From Seattle you can stand beside a 268-foot waterfall in about half an hour, walk a boardwalk over a wildlife-refuge delta in under an hour, cross Deception Pass Bridge in about an hour and a half, or reach the wildflower meadows of Mount Rainier in a little over two. These ten are our picks, by real drive time from downtown Seattle.
Under an hour
- Snoqualmie Falls (34 min east): a 268-foot falls with an overlook a short walk from the parking lot. About an hour is enough. The upper lot is free (cross the sky bridge); the lower lot charges for parking.
- Little Si (36 min east): a shorter, kid-friendly climb past mossy boulders to a rocky top. Moderate; Discover Pass.
- Point Defiance Park (49 min southwest, in Tacoma): old forest, beaches and gardens. The park is free; the zoo and aquarium inside charge admission.
- Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge (56 min southwest): a boardwalk out over the delta with herons, eagles and flocks of ducks, best fall through spring. Entry fee or an America the Beautiful pass (a Discover Pass is not accepted).
One to two hours
- Skagit Valley tulip fields (1 hr 8 min north): miles of tulip and daffodil fields in bloom, late March to April. Farms charge entry fees.
- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (1 hr 7 min south): tram tours past bison, elk and moose roaming free near Eatonville. Entry fee.
- Deception Pass State Park (1 hr 26 min north): the famous bridge, swirling tide currents, beaches and forest trails. Discover Pass.
- Chuckanut Drive and Larrabee State Park (1 hr 29 min north): a cliffside road over Samish Bay with tide pools and trails at the state park. Discover Pass.
- Port Townsend and Fort Worden (1 hr 45 min northwest): a Victorian seaport town plus a fort with bunkers, beaches and a lighthouse. Discover Pass at Fort Worden.
Two to three hours: the mountain days
- Leavenworth (2 hr 11 min east): a Bavarian-style village with river walks and mountain views. Paid parking.
- Sunrise (2 hr 4 min southeast): the highest point you can drive to in Mount Rainier National Park, open July to September. NPS entrance fee.
- Paradise and the Skyline Trail (2 hr 16 min southeast): wildflower meadows and glaciers on Rainier's south side. Read our Mount Rainier day trip from Seattle.
- Hurricane Ridge (2 hr 48 min northwest): a paved road up into the Olympic Mountains for meadow walks and views across to Canada; summer is best. The day lodge burned in 2023 and has not been rebuilt, so expect limited facilities. Our Olympic Peninsula weekend builds a trip around it.
When to go
Summers are dry and mild, and from fall to spring rain falls at sea level while snow piles up in the mountains and closes the high roads. Seattle averages 0.6 inches of rain in July against 6.3 in November. High mountain roads close for snow, with chains required from November 1, so save Sunrise, Paradise and Hurricane Ridge for summer and fall, and use the low-elevation trips (Snoqualmie Falls, Nisqually, Port Townsend) for rainy months.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 98101 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Fees, passes and hours change, so confirm before you go.
Plan it
Our Pacific Northwest guide · All of Washington (Day Trippin') · All 117 day trips from Seattle · Start a free trip plan · Hand-picked Pacific Northwest tours.
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