Lauren BradenLauren Braden is an outdoors and travel writer in Seattle, and founded the local trip-planning website Northwest TripFinder. She is passionate about connecting Pacific Northwesterners to close-to-home getaways and outdoor adventures that nurtue the soul. Her work has been featured in Washington Trails, ParentMap, Outdoors NW, and the Seattle PI, as well as in books on travel, gardening, and citizen activism. She lives in Seattle with her beloved veggie garden, husband, young son, and their golden retriever. Follow Lauren online at nwtripfinder.com or on Twitter @nwtripfinder. Read More Read Less