Winter Break in Washington: Vacationing in this Northwestern state isn't as popular as Hawaii,...

Whether it's shopping in Seattle or boarding an Alaska Marine ferry in Bellingham, many Alaskans have spent time traveling through our nearest neighboring state.

"We get a lot of Alaskans here," said Carrie Wilkinson-Tuma, media relations manager for the Washington state tourism office. "And Seattle sees Alaska as a very large market--for sporting events, medical attention, shopping-Alaskans make very regular visits to that city."

Often, Seattle is only a brief airline layover for many Alaskans planning winter vacations Outside. But Washington's mild coastal climate, year-round visitor attractions and proximity to Alaska make it an excellence choice for a brief break from the Last Frontier's dark and cold winter.

"It seems like a home away from home for many of us Alaskans," said Kathy Allen, manager at US Travel in Fairbanks. "It's a place where we all feel comfortable going. There's a lot of things to do in that beautiful state that are within a few hours of wherever you are at."

Most Alaskans spending time in Washington originally go there with a specific purpose, rather than as a tourist on a leisurely vacation, she said. "It may be going to Seattle to watch a football game or to go shopping or for business, a workshop or a trade show," she said.

Oftentimes, Alaskans become temporary tourists in Washington, extending their business trips or their airline flight layovers for personal enjoyment--visiting relatives, touring vineyards, enjoying the Seattle nightlife.

"Almost 80 percent of every person who leaves here goes through Seattle, unless they take a nonstop from Anchorage to Portland, Chicago or Los Angeles," Allen said.

But her travel agency doesn't typically have leisure travelers coming in saying they want to vacation in Washington. "There's the old standbys of Mexico and Hawaii, and then there's another group of Alaskans that travel to Phoenix or Palm Springs, because Mexico seems too far away."

Those leisure travel patterns could be changing in coming months, as the public digests the impact of this fall's terrorist attacks on the East Coast.

"What has happened has changed Americans. We're considering the economy ...," Allen said. "We don't know what's going to come down the road...I know I don't want to travel much past Anchorage or Seattle."

Tourism-related businesses are responding to that change in the travel industry by offering packages for long weekend get-away trips within the states.

"Given the climate in the United States, people are going to continue to take vacations but they will be closer in, with shorter planning cycles," said Wilkinson-Tuma. "The industry is responding to that."

For those Alaskans reconsidering their cold-weather travel plans, Washington makes a closer alternative for that mid-winter break. Flights from Anchorage to Seattle are frequent, offering a wide array of choices for that three-hour-plus air trip.

"Seattle always has been a haven for Alaskans passing through, but also as a destination," said David Blandford, director of the news bureau at the Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau. "It's a city fix for Alaskans any time of the year, but we have noticed in winter that Alaskans tend to come down."

Those winter travelers are spending time in Seattle, taking in many of the city's cultural arts or professional sports events, he said. "The big city weekend is a draw," he added. "Alaska has been an important market for Seattle and Washington."

And thanks to a number of flights departing from Anchorage and Fairbanks to Seattle each day, travelers can choose connections that allow them to maximize their travel time Outside, allowing for long weekends in Washington.

For the last 11 years, Seattle's travel industry has put together a promotion, aimed at drawing in winter travelers to the Pacific Northwestern city, Blandford said.

"It's important for discount travelers ... offering discounts for shopping, dining and tourist attractions," Blandford said. "It's designed to help us fill what is typically our off-season."

This year, about 35 different downtown hotels, ranging from luxury high-rises to cozy budget inns, are participating in the Seattle Super Saver program, Blandford said. Hotels cut room rates up to 50 percent, and visitors can often take advantage of similar savings at dining and tourist attractions, he added.

The promotion, which began Nov. 1, runs through March 31 of next spring. A special toll-free telephone number, 800-535-7071, is set up for inquiries and reservations. "(The program's) success builds each year, in the number of bookings and hotels that participate," Blandford said.

Some of the city's planned special events include the Seattle International Boat Show, the third largest in the nation. The weeklong event in January draws more than 400 exhibitors to the Seattle Exhibition Center.

In February, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show is held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Drawing more than 60,000 people in past years, the show features more than 35 demonstration gardens, 300 commercial displays, 60 educational booths, children's gardens and slide lectures and seminars by internationally known horticulturists and landscape designers.

Other cultural events planned for the Seattle area in February include the Chinese New Year celebration, Seattle's Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday celebration and the Festival Sundiata, a celebration of the Pacific Northwest's African American arts, history and culture.

Seafood lovers might consider a trip to Seattle in March to participate in the annual Oyster Olympics, held on Shilshole Bay. Festivities include the Celebrity Oyster Slurp, art exhibits, live entertainment and offerings of oyster-friendly wines and microbrews.

For those looking for something other than a big-city weekend, a number of Washington's diverse regional areas are offering package rates during winter months, ranging from the coastal and island regions to the eastern agricultural area.

"Spokane has its Cool Dates-Hot Rates promotion from Oct. 15 through Feb. 28," Wilkinson-Tuma said. "While they do get snow there, it is sunny 300 days of the year. By no means is it closed up in winter."

For more information about such discounted regional travel promotions, log onto www.experiencewashington.com to receive a list of toll-free telephone numbers for each of Washington's varied geographic regions.

A number of Alaskans have traveled through Bellingham, Wash., traveling to the most southern ferry terminal in the Alaska Marine Highway System. But Bellingham and its surrounding area deserve more than just a pass-through.

"We're definitely a port for Alaskans," said Christine Root, marketing manager for the Bellingham/Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Like other regional areas in Washington, Bellingham offers a Best Buys promotion, offering discounted lodging rates for off-season visitors through a toll-free and online reservation service. Travelers can save up to 50 percent off of regular rates through April 30 by logging on at www.bellingham.org or by calling 888-261-7795.

Thanks to the coastal location, Bellingham offers moderate temperatures and green, scenic vistas year-round, Root said. "We rarely get snow-more of a warm rain in little spurts," she added. "People are mowing their lawns in January and February."

The mild climate offers local growers with a wide variety of products to harvest, even in winter months. Bellingham growers offer in fall and winter months fresh apples, pears, hazelnuts, bamboo, leeks, mushrooms, lingon-berries, onions, squash, peppers and tomatoes. Several farms and orchards offer fresh products for sale and invite guests to tour their grounds.

"We have fresh flowers and eggs-some people leave them out in baskets on the highway, for donations," Root added.

Fresh flowers, herbs, produce and other garden-inspired items can be found at an eye-catching nursery/flower shop located in the historic downtown district of Bellingham, called Fairhaven. The picturesque wood building, called A Lot of Flowers, features an open garden area for browsing and its location next to a local favorite, Village Books, makes it a popular place. Locals and visitors alike enjoy browsing through the stacks of new and used books.

Other diverse shops front the red December 2001 brick paved streets of Fairhaven, which overlooks the city's commercial marine terminal and the southern port for the Alaska Marine Highway System.

A number of coffee shops are located in the area, offering flavored coffee drinks and fresh-baked goods. Many Alaskans might appreciate the Doggie Diner & Pet Paraphernalia shop, which touts itself as a cafe for dogs and their people, offering doggie fashions, gifts, travel gear and treats.

For a traditional pub atmosphere, try the basement level Archer Ale House in downtown Fairhaven. Basic concrete steps lead down from street level to the pub's doors, where inside one can sample from dozens of imported ales. Pizza, sandwiches, soups and salads are also available--one must order food and beverages at the bar, in keeping with pub tradition.

A number of Christmas festivals are held throughout Whatcom County in December, ranging from A Dickens of a Holiday in Old Town Festival, offering live music and theatre performances in downtown Bellingham throughout December, to the lighted Christmas parade in the nearby Dutch village of Lynden, to the Holiday Port Festival at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.

A Polar Bear Swim, held each New Year's Day in Birch Bay, attracts more than 300 locals and visitors. And for a special Valentine's Day Celebration, try the Whatcom Railway Valentine Train, which offers a scenic, guided train trip through the local countryside. Three departures are scheduled for the Feb. 9 train trip that departs from a former Northern Pacific depot at Wickersham, a little more than 10 miles north of Sedro-Woolley.

No matter which of the diverse climatic regions in Washington, all offer one unifying characteristic important to winter-traveling Alaskans--more daylight hours. Sunrise is typically between 6 to 7 a.m. in December and January, sources said, while darkness falls around 5 p.m.

"There are a lot of good values for visitors," said Wilkinson-Tuma. "A lot of things are oriented around special events .... There's a lot of packages and events to motivate people to travel here."