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27 Finest Day Journeys from Seattle in 2023


This Pacific Northwest metropolis is a dream for day-trippers; Seattle is about subsequent to the Olympic Peninsula and located on Puget Sound. When visiting Seattle, you’re surrounded by water and rainforest. And while you enterprise out of the town limits, you may have the Canadian border, many nationwide park selections, and islands galore you possibly can entry by ferry. Day journeys from Seattle are adventurous by default. So out of doors journey lovers, put together for the intense temptation to depart Downtown Seattle.

Prime Day Journeys from Seattle

Top Day Trips from Seattle

On this information, we’ve bought absolutely the creme de la creme of day journeys from Seattle. We’re speaking Olympic Nationwide Park classics like Hoh Rain Forest and ferry journey Seattle day journeys to locations just like the San Juan Islands. You may hop on a ship, seize mountain climbing boots and climbing gear, guide an tour, or lease a automobile. These day journeys from Seattle are all price pushing your self.

Planning Your Journey To Seattle Proper Now?

Under are among the prime day journey excursions from Seattle. Don’t neglect to plan forward when visiting Washington!

Prime Day Journey Actions and Excursions from Seattle:

Best Day Trips From Seattle Whatcom Falls Park

This little metropolis park may sound unassuming, nevertheless it is among the finest day journeys for waterfall mountain climbing trails and ornate gardens. You stroll alongside tiny paved mountain climbing trails by means of closely mossed forests – often navigating stone bridges that appear to be one thing from a fairytale.

The entire park is atmospheric, and you may’t go improper for a serene mountain climbing expertise. We added it to this information as a lesser-considered possibility than the ‘main Seattle day journeys’ like Mount Rainier. Whatcom Falls Park is a stunning day journey from Seattle, involving a 1.5-hour drive or a 2.5-hour Greyhound journey. By automobile, it is a perfect distance from Seattle, and as an excellent bonus, it’s free to enter.

On the best way, you possibly can incorporate stops at Samish Park, which has a chosen swimming space, and northern Seattle points of interest like Unhealthy Canine Brewery and Stillaguamish Valley Pioneer Museum. Bellingham is a stupendous coastal metropolis and has loads extra to supply when you’ve visited Whatcom Falls Park. As a winter day journey detour, you would even go snowboarding on the close by Mount Baker. Whatcom Falls is simply a place to begin.

2. Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space

Best Day Trips From Seattle Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space is the place to go for a dramatic waterfall. Whatcom Falls is ideal for cutesy forest waterfalls, however Columbia River Gorge has a collection of colossal falls. The protect is about round an 80-mile-long canyon as much as 4000 ft deep. The Columbia River crashes by means of the canyon, and you may select from varied mountain climbing trails to embrace the surroundings.

Visiting Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space is kind of an enterprise, almost 4 hours in distance from Seattle. However it’s undoubtedly undertakable in case you have a number of drivers to rotate between driving shifts. Apart from, you possibly can even stopover in Portland en route.

For us, Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space stood out for its mighty waterfalls, that are probably the most spectacular (force-wise) within the area. When you fancy some extra adventurous waterfall hikes, it’s the better of the day journeys from Seattle.

3. Level Defiance Park

Best Day Trips From Seattle Point Defiance Park

Level Defiance Park is to not be skimmed over. This 760-acre monster of a park is about within the close by metropolis of Tacoma and is the basic nod to an ‘city oasis’ that many city-dwellers crave. Level Defiance Park juts into Puget Sound, with viewpoints sprinkled round its edge.

Vashon Viewpoint and Dalco Passage Viewpoint – these views all deserve a glance in, particularly if you happen to coincide your go to with dawn or sundown. Other than the scenic strolls, Level Defiance Park has loads of main points of interest. When you can enter the park at no cost, you possibly can pay to go to points of interest like Fort Nisqually Residing Historical past Museum and the Level Defiance Aquarium.

Level Defiance Park is barely any distance from Seattle. You might be speaking 45 minutes by automobile, and by public transport, about 2 hours. To be trustworthy, Level Defiance most caught our eye as a result of it includes bypassing Tacoma and getting a contemporary metropolis perspective. After just a few days in Seattle, shaking off one metropolis and refreshingly embracing one other for a day is nice. This park is probably the most lovely place to take action, incorporating a little bit of inexperienced area.

4. Whale Watching

Best Day Trips From Seattle Whale Watching

Whereas we’re on the subject of marine life, it could be against the law to go with out mentioning whale watching. Whale watching is among the finest day journeys from Seattle, and between Could and October, you’re in for a deal with. Seattle’s surrounding waters have every part from grey and humpback whales to the beloved orca. Guide a whale-watching tour and take a look at your luck with sightings; Seattle is a whale hotspot.

Best Day Trips from Seattle Whale Watching Tour

Your journey distance from Seattle is determined by your boat journey selection. Many boats supply a half-day expertise, like this 4-hour afternoon zodiac cruise. You will need to word that what boat kind you select additionally massively impacts your day journey expertise. Zodiacs are a lot nearer to the water’s floor, so you may get a way more intimate expertise, however wrap up heat since you’ll be uncovered to all the weather.

Coated boats supply a extra comfy, heat expertise, however you’re a lot additional away from the whales. We’d suggest the zodiacs for optimum expertise, that are additionally deemed barely extra moral and fewer intrusive than the big boats, the place whales can injure themselves on big propellers.

5. Boeing Way forward for Flight

Best Day Trips From Seattle Boeing Future of Flight

Boeing Way forward for Flight is considered one of our shortest day journeys from Seattle. In reality, it’s only a 30-minute distance from Seattle metropolis middle by automobile. Flight fanatics in search of a fast addition to your itinerary, that is it. The museum is a ridiculously informative immersion into the world of business jets. You wander by means of corridor after corridor of detailed displays. However, maybe most excitingly, additionally get up-close and private with jets-in-the-making on the industrial jet meeting plant. Boeing Way forward for Flight is the closest you may get to industrial aviation motion within the US – if not the world. For that motive, we simply had so as to add it to this information.

Time-wise, we’d enable just a few hours to get to the museum, go searching, seize a espresso, and return to Seattle. It truly is a bitesize day journey.

6. Skagit Valley Tulip Competition

Best Day Trips from Seattle Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Let’s preface this by saying that Skagit Valley is all the time a stupendous day journey from Seattle. The valley is reduce in half by 150 miles of river and has beautiful, sweeping inexperienced grasslands. Nonetheless, it actually comes into its personal through the Skagit Valley Tulip Competition – which runs from March to Could yearly. Through the tulip pageant, there are seas (and we imply seas) of bobbing tulips in oranges, pinks, yellows, whites, and extra. The flowers are painstakingly organized in color-coordinated rows and are a surprising place to go to from Seattle. You may simply spend a number of hours strolling between the completely different tulip fields.

Best Day Trips From Seattle Skagit Valley Tulip Festival  flowers

The valley is an hour and 10 minutes from Seattle metropolis middle by automobile. You may also take a number of guided excursions to see the tulip shows, like this one on Viator. When you don’t drive, a guided tour is your best choice.

7. Victoria, BC

Best Day Trips From Seattle Victoria BC

Victoria, BC, is positioned throughout the Canadian border and is a famously old-world vacation spot. Sat on the sleepy, grizzly bear and leaping salmon-filled Vancouver Island, Victoria is pleased with its early ancestry and never but able to shake off the previous structure and even transport strategies like horse-drawn carriages. The British affect in Victoria can be closely leaned into, with tearooms and double-decker buses all through the town. As a day journey, it’s nice enjoyable.

By land, Victoria is a substantial distance from Seattle. However by high-speed clipper ferry, the journey takes lower than 3 hours. Should-visit points of interest in Victoria embody visiting the brightly-colored floating pier of retailers at Fisherman’s Wharf Pier, Hatley Fortress, and Craigdarroch Fortress. Don’t neglect the Malahat SkyWalk both; this attraction is a 10-story tower that brings you to a 600-meter elevated walkway amidst Arbutus and Douglas Fir forests. It is among the finest out of doors points of interest the town has to supply.

8. Mount St Helens

Best Day Trips From Seattle Mount St Helen

Mount St Helens is an lively stratovolcano simply south of Seattle. Scary? Maybe a little bit. Its final explosion was in 1980, and this disaster marked the deadliest volcanic eruption ever in US historical past. And whereas it hasn’t erupted since, it’s nonetheless one of the adrenaline-junkie day journeys from Seattle. You may go to any of its surrounding viewpoints, together with Johnston Ridge Observatory and Windy Ridge Viewpoint. However solely superior climbers and mountaineers can deal with the climb-only path to the summit. Non-climbers get the views, whereas climbers get the problem of summiting an lively volcano.

Best Day Trips From Seattle Mount St Helen2

Mount St Helens could also be one of many longest day journeys from Seattle, taking 3.5 hours by automobile from Seattle’s metropolis middle. Don’t let that part you although, particularly in case you have drivers to rotate driving shifts between. Mount St Helens is a captivating and difficult place on your subsequent hang-out if you’re a sophisticated climber and mountaineer. You’ll move by means of Olympia in your option to the volcano, which makes a terrific midway stopping level. You may all the time cease for some political historical past and well-earned espresso after getting face-to-face with one of many US’ most feared volcanoes.

9. La Push Seashores

Best Day Trips From Seattle La Push Beaches

Twilight followers will in all probability be aware of La Push Seaside. It’s that moody-aesthetic, angsty teen-style seaside with battered black sprinkled sand, crashing waves, and washed-up driftwood. Essentially the most spectacular factor about driftwood is that generally it may be nearly full tree trunks. Out of all of the day journeys from Seattle, La Push seashores actually have the environment all the way down to a tee. You may go to (creatively named) First Seaside, Second Seaside, Third Seaside, or Rialto Seaside.

Best Day Trips From Seattle La Push Beach2

The gap from Seattle is fairly excessive; you’ll catch a ferry journey together with your automobile throughout Puget Sound earlier than driving by means of the Olympic Nationwide Park if you wish to go the adventurous route. In any other case, drive by means of Tacoma and over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, throughout the highest finish of the Olympic Peninsula – passing Port Angeles. The entire drive takes underneath 4 hours, with an 8-hour return journey. Due to this fact, you’ll want a number of drivers or an in a single day keep and a few flexibility over the time period ‘day journey.’

10. Port Angeles

Best Day Trips from Seattle Port Angeles

Port Angeles is way over a metropolis squeezed onto the shoreline by the looming presence of Olympic Nationwide Park. The tiny metropolis is correct on the prime of the Olympic Peninsula and, for many, merely a bolt-hole to discover the close by nationwide park and forest. Don’t be that particular person, although; Port Angeles is a day journey in its personal proper. The town is an actual cultural hotspot – extremely celebratory of its heritage and humanities. You may go to the Port Angeles High quality Arts Middle, Elwha Klallam Museum on the Carnegie, and the Port Angeles Underground & Heritage Tour.

Best Day Trips from Seattle Port Angeles Downtown

Port Angeles is among the most underrated day journeys from Seattle. The Port Angeles distance from Seattle is simply 2.5 hours; you’ll want a automobile and can be crossing the Puget Sound by automobile ferry (which even sounds thrilling). When you have a day or two to spare, you would keep in a single day in Port Angeles and use it as a base to catch the ferry to Victoria the next day as a second-day journey. There’s a direct ferry line between the 2 that’s simply too tempting to not use in case you have the time.

11. Olympia

Best Day Trips From Seattle Olympia

There’s all the time pure magnificence and a mountain climbing path to be discovered inside straightforward distance from Seattle. However today journey presents one thing barely completely different. Olympia is the state capitol of Washington, DC. This title implies that the town, which is humbly positioned on the southern finish of Puget Sound, simply an hour’s drive from Seattle, homes an important buildings in Washington.

The Washington State Capitol Campus, Legislative Constructing, and a 1909-built Governor’s Mansion are in Olympia. Concerning political historical past and American tradition, Olympia presents way more in-depth perception than Seattle. So day journey all the way down to Olympia and get all of it discovered.

It’s free to enter the Washington State Capitol Constructing and Campus. You may simply spend an hour or two wandering round this political attraction. Then you possibly can see extra of the issues to do in Olympia. Positively enable a complete day for the go to, particularly if you happen to attain the town by 1.5-hour prepare. Olympia is understandably in style for its political and American historical past. And if these are issues that float your boat, then Olympia has your title written throughout it.

12. North Bend

Best Day Trips From Seattle North Bend

North Bend is a perfect day journey for railroad historical past and delightful pure surroundings. The city has Northwest Railway Museum and its conventional prepare line. Plus, the beautiful Three Forks Pure Space. It’s a excellent spot to go to for just a few hours of wandering and enjoyable. North Bend can be the one day journey on this information that may be accomplished by a single, short-distance bus journey. You may catch the Trailhead Direct Mt. Si for 35 minutes and arrive immediately in North Bend – which undoubtedly beats navigating the Seattle metropolis middle in a rental automobile.

Best Day Trips From Seattle North Bend2 Mount Si

North Bend is a cute allrounder, primarily suited to these with an curiosity in railway heritage or lifeless set towards driving to go on a day journey from Seattle. We’ve added today journey as it’s a simple bus journey possibility for non-drivers visiting Seattle. Oh, and we’ll drop within the enjoyable indisputable fact that the city was additionally used as a set for Twin Peaks, a major film; be ready to identify all of the acquainted backdrops.

13. Go Wine Tasting

Best Seattle Day Trips Wine Tasting

Going wine tasting is a enjoyable day journey from Seattle – and you’re undoubtedly by no means wanting guided wine-tasting excursions from Seattle. Woodinville is among the hotspots for wine-tasting day journeys from Seattle. Woodinville Wine Nation is famed for its reds; cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and merlot are all on the tasting menus. And with over 130+ wineries within the area, visiting all of them in a day is inconceivable. Decide your tasting expertise correctly. When you go for today journey, you’re in for an thrilling time.

Best day trips from Seattle Wine Tasting Tours

Most wine-tasting excursions final roughly 7 hours and embody 4-6 wineries. Tempo your self, as you’ll be making an attempt round 5 glasses of wine at every cease, and it’s hilariously straightforward to get too tipsy. Woodinville is just a 25-minute drive from Seattle metropolis middle, so most of your time can be spent within the tasting experiences. It’s straightforward to see why wine tasting is so prevalent in Seattle. Woodinville Wine Nation is shut, well-run with numerous tour choices, and famend for tasty reds.

14. Gig Harbor

Best Day Trips from Seattle Gig Harbor

Gig Harbor is a blink-and-you-miss-it city in dimension, however in character, it’s price a go to. The city is related to its previous and has a robust sense of maritime neighborhood. Gig Harbor is simple and stuffed with candy native points of interest for a healthful escape for a day. The Harbor Historical past Museum is an absolute should, with an immersive historical past that features an 1893 schoolhouse and a 65-foot fishing vessel.

Climbing Finholm View offers you a surprising view of the city and water, and catching a Gig Harbor gondola is a should if you need lovely views from the water. Even simply strolling by means of Gig Harbor is worth it; recognizing the homes with overwater verandas and making an attempt the contemporary catch dishes is a deal with.

Best Day Trips from Seattle Gig Harbor Museum

The Gig Harbor distance from Seattle is subsequent to nothing, taking simply 45 minutes by automobile or 2.5 hours by public transport. It’s a in style day journey that additionally bypasses Tacoma – win, win.

15. Snoqualmie Falls

Best Day Trips From Seattle Snoqualmie Falls

Snoqualmie Falls is one other lovely waterfall, this time located alongside the Snoqualmie River inside strolling distance of its namesake city Snoqualmie. That’s a whole lot of ‘Snoqualmies’. In additional sensible phrases, although, the waterfall is only a 30-minute drive from Seattle, making it one of many shortest Seattle day journeys. It’s in style as a sundown attraction, because the falls are fantastically illuminated right now with a pastel backdrop. Between the billowing waterfall spray and the sheer energy of the crashing water, it is among the most impactful falls you possibly can go to inside a brief distance from Seattle.

For us, we love how shut this waterfall is. It’s the form of day journey you would nonetheless wrangle after a busy day in Downtown Seattle – zipping throughout to catch the sundown at Snoqualmie Falls is the right late-afternoon journey.

16. Tiger Mountain State Forest

Best Day Trips From Seattle Tiger Mountain State Forest

Tiger Mountain State Forest spans 13,745 acres. And we’d recommend experiencing it on horseback or by bike if you wish to cowl some floor. You may lease bikes and arrange horseback path rides on-line beforehand. In any other case, embrace the handfuls of mountain climbing trails Tiger Mountain State Forest presents.

Essentially the most spectacular is Chirico Path to Poo-Poo Level, which is 6.4km out and again and takes round 3 hours to finish. You may often spot hold gliders and paragliders having fun with the valley, and this path additionally offers you lovely views of Mount Rainier within the distance. Tiger Mountain State Forest is good for countless hours on forest tracks.

The gap from Seattle is minimal, taking solely half-hour by automobile. You may add Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park to your day journey while you drive to Tiger Mountain State Forest. The park has tons of mountain climbing trails and is positioned midway alongside the precise driving route you’ll be utilizing.

17. Wallace Falls State Park

Best Day Trips From Seattle Wallace Falls State Park

Wallace Falls State Park is jam-packed and stuffed with old-growth forests, spreading over an enormous space of 1,380 acres. However its profitable issue is its 265-foot waterfall, which you’ll stand up near on the Wallace Falls Center Falls Overlook. The waterfall plunges dramatically towards a thick backdrop of coniferous bushes – visually actually putting. The overlook is a 5-mile hike however price each sweaty step for the ultimate view.

Wallace Falls State Park is the right place to exhaust your self for probably the most untouched pure views. The park is someplace to go for an final waterfall hike. In fact, there are prolonged trails alongside the riverbank, too, together with the close by lovely Wallace Lake. So you may have loads of mountain climbing choices.

The Wallace Falls State Park distance from Seattle is an hour by automobile or 3 hours by a sketchy public transport mixture. For apparent causes, we’d recommend driving. When you have time to remain at Wallace Falls State Park in a single day, do, because it presents campgrounds that make for an pleasant in a single day base.

18. Portland

Best Day Trips From Seattle Portland

When mentioning our different day journeys from Seattle, Portland has popped up just a few occasions. So what precisely does this powerhouse of Oregon supply to visiting vacationers? In brief, eco-friendly recreation, microbreweries, and extra coffeehouses than you would ever rely. Portland is inherently stylish, and Oregon’s largest metropolis is overdue a popularity makeover. Visiting Hoyt Arboretum, Worldwide Rose Check Gardens, and Witch’s Fortress are all good out of doors issues to do in Portland to attach with nature. Then simply head to the microbreweries or seize a caffeine repair.

Top Day Trips From Seattle Portland Oregon

You may drive to Portland in simply over 3 hours from Seattle. However we’d really recommend catching the Amtrak Cascade. The prepare takes 3.5 hours however means you keep away from driving by means of the congested metropolis middle or worrying about having to park and journey in on public transport. Catch the primary prepare from Seattle to Portland so that you could arrive at round 10 am, catching the 7 pm service again to Seattle. You’ll be again in Seattle by 11 pm and get a full day of 9 hours to sightsee Portland.

19. Diablo Lake

Best Day Trips From Seattle Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake is a surprising alpine attraction and delightful addition to our day journeys from Seattle. We’d recommend pinpointing the Diablo Lake Vista Level, aka the Diablo Lake Overlook, which has probably the most spectacular view of the electrical blue lake. As a result of Diablo Lake is crammed with glacial water, its waters seem nearly cloudy in colour.

And the brightness is an actual draw, too, making the lake one of the photogenic day journeys from Seattle. You can begin on the viewpoint after which embark on one of many many hikes across the lake’s perimeter; a digital camera is critical.

When it comes to distance from Seattle, Diablo Lake is 2.5 hours by automobile and requires you to drive – it’s in the course of nowhere. It’s sandwiched between the rest of Ross Lake Nationwide Recreation Space and North Cascades Nationwide Park. Be ready for a desolate wilderness expertise of pure magnificence.

20. Vancouver

Best Day Trips from Seattle Vancouver

Vancouver is among the most unimaginable day journeys from Seattle, and it’ll take little to persuade you to agree with us. You may zip over from Seattle to Vancouver in simply 2.5 hours by automobile. Vancouver is the darling of the Pacific Northwest coast of Canada. It has shut ties to its First Nations historical past, unequalled orca-watching alternatives, and an excellent cultural scene. It really looks like you possibly can museum-hop without end in Vancouver. Or you possibly can head simply outdoors the town to hikes and out of doors recreation points of interest like Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, which snakes by means of the treetops of a 30-acre park.

Best Day Trips from Seattle Vancouver Capilano Suspension Bridge

It doesn’t take a genius to see why Vancouver is so in style – there are such a lot of issues to do. And for anybody eager to sneak Canada into their US journey, it’s a good option to mix two international locations in a restricted time. Vancouver is so iconic that we simply needed to embody it amongst the very best Seattle day journeys. How may you miss it if you end up so shut?

21. Whidbey Island

Best Day Trips From Seattle Whidbey Island

Whidbey Island is one other of the very best Seattle day journeys – famously appearing because the boundary for the northern finish of the Puget Sound. The island is large, enjoying house to over 70,000 everlasting residents. It’s beloved for its shoreline and small coastal communities. It’s such a stupendous instance of coastal residing that it has been utilized in movies equivalent to Free Willy 2, The Warfare of the Roses, and Prime Gun: Maverick. Whidbey Island has every part from seashores to lakes and farmland. You go to this form of place since you wish to discover farm-to-table eating places and have a healthful, off-the-grid weekend.

Deception Move Bridge

Best Day Trips From Seattle Deception Pass Bridge

With solely a day journey, although, it is advisable to suppose virtually. It is best to undoubtedly drive Deception Move Bridge, go to Deception Move State Park, cease by arty Langley, get some historical past at Fort Casey, and, with youthful kids, go to Value Sculpture Forest for some family-tailored enjoyable.

Whidbey Island is a surprisingly quick distance from Seattle. The Whidbey Island distance varies by prepare and automobile, however each choices take round 1.5 hours. The prepare takes 1.5 hours whereas driving takes an hour. Its proximity to Seattle partly makes it a well-liked getaway and day journey.

22. Bainbridge Island

Best Day Trips from Seattle Bainbridge Island

Keep in mind Bainbridge Island from earlier? This time, we’ll deal with the entire island, not simply Fort Ward’s scuba diving alternatives. The island is reached by ferry from Seattle, taking solely an hour. You may convey a automobile (which we extremely suggest as a result of the island is a nightmare on foot or public transport), and ticket worth varies based mostly on automobile dimension. In relation to out of doors recreation, while you arrive, you’re spoiled for selection, and that more money to convey a automobile can be enormously appreciated.

Best Day Trips from Seattle Bainbridge Island Coast

On a day journey from Seattle, you possibly can plan a little bit highway journey round Bainbridge Island to hop between its completely different points of interest. The Bainbridge Island distance by ferry is so quick that you simply barely burn up any vitality on the ferry part. So, just a few hours of driving is completely nothing and a possible possibility. Bainbridge Island has the attractive Bloedel Reserve, a nature protect 150 acres in dimension. The reserve has manicured paths to go to the forests, ornate backyard, and reflection pool inside its limits. The island additionally has the Grand Forest West and Gazzam Lake reserves. Whereas for tradition, there’s the Bainbridge Island Historic Museum and Museum of Artwork.

23. San Juan Island

Best Day Trips From Seattle San Juan Island

San Juan Island is a little bit animal-watching hotspot simply off the coast of Seattle. You may meet its resident alpacas, take a kayaking tour to identify its common orca guests, or simply embrace fowl watching from a scenic lavender subject. The ferry journey drops you in Friday Harbor, the place you possibly can museum hop and make the most of quite a few wildlife-themed excursions across the island.

When it comes to distance from Seattle, today journey is prolonged. Whereas it’s best visited on a multi-day journey, probably the most bold and rigid-scheduled of you possibly can deal with this as a day journey from Seattle. San Juan Island is reached by a 3-hour 45-minute ferry that departs from Seattle Harbor.

Deal with this ferry journey as your first wildlife-watching expertise. You may see whales, orcas, dolphins, seals, and lots of sea birds. So don’t waste this ferry journey – pack binoculars and a digital camera with a superb lens. You’ll have a superb few hours on the island earlier than catching a return ferry.

24. North Cascades Nationwide Park

Best Day Trips From Seattle North Cascades National Park

Banff has everybody flashing coronary heart eyes however North Cascades Nationwide Park is your finest wager if you need a Banff-style expertise with out crossing the Canadian border. And as a great mid-length journey North Cascades Nationwide Park is simply 2 hours away from Seattle by automobile.

It’s most spectacular when it has snow-capped peaks in full glory, however its vivid blue and inexperienced alpine lakes are beautiful year-round. North Cascades has that alpine attract whereas being approach much less busy than among the different nationwide park selections close to Seattle. These within the know adore it for its quieter trails and alpine surroundings – particularly these electric-colored lakes.

Best Day Trips From Seattle North Cascades National Park2

North Cascades is an absolute given in a listing of the very best day journeys from Seattle. It has greater than 300 glaciers and dozens of mountains, basically a photographer’s paradise. You could have many trails to select from, and even simply driving by means of ensures lovely views. Permit a full day in North Cascades to embrace the expertise absolutely.

25. Olympic Nationwide Park

Best Day Trips from Seattle Olympic National Park

Olympic Nationwide Park is an unimaginable addition to your Seattle expertise, and you’re probably already planning a visit or, on the very least, aware of it. Olympic Nationwide Park staggeringly covers a close to million acres. Predominantly, this encompasses old-growth rainforests, waterfalls, and some multi-day mountain climbing trails that depart you in any other case reduce off from the skin world.

In a great world, you’d have greater than a day to go to the park, particularly with its proximity to Rialto Seaside and the Twilight-famed black sand shoreline. There are simply so many issues to do in Olympic Nationwide Park. However in a day, you possibly can at the least cowl its highlights – Hoh Rain Forest and its Corridor of Mosses Path, Hurricane Ridge, and trail-lined shores of Lake Crescent.

Best Day Trips from Seattle Olympic National Park Views

The Olympic Nationwide Park’s distance from Seattle varies relying on the place you intend to go to (it’s nearly 1,000,000 acres in dimension, keep in mind). Nonetheless, to get to the principle customer middle is a 2.5-hour drive. We suggest renting a automobile for this journey. You may guide guided excursions, however they’re extortionate in worth and really restricted in your itinerary. As a substitute, lease a automobile and get exploring independently.

26. Mount Rainier Nationwide Park

Best Day Trips From Seattle Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier Nationwide Park is clustered round an lively volcano with a glaciated peak – Mount Rainier itself. The mountain basks in each glory and a focus, with improbable mountain climbing trails zig-zagging its slopes and surrounding space. And whereas it’s beautiful in spring with all of the mountain flowers, Mount Rainier Nationwide Park is certainly extra of a winter day journey from Seattle. You may ski or snowmobile.

When you may even take guided snowshoe walks if you happen to fancy one thing with a bit extra of a sightseeing angle. When you go to Seattle in winter, Mount Rainier Nationwide Park is the place you wish to be. It has a popularity for being a snow lover’s heaven.

Fun Day Trips From Seattle Mount Rainier National Park

When it comes to distance from Seattle, the Mount Rainier Nationwide Park distance varies barely relying on the place you go to. As a normal rule although, enable simply over 2 hours to achieve the park by automobile, with additional time in case of poor circumstances. When you guide a guided tour with transport from Seattle (you will want a automobile to entry the nationwide park), count on to be driving for just a few hours to permit for potential pick-ups and stop-offs.

27. Fort Ward Park

Concerning waterfront parks, Fort Ward Park just isn’t one to overlook. The park is just an hour’s drive or a 1.5-hour bus and ferry journey from Seattle, nevertheless it offers you a completely completely different impression of the area. However it’s most well-known for its underwater park for scuba divers. For anybody PADI certified, there are tons of corals and marine life to work together with. Arduous to not love, proper? Fort Ward Park is a hidden gem for a lot of, so think about it the darkish horse of this information on the very best day journeys from Seattle.

Fort Ward Park is about on Bainbridge Island, which we’ll cowl as a day journey attraction later. Nonetheless, we needed to first spotlight Fort Ward Park as a standalone attraction – primarily as a consequence of its large scuba diving potential. It is among the finest dive spots in miles round. And whereas a PADI is required to scuba dive at Fort Ward Park, you possibly can nonetheless benefit from the 4,300 ft of shoreline with a scenic footpath with out getting your ft moist.

Day Journeys from Seattle: FAQs

Fun Day Trips From Seattle FAQ

It’s so straightforward to really feel impressed by these day journeys from Seattle; pure magnificence is a assure, which we love. Earlier than you go, although, be aware of these additional snippets of information. These are our Seattle day journeys FAQs.

What to go to outdoors of Seattle?

Positively squeeze in some nationwide park visits when visiting Seattle. Olympic Nationwide Park and Mount Rainer Nationwide Park are the 2 large ones. You also needs to make time to go whale watching as nicely.

What cities are one hour from Seattle?

Olympia, Bremerton, and Tacoma are all inside an hour of Seattle. With three hours, you possibly can attain cities like Portland and Vancouver.

Is Bainbridge Island price visiting?

Bainbridge Island is famend for its nature and has the forested Bloedel Reserve to go to. It additionally has some cultural points of interest just like the Bainbridge Island Museum. It’s a good allrounder on the subject of day journeys from Seattle.

What’s 5 hours away from Seattle?

Siuslaw Nationwide Forest and lots of different main Oregon points of interest are 5 hours away from Seattle. You may also enterprise throughout the Canadian border and into the agricultural areas round Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

To Conclude

Best Seattle Day Trips San Juan Islands

Day journeys from Seattle are thrilling – however you don’t want us to inform you that. Now you understand the total extent of the town’s day journey potential for your self. When you fancy tradition, there’s Port Angeles, rainforest hikes, Olympic Nationwide Park, and snowboarding, Mount Rainier. Oh, and you may see humpback whales and generally even orcas from Could to October. Seattle is someplace the place it is advisable to enable additional days simply to make use of the town as a base.

Wait, have you ever bought lodging already? If not, selecting a Seattle neighborhood is simply as vital as planning a Seattle day journey or two. Which neighborhood you select will massively affect your expertise, so be sure to differentiate your Fremont out of your West Seattle. You’ll additionally wish to pay shut consideration to your neighborhood of selection and the way it impacts your distance to sure day journey points of interest.

Have an excellent time visiting Seattle. Whether or not you go to Mount Rainier or Whatcom Falls, you’ll have a spectacular time embracing all its thrilling environment.

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