Park · 57 min northeast
Point Defiance Park
A huge Tacoma park with old forest, beaches, gardens, a zoo and an aquarium.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Free park; zoo has a fee
Day Trippin' › Washington › From Olympia
Day trips from Olympia
From Olympia the Pacific coast, the Olympic foothills, Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier are all within reach. Here are the best day trips from Olympia by drive time.
63 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Olympia
- Museum of Glass 47 min northeast
- Point Defiance Park 57 min northeast
- Carbon River 57 min east
- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park 1 hr 6 min east
- Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake 1 hr 18 min south
- Pike Place Market 1 hr 25 min northeast
- Snoqualmie Falls 1 hr 38 min northeast
- Coldwater Lake and Johnston Ridge 2 hr 14 min southeast
- Port Townsend and Fort Worden 2 hr 33 min north
- Beacon Rock State Park 2 hr 54 min southeast
Within an hour from Olympia 3 spots
Museum · 47 min northeast
Museum of Glass
Watch glassblowers at work and walk the Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Entry fee
Forest · 57 min east
Carbon River
An inland rainforest on the park's northwest side, walked or biked on an old road.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- Year-round
- NPS entrance fee (no booth: buy online or by card at the ranger station)
1 to 2 hours from Olympia 20 spots
Waterfall · 1 hr 38 min northeast
Snoqualmie Falls
A 268-foot falls with an overlook a short walk from the parking lot.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round
- Free upper lot (cross the sky bridge); the lower lot charges for parking
Zoo · 1 hr 6 min east
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Tram tours past bison, elk and moose roaming free near Eatonville.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Entry fee
Museum · 1 hr 18 min south
Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake
Exhibits on the eruption, plus a lakeside wetland trail.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Small admission fee (kids 6 and under free)
Market · 1 hr 25 min northeast
Pike Place Market
Seattle's busy public market with fish throwers, produce stalls and the waterfront below.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- None; parking fees
Park · 1 hr 42 min northeast
Discovery Park
Seattle's biggest park, with bluffs, beaches and a lighthouse.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
Town · 1 hr 43 min north
Poulsbo
A Scandinavian-themed harbor town with bakeries and a waterfront park.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
Trail · 1 hr 33 min northwest
Staircase (Olympic National Park)
Old-growth walks along the clear North Fork Skokomish River on the quiet east side of the park.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Spring-fall
- NPS entrance fee
Pass · 1 hr 58 min east
Snoqualmie Pass
Ski area in winter, hiking and huckleberries in summer, an hour from Seattle.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Lift tickets; Sno-Park permits in winter
2 to 3 hours from Olympia 38 spots
Town · 2 hr 33 min north
Port Townsend and Fort Worden
A Victorian seaport town plus a fort with bunkers, beaches and a lighthouse.
- Full day · Easy
- Year-round
- Discover Pass at Fort Worden
State park · 2 hr 54 min southeast
Beacon Rock State Park
A switchback trail up a huge rock core over the Columbia River.
- 2 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- Discover Pass
Viewpoint · 2 hr 14 min southeast
Coldwater Lake and Johnston Ridge
The west-side view straight into Mount St. Helens' blast zone.
- Half day · Easy
- Summer-fall
- NW Forest Pass
Viewpoint · 2 hr 22 min east
Paradise and the Skyline Trail
Wildflower meadows and glaciers on Mount Rainier's south side, with a visitor center.
- Half day · Easy to hard
- July-Sept flowers; winter snowplay
- NPS entrance fee
Farm · 2 hr 47 min north
Skagit Valley tulip fields
Miles of tulip and daffodil fields in bloom.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Late March-April
- Farm entry fees
Viewpoint · 2 hr 48 min east
Sunrise
The highest point you can drive to in the park, with huge views of the mountain.
- Half day · Easy to moderate
- July-September
- NPS entrance fee
Historic site · 2 hr 5 min south
Fort Vancouver
A rebuilt fur-trading fort with costumed staff and a garden.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- NPS fee for the rebuilt fort only (ages 16+); the rest is free
Wildlife refuge · 2 hr 19 min south
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Drive or walk past wetlands full of ducks, cranes and herons.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Fall-spring
- Refuge entrance fee or America the Beautiful pass (Discover Pass not accepted)
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 98501 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.