The unexpectedly progressive city of Tacoma may be a mere city-to-city day trip but you won’t regret it. There’s the LeMay car museum and the can’t-miss Museum of Glass which is connected by the Chihuly Bridge of Glass. Take a hike along one of the beaches keeping your eyes peeled for marine life enjoying the sound.
Started by a high school biology teacher, The Reptile Zoo houses the largest collection of reptilian animals in the Pacific Northwest. It’s located in Monroe, under an hour from Seattle, and the prices are low. Your ticket even includes a tortoise petting (not a very weird euphemism)! They also have an albino alligator, and a turtle with two heads (also, not a euphemism).
It only takes 3-hours by high speed ferry to get to Victoria but be sure to have a passport in hand to enter our neighbor to the north. While there visit Butchart Gardens where plants thrive in the mild climate. After that, head to Craigdorrach Castle where you’ll learn about the spooky history of hauntings here, and get some great Instagram shots.
If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you can’t go wrong with visiting the Hoh Rain Forest. With 170 inches of rain per year you’ll be delightfully greeting by abundant greenery everywhere you look. Temperate rain forests are certainly under appreciated by the masses who hear “rain forest” and think Amazon, but you won’t regret spending time in this protected ecosystem. Be prepared, however, for a 4-hour drive; each way.
For fans of the show, Twin Peaks, this is a must-visit town. For the rest of us, it’s a gloriously quaint and beautiful Pacific Northwest town very accessible from Seattle. Find some relaxed quality time at a local coffee shop and then be sure to see the famous Snoqualmie Falls, which is a 270-foot waterfall.
There is whale and orca watching in the region and your best bet is to join a boat tour departing from one of Seattle’s piers. Within the Puget Sound is the San Juan Archipelago made up of four larger islands as well as countless smaller islands you’ll discover. There are passenger-only ferries operated by the government which will give you the most area covered while exploring. If you do have the time, consider an overnight stay on one of the islands.
Within the Puget Sound region is Bainbridge Island and earns its own spot on this list with wineries, hiking, and historical locations, not to mention astonishing views of Mount Rainier and the Olympic Peninsula. Check out the Bloedel Reserve for a unique experience. Inspired by Japanese gardens, the Bloedel Reserve is a treat for the senses on the island.
A common day trip activity in the Seattle area is taking a short drive to the fertile lands that surround the city where farmers grow some of the country’s best product. In the fall you can go out there and pick apples, and in the early summer you’ll find berry farms opening their gates to visitors for the same activity. Because berries can be picked over early, and this is a popular family activity, consider arriving first thing in the morning. Finally, double check that the farm you’d like to visit is ready for U-Pick as seasonality can impact this.
Although it’s basically a monopoly (or, more accurately, a duopoly with Airbus), you’ve got to respect what Boeing has accomplished in the expansion of safe air travel industry over the last several decades. Rated one of the best factory tour experiences you can have in the United States, you’ll be very pleased with a decision to visit. And at a mere 30-minutes from Seattle it’s a low commitment.
In under two hours from the city you can escape to the wilderness of Mount Rainier National Park. Here you’ll find more glaciers than any other park in the continental states, over 260-miles of maintained trails, and the behemoth itself: Mount Rainier. For a beautiful moderate hike check out Silver Falls Trail which is 3-miles roundtrip and climaxes with a 75-foot waterfall. Bring a snack and leave your earbuds so you can take in the sounds of the park.
