Day Tripping to Washington: Mall-hopping in the Evergreen State

One of the best things about living in the Lower Mainland is that you can easily partake on impromptu American shopping trips.  Hitting up certain retail landmarks in Washington is kind of a rite of passage.  All you need is a car, ipod, and daytrip buddy for the perfect mini-vacation on your day off! 

Here’s where you need to go:
Start out at Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham.  It’s really close to the border, so it’s a good bet of you want to jet over to pick up a few things.  There are plenty of stores we don’t have in Vancouver, and the prices are much lower, so a visit is always worth your time.  Absolutely do not forget to go to Target for a bottle of wine.  They have amazing, good quality wines that are pennies compared to what we pay in BC. 

If you’re not done yet you should probably hit up Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip.  This is the motherload; bring lots of cash.  The Coach outlet has purses up to 80% off, Burberry is marked down so it’s almost affordable, and Michael Kors abounds.  Don’t even get me started on BCBG Final Cut.  It is perfectly acceptable to spend several hours (and several hundred dollars) here. 

Finally, if you still haven’t found what you needed, you can hit up Nordstrom Rack.  There’s one in Lynnwood if you don’t want to go all the way down to Seattle, but it’s still a fair drive south.  If you’re not strapped for time you may as well head into Seattle for a taste of the Emerald City.  Downtown offers a sizeable Nordstrom Rack that one can’t seem to leave empty-handed. 

While you’re in the land of the free, you may as well partake in some of their superior Mexican food.  Yes, Vancouver has good Mexican restaurants, but our southern brethren just tend to do it better.  If you’re on the go, hit up any location of Chipotle for a delicious, quick burrito.  I’ve known people to go on pilgrimages specifically for Chipotle, so you can rest assured it’s in no way comparable to Taco Time. 

If you decided to make the trek to Seattle, go to Mama’s Mexican Kitchen.  Seattle’s oldest Mexican restaurant, Mama’s is a family joint with a little kitsch and a lot of heart.  Grab some tacos and a Cadillac Margarita and take a well-deserved rest after your excursion.  Don’t go overboard with the margaritas though, you still have to drive back!

~ Meghan Roberts

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