See Also
- Locations for lodging in Seattle
- Top Hotels in Seattle
- Seattle Hotels for Family Units
- Locations to stay near the Seattle airport
The 11 Best Places to Visit near Seattle
- The Bazaar Supermarket is a great supermarket with a wide variety of products and reasonable prices. An 8-minute walk
1. Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls
2. Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
One of my preferred short-trip destinations from Seattle is Friday Harbor (though it`s preferable to stay several nights rather than attempting to visit in a single day). Friday Harbor is the largest town in the San Juan Islands and is located on the most populated island, San Juan. It represents the best spot from which to take whale-watching excursions but you`ll also find excellent restaurants, charming cafes and bars, wonderful hiking trails and views, and a friendly local atmosphere. Seattle to Friday Harbor: Around 3 hours and 45 minutes by Clipper (direct boat from downtown Seattle), 3 to 4 hours by automobile and ferry via Anacortes, or Roughly 40 minutes by seaplane).
3. Leavenworth
A Bavarian-style village situated in the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth is a vibrant town with an extensive calendar of recognized seasonal happenings. Surrounded by exquisite woodlands and elevations, filled with streams and meadows, escaping activities like hiking, mountain cycling, and rafting entice both families and knowledgeable adventurers. Outdoor winter actions like skiing, sledding and tubing are popular. Within the community, the waterfront park stretching along the Wenatchee River is excellent for strolling year-round. Distinctive shops line the roads. There are a number of vineyards for wine sampling, and a Nutcracker Museum containing artifacts dating back centuries. The open-air theater is busy in summer months, Oktoberfest is an annual fall celebration, and the Christmas lights downtown in December attract a huge crowd. The drive from Seattle to Leavenworth takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes, or about 3 hours and 20 minutes by Amtrak train with departures twice daily, or roughly 3 hours via Greyhound Bus leaving 5 times each day).
4. Bainbridge Island
A delightful island escape just minutes from downtown Seattle, Bainbridge Island offers a mix of small-town charm and rugged wilderness. The hub of island activity is historic downtown Winslow, with diverse restaurants, boutiques, museums, galleries, a farmers market, and performing arts. Beaches and marinas surround the island offering kayak and paddleboard rentals, while the interior is home to evergreen forests and lush wetlands with hiking, cycling, and horseback riding trails. Bicycles are available for rental at the Bainbridge ferry terminal, Eagle Harbor; the island is a little hilly, so consider an electric bike for a smoother experience. Seattle to Bainbridge Island: 35-minute ferry or 1 hour and 45-minute drive (via Tacoma)).
5. Tacoma
The third most populous city in Washington State, Tacoma is situated on the shores of Puget Sound surrounding Commencement Bay. With a lengthy industrial past, Tacoma is celebrating renewed vitality through a dynamic art scene. 6th Avenue features various cafes, galleries and live music venues. Popular downtown destinations include the Chihuly Bridge of Glass and Museum, Lemay Car Museum, and Washington State History Museum. The Tacoma Dome Stadium hosts hundreds of massive indoor events annually and is a major regional concert venue. Ruston Way Waterfront is a 2 mile long paved walking trail connecting downtown to Point Defiance Park, which showcases Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and the new Dune Peninsula, a series of 6 cascading slides leading down to the marina. Mount Rainier National Park makes an easy day trip from Tacoma. Seattle to Tacoma: 45 minutes by automobile or 60 minutes aboard the Sounder commuter train).
6. Portland
Portland, also known as the Rose City, is a vibrant riverfront metropolis renowned for its world-class culinary scene, unconventional art community, and abundance of outdoor pursuits. The city is full of gardens ranging from the famous International Rose Test Garden to the enormous Washington Park spanning 410 acres and 187-acre Hoyt Arboretum, both also home to Chinese and Japanese gardens along with more. Food and beverages take priority here with an emphasis on locally grown produce, innovative Asian fare, ubiquitous food trucks, artisanal doughnuts, and micro-brewed/distilled liquor, wine and beer where 84 breweries surround the metro region. Catch an exhibit at the highly regarded Portland Art Museum, live storytelling with The Moth troupe, a dance evening at the Holocene venue, or an affordable metal performance at The Know club. No visit is complete without a stop at Powell`s City of Books, the world`s biggest independent book retailer. The journey between Seattle and Portland: a 2 hour and 45-minute automobile ride, a 3 and a half-hour train trip with around 6 departures daily, or a 45-minute flight with approximately 25 daily departures.
7. Mount Rainier National Park
Also referred to as “America’s Everest,” Mount Rainier ascends 14,410 feet above sea level and is the tallest volcano found within the contiguous US. It`s a snow-filled wonderland well-suited for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and backcountry skiing and boarding. It`s also excellent for hiking during the summer months, when hundreds of wildflower species bloom, some of the snow melts into waterfalls, and the marmots roam the hillside. The park remains open year-round, but tourism peaks in July and August. Some areas and roads are closed between Nov 1 and May 1; during those periods, all vehicles are mandated to carry tire chains. Cell service within the park is spotty and often nonexistent, so download maps to your phone and/or bring printed trail maps in advance. There are numerous entrances to the park, but the Nisqually entrance stays open year-round and features the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center, Paradise Guide House, and Paradise Inn – a wooded lodge with a restaurant, cafe, fireplace, and a gift shop; the perfect place to stay or relax before or after a hike. To reach the Nisqually entrance, use this GPS address: 39000 State Route 706 E, Ashford, WA 9830. The nearby Wildberry Restaurant is renowned and owned by a Sherpa and his wife; chat with him about the fifteen times he’s reached the summit of Mount Everest while enjoying delicious American or authentic Himalayan cuisine. Seattle to the Nisqually entrance: 2 hours and 15-minute drive).
8. Olympic National Park
This gigantic park encompasses three diverse ecosystems within its boundaries: glacier-topped mountains, the wild Pacific coast, and a lush rainforest. It remains open throughout the entire year, with summer inviting visitors to enjoy climbing, fishing, hiking, camping, and backpacking. Winter ushers in snowsports like snowshoeing, snowboarding, tubing, and both cross-country and downhill skiing. Rivers, lakes, and coastlines provide numerous boating opportunities whether by motor or paddle, in addition to exploring tidepools. The varied environments allow sightings of elk, mountain goats, marmots, diverse birdlife, banana slugs, deer, and sometimes whales during their migratory periods. It is an unbelievable experience to wander through the fuzzy green misty rainforest and then hike up Hurricane Ridge to a glacier perched atop a mountaintop, all contained within a single park. Do not be misled – the park is immense, and one cannot experience everything it has to offer in just one day – it can take hours to travel between different areas of the park. Visitor numbers peak from June through September. From October through May, certain roads and facilities are closed. Cell reception is limited to non-existent, so advanced preparation including maps is recommended. Unless you have a particular destination in mind, the best starting point is the Olympic National Park Visitor Center located in Port Angeles. Seattle to Port Angeles: 2 hours and 30 minutes by car and ferry via Downtown to Bainbridge, 2 hours and 45 minutes by car and ferry via Edmonds, 3 hours and 30 minutes by car via I-5 south and highway 101).
9. North Cascades National Park
Venturing into the rugged and remote North Cascades region allows visitors to escape from modern conveniences for an experience surrounded by abundant natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Spread across hundreds of miles of trails catering to all abilities and elevations are the diverse landscapes within the three areas comprising the park: North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. Popular activities for visitors to partake in incorporate hiking, camping, rock climbing, horseback riding, cycling, boating, and fishing. One may also catch glimpses of rare terrestrial mammals and avifauna, fish, and wildflower species indigenous to the area. Diablo Lake is superb for kayaking, with its hypnotic intensely azure waters formed from glaciers that have been finely ground down. Be certain to check out Ross Dam, one of Seattle`s sources of natural power. Regarding connectivity, there is no cellular signal within the park boundaries, and reception begins weakening on the drive there, so planning accordingly and bringing maps is advised. The region also has sparse provision and dining establishments, therefore it is best to bring all food and water needs. The park remains accessible throughout the entire year, but access can prove difficult starting in late fall through spring. Seattle to North Cascades Visitor Center: 2 hours and 30 minutes by automobile.
10. Vancouver, BC
Vancouver was a fun and friendly urban hot spot surrounded by outdoor attractions that rivaled any place on earth. Stanley Park and the Vancouver Seawall (an uninterrupted pedestrian and bike path that stretches 28 kms along the city’s waterfront) were the highlights of outdoor activity within the city but that was just the start. Fantastic spots for kayaking, skiing, swimming, mountain biking, and hiking existed within city boundaries or a short drive to the north. The downtown core was bike-friendly and walkable and filled with fantastic restaurants, trendy cafes, outdoor markets, and stunning views at every turn. The Capilano Suspension Bridge, Whistler, the Gulf Islands, and the Sea To Sky Gondola were all easy day trips from Vancouver. Seattle to Vancouver: 3-hour drive, 4-hour train ride (two per day), or 1-hour flight (over 30 per day)).
11. Victoria, BC
The smaller neighboring city to Vancouver. It is reported to experience slightly more sunshine, warmer temperatures, and less rainfall in comparison to nearby Vancouver. The pace of life is described as somewhat slower. It is said to host a smaller population and be less urbanized and industrialized, adopting more characteristics of a small town while also attracting tourists. However, these factors collectively make for an ideal visit spanning two or three days. The downtown core can be conveniently explored on foot or by bicycle and features attractive scenery. Notable places include the parliamentary buildings that welcome tours, the excellent Royal BC Museum containing valuable collections, numerous bars, cafes and restaurants, and a scenic walking trail along the waterfront. The stunning Butchart Gardens found just outside city limits are strongly recommended to visit. ” Seattle to Victoria:” Approximately two hours and forty-five minutes by passenger ferry (direct boat from downtown Seattle), around five hours by vehicle and ferry via Anacortes, or a fifty minute flight from Seatac airport (seaplanes providing transport from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria are another option).
