Day Trippin' › Washington › From Seattle › Best history spots
Our picks for the best history spots within 3 hours of Seattle: 21 places, 2 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 10 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 Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum, 32 min east of Seattle.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#1 · 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: ItsDaDoc, CC BY-SA 4.0
#2 · Museum · 32 min east
Ride a vintage train and see the old depot in the town from Twin Peaks.
Heads-up: Check the train schedule.
Photo: Lethargilistic, CC0
#3 · Museum · 37 min south
Watch glassblowers at work and walk the Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma.
Heads-up: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Main galleries closed for renovation until December 12, 2026.
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5
#4 · Town · 1 hr 11 min north
A waterfront town of shops and museums on the Swinomish Channel.
Heads-up: Very busy during tulip season.
Photo: Flytzjl93, CC BY-SA 4.0
#5 · Town · 1 hr 23 min southeast
A historic coal town with old cemeteries and a TV-famous main street.
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · Town · 1 hr 40 min northeast
A small town with old cement silos, a historic theater and eagles on the Skagit.
Photo: Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
#7 · Town · 1 hr 42 min southeast
A western college town with a historic downtown and the Labor Day rodeo.
Heads-up: Windy.
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
#8 · Museum · 2 hr south
Exhibits on the eruption, plus a lakeside wetland trail.
Heads-up: Open Wednesday-Sunday only from November to March.
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#9 · Town · 2 hr 14 min east
A small orchard town with a candy factory and a pioneer village museum.
Photo: Jay Galvin, CC BY-SA 4.0
#10 · Town · 2 hr 29 min southeast
Dozens of outdoor murals of the town's history.
Photo: Sarony, Major & Knapp Lith., lithographer; Sohon, Gustav, 1825-1903, artist, Public domain
#11 · Historic site · 2 hr 37 min south
A rebuilt fur-trading fort with costumed staff and a garden.
Photo: Buidhe, CC BY-SA 4.0
#12 · Ski area · 2 hr 48 min east
A sunny ski area above Wenatchee.
Photo: Chrismiceli, CC0
#13 · Park · 2 hr 50 min south
Miles of forest trails in the city and a historic mansion with a view of five volcanoes on a clear day.
Photo: Thayne Tuason, CC BY-SA 4.0
#14 · Town · 2 hr 50 min east
A historic wheat-country town with a classic hotel and old buildings.
Photo: Rosenthal, James W., Public domain
#15 · Historic site · 3 hr southeast
Restored 1850s army post buildings under old oaks.
Heads-up: Remote. Closed in winter; the Commander's Quarters is shown by appointment, so call ahead.
Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad (1 hr 28 min), Coupeville and Ebey's Landing (1 hr 28 min), Longmire (1 hr 57 min), Wild Horses Monument (2 hr 8 min), Rocky Reach Dam (2 hr 32 min), Lake Quinault (2 hr 50 min)
Our top picks are Port Townsend and Fort Worden (1 hr 45 min), Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum (32 min), Museum of Glass (37 min), La Conner (1 hr 11 min) and Roslyn (1 hr 23 min). The page lists 21 places in all.
21: 2 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 10 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 98101.
Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum, about 32 min east of Seattle.
8 need no pass or fee, including Toppenish murals, Wild Horses Monument and Ellensburg. Fees change, so check each place.
18 of the 21 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.