If given the opportunity to travel up to Washington state and you are so inclined and feel the need not to follow the advice of TLC and plan on chasin' waterfalls, then this is the place for you. My daughter and I spent an amazing weekend driving out to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. We found some of the most tranquil and serene hikes that led to breathtaking waterfalls and scenery. Marymere Falls is a short 1.8-mile out-and-back hike that takes you on a walk among old-growth giants that lead you to the falls. A beautiful addition to the drive out to start the adventure is Lake Crescent; if you travel early enough in the morning, you will be presented with a shoreline of reflections of the tree-line mountains, and depending on the time of year, you might get leaves of gold, orange, yellow and brown.

The trail to the falls forms a loop, offering two viewpoints of the 90-foot-high waterfall. This is the view of the falls looking down from the hillside. We spent a couple of hours photographing and enjoying the time together; the best part of photographing for me is making memories with someone. Living in San Diego, our idea of green is something seen only in the first couple months of spring, and after spring is gone, those greens turn brown, so spending time in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington was a special treat for me and my daughter. Our trip was in early spring, so I highly recommend bringing rain gear for yourself and your equipment. The trails are not crowded and the people we did meet were friendly and surprisingly respectful and good stewards of the park.