Make EVERY Day An Adventure
We are storytellers and connectors on a mission to share all of the great places to go and things to do in Washington state. Join us!
Meet our Contributors & Collaborators
Gayle PIcken, Publisher
Hi, I’m Gayle … publisher and creator of Day Trips in Washington. I've lived Washington state almost my whole life, growing up in Bellevue and then living in Seattle while I worked as a technical writer in the computer industry. In 1995, a twist of fate brought me to Camano Island, where I started my entrepreneurial journey owning an art gallery and promoting small businesses. I grew to love small-town island life. Now, with the kids grown and gone, my husband and I have time to get out and explore. Yay! We traded the beach for the mountains and now live in a tiny cabin on the edge of the Yakima river in Cle Elum. Whether it's for a few hours or the entire day, we get out as much as possible to discover new adventures right around the corner here in Washington state. Join us!
Jamie Petitto, Host of Weekends in Washington
Hey I'm Jamie. Born and raised in Chicago, I headed to LA as soon as I could to live the glorious life of actress-slash-waitress. After several years of working on TV commercials and YouTube shows, I fell in love with a high school sweetheart and decided to follow him… to the absolute middle-of-nowhere. Culture shock doesn’t begin to describe what it feels like when you move from a city of 4 million to a town of 800. But then I started to get to know my community: the quirky artists and the proud cowboys, the locally-made ciders and the high-mountain-lake hikes. I’m a workaholic and a city girl, a millennial and an extrovert, and my new mission is to visit every town in Washington State to find out what’s so great about the Pacific Northwest. Join me in my adventures.
MaryRose Denton, Freelance Travel Writer
I'm a freelance writer living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I'm an avid traveler, licensed massage therapist, lifelong vegetarian, and most importantly a mother. I enjoy the mash up of these that life brings and write about them with insight, humor, and wit. I am currently working on a memoir, reflecting on the highs and lows of motherhood as my oldest child came out as transgender. In addition to my love of the arts and social justice, I belong to a women's whiskey club and enjoy sailing in the Salish sea.
Katy McGovern, Intern
Hi everyone! My name is Katy and I am an intern here at Day Trips in WA. I am currently wrapping up my Bachelors degree in Marketing while working at a law firm in Seattle. I am proud to say I was born and raised in Washington. In my free time I enjoy cooking, gardening and playing with my two cats. I am drawn to the outdoors and exploring new places, making Day Trips in WA the perfect place for me to grow as a young professional. I am excited to work with an amazing team and look forward to connecting with our community.
Jesse Garnett White
Born and raised in Washington, I'm a geologist with a BS from University of Idaho and MS from University of Alaska-Fairbanks. I'm excited to share with you the geological and naturalist view of Washington state. The present landscapes are the result of a number of geologic processes providing us with fertile grounds for agriculture, beautiful beaches, estuaries, hot springs, islands, lakes, mountains, and rivers. But why are they here? I can't wait to help you think outside the box and really “dig into” understanding the phenomenal natural surroundings of Washington state.
Dara Wagner, Photographer and Blogger
I’m an energy healer specializing in aligned growth and personal healing. These day trips, road trips and impromptu explorations started as a mindfulness practice, helping me move from skimming the surface of life to diving deeply into the joy and majesty that surrounds us all. While I certainly admire a beautiful vista, it’s the weirdly wonderful, the tiny details I almost miss, the abandoned and decrepitly beautiful that really turn me on. I travel with Regal the Wonder Dog and a variety of friends plus the firm belief that something fabulous is about to happen.