scoutmedicken

My wife and I will be travelling to Seattle from 9/25-9/30. We booked a central/lower queen anne area hotel and plan to spend Sat/Sun in Seattle.

Monday, we have a road trip to Mt. Rainier with an overnight planned at Paradise Inn. During this day trip, what would be the best way to experience the the Mt?

Tuesday, my wife wants to see Mt. St. Helens.

We would also like to take in the Pacific Coast while we are there.

What are you thoughts about this plan? What would you change?

Thanks!!!

crazywoody

Hi! Pack your rain gear it will more than likely rain! Paradise Inn is beautiful but more than likely will be in cloud cover / fog. The drive is a gorgeous one up the mountain and the restaurant there is gorgeous.
I would avoid Mt. Saint Helens as there really isn't much to see! But it is on the way to the coast so you might double up there. Also, the coast is cold and rainy *so again have your rain gear ready.
In truth, after your day of Mt. Rainier I would head the other way grab a ferry from Seattle to the San Juan Islands ( It's about 10 degree's warmer there and MUCH LESS rain), and the ferry ride is relaxing as well as a beautiful part of Washington state. I apologize this isn't very positive, but Sept. in Washington is the beginning of our gray / wet/ foggy weather.
Good luck!

Orcas

Sounds great to me. I don't think you have time for the coast.

At Mt. Rainier, you can get info on things to do and ask rangers about hikes/walks that suit you. If there are still Ranger walks (late in season), they are well-worth your time. The drive to Sunrise is beautiful and you can visit the rainforest at Ohanapakosh on the way. I highly recommend this, and if you can go on a ranger walk at Ohanapakosh it is even better - huge, very old trees. Sunrise is on the east side of the mt, and a mile high, like Paradise, so it is above the Timberline. It has a glacier nearby that is rapidly receding - hard to recognize as a glacier anymore.

Mt Rainier is huge and you will not run out of things to do in the park. Plus it is one of the most beautiful places on earth and that is not an exageration.

Mt. St. Helens is really interesting. There are different entrances. You'll be near the one that goes to Spirit Lake. Check out what is happening at the different visitor's centers. Imho, the best entrance is off of I-5 and goes up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, which has a really good show on the geology, a great movie and good walk in the blast zone. The National Park Service visitor's centers along that route are quite excellent and it takes a day to do this trip right. It would be good to bring your own lunch and plan to picnic along the way. Mt. St. Helens isn't beautiful like Mt. Rainier (though it may be quite lovely in the Fall) but it is fascinating.

RE the coast, since I don't think you'll have time to go there, maybe you can enjoy the waters of Seattle more - kayak in L. Union, take a boat to Blake Island in Puget Sound, or visit one of the great parks on the Sound like Golden Gardens or the beach at Alki. You'll see lots of salt water. Puget Sound is not the ocean but it is not shabby either.

Orcas

I would not be so pessimistic about the weather as crazywoody. September often beautiful. Here is some climate data:

http://gonw.about.com/library/climate/blSEAclimate.htm

You just can't tell. I should have added above, that, because Sunrise is on the east side of the mountain, it is often clear when Paradise is not. So, if it is foggy at Paradise, go east, and visit the rainforest on the way. It is perfectly fine if Ohanapakosh is wet and misty - more atmosphere that way.

As for Mt. St Helens, if you visit the visitor's centers, so you understand about what happened (the human drama), the geology, the blast and the return to life, it is quit interesting. If you just breeze in and out, well, it's a volcano that lost its top.

suze

I had the same thought about the weather (I live here). September is often our very most beautiful month of the entire year!

I don't think you have time for Seattle, Rainier, St. Helen, AND the coast (or the San Juans) with only 5 days time total, and 2 days already dedicated to Seattle sights/sites. Maybe a day trip to Whidbey Island instead?