Since joining Seattle Met in 2011, Allison Williams has overseen the magazine’s travel and outdoor coverage, including deep dives into Olympic National Park, the Columbia River, and a Burger King drive-thru in Canada. She edits the travel-focused blog Tripster and contributes service, news, interview, and narrative pieces to the magazine, including long-form features about mountain mysteries and puppies in prison. She’s earned awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and been nominated for a City and Regional Magazine award. 

Allison was raised here in Olympia and studied writing at Duke University, Oxford University, Columbia Journalism School, and University of Alaska. She began her career in New York City in the newsrooms of Metro newspaper and Time Out New York, then hightailed it back to her native habitat so she could write guidebooks and climb mountains.

Palette Cleanser

The Best Fall Hikes in Washington State

Go beyond the larch trees. Some of the best seasonal foliage is lower to the ground.

09/11/2025 By Taylor McKenzie Gerlach and Allison Williams

True Detective

The True Tale of Seattle's Sherlock Holmes

Luke May was a one-man CSI unit who solved crimes in the city’s most tumultuous era. In 1923, one wild case would take him into a world of murder, astrology, and secret codes.

09/09/2025 By Allison Williams

Fair Game

Our State Fair Is...Which State Fair?

It's time to ride the coaster and hang with the 4-H kids—but there's more than one place to gorge on elephant ears.

09/04/2025 By Allison Williams

Short and sweet

Things to Hear in Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Our bucket list of sounds you can’t get anywhere else.

09/04/2025 By Allison Williams

Adrenaline Junkies

Things to Do in Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Our bucket list of the state’s top experiences.

09/02/2025 By Allison Williams

Uncharted

The Local's Map of Washington

A visual guide to the real state geography.

08/28/2025 By Allison Williams Illustrations by Hawk Krall

Public Lands

The Best State Parks in Washington

From half-acre pocket parks to surf beaches and cross-state trails, the state park system is a whole different kind of wild.

08/26/2025 By Allison Williams

Double Double Trouble

I Braved Washington’s First In-N-Out Burger Line

Worth the wait? Sure. Worth the drive? It depends.

08/21/2025 By Allison Williams

American Alps

The Insider's Guide to Visiting North Cascades National Park

Where to hike, camp, and explore in Washington's wild, remote mountains.

08/21/2025 By Allison Williams

Photo Ops

Things to Photograph in Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Charge up your phone and dust off your lenses.

08/19/2025 By Allison Williams

Eat This

Things to Eat in Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Our bucket list of the best foods everyone should taste.

08/18/2025 By Allison Williams

Checklist

Things to Learn About Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Our bucket list of museums, historic sites, and oddities.

08/13/2025 By Allison Williams

Checklist

Things to See in Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Our bucket list of sights you can’t miss.

08/11/2025 By Allison Williams

Brake Time

The Best Pit Stops on I-90 Between Seattle and Montana

Pull over, there's something good over here.

08/07/2025 By Allison Williams

Anniversary

Is There Any Magic Left at Disneyland?

The first mega theme park is turning 70. The OG charm that remains might not be where you'd expect.

08/04/2025 By Allison Williams

What's SUP

Paddleboards Have Transformed Lake Union

Cheap watercraft have made the seafaring life accessible to everyone. Can our little lake handle it?

07/18/2025 By Allison Williams

Fire Watch

What to Know About Wildfires in Washington Right Now

Where the fires are burning and what it means for travel, hiking, and Seattle's air quality.

07/16/2025 By Allison Williams

One Cork Town

The Massive Charm of Wine Country’s Smallest Towns

Checking in to the state’s most stylish new rural retreats that make Walla Walla seem like the big city.

07/08/2025 By Allison Williams

Good Rep

Pramila Jayapal Is Tougher than She Looks

And she has a certain president in her sights.

07/03/2025 By Allison Williams Photography by Chona Kasinger

Feature

The Tree of Life Is Falling Down

How one death-defying spruce became the mascot, tourist trap, and spiritual center of the Washington coast.

07/02/2025 By Allison Williams Photography by Mac Holt