Day Trips from Seattle
 

This will be my first summer in Seattle, and I'm looking for some fun day trip ideas that don't require an overnight stay. I've been here since the end of October but have not ventured out of Seattle or the East side area. I like just about anything except for shopping for antiques. The thing I love most is touring brewpubs. But I'm open for everything in between since I am brand new and just want to check out my new area.

What are your fave *day* trips from Seattle?

It can be very warm so you may want to do Mt. Baker or Rainer. Take the Ferry over to Pt. Townsend. The concerts at St. Michelle in Woodiville are very good also. Red Hook across the way can be a way to quench your thirst! Great fireworks display across from The Herb Farm however parking is miserable!

Oh, there are so many options! Mt Rainier (but wait until the snow has melted and the wildflowers come out), Whidbey Island (you can do a circle taking the ferry at one end and the Deception Pass bridge at the other and stop at La Conner as well), the Peninsula--Pt Townsend is nice but you can also go out as far as Hurricane Ridge and Lk Crescent in a (long) day trip.

Go to Leavenworth and hit one of the festivals, or better yet catch one of the Sound of Music productions. Blackbird Island there is especially nice to wander around on a hot day. Lots of hiking in the general area, or just wander the town. We used to spend almost every weekend in this area when we lived near Seattle.

Thanks for the ideas so far!

Any thoughts on whether Anacortes is a destination in itself, or is it really best suited as a stop over on the way to Orcas?

No, I wouldn't say that Anacortes alone is worth a day trip. But if it's part of the Whidbey loop and/or you visit La Conner as well, then yes.

If you're going to Anacortes, you might as well go to Deception Pass. That alone is worthy of a day trip. Walk across the bridge, hike along the beach. You can even take a kayak tour if you want. The scenery is gorgeous.

Serendipity42

If you haven't been to the Boeing factory tour, it's a good first stop on our fave day trip.

Seattle to the Boeing tour, then down to the Mukilteo ferry (5 min. from the tour center.) Ferry to Whidbey Island then late breakfast/lunch in Langley.

Then drive up the island (stop in Coupeville, the second-cutest town on Whidbey) to Deception Pass. Stop, walk around, gawk.

Then over the bridge and up to SR 20, back onto the mainland and down to La Conner, for an afternoon coffee or another leg-stretching.

Then back from La Conner to the freeway and home. Alternatively, you can skip La Conner and take Chuckanut Drive from west of Burlington up to Bellingham (Fairhaven, another cute town) and then take I-5 back to Seattle.

Doable in 6 or 7 hours, longer if you want. Great day trip.

Snoqualmie Falls
Walk on ferry to Bainbridge Island
St Michelle and the wineries in Woodinville
drive/ferry to Whidbey Island
Port Townsend

My very favorite is the drive over the pass to the Winthrop/Mazama area to go camping. But it's about 4-hours so really does require an overnight or two.

The number one day-trip destination from Seattle is Mr. Rainier. Go on a clear day.

My favorite trip is the one outlined by suze. We go to Winthrop via Arlington and Darrington to the North Cascade Highway (WA 20).

There is a good brewery in Twisp--the Twisp River Pub. It is a beautiful eight-mile drive from Winthrop.

We return to Seattle via WA 153 (through the Methow Valley) 97 Alt. (which goes down the west side of the Columbia River) and Route 2, through Leavenworth and over Stevens Pass.

www.portludlowresort.com

Visit Port Gamble nearby: pioneer graveyard, farmers market old lumber company house you could rent..a great shell museum, lots of roadside blackberries to pick..

Eatting alfresco on the deck at the Resort is great...
There is a waterfall hike near the Resort..front desk can give you a map.
If you stay the weekend you could go to Port Townsend one day and have pizza at a famous pizza place: visit the Wooden Boat festival, or drive to Squim for the LAvender festival or the Wine festival.

www.park.wa.gov
Visit Fort Worden;you can stay there too in old military houses: or check out teh other parks on teh site too..

I'm thinking about making the trip to Whidbey Island either this weekend or next and have a question for those of you with dogs -- is this a pet friendly destination? Looks like there are some parks/areas where dogs are allowed, but what I'm really wondering is whether or not there's a place I can grab a beer or a meal with my pooch. :)

Thanks!

You can explore a little of Vancouver BC. It's just fun being in a different country for a day ;)

http://dogfriendly.com/

There's both an off-leash park and an off-leash beach in Freeland, between Langley and Coupeville. Note alcohol is usually prohibited on public beaches, so use discretion.

Thanks Gardyloo! Looks like there are some good places for Hops to go for a romp.

Hoping there are also some restaurants/bars that allow dogs on the patio...anyone?