Waterfall · 59 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
Day Trippin' › Washington › From Tacoma
Day trips from Tacoma
Tacoma is the closest big city to Mount Rainier, and it's an easy run north to Seattle's markets or west to the Olympic Peninsula. These are the best day trips from Tacoma, sorted by how long you'll be in the car.
68 places within a 3-hour drive, by real roads.
10 day trips from Tacoma
- Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge 32 min southwest
- Pike Place Market 46 min north
- Snoqualmie Falls 59 min northeast
- Discovery Park 1 hr 3 min north
- Wallace Falls State Park 1 hr 48 min northeast
- Crystal Mountain Gondola 1 hr 48 min southeast
- Port Townsend and Fort Worden 1 hr 58 min north
- Skagit Valley tulip fields 2 hr 8 min north
- Paradise and the Skyline Trail 2 hr 12 min southeast
- Deception Pass State Park 2 hr 28 min north
Within an hour from Tacoma 8 spots
Wildlife refuge · 32 min southwest
Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
A boardwalk out over the delta with herons, eagles and huge flocks of ducks.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; birds best fall-spring
- Refuge entry fee or America the Beautiful pass (Discover Pass not accepted)
Market · 46 min north
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
Museum · 58 min northeast
Snoqualmie and the Northwest Railway Museum
Ride a vintage train and see the old depot in the town from Twin Peaks.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round; trains run seasonally
- Train ride fee
Forest · 29 min southeast
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)
Island · 43 min north
Vashon Island
A rural island a ferry ride away, with farm stands, beaches and a lighthouse.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Ferry fare
Zoo · 53 min south
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
Tram tours past bison, elk and moose roaming free near Eatonville.
- Half day · Easy
- Year-round
- Entry fee
Waterfall · 43 min southwest
Tumwater Falls Park
A short loop past a series of falls on the Deschutes River, with salmon in the fall.
- 1 hr · Easy
- Year-round; salmon Sept-Oct
- No pass or fee needed
1 to 2 hours from Tacoma 24 spots
Town · 1 hr 58 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
Park · 1 hr 3 min north
Discovery Park
Seattle's biggest park, with bluffs, beaches and a lighthouse.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
Waterfall · 1 hr 48 min northeast
Wallace Falls State Park
A forest trail to a string of waterfalls above Gold Bar.
- 3-4 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- Discover Pass
Viewpoint · 1 hr 48 min southeast
Crystal Mountain Gondola
Ride the gondola to a summit restaurant with a close-up view of Rainier.
- 2-3 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Gondola ticket
Museum · 1 hr 51 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)
Trail · 1 hr 2 min northeast
Little Si
A shorter, kid-friendly climb past mossy boulders to a rocky top.
- 2-3 hrs · Moderate
- Year-round
- Discover Pass
Town · 1 hr 8 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
Town · 1 hr 55 min northeast
Index
A tiny town under granite walls, with river views and climbing.
- 1-2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
2 to 3 hours from Tacoma 34 spots
State park · 2 hr 28 min north
Deception Pass State Park
The famous bridge, swirling tide currents, beaches and forest trails.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Discover Pass
Farm · 2 hr 8 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 12 min southeast
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
Viewpoint · 2 hr 16 min southeast
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
Viewpoint · 2 hr 47 min south
Coldwater Lake and Johnston Ridge
The west-side view straight into Mount St. Helens' blast zone.
- Half day · Easy
- Summer-fall
- NW Forest Pass
Town · 2 hr 1 min east
Roslyn
A historic coal town with old cemeteries and a TV-famous main street.
- 2 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- No pass or fee needed
Wildlife refuge · 2 hr 19 min northwest
Dungeness Spit
One of the world's longest sand spits, with birds, seals and a lighthouse at the end.
- 2 hrs to full day · Easy to hard (length)
- Year-round
- Refuge entry fee (federal passes and Duck Stamp accepted)
Scenic drive · 2 hr 33 min north
Chuckanut Drive and Larrabee State Park
A cliffside road over Samish Bay with tide pools and trails at the state park.
- 2-4 hrs · Easy
- Year-round
- Discover Pass
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP 98402 (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner). Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.