Something Fishy In Vancouver

Vancouver, WA is a great place for all things fish-related. I’m going to tell you about three of these places I recently had the opportunity to visit.

Under The Sea Dentistry For Kids

Although probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think of travel destinations, my son was due for a child-friendly dental visit, so we gave this clinic a try. I’m so glad we did! From the ultra-friendly staff to the fish decor, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Even the bathrooms had a cool underwater motif. A big bonus- my son does not want to stop brushing his teeth now! So if you have a child who needs dental work, give check out Under the Sea! Information on office tours can be found here: https://www.undertheseakidsdentist.com/about/office-tour/

The Hudson Bar and Grill

Admittedly, I always forget The Hudson Bar and Grill when I think of places I want to eat. While I’ve wanted to check this place out for more than twenty years, I never can seem to remember to go when I’m hungry! It’s a Northwest delight that marked a few “first-time evers” for me. In addition to my first time ever eating here, it was also my first time trying Chilean Sea Bass (I’ve been curious about the taste of this fish since John Alfred Hammond announced it as part of the lunch menu for the guests of Jurassic Park). Two kindred spirit friends and I go to dinner with once a month. This month it was my turn to pick. Committed to getting my local bucket list completed, I chose this restaurant. Prices can be semi-spendy. My dinner was in the high 30s, but the taste made it well worth it.

The outside setting is soothing. A rippling Koi Pond puts you at ease as you enter, bordered by beautiful vegetation, a totem pole, and a Sasquatch cut-out (sounds out of place, but it actually fits in quite nicely.) Parking is for guests only, so if you just want to check out the beautiful outdoor scenery and don’t have a ton of money to spend, I recommend parking outside the parking lot and walking in or parking in the parking lot and just grabbing a drink. More info can be found here: https://hudsonsbarandgrill.com/

Water Resources Education Center

On a rainy day, I took my son and his friend to the Water Resources Education Center in Vancouver. Since reopening post-COVID, attendance is down a great deal, so we had the building and grounds to ourselves. We walked the grounds first. As part of the Southwest Great Washington State Birding Trail, birds are just the beginning of the native wildlife populating the acreage around the building. The non-invasive plants are lush and plentiful, giving me ideas on how to make my yard simple, yet extremely aesthetically pleasing. The snowballs overlap to create a perfect arch and photo opportunity. My favorite feature of the Water Resources Education Center is the succulent kaleidoscope. Readers of my previous blog may recognize it from a post there. Three eyepieces allow for different views on a rotating base. The grounds are more for adults or older children but do provide a place to get out some wiggle room for younger children as well.

The building is filled with an assortment of exhibits, art, and natural elements. My son and his friend enjoyed making the light bulb turn on by riding bikes, the magnetic insect mover, and the bird calls. While most of the animals are gone now, there are 250 young salmon to view (I am unsure which part of the life cycle they were in when we visited.) Other exhibits include but are not limited to a simulated bog, an exhibit on the danger of mercury to our environment and bodies, as well as several puzzles. I can’t get enough of the birdwatching window, where you can view birds coming to the feeders from behind an extremely large window. I also am in awe of the gorgeous fish hanging from the ceiling made of recycled materials. The Water Resources Education Center needs visitors. They were closed during COVID so I believe several people don’t know they are open again. Please visit. Spread the word. Admission is FREE! More information can be found here https://www.cityofvancouver.us/publicworks/page/water-resources-education-center

There are so many fish-related activities in Vancouver, many of which are free. While I’ve listed three of them here, I will have more in the days to come. It is my sincere hope that you go out and visit some of these for yourself and encourage you to find some of your own. I love to hear from my readers, so please feel free to comment.

I’d like to dedicate this blog to my friends Angel Achterbosch and Ann Pitchford. You have been there for me in times when no one else has. I’m extremely glad we began our monthly dinners so we can keep up on all the personal and beautiful craziness in our lives. Thank you!

Reader, dream fearlessly, travel locally, buy locally, and remember, just because it’s in your backyard doesn’t mean it’s not worth a visit.

Until next time- Tammy