Ask most homeowners what room they wish they used more, and the backyard rarely makes the list. Not because they don't want to, but because getting outside often requires more intention than collapsing on the couch after a long day. The truth is that your outdoor space is probably one investment and a few simple changes away from becoming your favorite place to be all summer. And in the Northwest, where the days are long and the evenings are incredible, that's worth taking seriously.

There's a particular feeling that arrives sometime around late May in the Northwest, the mountains shake off their last snow, the rivers run fast and cold, and suddenly the calendar looks both generous and terrifyingly short. Summer up here isn't like summer anywhere else. It's golden hour at 9pm, wildflower meadows at 7,000 feet, and the smell of pine after an afternoon thunderstorm. It goes fast. These 12 adventures will make sure you actually live it.

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