Hi! I’m Meeshka Brand

An outdoor adventurer who returned to the PNW after receiving my BA in Media & Communications from Goldsmiths, University of London.


I live between the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, surrounded by the Salish Sea. Seeing Mount Rainier reigning over the landscape never gets old.

I love escaping into nature to melt away the stress of being a small business owner, and I do it every chance I get. 

My husband, Colby, and I have been visiting Olympic Peninsula beaches and Washington State parks for over a decade (Salt Creek and La Push are at the top of our list!).

all smiles on Second Beach La Push
Me and Colby on Second Beach in La Push

But in 2021, something shifted. 

I was already a hiker, but that year, I wholeheartedly knew I needed to climb mountains and reach higher elevations. So I did, completing bucket list hikes such as Camp Muir, Mt Ellinor, The Enchantments, and many other adventures. 

Since then, I’ve developed a (mostly) healthy obsession with Cascade volcanoes. 

The mountains are where I feel most alive, but some of my most cherished memories are of beach hikes to this region’s world-class coastline destinations, like Point of Arches and Cape Flattery.

Trips & Hikes

Check out my national park adventures and places I’ve visited over the last few years.

FEBRUARY: Hurricane Hill Trail at Hurricane Ridge

MARCH: Port Angeles beaches including Ediz Hook, Crescent Beach, Salt Creek Recreation Area, Elwha Beach, and East Beach, Moments in Time Trail, Emerald Valley Inn, Mount Storm King Hike, Lake Quinault Lodge, Quinault Loop Trail, Quinault Rain Forest Nature Trail, Ruby Beach

APRIL:
 Mount Si Trail, Mount Walker Trail, Skyline Trail to Camp Muir, Fairholme Beach, Kalaloch Lodge, Tree of Life, Kalaloch Beach 4

MAY: Mailbox Peak Trail (twice!), Mount Townsend Trail

JUNE: Skyline Trail to Camp Muir (twice!), Big Creek Campground, Mount Baker

JULY: Paradise at Mount Rainier: Myrtle Falls & Edith Creek, Skyline Trail, Inspiration Point, Reflection Lake, Narada Falls, Ricksecker Point, Glacier Bridge, Christine Falls; Sunrise at Mount Rainier: Sunrise Nature Trail, Emmons Vista, Silver Forest Trail, Naches Peak Loop Trail, Tipsoo Lake, Stafford Falls, Burroughs Mountain Trail

AUGUST: Port Townsend, Fort Worden, Crescent Beach, Spruce Railroad Trail to Devil’s Punchbowl

SEPTEMBER: East Beach at Lake Crescent, Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, Sol Duc Valley, Sol Duc Falls, Sol Duc Resort, Salmon Cascades

OCTOBER: North Cascades National Park, Blue Lake Trail, Washington Pass Overlook Trail, Diablo Lake, Skyline Loop Trail

January: Lake Quinault & Quinault Rainforest, Maple Glade Rainforest Trail, Kestner Homestead Trail, Merriman Falls, Lake Angeles Trail, Port Angeles, Ediz Hook

Why Trust Me?

I live twenty minutes from the Olympic Peninsula and one-and-a-half hours from the Cascade Mountains. 

I visit Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier in all seasons. In the Cascades, I’ve summited Mount St Helens and Mount Adams and have climbed Mount Baker and Mount Rainier. 

Chances are, I’ve experienced the places you want to go. (My AllTrails app has tracked 555 miles and 125,374 feet of elevation since 2021, and that’s not counting the times I forgot to hit start!) 

Here’s a taste of what I know:

  • Where to find the heartiest breakfast in Sequim, which coffee shop is worth a stop in Port Angeles, and where in Forks you can get BBQ that Texans wait in line for
  • Which accommodations near Olympic National Park are the coziest and most comfortable because I’ve stayed in them myself
  • How to answer “Ashford or Packwood?” when deciding where to stay while visiting Mount Rainier National Park

I know all of this – and more – because I live here! And I’ve done countless hours of research for my own trips. (Nerd alert: planning is my pastime!)

All smiles while hiking Lake 22 in the North Cascades

What You Can Expect

I’m committed to using my in-depth knowledge of this region to help you craft the ultimate Pacific Northwest adventure. 

This site offers comprehensive guides, easy-to-follow itineraries with maps, photos I’ve taken myself, and tried-and-true tips—everything you need to make the most of your trip to this inspiring region—all written by a local with first-hand experience.

Let’s Go!

If you’re looking for a guide with insider knowledge about the places you want to visit, you’re in the right place. 

It’s my absolute pleasure to be that planner friend you didn’t even know you needed, helping you discover the magic of the Pacific Northwest.

So glad you’re here.

xo, Meeshka


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