Day Trippin' › Washington › From Seattle › Best beaches and lakes
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Seattle: 34 places, 5 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 23 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 98101.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Rattlesnake Ledge, 40 min southeast of Seattle.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0
#1 · State park · 1 hr 26 min north
The famous bridge, swirling tide currents, beaches and forest trails.
Heads-up: Bridge parking pullouts fill fast; walk on the bridge sidewalk only.
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#2 · Town · 1 hr 45 min northwest
A Victorian seaport town plus a fort with bunkers, beaches and a lighthouse.
Heads-up: Bring a flashlight for the bunkers.
Photo: Turtleey, CC BY-SA 4.0
#3 · Park · 49 min southwest
A huge Tacoma park with old forest, beaches, gardens, a zoo and an aquarium.
Heads-up: Dogs not allowed in the zoo.
Photo: Bob Collowan, CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · Viewpoint · 2 hr 24 min northeast
Pull off Hwy 20 to see the lake's unreal turquoise water under jagged peaks.
Heads-up: Hwy 20 closes over the passes in winter.
Photo: Unknown, Public domain
#5 · Viewpoint · 2 hr 44 min south
The west-side view straight into Mount St. Helens' blast zone.
Heads-up: Coldwater Lake is open. SR 504 past milepost 45 and Johnston Ridge Observatory stay closed for bridge rebuilding after the 2023 landslide (target spring 2027).
Photo: Jennifer Snoek-Brown, CC BY-SA 4.0
#6 · Waterfront · 44 min south
Tacoma's waterfront promenade: a flat, paved path along Commencement Bay past little beaches, old pier pilings and Mount Rainier views, ending at Point Ruston's plaza of restaurants, ice cream and shops next to Point Defiance.
Heads-up: Free parking along Ruston Way fills fast on sunny weekends; at Point Ruston, check the posted parking rules (shops validate). Dogs on leash. In summer, give seal pups on the beaches plenty of room.
Photo: Elwhajeff / Jefftaylor@xwb.com (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Lake · 2 hr 39 min northwest
A deep, clear glacier-carved lake with a lodge, paddling and easy shoreline walks.
Heads-up: US 101 curves along the lake; watch for roadwork delays.
Photo: Cody Logan (aka clpo13), CC BY-SA 3.0
#8 · Scenic drive · 1 hr 29 min north
A cliffside road over Samish Bay with tide pools and trails at the state park.
Heads-up: Narrow road with few pullouts.
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
#9 · Museum · 2 hr south
Exhibits on the eruption, plus a lakeside wetland trail.
Heads-up: Open Wednesday-Sunday only from November to March.
Photo: Steve Andersen from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#10 · State park · 2 hr 1 min east
A glacial lake with beaches and mountain views.
Photo: Michael Barratt, Public domain
#11 · Town · 2 hr 24 min southwest
A working fishing town with a tall lighthouse, an observation tower and a surf beach.
Heads-up: Lighthouse climbs Thursday-Sunday most of the year; December-January weekends by appointment.
Photo: Anastacia12182, CC BY-SA 3.0
#12 · Beach · 2 hr 41 min northwest
Tide pools, WWII bunkers and views of the Strait at a county park.
Heads-up: Best at low tide. The gate is locked outside open hours.
Photo: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · Town · 2 hr 47 min east
A mineral lake people have soaked in for a century.
Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
#14 · State park · 2 hr 48 min east
Sand dunes, lakes and birds in the desert.
Photo: stevevoght, CC BY-SA 2.0
#15 · Wildlife refuge · 2 hr 50 min east
Scablands lakes and cliffs full of birds south of Potholes.
Heads-up: Open sunrise to sunset; some areas close seasonally.
Rattlesnake Ledge (40 min), Vashon Island (50 min), Gold Creek Pond (57 min), Bridal Veil Falls and Lake Serene (1 hr 5 min), Tipsoo Lake (1 hr 47 min), Mowich Lake and Tolmie Peak (2 hr 2 min), Baker Lake (2 hr 4 min), Reflection Lakes (2 hr 14 min), Thunder Knob Trail (2 hr 24 min), Ross Lake and Ross Dam Trail (2 hr 30 min), Picture Lake (2 hr 32 min), Colchuck Lake (2 hr 32 min), Marymere Falls (2 hr 36 min), Moulton Falls (2 hr 48 min), Lake Quinault (2 hr 50 min), Lake Lenore Caves (2 hr 53 min), Maple Pass Loop (2 hr 58 min), Rainy Lake (2 hr 59 min), Windy Ridge (2 hr 59 min)
Our top picks are Deception Pass State Park (1 hr 26 min), Port Townsend and Fort Worden (1 hr 45 min), Point Defiance Park (49 min), Diablo Lake Overlook (2 hr 24 min) and Coldwater Lake and Johnston Ridge (2 hr 44 min). The page lists 34 places in all.
34: 5 under an hour away, 6 between 1 and 2 hours and 23 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 98101.
Rattlesnake Ledge, about 40 min southeast of Seattle.
12 need no pass or fee, including Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, Soap Lake and Rattlesnake Ledge. Fees change, so check each place.
14 of the 34 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.