Lifelong Washingtonian Reveals Her Picks for ‘Secret Seattle’ in New Book

Local author and travel writer Mary Jo Manzanares offers a guide to the “Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure” in her new book, Secret Seattle.

Mary Jo loves to travel and “always has a bag packed, ready for the next great adventure.” Her adventures have long included exploring Washington’s nooks and crannies throughout the state’s  highways and byways. As a flight attendant, she spent 32 years eagerly sharing tips and recommendations about Seattle to inquiring passengers.

Among many other travel and writing projects, Mary Jo is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Traveler’s Way, an online travel magazine providing informational and inspirational travel recommendations for curious Baby Boomer travelers.

When preparing to write Secret Seattle, Mary Jo set out to discover the obscure and to unlock the area’s most intriguing, entertaining, and arcane surprises. “As a native Washingtonian, I was surprised by how much I didn’t know about my city. Niche libraries and museums, historical sites and architecture, local residents, and other oddities were all fair game for exploration,” she writes in the book’s introduction.

Some of the “secrets” include wacky legends (did the Seahawks really cause an earthquake?); unique destinations (where can you find the World’s Fair Bubbleator or research the occult and conspiracy theories?); new activities (rekindle your love of vintage pinball games or discover how you can enjoy hydro racing all year long, not just during Seafair).

Mary Jo has also become a frequent speaker at travel events. She writes about Washington State at www.discoveringwashingtonstate.com, a site that offers practical information about the state—from suggestions for things to do, where to stay, great places to eat, and interesting places that are often overlooked.

You can meet Mary Jo Manzanares and learn more about her book, Secret Seattle: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure at the following events:

Saturday, October 15, from 2 – 4 p.m.  Book signing with Mary Jo Manzanares, Barnes & Noble Northgate, 401 NE Northgate Way #1100, Seattle, WA 98125. Free and open to the public; https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062151522-0, 206-417-2967

Sunday, October 16, from 12 – 2 p.m. Book signing with Mary Jo Manzanares, Barnes & Noble Bellevue, Crossroads Shopping Center, 15600 NE 8^th St. Suite F17, Bellevue, WA 98008, Free and open to the public; https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780062152088-0, 425-519-6192.