Snoqualmie: small town charm in 30 minutes or less

All too often, we city folk become complacent in our existence. Sometimes, we need to be reminded that life exists outside the city; that there is more to life than work, traffic and Mariners baseball. We need to go outside.

The great outdoors of Snoqualmie lay just a half hour from Seattle. A high-speed trip east on Interstate 90 is all that separates Seattle's towering skyscrapers from the western edge of the Cascades.

So get up and go. Hop in the car and make the drive. Allow yourself at least four hours for the trip, including drive time. Hop on Interstate 5 and transfer to I-90. Follow the it across the floating bridge, through Bellevue and out through the hills and valleys beyond to Snoqualmie.

Get off I-90 at exit 25, heading north on Echo Glen Road. As you enter the city, Echo Glen becomes Snoqualmie Parkway. Follow the parkway through the outskirts of Snoqualmie. Expansive fields abut new housing developments and mini-malls, making for an interesting amalgamation of civilization and nature. But watch out for cops. This is small-town America, and the city of Snoqualmie makes a hefty portion of its profits from out-of-town speeders. On Snoqualmie Parkway, 35 means 35.

When the parkway dead ends, make a left and head down Railroad Avenue Southeast to Snoqualmie Falls. At 270 feet, the falls are among the highest in America -- over 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls. The site draws 1.5 million visitors annually. Nary 100 feet from the parking lot, the covered observation deck offers a striking view of the falls. More adventurous sightseers can follow the half-mile trail through the woods to the base of the falls. The steep grade makes the downhill easy, but remember that you do have to come back up.

At the end of trail, ignore the "No Trespassing" signs and scramble along the rocks to the base of the falls. The view from the base is even more stunning than the one from the observation deck 300 feet above. On a sunny day, bright rainbows can be seen in the mist. Families and couples sit on the rocks, staring in awe at the crashing collision of water and rock.

Back up the trail, at the top of the falls, sits the Euro-styled Salish Lodge. Even though most college students can't afford one of the hotel's 91 rooms (prices range from $249 to $999 per night in the summer), the view from the spacious lobby makes the stop worthwhile. The lodge also boasts an excellent restaurant, also on the pricey side.

Head back up Railroad Avenue to downtown Snoqualmie. It lacks skyscrapers and traffic, but offers only a few square blocks of kitschy shops and restaurants. Be sure to visit Isadora's Antiques and Cafe on Railroad Avenue and Flying Frog Collectables, just off the main drag on King Street.

Get back on Railroad and head a few miles southeast to the neighboring city of North Bend. Visit the Mar T Cafe for a slice of cherry pie and "a damn good cup of coffee." Afterward, get back on North Bend Boulevard, which leads directly to I-90.

And with that, it's time to head back to Seattle, back to the traffic and the skyscrapers and the Mariners. But at least, if only for a few hours, Seattle was put out of mind.