the Seattle Underground Tour!). Enjoy a leisurely dinner at Elliott’s or Ray’s Boat House (great seafood), along the waterfront - or just eat your way throught the Market - lots of little specialty stands - seafood, bakeries, ethnic eateries.

or...

Rent a car and drive to Tacoma’s Pt. Defiance Park. Walk the trails, make friends with the Beluga Whales at the Aquarium. You can spend the entire day in this wonderful Pacific Northwest forest setting or...

Catch the ferry to Vashon Island and cruise a couple of art galleries - shop for a few good used books at the Book Monger - or rent a kayak for a couple hours and cruise along Quartermaster bay - then return to Tacoma.

Watch the sunset from one of the waterfront restaurants along Ruston Way (Lobster Shop, Luciano’s and C.I. Shenanigans are sure bets), then catch some live music and a few brews at The Swiss (don’t miss Chihuly’s glassworks above the bar - a Swiss regular and world-renowned glass-blowing artist, Chihuly loaned them to the pub to add a little local "color" to the place - the pieces are reminiscent of "Dr. Seuss does blown art glass" - each one is worth at least $30K, we’re told).

Java Time: Quick layover at SeaTac airport

Don’t despair - there’s a Starbucks coffee stand in the main terminal. Order a Seattle Starbucks mug and double Latte, cruise the airport shops, purchase an oversized Seattle T-shirt, glossy postcard of Mt. Rainier and a promising Pacific Northwest novel. Better luck next time!

Note: There’s LOTS of other daytrip options in addition to the above suggestions, including:

Seattle Art Museum and galleries, ferries to San Juan Islands, where you can explore forts, cruise local art shops, kayak - and maybe even spot whales or dolphins, local wineries, Boeing Museum of Flight, San Juan de Fuca/Dungeness Spit Wildlife Preserve, Nisqually Wildlife Preserve, Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Forest, Glass blowing schools - open for touring, Snohomish (another cute historic town with lots of antique shops), Spirit of Washington and Mt. Rainier scenic dinner trains...

Friendly Tip: You’ll notice it is awfully green here. Yes, it does rain in the Pacific Northwest - and quite regularly, we might add. To take full advantage of the weather during your stay, it’s best to be somewhat flexible - is it a sunny day when you come down for breakfast or are the weather guys predicting a clear sunny afternoon? Maybe this is the day to visit Mt. Rainier, hike the rainforest trails or do a little beachcombing. Clouds moving in? Try exploring the local antique shops or touring some of the museums on your list.

If you’re planning to be far afield from the inn for the day, be sure to take plenty of layers of clothing, a light jacket - and maybe even an umbrella (although carrying an umbrella is considered wimpy, and will definitely identify you as a tourist to the locals).

Did You Know... We know that you’re dying to try the Pacific Northwest salmon and seafood dishes - and you won’t be disappointed. While you’re here, however, be sure to try a few Asian restaurants, as well. Many Pacific Rim chefs have found their way to the Seattle - Tacoma area and are gaining international recognition for their unique approach to Asian cuisine.

There are many to choose from - a few of our favorites are:

Wild Ginger - Seattle
East & West Café - Tacoma
Fujiyas - Tacoma
Hunan Garden - Gig Harbor

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