Everyone deserves a quick getaway place where they can escape the rat race and recharge their batteries, even if only for a couple of days. This is especially true when a once-every-century pandemic rears its ugly head.
For partner Carol and me, that destination is the Lake Quinault Lodge, a grand and rustic place built in 1926 in the heart of the Quinault Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula in the northwest corner of Washington State. The drive to and from is both scenic and civilized, just seven hours roundtrip, and includes a healthy stretch alongside the magnificent Pacific coastline.
Consequently, when I received an email about four weeks ago with a VIP offer from the lodge (“three nights for the price of two”), I excitedly opened it. To my dismay, the effective nightly rate was about triple what we were accustomed to paying, so I told Carol our annual visit probably wasn’t in the cards this year. The other shoe dropped three weeks later when Covid-19 resulted in much tighter restrictions on activities in the Evergreen State. For one thing, with inside social gatherings limited to people residing in the same household – effectively banning extended family and close friends – the traditional Thanksgiving meal took on an entirely new meaning this year. Though Carol and I enjoyed a mellow and quiet holiday together, chalk up one more reason why this year has been the most surreal in our lifetime.
But fortuitously, I received a second promotional email from the lodge (“two nights for the price of one”) about 10 days ago. Thanks to plummeting rates, we decided the deal was too good to pass up – so tomorrow we leave for a short two-night stay at the lodge. I’m sure there will be mandatory masks, social distancing, and take-out dining only, but there will also be pristine air, gorgeous scenery, and wide-open nature trails. But even if it rains nonstop, we will gladly hunker down in the oversized leather chairs of the lobby – warmed by a majestic fireplace that burns 24/7 – with a good travel book.
The featured image – fittingly called “Quietude” (which really is an actual word) – was taken from the west end of Lake Quinault on a prior visit to the lodge. For yet more examples of what this area has to offer, please visit the Olympic Peninsula gallery in our online store.
With the contagion surging in so many states, many of us will approach what’s left of the holiday season with trepidation rather than joy. Given the positive news on the vaccine front, however, 2021 will surely be a vast improvement, if not a return to (relative) normalcy. In the meantime, we hope you and everyone in your world stays healthy, safe, and strong.
Ciao for now,
Andrew (“Andy”) Bergh