JESSIE HAMMETT

For the 101st week of "7 QUESTION SUNDAY" we shine the spotlight on another influential individual from the PNW. Jessie Hammett is a PNW enthusiast and travel blogger.

4EVRGRN: Hey, JH! Tell us a little about yourselves.

JH: I’m Jessie and I’m the girl behind Jessie’s Journeys. These days, I’m your typical adventure and hiking enthusiast, but it hasn’t always been that way. I am originally from California but was fortunate enough to travel around the US for competitions and that’s when my love for travel sparked. After graduation, I pursued a Master’s degree in Seattle. In true PNW fashion, I started spending more time outside. I would do a hike here and there, it was a collection of struggling moments that ended in feelings of accomplishment, with views I had only ever seen on Instagram that really did it for me.

What is the first thing you do when you come home from traveling?

JH: Relax, sometimes my trips are so jam packed I feel like I need a vacation from my vacation. I usually relax on the couch for a bit before I decide to unpack and get my life back together. The post vacation blues usually hit me hard so I am usually already trying to plan the next weekend getaway. 

What advice would you give to someone wanting to visit the PNW for the first time?

JH: Most times I see visitors trying to cram so much into their trip they forget to take into account driving times. Usually it’s a priority for visitors to hit all the National Parks in Washington but they forget that the state is pretty big and it takes quite a while just to drive to each of the parks. My best advice is to focus on a couple areas of the state and then explore those few areas in depth, as opposed to trying to see the entire region.

Favorite outdoor activity?

JH: Hiking or being on the water! I love hanging out on the lake, preferably on a boat  

Best meal in the PNW?

JH: I eat out quite a bit, so this is a hard one BUT visiting Taylor Shellfish Farms in Bow Washington is always a treat. The oysters are affordable, there is plenty of other delicious food items, and the view is amazing. Definitely recommend all my oyster loving Seattleites to visit this spot at least once.  

JH: 5. What do you miss most when you’re traveling outside the PNW?

I always miss the greenery and mountains—I sometimes forget that those things are pretty unique to the PNW.  

How did you get into travel blogging?

JH: When I finished my Master's program I realized I didn't really have a hobby. I was so used to spending all my time devoted to academia I forgot what it was like to have free time. I've always enjoyed exploring and adventuring and writing was something I excelled in throughout my college degree, so I thought this was the perfect hobby :)

Where is your favorite place to escape to in the PNW?

JH: Anywhere in the mountains--I love going out to the Olympic Peninsula. If it's summer time the Cascades and Mount Rainer make me the happiest.

Don’t miss a minute of the action, follow Jessie on IG @jessies_journeys and check out her blog https://journeyingwithjess.com/ for travel tips and adventure ideas of your own!