Union Hill-Novelty Hill, WA Outdoor Activities

To say Mark Coleman knows how to fish is an understatement. Coleman, the owner of All Rivers & Saltwater Charters, has mastered the art of side drifting, float fishing, hover fishing, back bouncing, and jigging during his more than 10 years exploring the Pacific Northwest’s waterways. In the process, he earned captain certification from the US Coast Guard, a distinction also earned by each member of his team.

Aboard vessels that range from the 29-foot Reel Tight to a 16-foot, nonmotorized drift boat, Coleman and his staff lead chartered fishing trips through fresh- and saltwaters. All Rivers & Saltwater Charters have caught fish on the Columbia and Olympic Peninsula rivers, traveled the waters outside Anacortes and the San Juan Islands, and explored Puget Sound. Voyages pursue salmon, steelhead, lingcod, sturgeon, and other types of fish. The team can also lead fishing lessons for newbies, teaching essential fly-casting techniques, including the correct grip, the different casting styles, and how to use homemade tiramisu as bait.

From camps to charity events to standard rentals, Northwest Paddle Surfers' watersport professionals help create laid-back adventures with a fleet of stand-up paddleboards. Atop Lake Washington's placid waters, the company's instructors teach pupils how to balance on boards and use paddles to stir giant cups of cocoa. Pine trees and lakefront vistas backdrop the on-water classroom, beckoning each student to explore aquatic locals such as Juanita Bay. Elsewhere, YogaTone classes held on paddleboards challenge participants to stretch and breathe deeper

Seattle Scenic Flights' skilled pilots offer you a chance to see the city in a brand-new way: from the clouds. On flights ranging in duration from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, you'll get a bird's-eye view of landmarks such as Lake Washington, Safeco Field, Qwest Field, and Fisherman's Terminal. Enjoy aerial freedom like a sparrow on parole as you soar above the Space Needle, downtown Bellevue, and the University of Washington.

Seattle Scenic Flights can also set up aspiring pilots on an introductory flight lesson to the San Juan Islands. You and a friend will commandeer a Cessna Skyhawk with an FAA Certified Flight Instructor for a flight to the islands, where you'll then deplane for two hours to shop for souvenirs, savor the local fare, or snap pictures before heading back toward the mainland. Your flight counts 100% towards the FAA requirements for pilot training and will be documented in an official pilot logbook.

As a nonprofit organization rather than a sailing club or boat-rental shop, Sail Sand Point floats an enriching nautical experience over come-and-go boating. The five-use open boating punch card grants access to SSP's sailboats, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards for a quintet of 90-minute excursions during open boating hours through October 27. Although only the vessel's captain has to fulfill all five of SSP's open-boating requirements and pen a Whitman-worthy schooner sonnet, any passengers must complete a medical/liability waiver. The craft-curious can get a taste of sailing in the adult two-hour intro course before deciding to commit to a wardrobe of lifejackets and whale pants. After learning some sailing 101 from a US Sailing–certified instructor, students board a boat and practice newly-learned techniques on the waves of Lake Washington.

Helicopters Northwest's squad of certified flight Instructors and commercial pilots mans a fleet of Robinson R22 and R44 helicopters for training sessions and tours. Teachers team up with students for individualized new-pilot preparation or add-on sessions for experienced pilots eager to acquire additional ratings in one of five areas, including private pilot and certified flight Instructor – instrument.

Individuals interested in taste-sampling the skies can stick out their tongues during introductory 30-minute flights and aerial-photography flights, designed for snapping shots of boats in motion or breathtaking scenery below. Said scenery is also accessible via Helicopters Northwest's three Seattle tour packages, which hoist guests 500–1,000 feet in the air for bird's-eye views of cherished Seattle landmarks such as Snoqualmie Falls.

Though some ghost tours regale customers with tales of vampires and witches who haunt the local area, or at least visit while their coffins are being fumigated, the guides of Spooked in Seattle Ghost Tours prefer to stick to stories of ghosts they've personally investigated. Ghost hunters —including well-known paranormal investigator Ross, who has appeared on various TV shows to discuss ghost hunting—have examined each story and location through paranormal investigations. The ghost hunters take customers on walking tours through city streets and the darkened corridors of Seattle's oldest buildings, or invite them to have a drink at a few of the city's creepy watering holes.