We live in Seattle and (as many others) are planning the upcoming summer. We don't want to go for a long time and prefer extended weekends in the area. We already plan on a weekend in the columbia gorge and a weekend in the Oregon coast. I guess we will also have one day trips to mount reiner, st helens etc. Do you have any ideas for other long weekends (around 3 days). We know that olympic peninsula is an option, but given the trips to Oregon coast and columbia gorge, this may be "more of the same". What do you think?

Victoria Island has gardens and a great museum. You can walk the center city with many fine restaurants. The famous hotel on the waterfront has great character and old time elegance.

The Olympic Peninsula, including Lake Crescent, Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest, is spectacular and quite different from the other places you mentioned. A weekend in Port Townsend might be good if you are interested in fine old Victorian homes. From there you can take the ferry to Whidbey Island and visit Coupeville, Langley and Deception Pass State Park. Victoria BC (on Vancouver Island) makes a great weekend getaway. Bellingham is an interesting town, with the Fairhaven historic district and Mount Baker among its nearby attractions. You really have many, many options for weekend trips in this area.

Why not go to Leavenworth, or to La Conner...lots of hiking, scenery, laid back feeling. Or go to Anacortes and drift over to Orcas, stay in a B&B, etc. We loved that one.

Hikers? North Cascades is within easy driving and has lots of trails. How about a trip up to Mt. Baker? Tulip festival in the Skagit Valley up near Mount Vernon?

Have you been to Stehekin? Take a road trip to Chelan and ride the boat all the way to the end of Lake Chelan.

1) Whidbey Island.

2) the Washington coast around Ocean Shores, Graylands or Long Beach (it is very different from the Oregon coast).

3) I also like heading east out to the Mazama/Winthrop area. It's spectacular!

1. Rainier.

2. Victoria Island is in the Canadian arctic and is a very long weekend trip from Seattle. The biggest city on Vancouver Island is Victoria.

3. In addition to those mentioned, Palouse country, especially in the spring, Blue/Wallowa mountains in NE Oregon (close to Walla Walla); Sunshine Coast and Whistler areas, BC; Okanagan (WA and BC); Pend Orielle County (NE WA); Kootenays BC (4 days more comfortable than 3); Coeur d'Alene.

One of my favorite palces is a small Inn called Resort at Port Ludlow.
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On teh Puget Sound near the Hood Canal Bridge, Olympic Penn. Lots of little trails and you can explore Port Gamble, Port Townsend Sequim Olympic Ntl PArk for Day trips.
Of course you do have to consider summer traffic both HWY and ferry.

If you have the option, make your weekend trip during the week while everyone else is at work so you don't have to fight the traffic all going where you want to go. Then work the weekend if you can.

Thanks for all the answers. Regarding Olympic Peninsula, my wife is pregnant so we cannot do serious hikes, but short/easy ones are OK. Will we miss the main stuff if we don't do the long/hard stuff? If you can, please recommnend some easy going things we can do in ONP (besides laying back doing nothing).

At least two great walks around Lake Crescent are just easy ambles - Marymere Falls and the Spruce Railroad Trail. Yhe Hurricane Hill trail from Hurricane Ridge is pretty flat, too, and absolutely spectacular; especially in July/early August when the wildflowers are in bloom.

Get a copy of today's P-I (the one with the article about how no one reads newspapers anymore) and read the article about progress in rehabilitating Mount Rainier. Some roads are expected to be open May 1, some in June, and some will not open. There is a graphic that explains all this.

Last time we were on the Olympic Penninsula, we rented a cabin from Chevy Chase Beach Cabins just outside of Port Townsend. We were able to take our dogs, and the beach (a short downhill walk from where the cabins are) was absolutely deserted. When the tide is low, you can walk for miles.

We also spent some time antiquing and hanging out in the little shops in Port Townsend. It's a quaint town, Victorian in its look. Fort Warden is also located up there, where there are grounds to explore. Easy walks (some even paved) and scenery galore. Definitely walk the 1/2 mile (paved) up to the Battery Tolles. The view towards the San Juan island from there are stunning.

Other weekend babymoons (congrats, by the way) we are planning for this summer include weekend trips to Friday Harbor, Whistler, Hoodsport/Hood Canal and Portland.

There was a short loop trail in the Hoh Rainforest area of Olympic National Park that was pretty easy and quite informative if you haven't been in a temperate rainforest before.

Here is the article:

http://tinyurl.com/26k6uk

Buy the Seattle PI on Thursday...

There's a supplement called "Getaways" each week, specifically outlining various outdoor activities, hikes, drives, etc. in the area.

I haven't seen any mention of Mt. Baker and that's a real great and close trip. We sometimes get a timeshare in Glacier (Snowater) and spend the time hiking and relaxing and trying to find chantrell mushrooms etc.

Come to the Seattle GTG on Nov. 2 at Wanns (4-?) and you'll probably get lots a great ideas

Even though this was posted in April, 2007, I agree with artlover on Mt. Baker. We regret any year that doesn't not include the lovely walk at Artist Point.

Here's a shocker: The AAA TourBook for Washingtom/Oregon does not include a listing for Mt. Baker! Under the heading "Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest" the only mention of Mt. Baker is that skiing is available there.

Hi everyone...just spent 5 nights in our beach home...wow!!! weather was bad, and water was high, wind was blowing like crazy, and whistling thru the driftwood and sea grass. Kept looking out to make sure the water didn't decide to rise beyond the predicted 11.6 high tide on the tide chart.!! Remember, if you come here, either to live or visit, you need to like (or at least tolerate) the bad days too. We had a huge fire going and the doggies were right at our feet...following us from room to room. Maybe they were a bit nervous too. hi.