A-Haunting You Will Go, A-Haunting You Will Go …
Q. We want to stay in a haunted house or room for Halloween. Are there any places for public lodging near Spokane? - M. T., Spokane.
A. I know of only one hotel that may meet your desires. The Jameson Saloon, Restaurant and Hotel (208-556-1554) in Wallace, Idaho, is a historic building that was built in 1889 and survived the famous 1910 Wallace fire.
The restaurant is noted for its steaks. The hotel portion is a bed and breakfast, serving a continental breakfast of fresh fruit, fruit juices, cereals and fresh-baked pastries. The hotel has the original wooden floors that creak and groan, and many of the doors squeak. The rooms have their original fixtures, including antique furnishings and overhead fans. Each room is decorated individually in turn-of-the-century decor. The six rooms share four bathrooms, two of which have tub/shower combinations and a wash basin and two with toilets and basins. Single or double occupancy rate is $62 plus tax.
Here is the tantalizing part you have been waiting to read. It is reported that a lady named Maggie, who was in her early 30s, stayed for an extended length of time in room No. 3 during the 1940s. She left the hotel and went elsewhere (either Lewiston or Missoula), where she met an unpleasant death. There is not a lot of information about her and the circumstances of her death, all of which adds to the mystery of why some staff and guests have seen or heard her ghost in the hotel.
Two English psychics who have visited the hotel and “communicated” with Maggie have reported that Maggie came back to stay because of her previous pleasant experiences at the hotel. She has been at the hotel ever since, and her presence is “felt” as she repeatedly plays many fun games on guests and staff. These games include stealing keys for several days and then having them reappear at the exact spot later; turning off the hot water while a guest is in the shower; and turning fans and lights on or off. She has been heard walking around in her unoccupied room and down the halls and stairs during the day and night. Some staff workers and guests have been unnerved by her presence and pranks; others realize she is a friendly spirit and means no harm to anyone. You can be the judge, if you decide to stay at the hotel, especially in room No. 3.
Q. We want to plan a family trip to the Oregon coast this winter to watch the gray whale migration. Can you tell us about some places and any special events? - C.A., Coeur d’Alene.
A. Oregon State Parks helps to coordinate the Whale Watch Week festival, which occurs twice a year. The event occurs between Christmas and New Year’s and during the spring break for Oregon schools. There are about 29 viewing sites set up along the coastline from Brookings to Ilwaco. Volunteers will man these sites from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. They will help visitors spot the whales and provide general information.
The annual migration south from Alaskan waters to Baja Mexico occurs between mid-November and mid-January. During the winter migration, the whales tend to stay farther out from shore, and they are in a hurry to get to their calving grounds. Most Oregon seaports offer charter boat service for whale watching trips. During the spring northward migration, the adult whales have their new calves, and they tend to stay closer to the coastline and travel slower to feed.
My favorite viewing area is from Depoe Bay southward to Cape Perpetua near Yachats, because there are natural feeding grounds off those two locations. Gray whales can be seen between these two points almost daily.
Cape Perpetua has four of the viewing sights within its scenic area. It has a visitor center (503-547-3289), which is normally open only on weekends during the winter months, but will be open daily during Whale Watch Week.
For general information on gray whale migrations, volunteers for the viewing sites during Whale Watch Week, and charter boat whale watching trips, call one of the following:
Newport’s Hatfield Marine Science Center representative, Terri Nogler, (503) 867-0271.
Oregon State Parks representative, Mike River, (503) 563-2002.
Q. We have heard about an inexpensive, alternative form of travel accommodations in Washington. Can you tell us more about “hostelling”? - E. B-R., Spokane.
A. The Washington state hostelling network offers the least expensive travel accommodations available, but hostelling is not for everyone. Travelers should be adventuresome, adaptive to limited space and amenities, friendly and be able to accept group-living situations. Hostels offer dormitory-style sleeping arrangements with separate bedrooms for men and women. Some hostels also may offer private rooms for couples and families. Most have self-service kitchens. The dining and living rooms are common areas. Some have fireplaces and wood stoves to offer a “country home” ambience.
Fall and winter hostelling offers the least-crowded times for seeing Washington. There are hostels near downhill and cross-country skiing locations and snowmobiling areas. Hostelling in Seattle lets you budget more money for sporting events, shopping, plays and concerts. The hostels on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands, on the Olympic Peninsula and along the Columbia River Gorge provide ideal locations for enjoying a host of outdoor recreational opportunities.
Seattle’s Hostel International is part of the American Youth Hostel Association, based in Washington, D.C. The name is misleading because there is no age limit for membership. An adult membership is currently $25 a year, and the membership is good for any hostel in the world.
For more information on Washington hostelling, contact Hostelling International, 419 Queen Anne Ave. North, Suite 102, Seattle, WA 98109; (206) 281-7306.
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