Trip Overview & Highlights
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Family Vacation: Lemon (Neo), Liz, and Patrick visited Yellowstone National Park for a wonderful family getaway. The strong family bond and shared affection made it a truly memorable trip.
Neo started walking inside the Visitor Centre at Grand Coulee Dam in the summer of 2003 (at 15 months old).
Liz, Neo, and Patrick at Grand Coulee Dam in the summer of 2003.
Group photo at Grand Coulee Dam in the summer of 2003.
- Dining Note: On October 2, after completing our Yellowstone attraction visits, we dined at The Slippery Otter Pub in West Yellowstone, MT. While the atmosphere, lighting, and waitress were pleasant, the food fell short ($45 prime rib and fries were poorly prepared). However, having wrapped up a full day of sightseeing, we cleared our plates before heading home to Coquitlam, BC the following morning.
- Leavenworth Stopover: On the return drive after Grand Coulee Dam, we reached Leavenworth around 3:00 PM hoping to enjoy traditional German pork knuckle. Finding parking proved impossible due to the crowds enjoying the autumn foliage. Wanting to reach the Seattle Premium Outlets before their 8:00 PM closing, we kept moving—saving that feast for a future trip!
- Duty-Free Stop: Stopped at the duty-free store at the border to pick up some Tequila to mark a fantastic conclusion to our trip.
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Welcome Home: Cross-border return completed with a Tim Hortons coffee run, arriving home at 9:00 PM. Our cat, Coda, received affection from everyone and celebrated our return with a burst of late-night energy!
Coda overjoyed to have the family back home from Yellowstone.
September 29: Departure from Coquitlam, BC
We departed Coquitlam, BC around 1:00 PM on September 29 and drove through to Spokane, WA for our first night's stay.
September 30: Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA
Patrick and Lemon in front of the Three-Story Columbia Slide Tower at the Ice Age Floods Playground. At 205 lbs and 235 lbs, we proved a bit too large for the slide mechanics—testing the limits of "thrills for all ages"!
Patrick and Lemon at the historic Riverfront Park Clock Tower.
Patrick, Liz, and Lemon at the Upper Spokane Falls viewpoint.
October 1: Yellowstone National Park (South & Lower Loops)
Liz and Patrick at Fountain Paint Pot thermal area.
Old Faithful eruption at 1:45 PM. Liz and Lemon recording the display while Patrick captured the scene.
Lemon, Liz, and Patrick family selfie in front of Old Faithful following the eruption.
Liz and Lemon in front of the deep blue Abyss Pool at West Thumb Geyser Basin.
Video: Liz and Lemon on the beach at Grant Village, Yellowstone Lake (Watch on YouTube).
Liz and Patrick visiting historic Fishing Bridge.
Video: Navigating the Mud Volcano trail past Churning Caldron (Watch on YouTube).
Liz, Lemon, and Patrick overlooking the scenic Hayden Valley.
Liz and Patrick at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Lower Falls viewpoint.
Patrick and Liz enjoying the vista from the South Rim viewpoint.
October 2: Yellowstone National Park (Norris & Northern Loop)
Liz, Lemon, and Patrick stopping at Gibbon Falls viewpoint.
Lemon, Liz, and Patrick along the Porcelain Basin Trail at Norris Geyser Basin.
Liz by Nuphar Lake along the Porcelain Basin boardwalk.
Patrick at Steamboat Geyser in the Back Basin—the world's tallest active geyser.
Liz and Patrick at the steaming thermal slopes of Roaring Mountain.
Liz and Lemon at Golden Gate Canyon viewpoint.
Liz and Patrick at Tower Fall viewpoint near Tower-Roosevelt.
Antelope Creek Basin Overlook between Tower Fall and Mount Washburn—prime grizzly bear habitat.
Lemon, Liz, and Patrick at a very windy Mount Washburn trailhead.
Lemon and Liz posing by the Grizzly Bear statue in downtown West Yellowstone, MT after completing our Yellowstone circuit!
October 3: West Yellowstone, MT to Spokane, WA
A humorous pit-stop moment at the gas pump in St. Regis, MT.
October 4: Spokane, WA to Coquitlam, BC
Lemon revisiting the exact spot inside the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Centre reception where he took his very first steps 23 years ago.
Lemon and Liz taking in the view in front of Grand Coulee Dam.