South of the (tech) Border

If you head south on I-5 away from Seattle, eventually you’ll pass out of the tech/coffee/artisanal bubble dome to quieter, gentler towns around Tacoma and Olympia. One very charming example of this is Gig Harbor, a deep water recreational port in the lower parts of Puget Sound.

We stayed at a great, small hotel right on the main drag and across from the big marinas. A couple of small, local roasters provided beans to a few of the shops I looked at before settling on The Harbor General Store. An attentive staff hooked us up with bagels, muffins and cereal for the kids. The drip was decent; the atmosphere relaxing.