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13 Sustainable Stays, Eats, Shops, and Experiences in Washington
Written by Christina Harris | November 2, 2020
📷Jaclyn Yost. North Cascades, Washington.
Washington is buzzing with a fresh & exciting sustainable energy. You will find a bit of everything – from access to spectacular National Parks, to pristine eco getaways and even a plant based ice cream shop based in Seattle. Our favorite highlights include visiting the San Juan Islands to see wild orcas in their natural habitat and hiking the trails of Mount Rainier to the highest peak of the Cascade region. Talk about some memorable adventures.
Eco-Accommodations
Skamania Lodge
Source: Skamania Lodge
Price Range – $$$
Skamania Lodge is a stunning, upscale resort style accommodation, set on 175 wooded acres, located within the Columbia River Gorge. This area is known for being where the river meets the forest. It is where adventure meets tranquility, with views of rugged beauty. Spend your days hiking throughout the Gorge, doing yoga or challenging yourself on private fitness trails. Enjoy a world class windsurfing location or simply sip your way through local breweries and wineries. The Lodge has 3 restaurants, a golf course, spa and large conference center- perfect for groups. You will find yourself enjoying all their fantastic amenities & activities. It just so happens, that Skamania Lodge is also a leader in initiating the best environmental practices on site! They offer ways for their guests to decrease their carbon footprint and move to zero single use plastic during their stay – among other things! This gorge-ous stop is a no brainer 😉
Doe Bay Resort & Retreat
Source: Doe Bay
Price Range – $$$
Doe Bay Resort & Retreat is located on untouched waterfront land on Orcas Island. This rustic retreat is off the beaten path and only one mile away from Moran State Park – one of the oldest and largest state parks in the country! This island is a haven known for a plethora of outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking and swimming. There is a “seed to table” cafe, yoga studio, spa and organic garden, along with other fantastic amenities on site. The Resort is aiming to be zero-waste by 2021, and you can read more about how to participate in their sustainable initiatives here. Doe Bay believes that “Magic Happens Here”, whether it be solo travel, an epic family reunion, or a simple trip enjoying slow days – come experience the magic of this icon of the Pacific Northwest!
Ace Hotel
Source: Booking.com
Price Range – $$$
Ace Hotel is a one of a kind hotel chain that focuses on embracing the cities they’re located in by being “energized, human and useful.” You can find this Ace Hotel in the heart of Belltown, within walking distance to the Space Needle, Pike Place Market and the Seattle Waterfront. This unique & boutique hotel has a trendy feeling with many green, eco friendly and sustainable initiatives in place. Ace uses salvaged wood from old homes for building and majority of the furniture is found – they even cover the bed headboards with vintage canvas made from recycled army ponchos! There is a food waste recycling system in place and the hotel’s food scraps are processed into mulch. Your stay at Ace Hotel will offer simple luxury – with everything you need and nothing you don’t.
Socially Responsible Eateries
Café Flora
Source: Café Flora
Price Range – $$
Cafe Flora’s mission is simple: create a community driven space that serves outstanding vegetarian food while caring for the planet, by using local, organic & sustainable produce. Since the start of Cafe Flora they dreamed of building strong relationships with Washington farms. Along with Floret & The Flora Bakehouse, the three teams produce the best vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options throughout Seattle. The menu features modern and sophisticated meals that are inspired by international cuisines.
Homegrown
Source: Homegrown
Price Range – $
Homegrown is doing everything it can to change the food system so that generations to come can live in greater harmony with the earth in the future. They are committed to “Growing with Purpose” by guaranteeing that their food is sustainably sourced and doing the best it can for the people, animals and land. Their storefronts are also designed to be as low impact as possible. Homegrown uses reclaimed & recycled building materials, energy efficient lighting, and there are no trash cans – only 100% compostable and recyclable products! The menu is slow food, served fast. Homegrown believes that something as simple as a sandwich can do big things in the world. There isn’t a part of their sandwiches that have not been thoughtfully crafted, and when you realize how many sandwiches are sold a day, you can really start to envision the positive change it makes on the food system! They call this idea “Sandwich Environmentalism” and it just doesn’t get more delicious than that.
Frankie & Jo’s
Source: Frankie & Jo’s
Price Range – $
Who doesn’t love a great scoop of ice cream? But did you know that your next scoop could be made entirely from plants? Even better! Frankie & Jo’s is making the world change the way we think about ice cream. All their flavors follow a process of creating by base, sugar and inclusions. They use housemade milks (with dairy & nut free options!), organic or alternative sugars, all add-ins are gluten free and 100% plant based, and their cones are homemade daily with fresh ingredients. This is a sweet treat that is both simple and nutritious. Frankie & Jo’s is making a positive impact on communities of people, animals and plants everywhere.
Plum Bistro
Source: Plum Bistro
Price Range – $$
Plum Bistro is located in the Capitol Hill district of Seattle and focuses on serving local, organic, vegan and vegetarian food with a sustainable mission. They believe that eating farm-to-table and plant-based foods with almost no waste is important for our bodies and the environment. The upscale vegan dishes, chic atmosphere and excellent service will impress vegetarians and carnivores alike. They serve classic American style food that includes stand out items on the menu like sloppy-joe sliders that are made from quinoa and Spicy Mac ‘n’ Yease. Check out this neighborhood’s most loved, 100% vegan restaurant!
Social Enterprise Shopping
Moorea Seal
Source: Moorea Seal
Price Range – $$
While shopping around Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, be sure to stop in the beautifully designed flagship store of Moorea Seal. The store showcases handmade goods from 150 USA based designers. It carries lines in fashion apparel, jewelry, skincare products, stationary and more. Moorea Seal supports the community and believes strongly in giving back whenever they can. They are passionate about 5 main causes: “Women’s Rights, Children’s Needs, Environmental Issues, Health Issues and Animal Rights.” Visit the store or browse their collection online – you can even shop by cause on the website and they will donate 7% of the proceeds to a connected non profit! The shop is deliberately warm & inclusive for all are welcome here.
Fremont Vintage Mall
Source: Fremont Vintage Mall
Price Range – $$
This is the vintage mall of your dreams! Fremont Vintage Mall is one of Seattle’s premier vintage & antique shops. Located in the fun and quirky Fremont neighborhood, the shop features anything from art to collectibles to mid century furniture, and just about everything in between. Each item in the shop is being upcycled for a greater use! Exploring the shop will bring nostalgia and feel like stepping right back into your childhood. It is a well organized mess of everything from A to Z. If you love this type of shopping, you’ve come to the right place.
Ethical Experiences
Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching
Source: Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching
Price Range – $$ – $$$
Departing from San Juan Island, join one of Maya’s Legacy Whale Watching tours to experience orca whales in the wild. This tour is considered a “local favorite” for a reason. The crew is passionate about waters and wildlife in the San Juan Islands, and offers an experience that is informative, engaging, and memorable! Maya’s Legacy understands just how important the whales & wildlife are in this region and take the lead in conservation efforts on local, state and national levels. The team is actively involved in the Orca Task Force, salmon population restoration, and supports a variety of research & conservation organizations. You can book one of their experiences for any group size. They offer private charters, photography tours and all day whale and wildlife tours year round. This is an authentic Pacific Northwest experience that only happens once-in-a-lifetime…you won’t want to miss this during your visit.
North Cascades National Park
Source: National Park Foundation
Price Range – $$
North Cascades National Park is full of rugged beauty in mountain peaks, deep valleys, flowing waterfalls and over 300 glaciers – more than any other U.S. park outside of Alaska! You will witness a sensitive landscape that is home to the Earth’s changing climate. You can help take care of our stunning Cascades National Park, by going green during your trip. While planning your visit, consider the many options the park has to offer. You can hike some of the finest mountain country in North America, go boating, biking or wilderness mountaineering through the stunning scenery. You can find all of this and more in less than 3 hours outside of Seattle, and it’s just $35 for 7 whole days of exploring.
Olympic National Park
Source: National Park Foundation
Price Range – $$
Do you love to explore nature and wilderness while traveling? Well, you’re in luck. Washington is just full of beautiful National Parks, and Olympic National Park is no exception. Known for its diverse wilderness that covers nearly a million acres of glacier capped mountains, the Pacific coast and a temperate rainforest; the park protects a wide variety of species, thousands of years of human history and ahandful of vastly different ecosystems. With all this beauty, comes responsibility from visitors. Olympic has many environmental initiatives in place for visitors to follow, such as understanding the park infrastructure, taking any trash you have with you, and reducing carbon emissions as you go. There are many ways to enjoy your time in the park, especially for water lovers and boating enthusiasts. With rivers, lakes and coasts, there are options for visitors to go paddling, boating, tidepooling and fishing. Or camp overnight in the park and spot wildlife like elk, black bears and maybe even whales in the water! There is something for everyone to enjoy during your visit and the week long $35 pass is available at Olympic as well.
Mount Rainier
Source: National Park Foundation
Price Range – $$
Above the Washington landscape lies Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the Cascade Range. The iconic peak reaches almost 15,000 feet above sea level and is the most glaciated in the U.S. It’s still an active volcano, with wildflower meadows surrounding the bottom and a forest that covers the lower slopes. There are many opportunities to explore Mount Rainier’s natural beauty like scenic drives, hiking trails, chasing waterfalls and mountain climbing. Visitors can also consider spending a longer amount of time camping around the mountain grounds. This land is rich in cultural history, and for thousands of years tribal groups gathered here. Since then, areas of the park contribute to the National Historic Landmark District. The park’s environmental factors in air, water and fire are well maintained and protect the native plants and animal species. Explore from the incredible views on top to the great forest below in an adventure you are sure to never forget.
meet the author
Christina Harris
Christina is the Sales & Event Coordinator at ecomadic. She holds a BA in Communications and Event Management and has worked in the travel industry for 3 years. She is a life enthusiast, passionate about travel and people. When she’s not working, you can find her staying active, with a coffee in hand or near the ocean.
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