Port Orchard, WA Outdoor Activities

Since the 1950s, the Seattle University Athletics program has been all over the collegiate athletic landscape, leaving their post as a vaunted member of the NCAA Div. I for the NAIA in the 1970s, where they stayed until the fall of 2002, when they entered the NCAA Div. II. Though the school’s history chronicles periods of turbulence, it also encompasses a laundry list of indelible athletes; basketball Hall of Fame inductee Elgin Baylor led the Redhawks to an NCAA Championship game in 1958, and tennis star Tom Gorman was twice selected as an NCAA All-American, paving the way to a pro career in which he attained a top-10 worldwide ranking. In its relatively brief time in the NCAA Div. II, the Redhawks have won two NCAA titles in men’s swimming and one men’s soccer championship, for which the team was awarded rights to the Seattle Space Needle.

Chocolate lovers unite at the Northwest Chocolate Festival, an annual event dedicated not just to eating chocolate in its many forms, but to tracking its journey from cacao bean to confection. Visitors hone their expertise through seminars on trade equity and cacao farming, chocolate-making workshops led by confectioners, and tastings where palates learn to distinguish between milk chocolate and a chocolate bar clumsily forced inside a milk jug. A portion of the proceeds from the event benefits local nonprofits aligned with the festival’s mission. Recipients are announced yearly.

Meadowmeer Golf & Country Club’s nine-hole course takes golfers on a pin-hunting odyssey through fairways and greens nestled in the shadows of dense tree lines. The scaled-down layout boasts dual sets of tees, creating front- and back-nine experiences unique enough to convince near-sighted sand wedges that they are playing a full-length course. The course shares its grounds with a practice area for chipping, pitching, and driving, as well as a nine-hole practice green, which helps players get a feel for the speed of greens without having to bribe an earthworm.

In 1987, indoor climbing was as unpopular in the Seattle area as breeding labradoodles. But Vertical World––a pioneer indoor climbing gym––introduced the city to the up-and-coming sport of rock climbing in a controlled environment. Since its inception, the gym has expanded to three other locations in Everett, Tacoma, and Redmond, the latter hosting eastside climbers for more than 20 years.

A team of experienced route creators challenges climbers with more than 200 bouldering, lead, or top-rope routes in a wide variety of difficulty levels. The gym hosts competitive youth teams that have gone on to national or world tournaments. The gym's staff of climbers and guides also leads outdoor excursions that build confidence and teach novices how to identify a rock wall in the wild.

Brew up a 4,000-square-foot batch of brew-fun with this Groupon: a brewery tour of Fremont Brewing for seven bucks. Fremont Brewing is a family-owned microbrewery dedicated to brewing really good organic brews. You also get a pint glass and complimentary pint of Fremont's signature Universale Pale Ale or Interurban India Pale Ale with the tour.Follow @Groupon_Says on Twitter.

As Seattle Food Tours takes you on a two-and-a-half-hour perambulation of Pike Place Market, they'll introduce you to their handpicked favorite restaurants, chefs, farmers, gourmet shops, and artisanal food purveyors. Depending on the tour, you might try award-winning local clam chowder, sample fresh English crumpets, or lick authentic Italian gelato made with fresh local fruit. Past tours have also included Chinese herb teas, locally produced cheese, alder-wood-smoked salmon, and a whole bunch of other James Beard award-winning chefs, organic seasonal fruits, international wines, and more. The surprise is much of the fun, so buy extra Groupons for up to three friends, and spend an afternoon telling each other, "Here, you have to try this."