Best Day Trips From Seattle

Lake Washington is the second-largest freshwater lake in Washington and the largest in Seattle. by the river Sammamish, the lake is open for fishing all year round. Bordered by several cities the lake also encloses Mercer Island. The lake holds varied species of fishes which include Cutthroat Trout, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, and more. Numerous fishing piers are found across the perimeter of the lake like the Waverly Park, Old Ship Museum Park, Marina Park, Gene Coulon Memorial Park, Seward Park, and more. Three floating bridges cross, Lake Washington which are the Lacey V Murrow Bridge, Third Lake Washington Bridge, and the Evergreen Floating point Bridge. These bridges connect different parts of the city through the lake and are still an important means of conveyance to control vehicle traffic.

Open Hours: 7.30 AM to 4.30 PM
Distance from Seattle: 8.8 miles, 15 minutes drive

Located in Kitsap County and connected by two ferry-rides, Bremerton is the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula. The ferry rides to Bremerton carry both passengers and vehicles and take approximately an hour from downtown Seattle. Some of the main attractions in Bremerton include Harbourside Fountain park, Elandan Gardens, Manette Bridge, Pudget Sound Navy Museum, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap, and many more.

Best time to Visit: June-September
Distance from Seattle: 65.1 Miles, 1- hour 5 minutes drive

Renton is a suburb which is situated 11 miles southeast of downtown Seattle. Located on the shores of Lake Washington Renton, the city is a focal point of sprouting technology, manufacturing, and healthcare organizations. Today, Renton is best known as the final assembly point for the Boeing 737 family of commercial aeroplanes. Some of the other attractions in Renton include Renton History Museum, Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, Henry Moses Aquatic Center, Jimi Hendrix Grave Site, and many more.

Best time to Visit: May- October
Distance from Seattle: 12.2 Miles, 20 Minutes drive

The name of a bay on Pudget Sound and a city in Wahington, Gig Harbour is a popular tourist attraction. Housed by several city parks, fine dining places, and historic buildings make it a must-visit place near Seattle. The Tacoma Narrow Bridge is used for commuting between Gig Harbor and cities like Tacoma, Seattle which makes them accessible within an hour. Gig Harbour is known for its walks along the waterfront with a view of the Pudget Sound and Mount Rainer. With several water sports, boutiques, and galleries that line the waterfront makes it an excellent escapade from the city. Some of the main attractions of Gig Harbour include the Harbour History Museum, Ocean 5, Heritage Distilling, and more.

Best time to Visit: May-October
Distance from Seattle: 43.8 Miles, 45 minutes drive"

Puget Sound Region is a part of the Salish sea and an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. located on the northwestern coast of Washington. Puget Sound is a mixture of waterways, islands, and other attractions. There is a plethora of flora and fauna that are seen in the deep waters of the Pudget Sound. Some of them include eelgrass, kelp, Orca (these are quite famous), Harbour Seals, Salmon, Trout, and many more. Visitors can enjoy the ferry rides to Tacoma, Bellingham, Seattle- cities that are bordered by the Pudget Sound. Other inaccessible sites are reached through sea kayaks or other forms of watercraft. Tourists can also visit the several islands that are housed here including Whidbey Island, San Juan Island, Bainbridge Island, Camano Island, and many more.

Best time to Visit: July-August is the busiest months, May, June, September, October- pleasant weather and a few tourists.
Distance from Seattle: 28.6 Miles, 1 hour 29 minutes drive"

Woodinville is a small town in Washington that is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. With several parks on the Sammamish River, 100-plus tasting rooms, wooded residential areas, boutiques, and outdoor activities, the city also host summer and Winterfest every year. Some of the top sights here include Woodinville Wine Country, Sammamish River trail, Novelty Hill Januik Winery, DeLille Cellars, and much more.

Best time to Visit: June, July, August, September
Distance from Seattle: 19.8 Miles, 25 minutes drive"

Located on the banks of Pudget Sound, near Mount Rainer National Park, and a few miles away from Seattle, Tacoma is a city in Washington. It is best known for its Museum of Glass because of the renowned works of glass art by Dale Chihuly. It also includes the installations on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, which is a 500-foot pedestrian footbridge. Other famous tourist attraction places in Tacoma include Mount Rainer National Park, LeMay, Tacoma Art Museum, Foss Waterway Seaport, Children's Museum of Tacoma, and many more.

Best time to Visit: June, July, August, September
Distance from Seattle: 33.6 Miles, 35 Minutes drive

North Bend is housed on the outskirts of Seattle in the King County area of Washington. Some of the top sights in North Bend include Mount Si, Rattlesnake Ridge, Iron Horse State Park, Tennant Trailhead Park, and many more. With the spectacular scenic areas, visitors can also enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking, wildlife watching, water sports, fishing, etc.

Best time to Visit: February
Distance from Seattle: 30 Miles, 30 minutes drive"

Spread across 5,00,000 acres of land, The North Cascades National Park in Washington consists of two sections separated by the Skagit River. The park features peaks of the North Cascades Range, and Lake Chelan at the southern point of the park, waterways, forests with the highest degree of floral diversity, and lakes. The main attractions of the park are the Thunder Creek trail and Boat dot Ross Lake. Along with over 300 species of birds, the park also shelters grizzly bears and gray wolves. Visitors can enjoy camping at several RV/primitive camping sites, hiking, boating, etc. Backpackers, climbers, or hikers, there are trails for everyone at the park with kayaking, canoeing at Ross Lake and Lake Chelan.

Open Hours: 9.00 AM to 5.00 PM
Best time to Visit: Mid-June to Mid-September
Fees and Passes: Free Entry
Facilities available: Toilets
Distance from Seattle: 106.8 Miles, 2 hours drive

Bainbridge Island is an island on the Pudget Sound, which is connected to Seattle by ferry. It has several beaches, parks, landscaped gardens, camping sites, with a top-notch view of the Cascade Mountains and the Pudget Sound. Known for its rustic character, nature views, and proximity to Seattle, visitors can also explore other attractions here. Some of the top sights in Bainbridge island include Tillicum village, The Bloedel Reserve, Richmond beach Saltwater Park, Machester State park, and a lot more.

Best time to Visit: May, September
Distance from Seattle: 10.3 miles, 60 minutes ferry ride"

Whidbey Island is the largest of the islands in Washington with Camano Island second in line. Situated on the northern boundary of Pudge Sound, the island is has a beautiful landscape and is also the home of the Naval Air Station. With less-crowded beaches, hiking through the forests, and a spectacular view of the Pudget Sound makes it one of the most beautiful places to visit. Tourists can enjoy activities like hiking, sight-seeing, kayaking, wildlife-watching, etc, on the island.

Address: 3730 N Charles Porter Ave, Oak Harbor, WA 98278
Best time to Visit: May-June
Distance from Seattle: 34.4 Miles, 1-hour 12 minutes"

Blake Island Marine State Park on the Pudget Sound is a ferry ride from Seattle. It is a marine camping park that is spread across 1100 acres of land with a stretch of 5 miles along the beach shoreline. There are several 8 miles of hiking and biking trails, camping sites with fire pits at this park. Also, winter outdoor sports that include a variety of snow activities like cross-country and downhill skiing, skijoring, snowmobiling, dog sledding, snowshoeing, and tubing are available at various locations. Recreational boating is another popular activity here, along with other activities, which include clamming, crabbing, fishing, etc.

Fees and Passes: Annual pass: USD 30
One-day pass: USD 10
Distance from Seattle: 15.4 Miles, 60 Minutes ferry ride"

Located in the North Cascades Mountain valley, Darrington is a small town in Washington. Boulder River, Glacier Peak, Henry M. Jackson, are the three wilderness areas here along with the other public lands. Encircled by the beautiful landscapes, the city is slowly drawing attention and is inching towards becoming a popular tourist attraction. Adventure Cascades, Whitehorse Mountain, Old Sauk River Trail, are some of the top sights in Darrington.

Best time to Visit: Mid July- Mid August
Distance from Seattle: 75.4 Miles, 1 hour, 21 minutes drive

Known to be the fifth-largest park in the USA, the Mount Rainier National Park was established in the year 1899. Located in southeast Pierce and northeast Lewis County in Washington, the park spreads across 2,00,000 acres of land. Encircled by waterfalls, valleys, meadows consists of approx. 14000- foot composite volcano amidst the old-growth forest. The park lies in the proximity of the city, Tacoma. Recreational activities like Camping, Hiking are allowed in the park. With several trails along the park that is stretched in the northeast as well as the southeast region makes it a perfect spot for novice and experienced hikers. Some of the trails in the park include The wonderland trail, Indian Bar Trail, Golden Lakes Trail, and many more, which allows visitors to plan single-day/ multi-days hikes. Visitors can also camp at the numerous primitive and RV/ Trailer campsites like cougar rock, White river, etc, and three-car campgrounds of the park.

Address: 39000 State Route 706 E, Ashford, WA 98304
Open Hours: Before 10.00 AM or after 2.30 PM
Best time to Visit: July and August
Fees and Passes: USD 55 -Annual Pass
USD 15- Per Person Fee
USD 20/night- Campground Fee
Facilities available: Toilets, Dump Station, Tents
Distance from Seattle: 85 Miles, 1-Hour 50 minutes drive"

Housed on the shores of Green River, The Flaming Geyser National Park in Washington derives its name from a flame that was fueled by Methane Gas. This methane gas also created a bubbling geyser nearby, which is now no longer present due to the depletion of methane gas. Spread across 500 acres of land the park is famous for coal mines, which also contributes to almost over 10% of Washington's coal mining activities. Tourists can visit the park during summers to enjoy activities like rafting, tubing, fishing, etc, in the Green river nearby, and hiking along the trails of the park.

Address: 23700 SE Flaming Geyser Rd, Auburn, WA 98092
Open Hours: 8.00 AM to 4.30 PM
Fees and Passes: USD 75
Parking Fee: USD 10
Distance from Seattle: 38.7 Miles, 43 minutes drive

With over 60 miles of shoreline, Lopez Island is a scarcely populated island that is a blend of driftwood beaches, forests, and a distant view of Mount Baker. Lopez island is a perfect spot for travellers looking for a respite from city life. Encircled by a beautiful landscape the island also features quaint cafes, restaurants, museums, and other shops for tourists. Some of the main attractions of the island include The state and County Parks, Spencer Spit City Park, and the Historical Society Museum. Visitors can enjoy simple island life and indulge in outdoor activities like kayaking, beach walking, bird watching, camping, etc. Visitors can also taste the exquisite harvest of fresh fruits or visit during the Tour de Lopez- which is a rural bicycle road tour through the landscape of the island.

Best time to Visit: Between April and October, July and August are the busiest months.
Distance from Seattle: 102.5 miles, 2-hour 50 minutes ride

Known as the gem of the San Juans (the residents), Orcas Island encompasses lush-green forests, lakes, varied outdoor activities with a rich heritage and culture. The hilly terrain of the island makes it a perfect recreational spot for all. Some of the main attractions on the island are the Moran State Park, Orcas Island Artworks, and more. Spread across 5000 acres of land the Moran State Park houses several lakes, more than 30 miles of hiking trails, varied flora, and fauna, a view of the Salish Sea, and Mount Baker. Visitors can also enjoy kayaking, fishing, etc. The Orcas Island Artworks offers visitors pieces of articulate work of over 40 island artists. With its quaint cafes, resorts, Deer Harbor- which is a focal point of kayaking, renting sailboats, etc, the island offers a lot to its visitors.

Best time to Visit: Between April and October, July and August are the busiest months.
Distance from Seattle: 102.9 miles, 3 hours drive

San Juan Island houses a population of over 6000 and is the most populous island in the USA. Visitors can enjoy a plethora of activities here like kayaking, the harvest of locally grown food, a farm tour, etc. The island has a pleasant climate throughout the year. Accessed by the beautiful ferry ride from Anacortes the island is perfect for hiking on the trails or a day on the beach. Visitors can enjoy the locally grown produce at the farmers market, or take a tour of the wine-tasting rooms and other artisan-crafted island delicacies.

Best time to Visit: Between April and October, July and August are the busiest months.
Distance from Seattle: 1.7 miles, 3 hours drive

Wenatchee National Forest in Washington is a national forest that is spread over million acres and 137-miles across the Cascade Range. The forest is a hub of recreational activities like hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, mountain biking, horse-back riding, and plenty of other winter outdoor sports, along with sightseeing options. With over 150 camping sites and picnic areas, the park also has several cabins and lodge facilities for its visitors.

Address: 600 Sherbourne St, Leavenworth, WA 98826
Open Hours: 24 Hours
Distance from Seattle: 51.5 Miles, 50 Minutes drive

Modeled as a bavarian village Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington. The city is a major recreational spot and is filled with tourists all year round. There are varied activities that the visitors can dive into ranging from world-class wineries, beautiful parks, fun games like geocaching, tours, to outdoor sports for winters and summers like skiing, ice-skating, hiking camping, etc. With its rich heritage/culture, and getting up and close with nature and wildlife the city has a lot to offer for its visitors.

Best time to Visit: December
Distance from Seattle: 134.8 Miles, 2-hour 15 minutes drive.

Located just outside Seattle the Snoqualmie Falls is the most stunning waterfalls in the USA. A 268-foot crashing waterfall located on the river Snoqualmie is a popular tourist spot with visitors over 1 million every year. Considered a sacred place by the Native Americans the falls are reached after a hike of 1.6 miles. Visitors can also enjoy and relax at the Salish Lodge at the top of the falls which is known for its multi-course country breakfasts. With its spectacular 4- star accommodation the lodge offers a picturesque view of the falls which is a sight for the sore eyes.

Address: 6501 Railroad Ave SE, Snoqualmie, WA 98065
Fees and Passes: No Entry Fee
Distance from Seattle: 28.7 miles, 33 minutes drive
Parking: Available
Best time to Visit: May to October"

Besides being known as the City of Roses, Portland is a focal point for many other things. Situated at the confluence of the river Willamette and Columbia, Portland is the largest in Oregan. Portland's weather conditions are ideal for growing roses, which is why it is also referred to as the City of Roses. It is also one of the four cities in the United States that houses extinct volcanoes. Some of the main attractions of the city include Forest Park, Mill Ends Park, Washington Park, Portland Japanese Garden, International Rose Test Garden, Lan Su Chinese Garden, and many more. Spread across 5000 acres of land the forest park is the largest park in the city as compared to Mill Ends Park which is the world's smallest park with an area of only 0.3-meter square. Whereas the Lan Su Chinese is a popular Shanghai-style, also called the Suzhou-Style garden in the city. Their Peninsula Park Rose garden is also quite famous. With the best park system, the largest collection of art- touring exhibitions every year, longest-running amusement park, best street food, speciality coffee the city has a lot to offer to its visitors.

Best time to visit: June to August
Distance from Seattle: 180.2 miles, 2- hours 43 minutes drive

Mount St Helens is an active Stratovolcano located in Washington. It is named after Lord St Helens who discovered the area in the late 18th century. With its steep and rugged terrain Mount St Helens is a popular climbing destination for novice and experienced mountaineers. The Monitor Ridge Route is a popular and crowded route during the summers while the Worm Flow Route during winters. The former has an elevation gain of 4600-feet with a distance of 8kms, while the latter has 5700-feet covering a distance of 10kms. This summit is a perfect spot for mountain climbers seeking adventure and is open all year long.

Address: Loowit Trail, Cougar, WA 98616, United States
Distance from Seattle: 184.6 miles, 3-hour, 9 minutes drive
Permit Fees: USD 15/Climber/Day

Located in Washington, The Olympic National Forest spreads over 6,00,000 acres of land surrounded by the Olympic National Park and the Olympic Mountain. It encompasses the varied landscape of the Olympic Peninsula, from high mountain ridges to deep canyons and beaches. The forest also offers diverse recreational activities for the visitors. Surrounded by wilderness and the rich biodiversity of the Olympic Peninsula, there are several RV/primitive camping sites and over 250 miles of biking/hiking trails for the novice as well as experienced hikers.

Address: 1835 Black Lake Blvd SW, Olympia, WA 98512
Open Hours: 24 hours
Fees and Passes: Annual Pass USD 30
Distance from Seattle: 53.1 Miles, 2 hours drive"

Built by Boeing, the Boeing Factory is an aeroplane assembly facility in Washington and is one of the most popular attractions in the city. It was built in the year 1967 and features the assembly of several airliners including 767, 787, 777, and 747. The 90-minute tour, which is run by the Future of Flight Aviation Centre, unravels some interesting and fascinating facts about Boeing and the airlines that have its name. The tour is an opportunity to view the airliners before they depart for service. It has also been estimated that over one lac people attend this tour every year, making it one of the most-visited attractions in the city.

Address: 8415 Paine Field Blvd, Mukilteo, WA 98275
Open Hours: 8.30 AM to 5.30 PM,
Guided tours: 9.00 AM to 3.00 PM
Distance from Seattle: 15.1 Miles, 20 minutes drive
Fees and Passes: USD 25/ person Entry Fee