Weekend in Packwood, Washington
We spent a weekend in Packwood, Washington, meeting one of my wife’s longtime friends from Asheville and finally bringing our families together after years of living across the country from each other. The whole trip was anchored by a magical short-term rental tucked near the mountains.
We stayed in a beautiful house on a quiet road beside the river in Packwood, Washington. The weather delivered the usual Pacific Northwest shoulder-season drama.
We were there to meet up with one of my wife’s longtime friends from Asheville. They had known each other for years, but living on opposite sides of the country meant our families had never really had the chance to meet. They were in the area for a graduation ceremony, which gave us the opportunity to finally connect.
There is something strange and wonderful about meeting people who have been part of someone’s life through stories for so long. The boys took to each other immediately, which made everything feel easy, if a little exhausting. They ran around, built their own little world, and seemed completely unbothered by the rain.
The house sat right on the river. The family brought fishing poles, and my son caught two fish. It felt like one of those moments you recognize as a core memory while it’s happening.
We did venture into town, including a stop at the brewery, where the food was, generously, not the highlight. Fortunately, the library nearby was open. Visiting local libraries has become one of our family’s favorite travel traditions, so the outing ended up being a success anyway.
We ended the visit with a hike, which included finding a mole and some strange flora. I'm already looking forward to our next visit to the area.
