Wondering what the most amazing Day Trips from Seattle for 2023 are? Well, look no further because we live in the Seattle area so taking day trips from seattle is something we love doing! A lot of people think you have to go on extravagant trips to count as a vacation, but honestly we love wholesome road trips from seattle!
You never know what you’ll find in Washington from hidden caves, cute little towns, mystical waterfalls, or magestic national parks!
19 Best Day Trips From Seattle
- Snoqualmie Falls, Washington
- Olympica National Park
- Mt Rainier National Park
- San Juan Islands, Washington
- Tree of Life, Kalaloch Beach
- Deception Pass State Park
- North Cascades National Park
- Mt. Saint Helens National Park
- Bellevue, Washington
- Leavenworth, Washington
- Portland, Oregon
- Vancouver BC
- Poulsbo, Washington
- La Push Beach
- Ruby Beach
- Ocean Shores
- Seaside Beach
- Canon Beach
- Cape Flattery, Washington
Best Nature Day Trips from Seattle
1. Snoqualmie Falls
Where: Snoqualmie falls is located in Snoqualmie, WA. This is approximately 35 minutes from Seattle without traffic.
Recreational pass required None, free.
Activities: Hiking, fishing,
2. Olympic National Park
Where: Olympic National Park is located in the North Western corner of Washington State. This is just over 2-3 hours away from Seattle depending on the area of the park that you will be visiting.
Recreational pass required: You must purchase either the “American the Beautiful” pass, the “Olympic National Forest” pass or pay an entrance fee to gain access to the forest. If purchasing online remember to print out your pass incase you lose cell service. Try to purchase ahead of time so you know you are prepared.
Activities:
- Hiking
- viewing stunning lakes
- Explore Waterfalls in Washington
- Explore the mountains
- wildlife viewing (be respectful)
- swimming (Only Swim in marked Safe To Swim areas)
- Biking and mountain biking
3. Mt Rainier National Park
Mt. Rainier is one of our favorite nature adventures for popular spots in Washington!
Where: Located about 2 hours South East of Seattle.
Recreational pass required: You must purchase either the “American the Beautiful” pass, the “Mount Rainier National Parl” pass or pay an entrance fee to gain access to the park. If purchasing online remember to print out your pass incase you lose cell service. Try to purchase ahead of time so you know you are prepared.
Activities: Hiking, swimming, nature viewing, wildlife viewing, and more!
We try to visit Mt. Rainier at least a few times a year, and even then we never get tired of it because there’s so much to do when exploring Mt. Rainier. Our favorite thing is adventuring through some of the best hikes in Mt. Rainier such as Alta Vista Trail or Palisades Lake Trail.
4. San Juan Islands
The San Juan Islands are a true beauty of nature considering the fact that it is a small archipelago. An archipelago is a group of islands typically formed from volcanic eruptions occurring from below. This also means a lot of genetic diversity within the wildlife existing on the archipelago.
The sights on the San Juans are a cool Washington lighthouse, Moran State Park old-growth forest, and Mount Constitution. Wildlife sightings to look out for are whales, foxes, bears, deer, seals, sea lions, bats, and so much more, so be sure to bring a pair of binoculars and bear spray.
Where: Located in the Pacific north west in Washington State. The Islands are about 3 hours and 15 minutes from Seattle which includes drive time and a ferry ride which will cost depending on the amount of passengers and vehicle type.
Recreational pass required: No pass needed to visit the island. But if wishing to visit Moran State Park you will need purchase a discover pass for this. San Juan Islands National Historical Park is free of charge.
Activities: Whale watching, hiking, kayaking, fishing, biking, wildlife viewing,
5. Tree of Life, Kalaloch Beach
The Tree of Life is located at Kalaloch Beach on the beautiful Washington coast. The beach is technically a part of the Olympic National Park so there is a pass needed to spend time there.
The Tree of Life is one of those natural wonders that doesn’t seem natural at all. The tree actually defies laws of physics and tree physiology considering its roots are hanging in the area and are not actually in the soil where the Tree would otherwise take up its nutrients from.
Where: Kalaloch Beach located on the Washington coast. This is roughly 3 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational pass required: Yes, you will have to purchase either the “America the Beautiful” pass, an Olympic National Forest pass or pay an entrance fee into Olympic National Forest.
Activities: Hiking, walking, wildlife viewing, nature viewing, tide pooling, beach walks, playing in the sand,
6. Deception Pass State Park
This is a recreational state park located in Northwestern Washington with tons of trails, forest and shore line. This is a state park so it requires purchasing a discover pass. Popular activities here are hiking, biking and swimming though theres so much more to do here.
Where: Anacortes and Oak Harbor, Washington. This is about a 1.5 hour drive from Seattle, WA.
Recreational pass required: Discover pass
Campsites: Yes there are tent campsites, partial hookup sites, restrooms and showers at this state park.
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash though they are not allowed in certain areas and swimming beaches.
Activities: hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, boating, swimming, diving, white water kayaking and rafting
7. North Cascades National Park
Where: Located in Northern Washington about 2 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational passes required: No pass needed though are certain trailheads that require the Northwest Forest Pass. There are also fees to use and or reserve campsites.
Campsites? Yes but be sure to reserve as early as possible.
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash.
Activities: hiking, biking, boating, climbing, fishing, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, camping.
8. Mt St Helens National Park
Mt St Helens is one of those things everyone learned about because of the chaotic eruption that occurred in 1980. The eruption lasted for days and left most of Washington in the dark under grey clouds of ash. Stories our parents told us say that the ash fell for days, the entire area was in a state of disarray, and the state was forever changed.
Mt St Helens now being 30 some odd years after the big eruption is doing better than ever. The forests, plants and life there bloomed after the chaos. The national park now serves as not only an educational opportunity and a piece of history but also a place of great natural wonder. There are so many things to do, see and learn about at Mt. St. Helens national park such as hiking, biking and fishing for example.
Where: Located in Southwestern Washington about 2.5 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational pass required: America the Beautiful
Activities: Hiking, biking, fishing, zip-lining, climbing,
Best City day trips from Seattle
9. Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a very charming city located near Seattle. The city features cool shoreline parks, a great mall and
Where: This city is located about 20 minutes from Seattle, WA.
Things to do: Visit the Botanical Gardens, the downtown park, Bellevue Square mall, visit a beach park like Chism or Newcastle, go to the movies,
10. Leavenworth, Washington
This Bavarian-styled town is very popular with locals and tourists from around the world and chances are this is not the first time or last time you will have heard of the town of Leavenworth. The town really puts central Washington on the map, especially as a prime-time Winter destination.
Theres tons to do from beer tasting, hiking, fishing, swimming and wine tasting during the summer to skiing, feeding reindeer, enjoying the Christmas Tree lightning and sleigh riding during the Winter.
Where: This charming town is located in the Cascade Mountains in Central Washington about 2.5 hours from Seattle, WA.
Things to do: Hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, swimming, nature viewing, beer and wine tasting, and so much more!
11. Portland, Oregon
Portland is a very charming city unlike most other cities. There are tons of things to do from visiting the famous Japanese gardens, to visiting forests, to visiting the nearby famous waterfall called Multnomah Falls. Other things to do are visiting Pittock Mansion, the Oregon Zoo or the Tom McCall waterfront park. The city also has great foods, desserts and beverages to try as well.
Where: This city is located in the neighboring state of Oregon. Portland is roughly 3 hours from Seattle, WA.
Things to do: Visit the Japanese Gardens, Visit Oregon Zoo, Visit the Pittock Mansion, Visit the waterfront park, find great food, and drinks and more!
12. Vancouver, BC
Vancouver is a city very similar yet so different from Seattle, which is why it’s one of our favorite easy road trips from emerald city . The city is so diverse and has so many outdoorsy things to do. The weather patterns are very similar to Seattle and there are so many great food and drinks spots that are reminiscent of Seattle. Though one of Vancouver’s best things to do is to visit the Richmond night market where you can find so many unique and tasty desserts, snacks and street foods.
Where: Vancouver, BC is located in Canada about 2.5-3 hours from Seattle, WA.
Things to do: Visit Stanley Park, the Aquarium, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Canada Place, Queen Elizabeth Park, Science World, Vancouver Seawall, Bloedel conservatory and more! There are tons of great food and desserts to try. If visiting from May-October stop by the Richmond Night Market for the best eats.
13. Poulsbo, Washington
Enjoy the small and memorable Norwegian-styled town with its Norwegian-styled architecture and history. You can visit Liberty Bay waterfront or spend time in Old, Historic Downtown Poulsbo.
Where: This small town is located on Liberty Bay in Kitsap County in Washington.
Things to do: Try foods, desserts and coffee in historic downtown. Visit Liberty Bay, visit the SEA discovery center, visit the Undersea Naval Museum, visit the Maritime Museum,
Best Beach Day trips from Seattle
`14. La Push Beach, Washington
This beach was always beautiful but became increasingly popular due to the Twilight series, but its beauty speaks for itself. Take the time and stop by to enjoy the beautiful scenery La Push offers. Also, please be respectful, as the First Beach is located on Quileute Tribe Grounds.
Where: La Push is park of the Olympic National Park located on the West coast in Washington. The beach is about 4 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational Pass required: Yes, the America the Beautiful pass, the Olympic National Park pass, or pay an entrance fee into Olympic National Park.
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash.
15. Ruby Beach, Washington
Where: Ruby Beach is a part of the Olympic National Park coastal beaches located on the coast of Washington. The beach is approximately 3.5 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational Pass required: Yes, you will need to purchase either one of the following; the America the Beautiful pass, the Olympic National Forest Pass, or pay an entrance fee into Olympic National Park.
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash.
16. Ocean Shores, Washington
Ocean Shores is the go-to coastal beach for Washingtonians; you’ll see this famous beach get extremely crowded during the summer months, which is the peak season for the beach.
Where: The coast of Washington about 2.3 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational Pass required: No
Dogs allowed? Yes on leash in certain areas. There is a dog beach for dogs to run around off leash.
17. Seaside, Oregon
Seaside is a unique little coastal town located on the western coast of Oregon state. This famous little beach town is lively during the spring, summer, and early fall seasons. We visit Seaside once or twice a year and go down the Washington and Oregon coastline on the same trip for epic Pacific Ocean views.
Where: This beach is located in Oregon about 3.5-4 hours from Seattle, WA depending on the route taken and traffic conditions.
Recreational Pass required: No
Dogs allowed? Yes.
18 . Canon Beach, Oregon
Where: This beach is located in Oregon about 3.5-4 hours from Seattle, WA dependent upon traffic, weather and the route taken.
Recreational Pass required: No
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash.
19. Cape Flattery, Washington
Where: This beach is located in the most Northern part of the Washington coast about 4.5-5 hours from Seattle, WA.
Recreational Pass required: No
Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash.
Seattle Day Trips FAQ
The Towns that are within an hour away from Seattle are:
– Tacama
– Snoqualmie
– Bellevue
– Everett
– Olympia
– Granite Falls
– Mount Vernon
– Tulalip
– Gig Harbor
Yes, you can do a day trip from Seattle to the San Juan Islands; it will take 2.5 hours each way.
Cities within driving distance from Seattle are:
– Tacoma, Washington
– Leavenworth, Washington
– Portland, Oregon
– Vancouver BC
– Seaside, Oregon
– Long Beach, Washington
– Ocean Shores, Washington
– Yakima Valley, Washington
– Olympia, Washington
Yes, you can take a day trip to Canada from Seattle; it’s a popular mini vacation that takes under 3 hours to drive each way.