Day Trippin' › Washington › From Seattle › Best small towns
Our picks for the best small towns within 3 hours of Seattle: 24 places, 2 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 13 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 Point Ruston and the Ruston Way waterfront, 44 min south 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: Roc0ast3r, CC0
#2 · Town · 2 hr 11 min east
A Bavarian-style village with river walks and mountain views.
Heads-up: Very busy in December and October.
Photo: Jennifer Snoek-Brown, CC BY-SA 4.0
#3 · 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: Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · Town · 59 min northwest
A Scandinavian-themed harbor town with bakeries and a waterfront park.
Heads-up: Busy during the Viking Fest in May.
Photo: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
#5 · Town · 1 hr 3 min north
A small Whidbey Island village with galleries, a seawall walk and gray whales in spring.
Heads-up: Ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton.
Photo: Zach Taiji, CC0
#6 · Town · 1 hr 6 min east
A tiny town under granite walls, with river views and climbing.
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5
#7 · 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
#8 · Town · 1 hr 23 min southeast
A historic coal town with old cemeteries and a TV-famous main street.
Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5
#9 · Town · 1 hr 33 min north
A loop road and trails along rocky headlands with island views.
Heads-up: The ferry terminal traffic can be heavy in summer.
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#10 · 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
#11 · Town · 1 hr 42 min southeast
A western college town with a historic downtown and the Labor Day rodeo.
Heads-up: Windy.
Photo: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0
#12 · Town · 2 hr 13 min northwest
Gateway town with a waterfront trail, the ferry to Victoria and good food before or after the park.
Heads-up: The Victoria ferry needs a passport.
Photo: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · Town · 2 hr 14 min east
A small orchard town with a candy factory and a pioneer village museum.
Photo: Michael Barratt, Public domain
#14 · 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: Nadine Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
#15 · Market · 2 hr 28 min east
A food hall in an old steel warehouse on the Wenatchee riverfront.
Ashford (1 hr 39 min), Newhalem and Trail of the Cedars (2 hr 12 min), Packwood (2 hr 13 min), Toppenish murals (2 hr 29 min), Cathlamet and Puget Island (2 hr 36 min), Soap Lake (2 hr 47 min), Washington Park (2 hr 49 min), Waterville (2 hr 50 min), Prosser (2 hr 55 min)
Our top picks are Port Townsend and Fort Worden (1 hr 45 min), Leavenworth (2 hr 11 min), Point Ruston and the Ruston Way waterfront (44 min), Poulsbo (59 min) and Langley (1 hr 3 min). The page lists 24 places in all.
24: 2 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 13 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 98101.
Point Ruston and the Ruston Way waterfront, about 44 min south of Seattle.
18 need no pass or fee, including Soap Lake, Toppenish murals and Ellensburg. Fees change, so check each place.
23 of the 24 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.