Carson hot springs in the gorge. Carson, WA. I highly recommend it and they have rooms with private Jacuzzis with the hot spring water piped in. Carson has a great brewery with great food. Makes for an all around great weekend. Bonus is you get the gorge and also easy driving in the symmer through old growth forest to see Mt. St. Helens or you could drop into Oregon to visit bridal veil falls.

I was born in Tacoma and at one time it was wealthier than Seattle and the wealthiest part of Tacoma other than the Northend was Lakewood. The largest mansions were around Gravelly Lake and American Lake and built by the lumber barons like Weyerhaeuser. Then Ft. Lewis came in and the area expanded with off base low income housing particularly during the Korean and Vietnamese wars with Little Korea, Elmo's bookstore (porno parlor) strip clubs and other low rent businesses for a transient military population. The first time I saw crystal meth was from a Banditos motorcycle gang member when he was selling a bag of Mexican weed to my friend's older brother in 1978 at a motel just off of Pac Ave. Things got worse as time went on and eventually Lakewood incorporated into a municipality with its own police force. The Lakewood PD had a particularly bad reputation back in the 90s. Bottom line is it would not be my first or even my last choice to call home in 2023.

Go to Key West

I used to do infractions for many years as a criminal defense lawyer but no longer. They are very easy to win. If it was sno co call my friend Rick Merrrill.

If you plan to stay in Ashford I have an idea but you cannot do it until late July. Rent a car or suv and start in Ashford. If you are coming from Seattle I would go early in the morning through Enumclaw to sr410 then pick up sr123 which will take you to the ohanapacosh entrance for Mt. Rainier national park. This will avoid the mind-boggling long line at the nisqually entrance and you can avoid 90% of the park traffic. From there take the liberty valley road towards Sunrise. When you get to sunrise turn left and head for the nisqually exit unless you want to get stuck with the crowds at paradise. This will get you to ashford but I would only stop at copper creek inn for huckleberry pancakes. From there head to morton down highway 7 and then pick up sr 12 to randle. When you get to randle get on sr 131 to forest service road 25. This is closed right up until summer and I've even seen it closed up to July if the snow is heavy. This takes you the back side of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams and not many people know about it. From there follow it until you get to eagle cliff and fs90. You may want to detour a little further to Ape Cave (Google it). You can reverse back to ashford but I say screw that and make tracks to Carson. Stay in Carson it has a great hot spring and spa as well as a 5 star brewery and restaurant. Then from carson drive the gorge and stop at Bonneville and maybe bridle falls as you work back west. Then you can shoot over to portland/Vancouver and back up I-5. I grew up near Tanwax which is near Ashford and this drive never gets old.

Definitely copper creek bakery. The ONLY way I go to Mt. Rainier is first wait for spring time then early in the morning head to Enumclaw amd pick up sr 410 to the mountain. Peel off at 123 and drop down to ohanapacosh and enter through the that gate. This way you avoid the rock festival long line of traffic at the nisqually entrance literally 3-4 miles on a weekend. I usually turn left and skip paradise and head straight to copper creek inn for eggs, pancakes and coffee. Then I head home and avoid nearly all the traffic because you are going against the grain. I was born here 60 years ago and raised at the foot of the mountain not far from Eatonville. I've been all around the world but I wouldn't live anywhere else because of the fantastic scenery and food.