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10 scenic road trips from seattle for the ultimate adventure.

One of my absolute favorite things to do throughout the year is to go on road trips from Seattle and explore new areas. Who doesn’t love the thrill of hitting the open road and discovering all sorts of hidden gems along the way? I know it’s not always affordable to go on vacation, or you may not have the time, so the best part about road trips is being able to go on these for any duration, any time of the year.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know there are so many amazing places to choose from in the Seattle area, so narrowing down your options can be tough. Luckily for you, I’ve been cruising around the Pacific Northwest for years now, so I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite scenic drives from Seattle that you can turn into epic Seattle road trips of your own.

To make things even easier, I’ve organized these road trips based on their length – so you can pick and choose what works best for you based on your time constraints. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway from Seattle or an extended adventure, I’ve got you covered. With that, let’s dive into some of the best road trips from Seattle and all the essential info you need to prepare for them!

Need help planning out your road trip? I’ve been using Roadtrippers for years to see exactly how long it’ll take from one point to the next and find new places to add to my itinerary!

Table of Contents

Tips for a Seattle Road Trip

Here are some tips to consider first before going on a road trip near Seattle.

• Check traffic first. This may seem obvious, but many people forget that traffic tends to get worse around Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia at rush hour, so this can add hours to your road trip if you don’t time it right (and I say this from experience!). The best place to check it for Washington is the WSODT website .
• Be prepared if crossing passes. Similar to the tip above, always check the same website to see how the passes look if you’ll be crossing them. This is the worst place to be stuck, as there often isn’t anywhere to turn around. I once planned a trip to the other side of the mountains after we’d had a warm week in April, only for the day of my planned trip to get completely dumped in snow and the passes ended up closing. If it’s snow season, always bring chains , blankets, and food/water just in case.
• Check the weather. Even if you’re not going into the mountains, you’ll want to know if the roads you plan on going around might be slick with rain or ice and pack appropriately.
• Don’t have a tight itinerary. I know not everyone can take as many days off as they want for a vacation, but avoid the temptation to jam-pack your trip with stops. It’s more enjoyable when you know you have time to make random stops along the way or don’t have to get stressed if you do get caught in traffic.
• Take breaks . I’m the queen of making a tight itinerary when I travel, but I’ve learned over the years this doesn’t benefit anyone. You and your passengers will get tired, which is not only unsafe for the driver but means the trip won’t be as fun. Plan for breaks ahead of time or be flexible and take one if it feels like a good time.

This post was first written in 2021 and last updated in February 2023.

What to Pack for a Road Trip From Seattle

You’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for any Seattle road trip you take, whether it’s only a few days or a week. I have an entire article on road trips essentials , but here are some of the ones I recommend most:

• Water bottle – I fill up multiple water bottles and put ice in them so they stay nice and cool, and I’m also hydrated during my trip.
• Cooler – Save money by bringing your own snacks and keeping them cold in your cooler. This is also helpful if you buy food on the road and don’t finish it but need to keep it cold.
• Coffee mug – I love treating myself to a latte now and then, but I don’t want to waste cups on the road every day getting a new drink. Having a reusable coffee mug helps with that problem.
• Polarized sunglasses – It can get really bright on the road depending on what the sun reflects on, so keep yourself safe and have a good pair of sunglasses.
• Sunscreen – You’ll need sunscreen when you’re out and about exploring, but it’s also important to have it on when you’re in the car as well. You can have one side of your face and arm exposed for hours, depending on the time of day.

10 Road Trips From Seattle You’ll Want to Go On

With so many amazing destinations to choose from, it’s hard to narrow it down to just 10, but I’ve compiled a list of some of the best road trips from Seattle that are my favorites. Get ready to hit the open road and explore the stunning natural landscapes and charming towns of the Pacific Northwest!

1. Olympic Peninsula

Distance: 361 miles Number of Days: 3 Where to Stay: Port Angeles , Forks

A road trip around the Olympic Peninsula is the perfect way to reconnect with nature and the best road trip from Seattle for many people. I live near one of the ferries going here, so I am lucky to be able to visit the area often.

Take your car on the Bainbridge ferry to Bainbridge, where you’ll find tons of things to do on Bainbridge Island . The ferry ticket costs $20.40 (for the vehicle and the driver) and will take you over Elliott Bay, offering stunning views in Seattle of the water during one of the best Seattle road trips.

Alternatively, you can also take the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston (make sure to check out all the things to do in Edmonds first).

From Bainbridge Island, head south on Highway 305 and cross Hood Canal Floating Bridge. Get onto the Olympic Highway (Highway 101) , which will take you on a picturesque drive past Discovery Bay and the west side of Sequim Bay. 

Spend the night at the quaint coastal town of Port Angeles at a place like Port Angeles Inn  during one of the short road trips from Seattle. It has a bustling marina and beautiful natural landscapes you can explore in the morning before you head out on the road again. You can also look at my full list of where to stay in Olympic National Park .

In the morning, travel inland past Lake Crescent on your way to the magnificent Olympic National Park, where you can spend the night. There are plenty of Olympic hikes to do if you want to get some exercise (my favorites are Marymere Falls and Hurricane Ridge , which are fairly easy hikes in Washington ).

On the morning of day three, take the Olympic Highway along the west coast through Queets. Then travel south to Aberdeen and up through Tacoma to return to Seattle.

Alternatively, you could do a quick Seattle day trip here if you only have one day in Olympic .

Looking for the ultimate Seattle travel guide written by a local that tells you all the best places to go and what to see? My new ebook is now live, so  click here  to buy your copy!

2. Columbia River Gorge

Distance: 389 miles Number of Days: 3 Where to Stay: Yakima , Portland

Drive through Tacoma and Portland for 3.5 hours to get to the glorious Columbia River Gorge on your road trip near Seattle. The 4,000-feet deep canyon demarcates Washington from Oregon and offers one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in the country.

The canyon spans a whopping 80 miles as the river bends through the Cascade Range. You’ll be glad you braved the long road trip from Seattle for this view. 

You can either take the same way home or make a loop trip going through Yakima and Snoqualmie Pass. The latter journey will take you one hour longer, but you may be keen on seeing Snoqualmie Pass if you haven’t before. 

On this Seattle road trip, you can spend a night in Yakima , Washington (my favorite hotel there is Hotel Maison , located centrally). Otherwise, if you’re going through Portland and looking for things to do in Portland , be sure to check out Washington Park on your way back to Seattle.

There are also plenty of short day trips from Portland to explore before you head home, or you can continue driving from Seattle to Portland .

If you’re a little tired from your journey, the 400-acre park is the perfect place to rejuvenate with some fresh air and a picnic. You can take the 3- or 4-hour road trip to Seattle in the morning, or you can continue on a Seattle to San Diego road trip .

3. San Juan Island

Distance: 214 miles Number of Days: 3 Where to Stay: Friday Harbor

Take I-5 north from Seattle north until you reach Burlington, where you can take exit 230 on your road trip from Seattle. You’ll then travel west towards Anacortes, where you can take the ferry (you’ll need an advanced reservation ).

The drive to Anacortes should take about 90 minutes, and the ferry trip is just under 1.5 hours long. I think traveling by ferry is one of the best parts of getting to the San Juan Islands, so enjoy it.

You’ll likely be exhausted once you get there, so book a room at the luxurious Earthbox Inn & Spa . You can familiarize yourself with the incredible San Juan Island in the morning. Filled with activities like whale-watching and kayaking , you’ll never be bored here during one of the more exciting road trips around Seattle.

Take a walk along Friday Harbor or take photos at the extraordinary Pelindaba Lavender Farm . I recommend taking the time to browse all the items in the store (I always get the lavender linen spray). You’ll have to take the same route back, but the ferry over the water is just as inspiring the second time around.

There are also plenty of hikes on the San Juans if you want to get some exercise in.

If you’d like to make a stop on the way home, pull over halfway home at the Boeing Future of Flight Museum . The museum has fascinating exhibits on the evolution of aviation, not to mention the actual disused planes hanging from the ceiling.

If you want to go to another island, Orcas Island and Lopez Island are both easily accessible from San Juan. I do recommend taking a day for each of these so you don’t rush through them, however.

4. Sea-to-Sky Highway

Distance: 436 miles Number of Days: 3 Where to Stay: Bellingham , Vancouver (BC) , Whistler

One of my absolute favorite drives in North America is Sea to Sky Highway , where you can go on a road trip to Whistler, Canada, and back. Your first stop is 90 minutes outside of Seattle in the laidback Bellingham . The area has plenty of waterfalls, lakes, and fishing spots, not to mention tons of hiking trails for you to explore.

Boundary Bay Brewing makes the perfect pit stop for lunch and a beer (and it’s my old stomping grounds from when I went to college here years ago).

Spend the night getting to know the town, or head to the rugged coastline of Larrabee Park. Watch a spectacular sunset over the water before you turn in for the night at a local Bellingham lodge, such as Hotel Bellwether .  

On Day 2, cross the Canada border on a Seattle to Vancouver drive and stop in Vancouver on your way to Whistler (want to experience more of the city? You can spend 2 days in Vancouver, BC or visit Vancouver in three days on the way up).

This stunning mountain town will take your breath away. I’ve been here in every season, and it’s hard to pick the best time to go because each season has its own charm to it. They also have amazing coffee, so you’ll love visiting all the coffee shops in Whistler .

Go mountain biking in the summer or sledding in the winter. Whistler is postcard-perfect all year round, whether you visit Whistler in the summer or are looking for things to do in Whistler in the winter.

Stay at the superb Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel for a night of luxury. You’ll want to get a good night’s rest before heading back to Seattle in the morning.

The journey back is over 4 hours, but this is your second opportunity to be captivated by the view on the Sea-to-Sky Highway. You can also stop at Canada’s famous White Rock Pier on your way back.

5. North Cascades Highway

Distance: 424 miles Number of Days: 3 Where to Stay: Leavenworth , Winthrop

Explore Seattle’s north country on an unforgettable loop trip around the North Cascades National Park, which is one of the best national parks in Washington . The North Cascades Highway is a classic route used by locals and tourists for weekend road trips from Seattle. This is only open from about June until October, so make sure to check road conditions first.

Drive east along Stevens Pass , and you’ll see lush orchids, pine forests, and the slopes of the Cascade mountains until you reach your first stop, Leavenworth .

Stop to check out the Waterfront Park for panoramic views of the Wenatchee River and spend the night in a local lodge (I recommend Icicle Village Resort ). The park has loads of hiking trails for you to explore in the morning, or you can take a kayak out on the water before you get back on the road.

If you want to see a magical Bavarian village in the snow, visit Leavenworth in the winter . Just be aware that the pass can get heavy snow, so make sure your car is prepared with chains.

Once you’re done exploring, take Highway 97 up to visit Lake Chelan for more sightseeing, pass the town of Winthrop , and then head west until you reach North Cascades National Park.

There are plenty of hikes in North Cascades for you to explore the following day ( Heather-Maple Loop Pass is one of my favorites), after which you can complete the loop of your road trip. 

You can go through Rockport and Concrete, heading west towards Mount Vernon, then travel south to get back to Seattle. Since the park is only open seasonally, Seattle in the summer or fall in Seattle are the best times to visit.

6. Vancouver Island

Distance: 337 miles Number of Days: 3 Where to Stay: Port Angeles , Victoria (BC) , Bellingham

Head north from Seattle to Vancouver, Canada, during this international road trip from Seattle. Stop at the Mount Vernon Lions Club Roadside Park if you need to stretch your legs on this charming Vancouver weekend trip . This charming park sits on the edge of the Skagit River, and there are picnic tables where you can kick back and enjoy the view. 

Don’t leave Vancouver without catching the sunset from the Vancouver Lookout . The observation deck offers panoramic views of the city from 550 feet above the ground! This is an excellent way to get a snapshot of the city before you turn in for the night (you’ll love the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront) . 

On Day 2, take the 90-minute ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo , a bay town on Vancouver Island that looks out over the Salish Sea. Stop at one of the many restaurants on the harbor for a bite with a waterside view, and then head to Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort for your lodging for the night. I keep staying here every time I come because it’s so charming being right on the ocean.

After spending the night, drive south to Spectacle Lake for a pleasant swim surrounded by forest trees. Then, hit the road until you hit Victoria on this driving trip from Seattle. This town is also known as the “City of Gardens” thanks to its abundance of parklands. Be sure to check out the renowned Butchart Gardens for an afternoon stroll.

You can rest for the night in Victoria (you may like the Strathcona Hotel ). In the morning, take the ferry to Port Angeles and drive down the Olympic Peninsula to get home.

Another beautiful road trip is the Seattle to Banff drive , which takes you through Canada.

7. Willamette Valley

Distance: 554 miles Number of Days: 4 Where to Stay: McMinnville , Cannon Beach , Olympia

Discover the south coast on a drive through Willamette Valley , one of the best road trips from Seattle if you love wine. You can travel through Portland on your way to McMinnville , where you can indulge in some of the best wine tours in Oregon.

This is also a popular weekend getaway from Portland for many locals – I felt like I was in Sonoma the first time I visited!

There are dozens of wineries to choose from in the area, so you won’t need to worry about a shortage in that department. I personally love Kings Estate Winery, Irish Vineyards, and Kason Vineyards if you want to narrow down your selection. For lodging, I recommend staying at a place like McMenamins Hotel Oregon to relax for the night.

The People’s Coast, Oregon’s stunning coastline, is perfect for whale-watching, tidal pooling, and amazing Pacific Ocean views. Spend the night at the nearby Starfish Manor Oceanfront Hotel to fall asleep to the sounds of the ocean. 

On Day 3, take a detour to Ecola State Park on Cannon Beach as you make your way back to Portland (this is especially nice during wintertime in Portland ). Spot Haystack Rock – one of Oregon’s most famous landmarks – a stunning 234-foot rock formation on the edge of the shoreline. This is one of my favorite parts of an Oregon Coast drive .

Spend the afternoon exploring Portland, where you’ll find loads of coffee houses, parks, cycling trails, and microbreweries. You can check in at the Mark Spencer Hotel downtown and drive back to Seattle in the morning. 

8. Washington Coast

Distance: 462 miles Number of Days: 4 Where to Stay: Long Beach (WA) , Westport (WA)

When you want road trip ideas from Seattle, consider this 3-hour drive from Seattle to Astoria, Oregon . After a night in Astoria, you can embark on a 4-day adventure along the Washington Coast. This is an ideal trip in Seattle during winter , as you won’t encounter much, if any, snow.

First, visit Cape Disappointment , the headland of the Pacific Northwest. You won’t be staying here long, but the views of the lighthouse at the end of the beach are worth a quick stop. 

You can spend both your first and second nights in Long Beach (I stay at the Adrift Hotel every time I visit this area!). You’ll be delighted to wake up in this fun coastal town, where you can horse ride on the beach, swim in the ocean, or shop on the boardwalk. 

When you’re done frolicking on the sand in Long Beach, drive out to Westport for more beach activities, great views, and fishing on the pier. The trip will take you about an hour and a half, but don’t worry – it’s worth it.

You can book a room in Westport ( LOGE Westport is always a fun place to stay) and wake up early to explore the place (and check out some amazing Washington surf spots if you’re into that!). 

In the morning, take a picturesque drive around North Bay . You’ll go through Aberdeen (the birthplace of legendary Kurt Cobain), where you can stop for fuel. Check out the Kurt Cobain Memorial Park in town if you’re a Nirvana fan. 

Your final stop is in Ocean Shores , where you’ll be right by the ocean for your whole trip (and you’ll love all the things to do at Ocean Shores that you’ll find). The Polynesian Resort  is a good choice for an affordable hotel with a view of the water. Luckily, your drive back to Seattle will be under three hours from this charming coastal village. 

Want to extend your oceanfront trip? Head down to California for a Big Sur one day trip .

9. Yellowstone National Park

Distance: 1,690 miles Number of Days: 6 Where to Stay: Spokane (WA) , Missoula (MT), Bozeman (MT) , Boise (ID)

People from around the world dream about one day visiting Yellowstone National Park. Here’s your chance to go on one of my favorite road trips from Seattle!

You can take a scenic drive through Snoqualmie Pass and stop in Spokane for fuel, food, and rest. If you’re looking for a great hotel, try The Davenport Grand . 

Drive past the breathtaking mountain lake Coeur d’Alene on Day 2. You’ll then take the Interstate through the gorgeous scenery of Montana until you reach Missoula. Check out the Missoula Art Museum and spend the night at the La Quinta Inn .

You can hike the Mount Sentinel trail in the morning before hitting the road. It’ll take you three hours to reach Bozeman, Montana , where you can spend the night at The Mountainview Lodge after a long day of hiking and driving.

Alternatively, you could also decide to extend your trip and do a Glacier National Park road trip before heading to Yellowstone.

Drive from Bozeman early on Day 3, and you’ll finally reach Yellowstone , the majestic national park replete with canyons, rivers, and forests. Yellowstone is massive, so you’ll want to spend another day exploring the over 3,000 acres of wilderness. 

I have a whole post on taking a road trip from Yellowstone to Seattle for a more detailed itinerary.

Additionally, if you want to spend multiple days at the park, you can look at my Yellowstone 4 day itinerary for suggestions.

To get back to Seattle, travel south through Idaho . You can stop at the Craters of the Moon National Monument and the Umatilla National Forest on your way back. If you need another stop-over town, you can spend the night of Day 5 in Boise. 

10. Washington National Parks

Distance: 705 miles Number of Days: 8 Where to Stay: Winthrop , Wenatchee , Longmire

Keep reading if you want to see all three of Washington’s national parks on one monumental Pacific Northwest road trip . The North Cascades Highway will take you to North Cascades National Park in about two hours from Seattle. 

If you arrive early, you’ll have the entire day to check into a hotel and explore the expansive park. I recommend spending two nights in the area, and Winthrop is a great base (I always stay at Hotel Rio Vista ).

After this, drive through Twisp, Chelan Falls, and Wenatchee. You can spend the night there ( Coast Wenatchee Center Hotel  is in the middle of downtown) and go to spend a day at Mount Rainier in the morning. 

Take the scenic drive through Snoqualmie Pass until you reach Mount Rainier . After a long drive, you’ll probably be quite drained, so get some shut-eye and reserve your energy.

You can stay at one of the few hotels there, such as the National Park Inn in Longmire, or a vacation rental like a cute cabin near Mount Rainier . You can spend Day 4 and 5 going on Mount Rainier hikes , riding bikes, and kayaking in the park.

If you’re visiting Mount Rainier in the winter , make sure to read my article first to be prepared for the snow.

On Day 6, take the 702 for hours until you reach Olympic National Park . Welcome to the third and final Washington national park! There are activities aplenty in the park, such as plenty of Olympic National Forest hikes, so you can traverse the impressive wilderness for two whole days. 

On the morning of Day 8, it’s time to bid the park goodbye and drive two hours back to Seattle through Tacoma.

The hardest part will be choosing which of these road trips from Seattle to go on first!

Marissa Pedersen

Marissa is a Seattle local who's obsessed with exploring all things Pacific Northwest, especially hiking, road trips, and national parks. She's been to hundreds of places all over the region and started this website to help others discover the beauty of the area and create their own trips.

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The Emerald Palate

Seattle food tours & retreats

Oregon , Travel Guides , Washington · July 12, 2022

21 Best Road Trips from Seattle When You Need to Get Away

Putting together a list of the best road trips from Seattle was super easy, though it took forever. That’s because there are so many awesome places to visit within driving distance of Seattle.

For example, you can visit three different national parks in Washington, explore the islands off the coast, head south to Oregon, or cross the border to Canada up north. You can plan your whole trip around the outdoors, or you can bask in a life of luxury tasting your way through the Pacific Northwest’s best restaurants, wineries, and breweries.

No matter your preferences, there’s a road trip for you. Get ready for a long list of the best road trips from Seattle, organized by distance with a bunch of ideas for customizing them to your liking.

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21 Best Road Trips from Seattle

Jump to a route, or keep scrolling to browse them all!

Seattle > Bainbridge Island

Seattle > vashon island, seattle > camano island, seattle > whidbey island, seattle > tacoma > olympia, seattle > bellingham, seattle > north cascades national park, seattle > leavenworth.

• Seattle > Mt. Rainier
• Seattle > Mt. St. Helens

Seattle > San Juan Islands

Seattle > wenatchee > chelan > winthrop, seattle > olympic peninsula, seattle > yakima > walla walla, seattle > spokane, seattle > portland > columbia river gorge, seattle > oregon coast, seattle > victoria, bc.

• Seattle > Willamette Valley > Eugene
• Seattle > Mt. Hood > Bend
• Seattle > Vancouver > Whistler

Overwhelmed by the idea of flushing out your road trip itinerary?

Let me plan it for you. I offer travel planning services where I create custom itineraries for travelers like you. All you need to do is fill out a travel questionnaire and book any reservations directly.

distance from Seattle: ~50 mins | driving directions | best for: a day trip and shopping

Bainbridge Island is one of the easiest road trips from Seattle since the total travel time is just 50 minutes, which includes a pleasant 35-minute ferry ride. In fact, its proximity also makes it one of the best scenic day trips from Seattle .

I recommend spending at least half a day exploring the quaint boutiques, Bainbridge restaurants , and Bainbridge wineries dotting Main Street. The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art is also worth visiting thanks to its regularly rotating exhibitions and great museum shop.

If you’re more partial to a hike, head to Grand Forest East and check out the lush Grand Forest Park Trail that connects to Grand Forest West. You can also walk the grounds at the gorgeous Bloedel Reserve .

If you’d like to plan the perfect day trip to Bainbridge Island, I’ve written an extensive guide to spending a day on Bainbridge island that should prove useful. You can also add on a longer road trip by tacking on Victoria or the Olympic Peninsula to this itinerary.

distance from Seattle: ~1 hr | driving directions | best for: farms and food

Vashon Island will always be one of the best road trips from Seattle, as it’s only an hour or so from downtown (including a 20-minute ferry). It’s packed with artists, restaurants, and boutique shops that give this place an irresistible artisanal vibe.

It’s tricky to summarize all the incredible things to do on the island (which is why I wrote an entire post on things to do on Vashon Island ). But I’d say if you’re here for the day, prioritize doing a food crawl of the amazing Vashon Island restaurants . Many of them are within walking distance of each other, so it’s a great way to spend the afternoon. If it’s a Saturday during summer, you can also hit up the Vashon Farmers Market for a quick break between eats.

To stretch your legs, head out on one of the many Vashon Island hikes, which are some of the best hikes near Seattle .

Shinglemill Creek Preserve is a moderate 3-mile hike that’s ideal for more experienced trekkers. While Point Robinson Lighthouse is a gentle beach stroll that offers great views of Mount Rainier on clear days.

distance from Seattle: ~1 hr | driving directions | best for: peaceful retreat without a ferry

To get to Camano Island on your best road trips from Seattle tour, you’ll drive 62 miles along I-5 North from Seattle until you hit WA-532, which takes you right to Camano Island without the need for a ferry.

There are several things worth doing on Camano Island , as it’s home to beautiful beaches and manageable hikes. One of my favorite spots here is Iverson Spit Preserve , which offers over a mile of walking trails and unbeatable views over Port Susan Bay and the Cascades.

If you’d rather spend your day on the beach, head to Cama Beach Historical State Park to sunbathe on some of the most beautiful beaches in the Pacific Northwest.

When your stomach starts rumbling, duck into one of the many Camano Island restaurants to refuel.

distance from Seattle: ~1 hr and 15 mins | driving directions (with ferry) | driving directions (without ferry, which is ~2.5 hrs) | best for: excellent seafood and wineries

Whidbey Island is one of the best road trips from Seattle and can easily be covered in a single day. Depending on how much time you can spare, either take the ferry at Mukilteo or head north to Deception Pass Bridge and tack on a visit to Anacortes and Skagit Valley (see the road trip itinerary below!).

This location is best known for its excellent food scene. You can enjoy fresh mussels from Whidbey’s Penn Cove at many of the best restaurants on Whidbey Island or spend time exploring Whidbey Island wineries .

When you’re not eating or drinking, step back in time at Fort Casey Historical State Park , keep an eye out for whales at Deception Pass State Park , go shopping in the center of town, or pick up fresh produce at the Bayview Farmers Market if it’s a Saturday.

distance from Seattle: ~1.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: great art and food

This is one of the best road trips from Seattle for experiencing the biggest metropolises in western Washington. You can also tack on the Olympic Peninsula from Tacoma and avoid a ferry by driving over the famous Narrows Bridge .

Tacoma perfectly blends old and new thanks to its cool shops, surprisingly morbid history, and vibrant art scene.

There are so many wonderful things to do in Tacoma , but I’d say that you should prioritize visiting the Tacoma Art Museum , booking a ghost tour that takes you through various haunted parts of town, and marveling at the Museum of Glass. If you’re staying for dinner, check out some of the best places to grab food in Tacoma and its surrounding areas.

To round off your road trip from Seattle, head to Olympia for beautiful views, a few craft beers, and a bunch of cultural enrichment. There’s no shortage of things to do in Olympia . But visiting the capitol building and trying craft brews in the downtown area are must-dos (don’t miss 3 Magnets Brewing ).

If you’re visiting during summer, be sure to pick up ice cream from Sophie’s Scoops before visiting one of the many local parks or flower farms.

distance from Seattle: ~1.5 hrs without stops, ~2 hrs and 40 mins with | driving directions  | best for: tulips, hikes, and history

This is one of the best road trips from Seattle that hits a bunch of places within 100 miles. In just under two hours it manages to pass through La Conner, Mt. Vernon, Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, and Bow before arriving in Bellingham.

Follow this itinerary to experience all of my favorite things to do in Skagit Valley . Or, if you’re short on time, just go right to Bellingham.

La Conner is a lovely seaside town that’s ideal for a romantic getaway. The streets are packed with artisanal boutiques, galleries, gift shops, and restaurants that all readily welcome visitors. If you need to stop overnight, there are also plenty of local inns to choose from.

While you’re here, make sure you stop by the Museum of Northwest Art and the Calico Cupboard Café for a breakfast.

Continue to Mt. Vernon to explore the antique shops dotting Main Street. Don’t miss Perry and Carlson as you shop, a modern gift store and gallery that is a nice break from all the vintage. Stop at Farmstrong Brewing afterwards when you need a break from shopping.

Next stop at Tulip Town to see the gorgeous array of colors during the April blooming season. Read my article on how to avoid crowds at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival to make the most of your experience.

Another great stop is Little Mountain Park . It boasts several hiking trails and picnic areas that help you make the most of the panoramic views of Skagit Valley and the Olympic Mountains.

With the San Juan Islands, Mt. Baker, and plenty of farmland serving as a backdrop, Burlington is the place to be for fresh produce, the tulip festival, and nature trails. It’s also home to Skagit’s Own Fish Market . My favorite stop for a lunch of fresh seafood (don’t miss the oyster ‘po boys).

If you’re traveling with little ones, don’t miss the Children’s Museum of Skagit County which is packed with interactive exhibits. For adults, make sure to stop at Garden Path Fermentation for some brews made with local grain and wild yeast from the Skagit air!

Sedro-Woolley

Sedro-Woolley is technically two towns that were joined back in 1898. And it boasts a rich history that can still be seen in the area today.

Although you don’t need a lot of time here, you should visit the Northern State Recreation Area to visit the abandoned asylums. If you’re visiting on a Friday or Saturday between April – October or December, you can also get afternoon tea at the gorgeous Willowbrook Manor .

Note, this is also along the main road you’d take to visit North Cascades National Park. If you don’t have time to visit during your Bellingham road trip, tack it on to the North Cascades itinerary below !

Bow and Edison are two tiny bordering towns that most people mix up. So many people refer to them as just “Bow/Edison”. The area is agriculturally rich so it’s a great place to stop for artisan cheeses, oysters, and shellfish. Meander the small downtown area to pop into artist galleries and some of the best restaurants in Skagit County .

Your final stop on this road trip is Bellingham . Which is a charming riverside town with tons of B&Bs, stone cottages, waterfalls, and hiking trails.

If you have time, consider taking the famous Chuckanut Drive from Bow to Bellingham for gorgeous viewpoints from the famous Oyster Dome hike , Taylor Shellfish Farms , and Larrabee State Park .

Boulevard Park is a great place to stretch your legs for unbeatable views of the water once you hit Bellingham. Then head to downtown Bellingham to explore the funky shops and breweries. If it’s a Saturday, don’t miss the Bellingham Farmers Market .

I have a whole Bellingham guide of other things to do in the area. If you have time, take an optional day trip to Lummi Island or you can also take a day trip to Mount Baker for hiking.

distance from Seattle: ~ 2.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: great hikes and views of the Cascade Mountains

North Cascades National Park is one of the most underrated natural wonders in the country. And doesn’t require a fee to enter. Offering visitors backcountry camping, gorgeous hikes, colorful meadows, snow-capped peaks, and glimmering lakes, it’s a must-visit spot in Washington state.

I’ve created the ultimate North Cascades National Park itinerary if you’d like to make a comprehensive plan. If you want the quick list, Diablo Lake Overlook , Heather Pass Maple Loop , Blue Lake , and Washington Pass Overlook should all be on your list of things to do on this road trip from Seattle.

If you’re traveling in October, make sure to check out the larch hikes located in the park. They make for absolutely stunning photos!

Pro tip: If you do the whole North Cascades Scenic Byway, you’ll end up in Mazama and Winthrop. So you can tack on Winthrop to the end of this trip too!

distance from Seattle: ~ 2.5 hrs  | driving directions | best for: outdoor activities and wines

If you live in Seattle, heading to Leavenworth is a great way to spend a weekend. This Bavarian-themed town is best known for its quaint shopping and proximity to outdoor recreation activities. Like climbing, kayaking, fishing, and hiking.

There’s also a ton of things to do in Leavenworth in winter , too. For example, it has some of the best cross country skiing in Washington . And is close to Stevens Pass for downhill skiing in winter.

You should take some time to hike to gorgeous Colchuck Lake or explore the stunning Lake Wenatchee State Park . When done, head back downtown to try the unique wines at one of the many Leavenworth tasting rooms .

If you’re looking for food, you should make time to visit the best restaurants in Leavenworth . While downtown Leavenworth has a lot of mediocre places to eat, there are a few gems all within close proximity to each other. So you can make a day of it doing your own food crawl.

Before heading back, drive 11 miles to the charming town of Cashmere for antiquing at Apple Annie’s , a spot of golf at the Cashmere Golf Course , and history at the Chelan County Museum and Pioneer Village , which contains over 13,000 Native American artifacts.

Seattle > Mt. Rainier National Park

distance from Seattle: ~ 2.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: nature walks and mountain panoramas

Mount Rainier never fails to take my breath away. And I love it so much that I’ve even created a guide to the ultimate Mount Rainier day trip from Seattle . This national park boasts over 240,000 acres of protected forest. And its central volcano is the 5 th tallest peak in the US at 14,411 feet above sea level.

Most people visit the Paradise/Longmire area of the mountain. Once you arrive, head straight to Christine Falls before schlepping a short distance to Narada Falls . The Skyline Trail Loop is one of the most impressive hikes here. And it’s a 5.5-mile round trip with an elevation gain of 1,450 feet.

If you have time, make the approximately 1.5 hour drive to the Sunrise area of the mountain, the tallest part you can drive up to. Once there, don’t miss the Fremont Lookout Trail accessed from the Sunrise Visitor Center for panoramas over the north side of the mountain. It’s one of the best hikes at Mt. Rainier .

Seattle > Mount St. Helens

distance from Seattle: ~3 hrs | driving directions | best for: hikes and spooky caves

Mount St. Helens is located inside the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to the south of Seattle. It’s one of the best road trips from Seattle for avid hikers. As you can opt for easy hikes that lead from Johnston Ridge Observatory or head to the active volcano area with a permit for a more challenging trek.

If you fancy navigating tricky switchbacks, the Lava Canyon Trail is an exciting pick that takes you across a narrow suspension bridge to a ribbon of pools and a cascading waterfall. If that’s closed or too tricky, check out the park map for other area trailheads.

Another prime spot near the mountain is Ape Caves . This place is the third-longest lava tube in North America. And you’ll head deep underground to explore the pitch-black forest floor and fascinating rock formations that lie underground.

distance from Seattle: ~3 hrs and 15 mins | driving directions | best for: sea breezes and whale watching

The San Juan Islands are considered the best islands near Seattle . They consist of more than 170 islands in the Salish Sea. But the three islands most people visit are Lopez Island, Orcas Island, and San Juan Island itself. The rest of the islands are privately owned or super tiny with not much to do.

You can do the islands as a day trip from Seattle. But you’ll need to get up early to make it happen, as there’s just so much to cover! Therefore, I recommend making a couple days of it and hitting up as many islands as you can.

Pro tip: If you want to visit all 3 main San Juan Islands, start at the one farthest west and travel east, as you only pay for westbound trips from the mainland. The islands are listed below in that order to help save you money.

Note, you can only make vehicle reservations between Anacortes and the islands. Inter-island travel doesn’t accept them.

Anacortes on thee mainland is around 1.5 hours from Seattle. It’s the city you’ll drive to for your ferry departure. So stretch your legs before you leave by exploring the shops in the historic downtown area and getting lunch at Gere-a-Deli .

San Juan Island

San Juan Island is my favorite of the San Juan Islands. It’s the farthest west and actually almost became part of Canada! In 1872 there was the infamous “Pig War”, but it didn’t actually result in any fighting. Rather, it was more of a cold war caused by American settlers who killed one of the British settlers’ pigs.

The result was each side setting up military camps on opposite ends of the island and giving each other the stink eye. You can visit both camps today to experience not only history, but some breathtaking views.

English Camp is on the northwestern part of the island near Roche Harbor and the San Juan Island Sculpture Park (one of my favorite attractions). At the camp you can meander trails and peruse the English gardens before heading to lunch at Westcott Bay Shellfish . Afterwards, head to Lime Kiln State Park to see if you can spot orcas, as this island is the best for whale watching.

American Camp is on the southeastern part of the island and it’s also my personal favorite. It has the stunning South Beach , Jakle’s Lagoon , and Cattle Point Lighthouse , all great spots for easy and scenic walks.

Downtown Friday Harbor is where you’ll find most of the area’s best restaurants, along with shops and wineries. It’s also the departure point of many whale watching tours. Check out my full San Juan Island guide to get even more ideas of what to do.

Orcas Island

Orcas Island is considered by many to be the gem of this archipelago. When I first visited, I spent my time taking in the views from Mount Constitution (you can see across to Olympic National Park from here!), exploring the cascading falls in Moran State Park , and strolling through the quaint Eastsound Village for artisanal souvenirs and boutique shopping.

Foodies will want to make sure they stop at the Saturday farmers market , Orcas Island Winery , and Matia Kitchen (if you can snag a reservation!).

Check out my full guide to taking a day trip to Orcas Island from Seattle if you want even more ideas.

Lopez Island

This island is super relaxed, yet there’s still plenty of incredible things to do on Lopez Island . Plus it’s the friendliest, considering every single local will wave as they drive by and there are a ton of quaint honors-system farm stands at the end of people’s driveways.

If you’re only going to do one thing here, head to Point Colville . The views of the sea from this hike are incredible and give you undisturbed lookouts over the azure waters.

If you have time, Spencer Spit State Park , Lopez Hill, and the tiny (but charming!) Lopez Village are all worth seeing. Don’t miss a meal at Ursa Minor , the best restaurant on the island and one of the restaurants worth the drive from Seattle .

distance from Seattle: ~4.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: mountain scenery and vineyards

If you have time to extend your trip from Seattle to Leavenworth , continue onto Wenatchee, Chelan, and Winthrop for more breathtaking views, outdoor activities, and wineries.

Wenatchee is full of cute shops, nature hikes, delicious restaurants, and an impressive wine and beer scene. It’s also known as the Apple Capital of the world, so be sure to pick a few juicy ones if you’re here during fall! There are so many things to do in Wenatchee , so don’t be afraid to pad your itinerary if you’re not on a tight schedule.

Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan is one of my favorite wine regions in the Pacific Northwest . You’ll see a ton of vineyards lining the slopes of the breathtaking lake, which is one of the deepest in the world. Check out my guide to the best Lake Chelan wineries for my favorites. Then head to the best Chelan restaurants for meals between tastes.

Given, you know, the lake, there are some world-class fishing opportunities here too. You can also rent kayaks or standup paddle boards to experience the refreshing water during hot weather.

There are also many things to do in Lake Chelan in winter . Mission Ridge is my favorite cross-country skiing area in Washington. You can also go tubing here and there’s a small hill for beginning skiers and snowboarders.

Finally, you’ll reach the small town of Winthrop , which is known for its mountain scenery, incredible community vibe, and Wild West-themed downtown area lined with shops.

On your way here you’ll pass by Twisp. This is where all the best restaurants in Winthrop are, so make sure to stop for a much-needed bite.

Winthrop is a bit south of North Cascades National Park , so you can add it to this itinerary if you can’t make it from Seattle in the itinerary above. Note the park is closed in winter due to snowy road conditions, but there are plenty of other things to do in Winthrop in winter . In fact, it has the largest network of groomed cross-country skiing trails in North America and there’s a magical winter hot air balloon festival every March.

distance from Seattle: ~4.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: beaches and rainforest hikes

No list of the best road trips from Seattle is complete without Olympic Peninsula as a destination. I go to to the peninsula every year when visit Seabrook, a quaint Washington coast town at the south of the state. I absolutely love the area and think you will too!

This itinerary takes you toward the north since most people want to visit the famous Olympic National Park. However, check out my guide to the best Washington coast cabins if you want to explore the southern shores.

Also, know that you can get to these locations via Bainbridge Island by driving over the Hood Canal Floating Bridge if you want to tack this onto the Bainbridge itinerary above .

Port Ludlow

Port Ludlow is a good starting point for visiting the Olympic Peninsula because you can stretch your legs after a long ferry and car ride. There are a ton of trails in the area to explore by foot or bike.

On your way to Port Townsend, make stops along the Olympic Peninsula cider route for tastings at cideries using home-grown apples. Depending on the day you’re traveling, there are also farmers markets worth stopping at.

Port Townsend

Port Townsend is a historic Victorian town nestled right on the water. You’ll love the colorful architectural areas of the downtown area, as well as all the cute shops to pop into. You can also visit the Jefferson Historical Society to learn more about the area’s past.

One of the things you must do in Port Townsend is visit Fort Worden State Park . It’s right on the water and offers a bunch of walking trails and beach views. However, the crown jewel is the haunting battery forts that you can walk inside (if you dare, it’s quite dark!).

The batteries were created in the late 1800s/early 1900s as part of the “ Triangle of Fire ” defense strategy. In fact, you can visit nearby Fort Flagler State Park to see another one of these forts positioned to defend the mouth of the Puget Sound.

On your way to Sequim, keep an eye out for the Olympic Peninsual winery trail .

If you’re visiting in July and August, a stop in Sequim is a must to visit one of the many lavender farms during the annual Lavender Festival .

Port Angeles

Port Angeles is considered the gateway to the Olympic National Park given its prime proximity. Use it as a home base for exploring the famous Hoh Rainforest , Hurricane Ridge , and Lake Crescent area. You can also visit the most northern tip of Washington state, Cape Flattery .

You can also tack on Victoria, BC if you want to take the privately-run ferry between Port Angeles and Victoria.

Forks may sound familiar thanks to a little book and movie franchise called Twilight. They have a ton of cheeky references to the movies, including full-sized cutouts of Bella, Edward, and Jacob throughout town, but the main draw is the proximity to some of the best Washington coast attractions .

Some of my favorite stops along the coast are Cape Alava , Rialto Beach , Ruby Beach , and Kalaloch Beach , where there’s an impressive “tree of life” growing over a crevasse. Always check the tides before visiting Washington coast beaches, as it’s not unheard of getting stuck along a path that’s overtaken by water.

distance from Seattle: ~4.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: wineries

This is one of the best road trips from Seattle for all the wine connoisseurs out there, as it stops at in two wine regions perfect for tasting the best Washington wines .

No trip to Yakima is complete without exploring the area wineries. There are hundreds in Yakima proper and the nearby towns dotting the road toward the Tri-Cities, but two of my favorites are Paradisos del Sol Winery and Gilbert Cellars .

Besides wine, Yakima is the place to be for museums, orchards, and outdoor activities. Spend hours hiking the Cowiche Canyon Trail and Yakima River Canyon which offered unbeatable views of the water below.

While you’re here, don’t miss the Yakima Area Arboretum which is tucked away between I-82 and Highway 24.

Food wise, don’t miss Los Hernández Tamales , Crafted , and Taqueria la Plazita .

Once you pass Yakima toward Walla Walla, you’ll start passing a ton of smaller towns with tasting rooms and some of the best wine country hotels in Washington . Use these towns as a home base for exploring some of the best Yakima wineries before continuing onto Walla Walla.

Walla Walla

You’ll end this trip at Walla Walla , which is one of my all-time favorite areas for delicious wines. As the entire region spans more than 2,000 acres, I’ve written a comprehensive guide to the Walla Walla wineries to help you navigate this place.

distance from Seattle: ~4.5 hrs without stops, ~6.5 hrs with | driving directions | best for: small-town charm and natural wonders

If you’re on the hunt for the best road trips from Seattle that are on the longer side, then the Seattle to Spokane route is for you. This road trip features several stops, which allows drivers to take regular breaks along the nearly 300-mile journey.

Don’t have time for all these stops? Cut the journey short and visit the destinations as far as you have the time to travel!

Cle Elum/Roslyn/Ellensburg

The first places you’ll hit on this road trip are the charming towns of Cle Elum, Roslyn, and Ellensburg.

Cle Elum is a small town approximately 96 miles from Seattle. Here you can visit the Swiftwater Cellars for New American fare and 509 Bake House for some of the most delicious cookies, lemon bars, and macarons you’ll ever taste. If you want to stay the night, book the gorgeous Suncadia Resort .

Roslyn is 3.5 miles away from Cle Elum. This tiny town is home to just under 3,000 people and boasts an impressive Historical Museum , a Heritage Distillery , and the sprawling Old Westbury Gardens which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s also perfectly acceptable to just enjoy moseying along the quaint downtown streets and friendly atmosphere.

Ellensburg is 28 miles past Roslyn. This small town in eastern Washington is best known for its annual Labor Day Rodeo, but it also boasts several free museums, historic buildings, and a collection of impressive street art. Before leaving, don’t forget to take a photo with the famous Ellensburg Bull !

Palouse Falls

Once you’ve covered the holy trinity of Washington’s small towns about a third of the way from Seattle to Spokane, drive 130 miles to the cascading Palouse Falls .

You can spend an entire day trekking through Palouse Falls State Park , but travelers that are short on time can drive directly to the falls to take in this impressive natural wonder.

The waterfall itself is 200 feet high and you’ll need a Discover Pass to enter the park. There’s a marked path that offers an excellent view, and you can park in the area right around the falls which lets you make this attraction a quick pitstop before zipping off to Spokane.

The final stop on this road trip from Seattle is Spokane , which is around 103 miles from Palouse Falls. When you get here, expect to be met with plenty of Native American heritage, art, culture, and of course, the tumbling Spokane Falls!

If you’d like to explore Spokane like a local , visit Riverfront Park and bike between urban wineries in the famous “Cork District” .

distance from Seattle: ~4.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: food and waterfalls

Vancouver, WA

Most people think of Canada when they hear Vancouver , but locals know this is also a quaint town near the Washington-Oregon border. It’s the perfect jumping off point if you want to explore only the Washington-side of the Columbia River Gorge, but it also makes for a good pit stop before heading into Oregon.

There are so many things to do in Vancouver, WA . To start, meander the Vancouver Waterfront in the heart of the city. Then head into downtown to peruse the various boutique shops and public art displays . Afterwards, go on a crawl among the area’s many breweries and wineries .

History buffs will love Fort Vancouver with its walking trails, gardens, and historic village. Nearby is Officers Row , a series of restored 19th century homes that you can enjoy on a self-guided tour.

A short drive from Vancouver, WA is Portland , one of the best food cities in the US. I put together what I consider a perfect Portland itinerary but here are some activities not to miss.

Work up an appetite by exploring the many shops and boutiques in downtown Portland. If it’s a Saturday, head to the PSU Farmers Market , too. Once you finish downtown, make the rounds at my favorite vintage shops: Vintage Pink , Monticello Antique Marketplace , and Urbanite .

From there, head to one of the many PDX food pods for lunch (food crawl encouraged). I map out my favorites in my post on fun places to eat in Portland, Oregon .

Round out your trip by visiting Washington Park , the largest park in the city. Head to the arboretum to see Redwood trees (yes, the big red ones in California). Then check out the Japanese Garden and International Rose Test Garden to be inspired for your own backyard landscaping. If you have time, you can walk the Wildwood Trail to Pittock Mansion for beautiful views of PDX and Mt. Hood in the distance.

Columbia River Gorge

Oh how I love the Columbia River Gorge . It’s not exactly a town, but rather a strip of scenic highway that goes along either side of the canyon that splits the Oregon and Washington state border. It’s one of the best road trips from Seattle for sure, but it makes a lovely day trip from Portland as well.

I have a very extensive guide on everything you need to know about visiting Columbia River Gorge that I encourage you to read. I also put together the perfect Columbia River Gorge itinerary , which you can follow to a tee, or create your own using my Columbia River Gorge waterfalls map .

You’ll make your way from Portland to Hood River while exploring the Gorge. Once in Hood River, check out the area breweries and visit my favorite Columbia River Gorge wineries .

distance from Seattle: ~4 hrs | driving directions | best for: coastal views

With its rolling dunes, perfectly maintained state parks, and views of the Pacific Ocean that stretch way out into the distance, this is one of the best road trips from Seattle for aesthetes.

Start your adventure in Astoria , which you’ll pass through on your way to the coast. There’s a lot to love about this small seaside town, but the thing that stuck with me was the ridiculously good ice cream from Frites & Scoops . They serve up wacky flavors like hokey pokey honey toffee in traditional Norwegian krumkake cones.

Don’t miss nearby Fort Stevens State Park to see the Wreck of the Peter Iredale. It’s a real-life shipwreck right on the shore that makes for gorgeous photos.

Cannon Beach

Next head to Cannon Beach , which is a great destination for staying a few nights to explore the north Oregon coast. There are a ton of things to do near Cannon Beach , one of the most important being taking a picture of the enormous Haystack Rock looming just off the beach.

Another stop not to miss is Ecola State Park . There are a ton of walking trails and breathtaking views of the coastline dotted with sea stacks.

distance from Seattle: ~4.5 hrs driving, ~3 hrs via private boat | driving directions | best for: historic buildings and great food

There are tons of fun things to do in Victoria, regardless of when you choose to visit. Located on Vancouver Island, you can get to the city via the private ferry in Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula. Or you can take the Clipper directly from Seattle to get there in under 3 hours.

Once there, you can spend an entire weekend exploring the charming downtown area’s Victorian buildings, wandering through Butchart Gardens, and strolling through Canada’s oldest Chinatown for souvenirs.

Aside from its incredible activities, Victoria is also home to seriously good restaurants. When I visited, I was so blown away by the eateries here, that I wrote an entire foodie-focused guide on the place!

Seattle > Willamette Valley > Eugene, OR

distance from Seattle: ~ 6 hrs | driving directions | best for: wine, beer, and biking

You’ll be passing through Portland to make your way here, so add on Portland to this itinerary instead if you can’t make it during your trip to the Columbia River Gorge.

Willamette Valley

Don’t tell Washington wineries, but the Willamette Valley might be my favorite wine region in the PNW. It’s a sprawling area that starts less than an hour outside of Portland and then extends all the way to Eugene.

There are a bunch of AVAs and towns within it, all of which would be impossible to explore during one trip, but I’ve tried to make it easier for you by mapping out the best Willamette Valley wineries . I also have a list of the best Willamette Valley restaurants for between tastings.

Eugene 

Eugene is a cool college town that’s the perfect jumping off point for exploring the lower Willamette Valley wineries and area hikes. It’s a very bikeable city, with a ton of paved trails and few hills. You’ll probably want to book a room at one of the best boutique hotels in Eugene so you can explore it all!

5th Street Public Market is one of the best things do in Eugene . It’s an indoor-outdoor market with a ton of area boutiques, restaurants, breweries, and wineries. If it’s a Saturday, the Lane County Farmers Market will be going on nearby. Then go to Alton Baker Park to walk and bike the paved trails.

Seattle > Mt. Hood > Bend, OR

distance from Seattle: ~ 6 hrs | driving direction | best for: skiing, biking, and scenic views

For one of the best road trips from Seattle that will clock up some serious miles, travel south on I-5 through Portland and east toward Central Oregon.

The first place you stop on this road trip will be Mt. Hood , which is home to several of the most popular skiing spots near Oregon. There are 4 different areas for skiing here, but you can also visit during the summertime for mountain biking, camping, and day hikes to Trillium Lake and Mirror Lake .

After a few hours of driving, your road trip will end in Bend. This small city is regarded for its world-class river activities, scenic mountain vistas, and pristine trails. It also has a pretty serious brewery and food trail scene. My favorites of which I shared in this post on Instagram.

While you’re in the area, take time to explore Tumalo Falls , the Newberry National Volcanic Monument , and the High Desert Museum for a glimpse into the lives of early settlers.

A bit north of Bend toward Mt. Hood is Smith Rock State Park . Stop here for cool rock formations and hiking trails for all skill levels.

Seattle > Vancouver > Whistler, BC

distance from Seattle: ~ 4.5 hrs | driving directions | best for: experiencing Canada and skiing

If you want one of the best road trips from Seattle for visiting Canada, head to Whistler via Vancouver. This route doesn’t take long to drive and covers a couple of British Columbia’s finest cities. However, I put it toward the end of this list of the best road trips from Seattle because it can take closer to 5.5 or 6 hours depending on how long it takes you at the border crossing (though I’ve rarely waiting that long!).

Vancouver, BC

Your first stop on this road trip from Seattle will be Vancouver , which is known for blending metropolitan living with unmatched natural beauty. While there are so many awesome things to do in Vancouver , I always try to stroll through the 400-hectare Stanley Park , hit the cobbled streets of Gastown, and walk along the Seawall .

Whistler, BC

When you’re done in Vancouver, hop on BC-99 north to reach the charming skiing town of Whistler. This place is a serious winter wonderland and is home to a few of the largest ski resorts in North America. It’s also open in summer for hiking and biking if you’d prefer to visit when it’s warm.

If you’re wondering where to eat in Whistler , I have a whole guide to navigating where to eat in the touristy mountain village.

More Seattle trip ideas

Whew, that was a lot! Once you make your way through these best road trips form Seattle, check out these other destinations for even more adventures.

• 35 Best Hiking Spots in Seattle
• Where to Go Glamping in Washington
• Edmonds Restaurants Worth the Trip from Seattle

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Want help flushing out your best road trips from Seattle itinerary? Hire me to create you a custom travel plan so all you have to do is show up to the adventure.

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15 Road Trips From Seattle for the Ultimate Escape

By: Author Vagrants of the World Travel Writer

Posted on Last updated: June 24, 2023

Home >> USA >> 15 Road Trips From Seattle for the Ultimate Escape

With so many fantastic routes and diverse experiences through the Pacific Northwest, road-tripping from Seattle is easy for a little city escape or a big open-road adventure.

I’ve rounded up the best road trips from Seattle to help you plan the ultimate Pacific Northwest road trip adventure.

Whether it’s big cities you crave or you prefer nature escapes, there are so many options out of Seattle.

From some of the best national parks in the US to pristine islands or brewery hopping and shopping in the city, you’re bound to find the road trip you’re looking for.

While some of these destinations make great day trips from Seattle , I give you the rundown on how to expand them into an extended road trip adventure.

Table of Contents

Best Road Trips From Seattle

These are 15 of the best Seattle road trips (some are rated in the best road trips in America ), so you can plan a great adventure from Washington State’s largest city.

Columbia River Gorge

Distance from Seattle: 3 hours Recommended Time: 2+ days

Nestled along the border of Washington and Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge is one of the most beautiful areas to visit near Portland.

It is the perfect road trip destination for outdoor lovers, with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, nearly 100 waterfalls, and dozens of amazing overlooks. 

Start your trip by visiting Multnomah Falls, the tallest waterfall in Oregon. Then continue driving along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the popular Waterfall Corridor section. Here you’ll find dozens of waterfalls right on the side of the road.

If you want more, the area has some of Oregon’s and Washington’s best hikes where you can discover more stunning cascade ladened trails.

A great viewpoint in the gorge is the Vista House at Crown Point, where you’ll have amazing views of the entire area.

This road trip will start in Portland and end near The Dalles. After you’ve finished, you can return the way you came or head up towards Yakima and loop around.

A road trip around the Columbia River Gorge can be done in one day if you want, but to really experience it all, plan for at least two days.

North Cascades National Park

Distance from Seattle: 2.5 hours Recommended Time: 3+ days

One of Washington’s three national parks is nestled in the North Cascades mountain range. It’s one of the least visited parks in the country, but it is by no means any less beautiful than others.

North Cascades National Park is a remote wilderness area that is home to some of the most scenic hikes in Washington. You’ll find alpine lakes, roaming mountain goats, jagged peaks, and epic vistas around every corner.

Highway 20, which winds right through the park, is the perfect scenic drive to take in the views. Diablo Lake, as is Washington Pass Overlook, is a must-see pull-off on the road.

As for hiking, Maple Pass Loop and Thunder Knob are two of the most popular trails.

The best route for this trip is to head out on Highway 20 and drive it until you reach Mazama. From there, you can turn around or loop down onto Highway 2 back toward Seattle.

Tip : You can combine this road trip with a visit to Lake Chelan. See further on for details about Lake Chelan.

Olympic Peninsula

Distance from Seattle: 1 hour Recommended Time: 5+ days

One of Washington’s most famous national parks is found on the Olympic Peninsula, just a short distance from Seattle.

Olympic National Park is incredibly diverse and massive. If you want to see it all, it will take quite a few days to cover, so this could be a great road trip from Seattle if you have a week or more.

The Olympic Peninsula is so diverse it’ll feel like you’re traveling through multiple destinations simultaneously.

Starting near Olympia, Highway 101 is a ring road that loops around the entire national park. As you follow the highway, you’ll come across rugged mountain ranges, miles of ocean coastline, and temperate rainforests.

A few of the best stops to make include the Hoh Rainforest, Ruby and Rialto Beaches, Hurricane Ridge, Sol Duc Falls, and Lake Crescent. You can find some of the best hikes in Olympic NP here to help you plan your time.

Bend Oregon

Distance from Seattle: 6 hours Recommended Time: 3+ days

One of the best places for outdoor enthusiasts in Oregon is Bend. It’s the perfect outdoor adventure vacation destination . Situated right at the base of Mount Bachelor and the Three Sisters, the city offers visitors endless opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature, including on some epic Bend hiking trails.

One of the best things to see on your trip is Smith Rock State Park, whose towering rock formations make you feel like you’re in the desert. There are also dozens of caves to explore nearby and popular waterfalls near Bend , like Tumalo, Sahalie, and Koosah Falls.

Mount Bachelor is a hot spot for skiers and snowboarders in winter, and the hiking trails are prime for snowshoeing.

When you’re heading back to Seattle, you could extend the trip slightly and visit Silver Falls State Park near Salem on your way north.

San Juan Islands

Distance from Seattle: 1.5 hours Recommended Time: 3+ days

Located just off the coast of Washington in Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands sit between Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and Anacortes, Washington.

The group of 172 named islands offers a unique escape for visitors. There are a few ways to get to the San Juan Islands, including a ferry, which is best if you hope to bring your car. The ferry port is in Anacortes.

There are many things to do on the San Juan Islands, and the activities differ depending on which island you visit. The most popular are Orcas Island and San Juan Island.

Whether you want to get out and do some hiking or learn about the islands’ history, there’s plenty to do. There are a variety of historic sites to see and dozens of outdoor activities.

One of the best things to do on the San Juan Islands is whale watching, where you’ll have the chance to see orcas and migrating humpbacks in their natural habitat. Although whales are present all year round, the peak season for whale watching is summer – June through September.

If you bring your car, you can ferry hop from island to island for a road trip around the San Juan Islands.

Mount Rainier National Park

Distance from Seattle: 1 hour 45 minutes Recommended Time: 3+ days

Home to the tallest mountain in Washington, Mount Rainier National Park is a must-see and a perfect road trip from Seattle.

Mount Rainier stands at over 14,000 feet tall and is the dominating feature of its namesake park. You can admire views of the mountain from all over the park, including popular areas like Sunrise and Paradise.

A few of the most popular trails include the Wonderland Trail, which is a hike that loops around the entire mountain, Mount Fremont Lookout, the Skyline Trail, and Naches Peak Loop.

If you aren’t a hiker, you can still enjoy Mount Rainier by driving the scenic route, wandering around Tipsoo Lake, and visiting Paradise Inn.

There’s so much to cover around the area that visitors come back time and time again.

For a special road trip, you could pair Mount Rainier with Mount St. Helens, just a few hours south.

Lake Chelan

As one of the largest lakes in Washington, it’s no wonder so many people flock to Lake Chelan for their summer vacations. With opportunities to enjoy water sports or simply relax on the shoreline, this spot is well-loved by locals and tourists.

It’s the third deepest lake in the United States and sprawls for over 50 miles across the North Cascades.

While at Lake Chelan, be sure to check out Lake Chelan State Park, where you’ll find plenty more to see and do. There’s a sandy beach and boat rentals to get out on the water. A waterpark for the kids, wineries for the adults, and plenty of spots to kick back and relax.

Another option is to add Lake Chelan to your North Cascades road trip, as they are in the same area. You could then loop back around and into Seattle.

For a relaxing Seattle road trip, Lake Chelan is a great choice.

Leavenworth

Distance from Seattle: 2 hours 15 minutes Recommended Time: 2+ days

The adorable Bavarian village of Leavenworth is nestled in the North Cascades mountain range along Highway 2. It can be reached two ways – either via Highway 2 or I-90.

For a more diverse road trip, you could make it one big loop and come out one way and back the other.

Winter is the best time to visit Leavenworth when it becomes a magical winter wonderland around the holidays – it’s one of the top places in the US to visit at Christmas . Sparkling lights are everywhere, skiing is open at nearby resorts, and all of the small shops are brimming with perfect gifts.

During the summer, you can embark on the amazing trails nearby – the popular Enchantments and many other great trails are within 30 minutes.

You’ll find lots of people road-tripping to Leavenworth throughout the year, as it’s such a charming town with so much to do.

Portland Oregon

Distance from Seattle: 3 hours Recommended Time: 3+ days

Why not take a trip from Washington’s largest city to Oregon’s largest? Portland is located right on the border of the two states, making it a great base to explore further.

If you like to explore cities, Portland has everything you could want in a city, from endless shopping, culture, and a celebrated restaurant scene. But it also has easy access to some of Oregon’s best outdoor recreation locations.

During your trip, wander around Portland, check out things like the Portland Weird sign and Powell’s Books, and don’t forget to grab some Voodoo Donuts.

Tip : You can also knock off two of the best Seattle road trips in one – pair your visit with a trip into the Columbia River Gorge

You might also be interested in driving to Oregon’s tallest mountain, Mount Hood. You’ll find endless hiking, amazing views, and three epic ski resorts.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Wyoming

Distance from Seattle: 12.5 hours Recommended Time: 7+ days

If you’re looking for a longer trip to explore outside of Washington, then a road trip to Wyoming’s national parks is a great option.

Start your drive through Spokane and then down to Missoula before you enter Yellowstone National Park.

As America’s first national park, it’s a must-see. Yellowstone delivers wildlife in spades, from bison to bears and moose. The best place to see wildlife is in Lamar Valley.

Yellowstone also boasts a fabulous array of hiking trails for all abilities. You’ll find seven of the best Yellowstone trails here .

Next, drive down to Grand Teton National Park, which is almost connected to Yellowstone. Grand Teton is known for its jagged peaks and access to amazing hiking trails. A few of the best are Delta Lake, Scwabacher’s Landing, and Taggart Lake.

A stop in Jackson outside of the park is also a good idea to grab some souvenirs and watch the famous Western gunfight reenactment. There is so much to do in Jackson Hole ; you may want to stay a day or two.

After Jackson, you can head back the way you came or loop down into Pocatello and Boise, Idaho, before heading back toward Seattle. You could then also add a stop at Craters of the Moon and the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho.

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Distance from Seattle: 6 hours 40 minutes Recommended Time: 4+ days

A unique national park that should be on everyone’s bucket list, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States, famous for some of the bluest water you’ll ever see.

Wandering around the park, admiring the water, makes you feel like you’re on another planet. The water is so otherworldly, it almost seems fake.

If you visit during summer, you can head down the Cleetwood Cove Trail and take a dip in the water, but be warned, it’s very cold year-round.

On your way back to Seattle, you have two options; head up through Eugene and Salem or through Bend. 

If you go through Bend, you’ll find lots of great places to stop, like Smith Rock State Park and Mount Hood. Near Salem, you’ll find Silver Falls State Park.

Redwoods National and State Parks, California

Distance from Seattle: 8 hours Recommended Time: 5+ days

Another out-of-state road trip option is Redwoods National and State Parks in California.

Located right on the border of California and Oregon, Redwoods is one of a kind. It’s home to coast redwoods, some of the tallest trees in the world. 

This is the only area in the world where you can find these trees, which is what makes them so special. You can drive through the scenic roads and admire the beautiful trees as they tower over you.

Another way to experience these majestic giants is to get out on a hiking trail. Some short trails will lead you through groves of redwoods where you truly experience their size.

A great option to make this trip even better is to head back to Seattle via the Oregon coast on Highway 101 for amazing views the entire way.

Mount St. Helens

Distance from Seattle: 3.5 hours Recommended Time: 2+ days

Most well known for its 1980 eruption, Mount St. Helens is another popular destination for tourists in Washington. It’s the most active volcano in Washington, which gives it a unique lure.

A visit to the Johnston Ridge Observatory offers unobstructed views of the volcano and the chance to learn about the history of the eruption.

There are hiking trails leading down into the blast zone from the observatory, allowing you to get closer to Mount St. Helens and see its real effects on the landscape.

Another great stop near Mount St. Helens is Ape Cave, the third longest lava tube in the United States.

For an extended road trip, loop around and make a stop at Mount Rainier National Park. This route will allow you to check off two of Washington’s most iconic mountains in just one trip.

Oregon Coast

Distance from Seattle: 3.5 hours Recommended Time: 7+ days

While this road trip from Seattle doesn’t have a specific destination, it’s one of the most popular road trips in the PNW, and for good reason.

The Oregon Coast is one of the most beautiful regions of the Pacific Coastline. You can see almost all of it by following Highway 101 from Astoria to Brookings.

Start in Astoria, where the Columbia River meets the ocean. (this is where the Goonies movie was filmed). Then make your way south, stopping in small coastal towns like Seaside, Cannon Beach, Pacific City, Newport, and Brookings. You’ll likely even find a few hidden gems along the way.

A few notable stops that aren’t cities include the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Cape Kiwanda, and God’s Thumb.

You can return via Highway 101 or make your way through Eugene and Salem for a faster return to Seattle.

Eastern Washington

Distance from Seattle: 4 hours Recommended Time: 3+ days

Although often overlooked, Eastern Washington is a veritable gold mine of hidden gems that tourists miss when they explore the Cascades.

One of the best is Palouse Falls, a massive waterfall that seems so out of place in the desert. You can walk right up to it to experience the power as it drops over the cliff. 

Another must-see is the Grand Coulee Dam, which features a unique laser lights show every night during the summer. Nearby is Steamboat Rock State Park, which has plenty of hikes to the top of the rock to admire the views.

If you’re a concert-goer, the Gorge Amphitheater hosts some incredible artists throughout the year right along the Columbia River Gorge.

There are many routes to take for this road trip, but all of them are rewarding.

Seattle Road Trip Wrap-Up

The only problem with planning a road trip from Seattle is deciding where to go. With so many unique choices, making that decision can be tough.

Luckily, there’s a type of road trip for everyone and every season, whether you explore the charming towns of the San Juan Islands or witness the stunning beauty of the Columbia River Gorge.

Quiz: Which San Diego Adventure is Right for You? 

THE BEST ROADTRIPS FROM SEATTLE (A PACKED 4-DAY ITINERARY)

Post summary : Going over tips and places to visit on your next road trip from Seattle!

Washington state is a state that you definitely need to add to your bucket list! 

Fun fact! I actually worked at a summer camp as a boat driver in Washington one summer during college. 

Unfortunately, I did not really take advantage of the beauty of this state and now am kicking myself in the butt for it. I took a few road trips to Seattle while I worked in Washington, but that’s it.

Now, I am having to plan multiple trips back to Washington because there is just too much to see.

In this article, I am going to give you my jam packed , most recent 4-day itinerary for visiting Washington! This article gives you all the details on how to go on the ultimate road trip from Seattle . 

This itinerary is a mix of both outdoor adventure and city experience. Be prepared for lots of fun and beauty!

If you can, I highly recommend visiting in the Fall. The colors are stunning. Maybe I just say that because I live in San Diego and don’t see Fall colors that often, but regardless the scenery is beautiful! 

So, let’s get to it! 

WASHINGTON ITINERARY TRIPS

My mom and I visited Washington in Fall (October) of 2020. We flew in on a Thursday night, so that we could have a full four days in Washington. 

Plan to fly into the Seattle-Tacoma International airport and pick up a rental car directly from the airport. We rented a Jeep Wrangler and I highly recommend renting something equivalent or similar. 

The weather in Washington can quickly change. We were met with all types of weather: sun, rain, high winds, muddy roads, bumpy roads and even snow. 

So, having the option to turn on all wheel drive was a must for us. 

Always be checking the weather as you may need to rearrange your trip based on the forecasted weather. Pack clothes for all weather types as well! 

Considering you will be driving through lots of remote areas, I recommend downloading your directions ahead of time or while you have service before heading out on your first adventure. 

DAY 1: EXPLORE MT. RAINIER NATIONAL PARK 

Fly into Seattle the night before your 4 days in Washington starts and grab a hotel near the airport.

If you are anything like me, you like to save as much money as you can while on vacation. I recommend heading to a local grocery store and stocking up on some food for the week. 

We personally went to Fred Meyer’s for our food and other necessities. See below for a list of the food we purchased. 

Looking for easy meals to make while camping or on vacation?

Day 1 will be jam-packed! Head out early in the morning to Mt. Rainier National Park. This is about a 2.5-hour drive. I recommend waking up early to allow for the maximum amount of time while in the park. 

Now, I have seen and backpacked through multiple National Parks in my lifetime, and Mt. Rainier has to be on the top of my list! It is stunning and a must-see when visiting!

Mt. Rainier National Park actually still has an active volcano!

Begin your morning by doing the Nisqually Vista Trail. This is a great trail for anyone! It is well paved, offers incredible views of Mt Rainier, and is great for the whole family. 

The Nisqually Vista Trail is about one-mile long and is rated easy. 

From the Nisqually Trail parking lot, head just up the street to the Paradise parking lot. From here you will have TONS of hiking options. 

(There is a visitor’s center here as well, but due to COVID it was closed)

We chose to hike to Myrtle Falls. Again, this is a fairly easy hike. From the falls, you can choose to continue on to other trails or turn around. 

We chose to turn around and head to Reflections Lake . 

Make a pit stop at Refelctions Lake before hiking up the Pinnacle Peak Trail . This trail is located directly across form Reflections Lake and I highly recommend this hike. 

The Pinnacle Peak Trail is about 3.2 miles and is strenuous with exposed parts of the trail however, when you reach the top, or the end of the maintained trail, you will be blessed with views of both Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helen!

Plan for this hike to take around 3 hours depending on how long you spend at the top. 

Tip: Bring lunch with you and eat it at the top! My favorite meal is the Chili Mac n’ Beef by Mtnhouse. 

After your hike, you will probably be tired like us haha, so start making your way towards your hotel for the night. 

If it is on your way, make a little pit stop at Narada Falls. It is a short hike to the bottom of the falls with options to continue hiking if you are up for it!

We attempted to find a good spot for sunset , but unfortunately were not able to. We were told Cougar Rock was a good spot, but I would have to disagree. 

Food options are limited near the park, but we had a delicious dinner at the cutest spot about 10 minutes from our hotel. 

Check out Paradise Village Restaraunt. I got a burger and my mom got the Salmon and they were both delicious. They also let me taste their chicken dumpling vegetable soup and it was to die for. 

For lodging arrangements, we grabbed a little studio at the *Gateway Inn for the night. It is located literally right outside the entrance to the park. It is an older place, but we felt safe and clean and it was affordable for being so close to the park!

***Our itinerary unfortunately got flipped upside down due to weather. We were actually going to do this whole itinerary in the opposite direction.

So, just be aware that some of the hotels are backtracking a little bit as we did have our trip perfectly planned out, but had to make some last minute switches. 

If you are able to find a hotel inside the park itself this may suit you better. Due to COVID all the hotels within the park were closed when we visited. 

DAY 2: MT. RAINIER TO LEAVENWORTH

Mt. Rainier National Park has so many different hikes to offer, so make sure to check out a map prior to choosing what you do!

Day two unfortunately consisted of a lot of rain for us. 🙁

Something I am continually learning is that trips don’t always go accorindg to plan. I have had to learn how to adjust the itinerary and still have a great time!

We headed up to Tipsoo Lake as this is supposed to have some epic views, but of course due to the rain we could barely even see the lake in front of us. 

We had plans to do the Fremont Fire Lookout Hike , but decided to pass for safety reasons and headed on towards our next stop. Leavenworth. 

It is about a 3hr 30 min drive from Gateway Inn (our previous nights stay) to Leavenworth. (very little service along the way)

Enjoy the rest of your day exploring Leavenworth ! Trust me you won’t want to miss this town! It is a cute little german inspired town. 

We were actually there during Oktoberfest which was quite fun to see people all dressed up! 

Spend the afternoon walking into the different shops and make sure to do some beer and brawt tasting while there! 

A few shops that I recommend visiting are: The Gingerbread house, Kris Kringle store, and the olive oil and vinegar tasting room. 

Aaannnndd if you are up for it! Get all dressed up and get your photo taken at studio 1890 . This was the perfect rainy day activity! We laughed our little booties off.

If the weather allows for it, then I recommend watching sunset form the town of Leavenworth before heading back to your hotel. 

***Because we visited Leavenworth during Oktoberfest the hotel prices skyrocketed. We chose to stay in the town of Wenatchee about 20 minutes outside of Leavenworth. 

DAY 3: HIKING IN LEAVENWORTH

On this road trip from Seattle, I was personally most excited for this day! I had seen some epic photos on Instagram of visiting the Enchantment Lakes in Leavenworth, Washington. 

We had originally planned to hike to Lake Colchuck, but a few factors had changed our decision. 

The weather forecast did not look good, the hike was rated strenuous and I was with my mom, so we decided to visit Lake Stuart instead. 

I mean, I haven’t seen Lake Colchuck, but Lake Stuart was quite beautiful and felt pretty epic to me. 

Lake Colchuck and Lake Stuart both start out at the same trailhead and split off in two different directions about 2.2 miles in. 

Lake Stuart trail is 8.7 miles long and is considered to be a moderate hike. Here is a great guide to hiking this trail.  

Also, Lake Colchuck is the more popular trail and I am sure it gets crowded. We saw a lot of people doing that hike. We only saw 3 other people when we arrived at Lake Stuart. 

One day it is a dream of mine to do the complete Enchantments thru-hike .

Some tips for visiting either Lake:

-The best times to hike this trail are from June to October due to snow. (It actually snowed on us here)

-Get to the parking lot early. We got one of the last spots and arrived at 830am

-Try to visit on a weekday. Weekends are extremely crowded

-It is a bumpy, unpaved, dirt road to the top. (I was nervous even in my Jeep Wrangler)

-Pack warm clothes as a lot of this hike is shaded and it is colder in the higher elevations

-Pay the $5 parking fee when you arrive. You will get ticketed

-Pack enough snacks and water as this is a long hike with elevation gain

Plan for this hike to take around 6 hours. After your hike, begin your 2.5 hour drive back towards Seattle. 

Sleep in Seattle! 

DAY 4: EXPLORE SEATTLE

Finish off your Seattle road trip by making a full circle and returning back to Seattle. 

Book your flight to depart at night, so that you can spend the day exploring Seattle. 

I personally love visiting the “touristy” locations when I go places, so of course we hit up all the spots. 

Begin your morning by eating a super delicious and healthy breakfast at Bacco Cafe. 

Then walk right down to the Pike’s Place Market! Enjoy looking at all the booths and the views of the water! Maybe grab a coffee to walk around with? 🙂

Once you are done, head over to the space needle. We personally bought the combo tickets for the Space Needle and the Chihuly Glass museum. 

Plan to spend about 2 hours in total visiting these places. 

We ended our time in Seattle by grabbing a delicious salad from Homegrown (recommended by multiple people) and going to Gas Works park.

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM YOUR OUTDOOR LOVING GIRL

Road tripping from Seattle is easy and I hope this article made it even easier for you to plan your next trip! 

I would love to go back and backpack the Enchantments trail in Washington one day!

Have you ever been to Washington? I’d love to know your favorite spots!

Like this itinerary? Pin it for later!

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15 Best Winter Road Trips from Seattle

Home to Starbucks, the Space Needle, grunge music and some of the States' most exciting tech companies, Seattle is a great place to be. Seattle is also close to several National Parks, the scenic PNW coastline, the Puget Sound, and many public natural areas, making it the perfect base for a road trip this winter.

Whether you're looking for winter sports, buzzing city breaks, festive markets or a sunshine escape, there's a winter road trip from Seattle to suit everyone. Along the way you can visit scenic mountains, fabulous wineries and iconic national parks.

We've collated some of our favorite road trips to get you started with your planning, whether you have just a day out of the city or a whole vacation to fill. Keep on reading to find out where you can get to on a winter road trip from Seattle.

Best winter road trips from Seattle: a quick overview

Day trips from Seattle (under 3 hours each way)

1. Bellingham and Mt. Baker

1 hour 20 minutes from Seattle (80 miles)

Why you should visit: Bellingham is a nature-centric town with access to the sea and mountains in proximity.

A little further out of Seattle, the Mt Baker area offers the full range of snow sports, from skiing and snowboarding to cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing through the natural forests.

How to get there: Head north out of Seattle on I-5 as far as Bellingham. From there, turn onto WA-542 heading east for around 54 miles

Our highlights: Mount Baker is the tallest mountain peak visible from Seattle and is known for the massive volumes of snow it gets each year.

The ski area here offers lifts and gear rentals for snow sports or explore the Mount Baker Wilderness on your own with snowshoeing or cross-country skis. There are also some winter hiking trails which you can access if the snow isn't too deep.

Even the road up to Mt Baker, State Route 542, is an attraction in itself, with many snowshoeing trails where you can stop for scenic views of waterfalls and the mountain landscape, and to feel the solitude of the winter forest. Canyon Creek and Glacier Road also offer snowmobiling access

Bellingham is known for its high-quality restaurants and world-class chefs. During the holidays the downtown area is decorated beautifully for the season, with festive illuminations.

You'll also be able to see festive lights at Fairhaven Village Winterfest, a historic Victorian-era village with decorations, horse and carriage rides, holiday shopping and art markets. Special events run throughout the holiday season here.

Bonus: The Birch Bay Polar Bear Plunge happens every year on New Year's Day – join hundreds of daring visitors for this tradition of jumping into the freezing waters of Birch Bay.

Our travel tips: Local tour companies can take you to and around the Mount Baker area if you don't have your own transport, but you'll need to book in advance. Alternatively, if you need to rent winter sporting gear, it's available from many local outfitters in Bellingham.

2. Mount Rainier National Park

1 hour 40 minutes from Seattle (80 miles)

Why you should visit: Mount Rainier National Park turns into a snow-covered winter wonderland from December onwards. It's a really popular place to visit in the warmer months but coming here in winter offers more solitude.

How to get there: Head south on I-5 then as you approach Tacoma turn on to WA-161. Continue south past Eatonville reach the National Park Highway which you'll follow along Alder Lake all the way to the National Park's Southwest Entrance for access to Mount Rainier.

Our highlights: At Comet Falls you can follow the trail to the largest waterfall in Mt Rainier National Park - depending on how much snow there is you'll either snowshoe or hike.

Edith Creek Basin also offers snowshoeing as well as backcountry skiing – try to snag one of the spots on a guided ranger snowshoe hike to really get to know the area.

You'll find the only sledding spot in the park at Paradise Snow play Area, where there are views of Paradise Glacier. You can also access Paradise Valley show shoe loop here (rent snowshoes at the General Store).

Longmire Museum and Visitor Centre is a historic building with local history exhibits and ranger talks. It offers a warm place to get out of the snow and cold.

For a slightly longer drive either to or from the park you can follow the Chinook Scenic Byway (WA-410), which separates from the direct route to the park in North Puyallup. Drive this road for the most scenic views close to Seattle and amazing overlooks of Mount Rainier.

Our travel tips: Winter planning is required for this short trip. Have essentials with you before driving into the remote park area, and check weather conditions. The Southwest (Nisqually) entrance to the National Park is recommended.

3. Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest

2 hours 10 minutes from Seattle (110 miles)

Why you should visit: Located towards the coast, this road trip will take you to a unique national park that has a rainforest, mountains and access to the Pacific Coast beaches – the only place that offers this unique combination within one park.

Winter in Olympic National Park and Forest is the wet season, so the rain forests are full of deep greens. With snow on the mountains and sand on the beaches, it's a unique time to visit!

How to get there: Take I-5 south to Olympia, then turn onto US-101 just after crossing Capitol Lake in Olympia. The road follows Hood Canal on the way up to Hoodsport, where you'll join 119 to access the park. The National Forest surrounds the National Park which is centered around Mt Olympus

Our highlights: Scenic and remote Hurricane Ridge is the center for all snow sports within Olympic National Park. You can ski, tube, snowboard, and snowshoe from this area.

The National Park's beaches remain free of snow during the winter, but the swells and tides at First, Second and Third Beaches are impressive.

Walk along the beach during low tide and feel the cold spray of the huge waves and hear them crash against the rocks - winter storms often add to the atmosphere. Kalaloch Lodge offers a warm respite to see the big winter swells from its indoor cozy spaces.

The Hoh Rainforest will be wet since winter is the rainy season, but the rainforest in the winter months is extra full and green and you can peacefully hike amongst the hanging dripping mosses and ferns.

All that rain means that Marymere and Madison Falls should be at full capacity during winter. However, at times these easily accessible waterfalls can freeze into a curtain of ice. Sol Duc is another large cascade that falls into a slot canyon.

Bonus: Take Route 101 around the park and go back south along the coast to visit the towns of Forks and LaPush, made famous as the setting of the Twilight Saga novels and movies.

Our travel tips: Weather Conditions apply to snowy areas within Olympic National Park and Mount Olympus - look out for local information before you begin your trip.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Olympic National Park

4. Leavenworth and Cashmere WA

2 hours 30 minutes from Seattle (130 miles)

Why you should visit: This road trip from Seattle will take you to Leavenworth, a unique Bavarian-style village experience. It's especially magical in winter, with festive lights and German decorations.

The holidays bring a special festive magic to Leavenworth, but the snow-covered villages are picturesque all winter long and offer a charming escape from the city.

How to get there: Head out of the city on WA-522 E then merge onto US-2 headed east. Continue through Stevens Pass on US-2 and you'll reach the two towns of Leavenworth and Cashmere, which are about 15 minutes apart located on the Wenatchee River.

Our highlights: Magical lights decorate Leavenworth Village from Thanksgiving through to Valentine's Day. You can shop in an old-world-style Bavarian Christmas Market, eat delicious foods, and take in the magic of the season.

Along the way you'll drive through Stevens Pass, which offers ski lifts and a snow park with all winter sports and lighted night skiing - perfect for a final stop on your one-day trip out of the city. The Pacific Crest Trail also travels through here, although in the winter, it will be covered in snow.

In fact, much of the scenic drive along Highway 2 is an attraction in itself, including a section through Wallace Falls State Park. A good stop would be Gold Bar, where you can see Wallace Falls. You can hike here in the winter, as it's usually free of snow at lower elevations.

Head outside the village itself and Leavenworth has hundreds of miles of snowmobile trails as well as trails for skiing, sledding (at the Golf Course) and snowshoeing.

The nearby town of Cashmere has a retro feel and seems like it is straight out of the mid-20th century. You can visit the Liberty Orchards candy factory, which still looks just like it did in 1920, and get samples of their famous Aplets and Cotlets.

Bonus: The Nutcracker Museum has the largest collection of nutcrackers in the world - you can see antique and collectible nutcrackers and get your own authentic hand-carved Christmas nutcracker.

Our travel tips: US-2 can be tricky to drive in poor weather conditions so take your time, and make sure your vehicle is suitable for the trip.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Leavenworth

Click here to skip back to the top.

Weekend trips from Seattle (3-5 hours each way)

5. Vancouver, BC (Canada)

2 hours 30 minutes from Seattle (140 miles)

Why you should visit: Vancouver is one of Canada's most diverse cities, and with its coastal location at the foot of the mountains, it's a beautiful place to spend a weekend. The city is about half the size of Seattle, making it possible to see a lot of the city in a short time.

Vancouver is much quieter in the winter than the busy summer season, and with a mild climate thanks to its location on the coast, it can be very enjoyable in the winter.

How to get there: Head north on this road trip , following I-5 all the way to the international border. After entering Canada remain on the same road, which becomes BC-99 and takes you right into the heart of Vancouver.

Our highlights: If you're in Vancouver during the holiday season you can enjoy festive lights across the city - even the Capilano Suspension Bridge is covered in lights in the winter.

To help build up that festive feeling head out to see Granville Island Festive Lights, then check out Robson Square where you can skate for free.

Winter is hockey season too, and you might be able to catch the Vancouver Canuks in action during your trip - maybe even against the Seattle Kraken!

World-renowned Whistler is “Vancouver's Mountain,” and it's an easy drive from the city for winter sports.

Alternatively, if you want to spend less time on the road you can also head to smaller mountains closer to Vancouver, including Grouse, Seymore, or Cypress along the North Shore where you could also snowshoe, tube or skate.

Even if you're not planning on skiing, you can take the gondola up Grouse Mountain to see majestic views of the city and coastline.

When it's time to warm up, you'll have plenty of indoor attractions to choose from. Vancouver is well known for its world-class science museum and art galleries, as well as fine dining seafood restaurants.

Bonus: Vancouver Christmas Market runs from mid-November to Christmas, and offers some warming, German-inspired festive cheer and atmosphere.

Our travel tips: Vancouver often only gets a week or 2 of snow each year so this isn't a trip to take if you're looking for snow-covered festive scenes. It will most likely be rainy so prepare for wet conditions.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Vancouver

6. Portland, OR

2 hours 45 minutes from Seattle (170 miles)

Why you should visit: Portland is another city in the Pacific Northwest that is known for its large parks, lots of green space, and craft brewery scene.

Portland offers a southern escape from Seattle and feels a little more scenic and rural, while still being a unique and vibrant city. Winter is the quietest time to visit so crowds are sparse, and hotels are cheapest.

How to get there: This is a really simple one to navigate - just head south on I-5 until you reach Portland.

Our highlights: Portland's downtown area is a great place to relax. Curl up with a coffee and book at Powells City of Books, window shop for vintage clothes or vinyl records, take photos with all the street art, feel the crisp winter air as you walk along the city streets and stop for a donut at the original Voodoo Doughnut.

You can also sample food and drink from many Portland eateries, both new and long-established, on a curated food and beverage tour around the city. There are plenty to choose from based on your taste and the area of city you want to focus on.

For respite from the cold or drizzle, Portland Art Museum is a great indoor activity that has been going since 1892.

Alternatively, if you want to spend more time outdoors, head to Mount Hood where you can find ski resorts, ski trails, snowshoe trails, and sledding hills around the Mt Hood loop. From Portland, the closest ski areas are at Mt Hood Ski Bowl or Timberline Lodge.

There are also some scenic drives that you can take out of the city. Follow I-84 through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to see Multnomah Falls and Tunnel Falls. There are also hiking areas along the gorge if conditions allow.

You can also drive out to the coast – head to Canon Beach and enjoy the famous coastal views, or drive south to Arch Cape, Rockaway Beach, hike through the rainforest to the cape at Cape Lookout State Park and then back to Portland through Tillamook State Forest (grab some cheese in Tillamook).

Bonus: Portland has more breweries than any other city so it's the ideal place to go on a pub crawl or brewery tour to experience as many as you can fit in. Just don't expect to tick them all off in a single weekend.

Our travel tips: Since this drive takes place mainly on the well-kept main roads, it is a fairly straightforward drive, but you might encounter traffic congestion, especially as you exit Seattle and reach Portland. It's advisable to avoid rush hour.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Portland

7. Manson and Lake Chelan, OR

3 hours 20 minutes from Seattle (180 miles)

Why you should visit: Lake Chelan is a picturesque destination with a crystal blue lake amidst towering peaks.

You can find tranquillity, scenic views, and area villages centered around wineries and agribusinesses.

How to get there: Head east on US-2 through Leavenworth and Cashmere, or on I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass. Whichever route you take out of the city, turn north onto US-97 N the follow WA-150 around the lake to Manson.

Our highlights: Manson and Lake Chelan are known for their wineries and vineyards. The vines will be bare in winter but the wineries still offer tastings and pairings.

You can take a tour of the Manson Scenic Loop to visit a wide selection of them. Hard Row to Hoe and Vin Du Lac are particularly recommended for their ambience and views.

There are also wine-tasting rooms in lakeside Manson's downtown area, as well as family-owned restaurants, local markets and holiday festivals.

Some of the other small towns around Lake Chelan also get super festive between November and January with lights and Christmas markets. Sip on warm wine or cider as you stroll through these winter wonderlands and shop for unique gifts.

Carrying on with the festivities, late January sees Lake Chelan Winterfest starting up, with food, fireworks and more wine-tasting opportunities among the activities you can enjoy at this winter-themed extravaganza.

Finally, if you want to enjoy some winter sports during your trip, you won't have far to go. You can explore the area around Lake Chelan by snowshoeing or snowmobile, with Echo Valley the nearest downhill ski and snowboard mountain.

Bonus: Stay in a lakeside cabin or quaint Bed and Breakfast to really feel the local pride and ambience of the region.

Our travel tips: Don't forget to switch to winter tires and bring your chains as these are required in the Snoqualmie Pass, which gets quite a bit of snow in winter. Oversize vehicles are prohibited on this route during winter.

Long weekend trips (5-8 hours each way)

8. Kelowna and Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

5 hours 10 minutes from Seattle (290 miles)

Why you should visit: Set at the foot of the Canadian Rockies, “Canada's Wine Country” is a great place to head for a long weekend.

In winter, the area is draped in snow and ice and the mountain setting offers great skiing in the Canadian Rockies. Add on visits to some of the region's many wineries and you have the perfect mix of both indoor and outdoor entertainment.

How to get there: Head north out of Seattle on US-5 then exit onto WA-542 which takes you out to Trans-Canada Hwy 1. At Hope turn onto BC-3 for a few km then pick up BC-5 which takes you northeast to Kamloops.

If you're headed to Kelowna, continue on BC-3 from Hope and follow it east through the mountains as far as Keremeos. The road divides here, and BC-3A takes you through the Marron Valley to join BC-97 heading north along Okanagan Lake to reach Kelowna.

Our highlights: In Kamloops, you can ski, snowboard, snow tube and enjoy other snow sports and several mountain resorts, including Sun Peak Resort.

You can also try out ice fishing - there are more than 100 lakes in the Kamloops area, but if you're hoping to catch a big one head to Tunkwa or Edith Lakes.

For some warmer recreation, stop at the wineries on the Kamloops Wine Trail and enjoy a selection of locally produced wines while you enjoy the beautiful surroundings looking out over the mountains or the South Thompson River.

Kelowna is also known for its wines, and you can enjoy a guided tour that takes you to multiple wineries. There are a number of wine trails to choose from or enjoy the scenery at your own pace and pick your own selection to visit.

Another great stop if you're heading to Kelowna is Okanagan Falls, where you'll be rewarded with views of Skaha Lake. You can stop to snowshoe or try out fat tire biking at some of the parks along the lake too.

Bonus: Canada is the world's leading producer of super-sweet icewine, made from frozen grapes.

Our travel tips: The highways around the region are all very scenic, but due to high snowfall you'll need to factor in winter driving conditions and make sure your vehicle is adequately prepared. Snow tires are required on a number of major roads in British Columbia.

9. Bend, Oregon, Crater Lake, and Umpqua National Forest

5 hours 40 minutes from Seattle (330 miles)

Why you should visit: Bend, Oregon is known for its natural setting and beauty with close proximity to some unique features of Oregon wilderness.

This scenic weekend trip takes you through the mountains of Oregon with plenty of stunning views to enjoy along the way as well as outdoor opportunities at Crater Lake National Park and Umpqua National Forest and Hot Springs.

How to get there: Drive south on US-5 to Portland then take US-26 E out of Portland towards Mt Hood (see Portland and Mount Hood listing for trips to this area).

If you're stopping at Bend, simply continue south on US-97 which takes you straight there. Or if you're making the slightly longer trip to Crater Lake through Umpqua National Forest, continue along US-97 to OR-138.

Our highlights: The city of Bend doesn't get much snow so it's a great place to stay overnight and use as your base for the weekend.

There are many breweries and wine-tasting spots in Bend to sample Oregon's famous wines and craft beers. Follow the Bend Ale Trail or take a food tour to enjoy hearty foods with scenic views of the Deschutes River. There are also great shopping opportunities in the Old Mill District.

The surrounding mountains experience much heavier snowfall, making the scenery festive and serene, with many places to have fun in the snow. Try skiing at Mt Bachelor or skating under the stars at Seventh Mountain Resort.

If you have time to extend your drive by a couple of hours, head to Crater Lake, Oregon's only national park. The deep blue water looks especially scenic with white snow all around. You can take a guided snowshoe hike or start at Rim Village to snowshoe up to the crater edge.

Winter snow transforms Umpqua National Forest into a picturesque winter wonderland. The sno-parks offer many winter sporting opportunities like cross-country ski trails, snowshoe trails, snowmobile roads, and sledding parks.

North Crater Lake sno-park and Three Lakes are pretty accessible and on the east side of the forest.

The hot springs within Umpqua, which naturally reach 108 degrees, are especially welcome in the winter as you can soak in and warm up after spending time in your cold snowy surroundings. Take a towel and dry clothes with you as it's a short hike down to the pools and back.

If conditions allow, you'll also find waterfalls on many hiking trails in the northern part of Umpqua, accessible from Highway 138.

Bonus: The Old Mill District in Bend will have festive holiday lights and shopping during Christmas time.

Our travel tips: If there's too much snow, the road to the hot springs will be closed but you can still hike or snowshoe to reach the pools. Expect some nudity as bathing suits are optional when using the springs.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Bend

Longer trips from Seattle (over 8 hours each way)

10. Glacier National Park and Whitefish Winter Resort

8 hours 50 minutes from Seattle (540 miles)

Why you should visit: This road trip east through the Idaho Panhandle and the state of Montana takes you to the ruggedly scenic Glacier National Park.

The Glacier NP area is super popular in summer but much less crowded in winter. Find solitude and unpopulated vistas during the winter months with a blanket of snow making for dramatic scenery.

How to get there: Go east out of Seattle and follow I-90. After arriving in Montana exit onto MT-135 W in St Regis then take MT-28 and US-93 around Flathead Lake to reach Whitefish. To get to the west entrance of Glacier National Park, turn onto US-2 at Kalispell and follow it to West Glacier.

Our highlights: In the winter, Whitefish Mountain Resort offers some fantastic skiing and other winter sports, with a full alpine village where you can enjoy some après ski relaxation. There are plenty of places to stay in the resort area.

There are also a number of spas in the Whitefish area as well as Quinn's Hot Springs and Symes Hot Springs. In the downtown area, you can dine on Montana game cuisine and freshwater fish and try local craft beers and wines.

If you decide to head out to Glacier National Park, you can drive between Apgar and Lake McDonald for scenic views of the Going to the Sun Road (the rest is closed in winter) and enjoy the solitude in these high-elevation mountains.

Many trails can be accessed with hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, or you can take a guided snow sports tour. You can even let a team of huskies pull you through the snow for unique views of wildlife and scenery which are hard to access by road or on foot at this time of year.

Bonus: Whitefish Winter Carnival is one weekend in mid-February, the city is taken over by activities like a polar plunge, entertainment, parades, and winter-themed activities.

Our travel tips: Many facilities in Glacier National Park close for the winter, so plan ahead to see what's open and plan your drive to and through the park accordingly. Conversely, Whitefish Mountain Resort opens on December 8 for the skiing season.

While visiting, keep in mind that Glacier National Park implements a vehicle reservation system from May 26th to September 10th, from 6am to 3pm (at the time of writing). Before visiting, please check online to see whether you might need a reservation.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Glacier National Park

11. Golden, British Columbia and Banff, Alberta Canada

11 hours 40 minutes from Seattle (660 miles)

Why you should visit: Head to the Rocky Mountains on this road trip for an amazing combination of winter sports, and Banff National Park is beautiful while it's shrouded in snow.

The popular ski resorts around Banff buzz all through the ski season, but it's still a lot less crowded than in the summer months. You'll also have the choice of hitting the slopes in Golden, BC.

How to get there: Take I-5 North out of Seattle and merge onto Trans-Canada 1 headed northeast after a short stretch on WA-542 leading to the Candian border. After Hope, turn onto BC-5 heading north to Kamloops where you'll rejoin Trans-Canada 1. The highway follows the South Thompson River then hugs the shores of Shuswap Lake before heading through the mountains towards Golden and Banff.

Our highlights: On your way to Banff, you'll pass Golden, at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. You can ski at Kicking Horse Resort or explore the area with fat tire biking and cross-country ski trails. If you aren't into winter sports, there's also the option to take the gondola up the mountain for scenic views.

Banff itself is a quaint mountain town that lights up in style around Christmas. You can enjoy the town's Christmas market all through the holiday period as well as take a walk through the town to eat and shop.

Banff National Park is the most famous NP in all of Canada. During a trip here you can see Lake Moraine and Peto Lake, hike to the teahouse, or take the scenic drive along BC-93.

Lake Louise is the most photographed spot in Banff National Park, and the view of the frozen lake and snow-covered mountains is especially beautiful. In winter you can skate on the lake, which is known as one of the world's best and most scenic ice rinks.

Not far away in Kootenay National Park you'll find canyons, hot springs, hiking, and the Continental Divide, which you can drive through on 93. If you only have time to make a short trip to this National Park head to the Marble Canyon, in winter the blue water combined with the snow and ice is particularly photo-worthy.

Near Kootenay, you can also detour to visit Radium Hot Springs. The thermal mineral springs here sit amid craggy slopes surrounded by snow, which makes for a unique and steamy experience.

Yoho National Park is also nearby and, while it's not as popular as Banff, it still offers amazing sites to see and plenty of trails to explore.

Our travel tips: Major construction work is ongoing along Trans-Canada Highway 1 between Golden and Banff, so check ahead for any closures which might affect your route. You might need to take a scenic detour along BC-95 and BC-93 through Kootenay National Park to get all the way to Banff.

Winter tires are mandatory on many major roads through British Columbia, and you might also need to carry snow chains. Due to the chance of heavy snowfall, always check for road warnings before you set off.

It's also worth noting that front-wheel drive can be more comfortable in snowy conditions.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Banff

12. Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada

12 hours 20 minutes from Seattle (740 miles)

Why you should visit: The mountains around Lake Tahoe see an enormous amount of snow falling in the winter, making it a beautiful and action-packed location for snow sports. This is truly the perfect winter road trip if you'd like to admire a winter wonderland!

Tahoe City and South Lake Tahoe are both great places to kick back and relax. They both offer abundant resorts, hotels, and activities with fabulous views across the scenic lake and mountain peaks that surround it.

How to get there: Take I-5 South through Eugene then exit onto OR-58 headed east which leads you onto US-97. Follow the highway south as far as Klamath Falls then turn onto OR-39 (which becomes CA-139) to Susanville, from where US-395 takes you on to Reno.

From here it's just a short hop west along I-80 then follow the highway south to reach Tahoe City.

Our highlights: North Lake Tahoe is the less developed part of the lake and offers more wilderness areas for snow sports. While you're here you can try snowkiting, skydiving, or snowmobile trick riding parks. Check out resort areas like Squaw Valley, Heavenly gondola, or Diamond Peak.

The backcountry areas on North Lake Tahoe and around the California side offer many trails to explore via ski or snowshoe, and you can stay in remote and tranquil backcountry cabins for a real feeling of escape while you take in the quiet winter scenery.

Even in winter you can still take a boat tour of the lake. Climb on board a sunset cruise and see the scenic beauty of the lake from the crystal-clear deep water.

For something completely different, head to the South Lake Tahoe area. Crossing from California into Nevada, you'll find plenty of casinos and nightlife areas to enjoy here, along with clubs and restaurants.

Bonus: Depending on the conditions, the drive between North and South Lake Tahoe might be closed. If it's open, it's a beautiful scenic drive that only takes around an hour.

Our travel tips: Winter driving conditions around Lake Tahoe can be particularly intense, so snow chains and 4-wheel drive are advised.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Lake Tahoe

13. Napa Valley and San Francisco, California

14 hours from Seattle (840 miles)

Why you should visit: Escape the snow and rain with a visit to California's famous wine region followed by some time in the Bay Area.

Napa Valley, Sonoma, and the Bay Area including San Francisco often have much milder winter weather than Seattle with warm sunny days.

How to get there: Go south on I-5 all the way into California then join I-505 around Sacramento and follow CA-128 west through Napa Valley. Take CA-29 S and I-80 S into the Bay Area to reach your final destination, San Francisco.

Our highlights: Stop in Napa Valley to visit the wellness mecca of Calistoga Hot Springs, where there are many hot springs and mineral pool spas to choose from. Try Calistoga Spa Hot Springs for a custom treatment or the Baths at Roman Spa for a romantic dip in the geothermal water.

Carrying on to Napa Valley and Sonoma, you can visit some of the many wineries and vineyards. During winter, the vines will be bare, but the wine is still as delicious as at any other time!

Taking a group tour is the easiest way to taste as much as you can in one day and means that no one has to miss out on tasting some of the best and most famous wines in the world.

Once you arrive in San Francisco, take a bus tour around the famous sites or the cable cars. You can see the Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio of San Francisco Park, walk up the hill at Alamo Square to view the Painted Lady houses, see the hillside and windy road on Lombard Street, or stop at the famous Chinatown district for dinner and to explore the markets.

If you're visiting during the holiday period there will be many lit Christmas trees and buildings to see, too.

San Fran also has many indoor attractions including museums such as Exploratorium, art galleries, theatres and sports games. The Ferry Building Marketplace food court is a fabulous place to get a meal too.

Bonus: Winter months bring whales to the coast of San Francisco, so jump on board a whale-watching tour boat from Fisherman's Warf to try to spot them.

Our travel tips: San Francisco doesn't experience the same near-guaranteed sunshine that you'd expect in Los Angeles or San Diego, and winter storms can bring bad weather that lasts several days or weeks. If the weather is nice, take advantage and head outdoors, it might not last long!

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to San Francisco

14. Yellowstone National Park

14 hours 30 minutes from Seattle (900 miles)

Why you should visit: You can see this famous national park in a whole new way when you experience it covered in a blanket of snow and ice. Miss the busy crowds and experience some solitude in this normally tourist-heavy park.

How to get there: To reach the North Entrance - which is the only way to drive into Yellowstone during winter - follow I-90 all the way to Livingstone then turn south on US-89 which takes you all the way there.

An alternative route takes you to West Yellowstone, from where you can take over-snow transport to see Old Faithful. Leave Seattle on I-90 heading east then join I-82 before following I-84 as far as Mountain Home. Next, exit onto US-20 to Sun Valley and continue through Idaho Falls to reach West Yellowstone.

Our highlights: On your way to West Yellowstone , you can stop at Ketchum or Sun Valley, "America's Original Winter Playground", to enjoy a day of winter sports and skiing. At Ketchum, you can also soak in Frenchman's Hot Springs to warm up and relax after a long day on the slopes.

Once you arrive at the National Park take a guided snowmobile tour around many of the park's most famous sites. It's a really impressive spectacle to see Old Faithful, the famous geyser, erupting from snow-covered ground - watch from the Old Faithful Inn with warm hot cocoa in hand for a cozier experience.

You can also take a trip through Yellowstone National Park on a vintage 1950s Bombardier snow coach - it's a much warmer way to see the sights than a snowmobile! Book well in advance with companies running out of West Yellowstone.

Winter is a great time for wildlife spotting as the brown coats of elk and bison contrast against the white snow. The parks' bison will be decked out in huge fluffy coats that you can only see in winter months.

Bonus: Big Sky ski resort in Montana, one of the biggest in the US, is only a couple of hours from Yellowstone and is an option for a detour as you make your way to or from the National Park.

Our travel tips: Vehicles are not allowed in Yellowstone from the first week of November, except for a very limited stretch of road through the North Entrance. You can enter the park most easily during winter using an organized group.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Yellowstone

15. Los Angeles and Anaheim, California

17 hours 40 minutes from Seattle (1,140 miles)

Why you should visit: The ultimate escape from the winter cold , you can enjoy year-round sunshine on a road trip to southern California.

From the stunning coastline to towering Sequoia forests, the road trip to LA is a real adventure with so many things to stop and explore. Once you reach your destination, the world-class theme parks can fill any itinerary with days of entertainment in the sunshine.

How to get there: Although this is the longest trip on our list it's one of the easiest to navigate. Just join I-5 in Seattle and follow it south for over one thousand miles!

For a more scenic route, cut across to the Pacific coast at any point in the drive and pick up US-101 or CA-1. If you follow the coast the whole way from Washington, you'll add up to 10 hours and 250 miles to your drive but you'll also get to enjoy the iconic Big Sur as well as stop at many fabulous coastal towns along the way.

Our highlights: You'll probably be making this trip to enjoy the winter sun, so where better to start than the beach? Head to the warm, sunny sand in Santa Monica, the Strand in Venice, or Malibu. Go surfing, people watching, or just walk for miles in the sunshine along the stunning coast.

Movie fans should be sure to visit Hollywood to see the Walk of Fame, the famous Hollywood sign or take a behind-the-scenes tour at Hollywood Studios. You can even take a leisurely stroll along Sunset Strip or Hollywood Blvd to go celebrity and movie-star spotting.

Of course, Los Angeles is famous for its theme parks, and whether you seek roller coaster thrills, childlike charm, or movie magic, there's a park for every day and every wish in LA. Take your pick from Disneyland , Disney California Adventure Park, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, or even Legoland California Resort.

When that warm sun finally sets, head up to Griffith Observatory to see the stars through the telescopes or planetarium and enjoy a warm, sunny outdoor hike at Griffith Park

Bonus: The closest National Park to LA is Joshua Tree National Park, which is a desert. A visit here is a guaranteed way to warm up in the winter months and avoid crowds.

Our travel tips: Although winter brings fewer crowds to the theme parks, you'll still need to plan ahead and book in advance. Christmas at Disneyland and in Harry Potter World of Universal Studios Hollywood is an especially popular attraction, with fabulous festive parades and light shows.

If you extend your trip by driving along Highway 1 you can visit places like Monterey, Big Sur, Redwoods National Park, Mendocino and San Francisco, as well as take in the rugged wintery coastline of Cannon Beach further up the coast in Oregon.

READ MORE - Road Trip from Seattle to Los Angeles

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• Pacific NW Magazine

10 Washington road-trip spots recommended by the people who know them best

LET’S FACE IT. You’re not much of a planner when it comes to figuring out a spring or summer Washington road trip.

Clip and save this story. Email it to yourself. You’ll find at least one appealing nugget among these 10 recommended by experts and locals.

Or you might be one of our new arrivals. Everything is a discovery to you.

Let’s get started.

the backstory

The palouse: one of the most beautiful drives you’ll ever take.

About 300 miles east of Seattle, after you’ve crossed the Columbia River at Vantage, turned south for a short bit, then gotten on Highway 26, you’ll be driving a long stretch of highway through flat farm and brushland.

Then, really, as if by magic, these astounding rolling hills of wheat appear as far as you can see. No wonder Fine Art America, “the world’s largest art marketplace,” has more than 9,800 Palouse photos for sale. The nutrient-rich landscape perfect for growing crops was created by windblown silt, or loess, formed as glaciers crushed bits of rock along the land surface.

Robert Lambeth, 44, of Deer Park just north of Spokane, has been a frequent visitor to Palouse country over the years. He wrote his master’s thesis about the World War I-era union-busting of farmworkers there.

He takes his family on road trips to the region, visiting small towns. He photographs it.

He loves the Palouse in the spring, when the wheat has started to blossom, and then as it turns green in the summer, and golden brown in the fall.

“I’ve seen it 1,000 times. I just never get tired of it,” says Lambeth. “It does seem like a sea of wheat, just suspended in time.”

Want more details for a trip? Search palousescenicbyway.org .

The UW Planetarium: High-res, free viewing of the universe

They’re an enthusiastic group at the University of Washington’s Department of Astronomy. On the second floor of its campus building is its planetarium , which has a 30-foot dome.

Forty people can sit around the edge of the circular auditorium and look up. What they experience is a one-hour show that uses six projectors and high-end graphics. Above them, the universe unfolds.

Contrary to what some attendees initially believe, “What we’re showing is not fake images but real images, generated from real telescopes, from real data,” says Andy Tzanidakis, a doctoral candidate in the department, and student director of the planetarium.

Those are images straight from the James Webb Space Telescope, using the WorldWide Telescope, open-source software originally developed at Microsoft and now run by the American Astronomical Society.

At the shows, says Tzanidakis, “We can explore the Earth in really high resolution. We can fly through the landscapes on the Earth. We can zoom in on the oldest observable light in the universe. It’s called the Cosmic Microwave Background, the remnant light that emerged after the Big Bang.”

There are four free public shows on the first Friday evening of the month. They book quickly at facebook.com/uwplanetarium . A group of 10 to 40 people can request a free show at astro.washington.edu/uw-planetarium#group . Group types include K-12 students or seniors, although “other” is also considered with an explanation.

Long Beach: It might be hype, but the ‘World’s Longest Beach’ is worth the drive

Four years ago, at the height of the pandemic, anonymous leaflets were left on car windshields at timeshare condos at Long Beach in Pacific County.

The isolated, picturesque county, for a time, was one of two Washington counties with zero confirmed cases of COVID-19.

“Your vacation is not worth our lives. Go home. Stay home,” the leaflet stated.

Never mind.

“We need tourists. That’s our No. 1 industry,” says Katja Spitz, executive director of Visit Long Beach Peninsula . “They’ve always been welcome.”

Long Beach is a three-hour drive from Seattle. It’s got little shops; seafood markets; and, in August, the Washington State International Kite Festival .

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But there’s another reason tourists pose under the large arch across Bolstad Avenue West, which leads to the ocean. It proclaims: “World’s Longest Beach.”

At 28 miles, that’s a bit of an exaggeration. That honor really belongs to the Praia do Cassino beach in Brazil, at 150 miles, according to WorldAtlas .

Still. It’s an attractive destination.

“You see more people walking in an hour around Green Lake than in one year here,” says Matt Winters, editor and publisher of the Chinook Observer newspaper. He tracks more than 4 million steps a year in his walks. Plus, he says, “In Seattle, you’re used to a wintertime, gray shroud that hangs over. Here, you might have a big rainstorm for an hour, but then it’ll be perfectly clear for the rest of the day.”

In 2014, the town was included in Travel + Leisure ‘s listing of “America’s best beach boardwalks.” The half-mile boardwalk near downtown Long Beach “appears as if suspended in the grassy dunes,” proclaims its tourist bureau.

More info on everything Long Beach: visitlongbeachpeninsula.com .

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park Hanford: Our own ‘Oppenheimer’

On March 6, 1943, the 2,000 people living in the small towns of Hanford and White Bluffs in Benton County, were told by mail and in a mass meeting held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that they had 30 days to move .

They were told only that it was because of a secret war project.

“It was a terrible shock. I can’t describe it. It was unbelievable,” Annette Heriford, 22 during the forced evacuation, recalled in the book “Nowhere to Remember: Hanford, White Bluffs, and Richland to 1943.”

The hit movie “ Oppenheimer ” dramatizes the life story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atomic bomb. It was in Los Alamos, N.M., that the Manhattan Project built the bomb laboratory for Oppenheimer.

But none of Los Alamos’ bomb design work would be of any use if not for enough uranium-235 or plutonium for at least one bomb. That’s where reactors at Oak Ridge, Tenn., and at Hanford had to come through. They did.

The Manhattan Project National Historical Park Hanford ( nps.gov/mapr/hanford-wa.htm ), headquartered in Richland, about 200 miles southeast of Seattle, offers two free bus tours. There is a B reactor tour at manhattanprojectbreactor.hanford.gov .

“They can sit at the control room where operators watched the reactor go critical in 1944,” says Colleen French, program manager for the historical park. “There’s almost a moment of silence as they take it all in and realize the significance of what they’re looking at.”

There also are bus tours of what’s left of Hanford and White Bluffs.

Visitors get out of the bus and walk around: the remaining sidewalks; Hanford High School, which was a local social center; the White Bluffs Bank, the only surviving building from that community.

Mount Rainier: You want an easy summertime drive, not a 12-mile hike

I asked Ranger Terry Wildy at the Mount Rainier National Park for a recommendation. I’m talking summertime visits, not treks to snowshoe or put a tent atop snow.

Paradise , she says.

About that name: On its website, the NPS says, “When James Longmire’s daughter-in-law, Martha, first saw this site, she exclaimed, ‘Oh, what a paradise!’ ” Longmire was an early pioneer and sought-after guide to Mount Rainier.

Says Wildy about Paradise, “There are a lot of options for folks. They can drive up there and get a beautiful view just from their car. The parking lot is adjacent to the alpine meadows that Paradise is known for.”

The flowers truly put on a spectacular show.

Plus, there is the Paradise Inn, which opened in 1917 : a log frame building using naturally weathered timbers, and a cavernous lobby with two massive river-rock fireplaces and log furniture.

Although there is cellphone service, there is no internet and no television. With 121 guest rooms, the inn’s website says, “Imagine a time past when life was simple without the distractions of today’s modern world.”

There is the short, easy, paved Nisqually Vista Trail at Paradise. “Suitable for families with strollers (there are a few steps a stroller can manage),” says the NPS, although it says snow can linger into June or even July.

Here you can see the spectacular flowers : aster, heather, lupine, paintbrush, lilies and many others. “The growing season is very short — June, July, August,” says Wildy.

And stay on the trail. Trampled meadows can take years to recover, she says.  

This year, to enter the park at certain hours, you’ll need to make a reservation (at Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777). In 2022, there were 1.6 million visits to the park. Sometimes drivers at the park entrances had waits of one to three hours, says Wildy. Something had to be done.

For more about Paradise or Mount Rainier tourism, go to VisitRainier.com .

The Methow Valley: A big little-town farmers market

In the Methow Valley, some 240 miles from Seattle in North-Central Washington, touristy Winthrop has a western town motif, boutiques and restaurants. Nine miles south of Winthrop is Twisp, its more regular-type cousin. This is where you’ll find a business such as the Les Schwab Tire Center.

And it’s here, beginning April 13 through the end of October, on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon, that you’ll find the Methow Valley Farmers Market . 

It’s easy to find, as it’s at the community center on Highway 20, the main drag through town.

On TripAdvisor, one tourist wrote about planning a trip to the valley to make sure they could make the Saturday event. “What a delightful community market — with products from farm-fresh sheep or goat cheese, to fresh tomatoes, to fry bread, to handmade jewelry and hats. We fill our bags with the bounty, for sure,” said the review. “But plan to spend most of the day, because you will, as we do, spend a lot of time talking with the wonderful folks who grow and make all this stuff.”

Willie Getz, the market manager, says this is the market’s 46 th year, making it among the older ones in this state. “It’s a community thing, a social event, what you do on a Saturday morning,” says Getz. “When it ends at noon, Twisp gets pretty quiet.”

Find more on the market at MethowValleyFarmersMarket.com .

Ruby Beach: Sea stars that kids love

This is an overnight trip from Seattle by the time you drive four hours each way, first south on Interstate 5 and then on Highway 101. You can stay at the world-famous Kalaloch Lodge (overnight weekend stays now range from $235-$323 on its website). The lodge’s erosion issues were documented in this magazine in a July 28, 2023, story , so consider adding it to your Northwest checklist sooner rather than later.

Or you can bunk at cheaper motels in Forks , about 35 miles north.

I asked Amos Almy, a ranger at the Olympic National Park , for a recommended destination in the area. Ruby Beach, he says. It gets its name from red sand that occasionally gathers there. It’s listed in the 2024 Lonely Planet book “Best Beaches: 100 of the World’s Most Incredible Beaches” (“Tree trunks are strewn like matchsticks. Sea stacks cluster like crumbled chocolates.”)

The Washington Trails Association rates the hike from the parking lot to the beach “easy/moderate” and “good for kids.”

It’s the tide pools that get the raves, with urchins, snails, kelp — and, Almy says, “When I’m talking to kids, I always ask if they saw sea stars. Their faces light up. I ask how big it was. Bigger than the size of their heads.”

Sea stars used to be called “starfish,” but they’re not fish at all. They’re invertebrates (no backbone), related to sea cucumbers and sand dollars. Their tiny tube feet allow them to crawl along using suction. They can regenerate arms after they’ve been severed.

“You can see orange stars, purple stars all over rocks,” says Almy. “Typically, you do need at least a negative foot tide. In some places, you could see 20 to 30 of them.”

Yakima: Where ‘American Graffiti’ comes alive

Some of the locals bring out their lawn chairs to catch the sights.

“We’ll get 200 to 300 hot rods, street rods, muscle cars, low riders, fixed-up little Hondas,” says Art Reis, president of the Yakima Vintiques Car Club .

“ Cruising the Ave ” happens from 6-10 p.m. the second and third Saturday evenings in June through September. It takes place on Yakima Avenue. Look for the Hilton Garden Inn or the Red Lion Hotel Yakima Center, and find a parking spot.

In 2023, changes to the event were discussed at the Yakima City Council, such as shortening it to end at 9:30.

In the end, nothing was done.

Says council member Matt Brown, “It’s part of Yakima’s history. Cruising was done on the Ave in the late ’60s and early ’70s. It’s been part of our culture.”

Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park: The dramatic remains of a catastrophic flood

A little more than a three-hour drive east of Seattle is one of this state’s most astounding sights. You can stand on the edge of a 3½-mile wide canyon and look down 400 feet.

Take a selfie. This is nature’s ferocity.

The Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park is what remains from an Ice Age flood (14,000 to 18,000 years ago) whose magnitude is hard to comprehend.

David McWalter is the interpretive specialist who lives in the caretaker’s residence across from the Dry Falls Visitor Center . He gives tourists a perspective of what happened with numbers.

An ice dam in Northern Idaho had been holding back a huge lake that backed up all the way to Missoula. The depth was 1,000 feet for 500 cubic miles of water. “That’s the size of two of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie and Ontario,” he says. ”Ice isn’t very good at holding back water.”

The ice dam burst, and water rushed out at 65 miles an hour. “Freeway speed,” McWalter says. “Over 750 feet high. The noise would have been deafening. Just imagine all the world’s rivers jamming in there.”

This flood, and dozens of other Ice Age floods, created the “channeled scablands” of potholes and exposed rock you see driving around Eastern Washington.

Visitors look over the edge and ask. “What happened here?”

This is what happened.

Husky Stadium: Spring football practices are open to the public

A tidbit appeared at the end of a Husky football story in this paper on Feb. 7 about a decision by new coach Jedd Fisch. He said when spring practice opened on April 2 all practices would be “wide open” to the public and media. The Huskies will practice three days a week — Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays — for five weeks, culminating in a spring game on the weekend of May 4.

Conducting open spring practices is truly an item of note for you Husky fans, and that’s a lot of you.

Some coaches are secretive about their spring practices. Here’s an excerpt from a Los Angeles Times story from May 5, 2023 , when Chip Kelly was the coach: ”a smattering of maybe three dozen fans watched UCLA’s last spring workout Friday, standing forlornly atop a parking structure and peering over a wall onto the field. Scowling security personnel swiftly admonished anyone that pulled out a phone to shoot a photo or a moment of video.”

At the University of Washington, “I don’t recall in my 32 years that there was ever a time when all spring practices were open,” says Jeff Bechtold, a UW athletics spokesman.

In a phone call, Fisch says he had open practices when coaching at Arizona.

“It’s about the public getting to know our players, and for players to feel the energy of people coming to watch. It just feels like it’s a cool thing, and for people to get a little football fix in the spring,” he says.

Warren Mainard, a contributor to the Husky football site Realdawg.com , has been to plenty of spring practices. “It’s a great opportunity to see what it looks like for a college to prepare their young men for football. The stadium will be empty. There will be a handful of folks there because they’re coaches, parents, family members, other reporters.”

At times, speakers will pump out “lots of music with a strong beat to get the players jumping up and down,” says Mainard. “It’s fun to see all the different drills that they take the players through.”

Details for spring practice hours will be available at Gohuskies.com , or follow @UW_football on X, the former Twitter.

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.

8 of the best day trips from Seattle

Dec 11, 2023 • 11 min read

Explore Washington State and beyond with these great day trips from Seattle © Thomas Barwick / Getty Images

With everything Seattle has to offer, it can be hard to imagine wanting to get out of the city for even just an hour or two.

Museums can be saved for rainy days, and it would be a shame to spend sunshine hours in craft breweries when there’s such gorgeous scenery to enjoy beyond the city limits. 

Whether you need a break from the tourist crowds and bustle of downtown , are looking for a serious hike , or have a pup threatening all the zoomies after being dragged to yet another farmers market, there are plenty of opportunities to get out of Seattle for the day.  In fact, some of the most breathtaking scenery, charming towns and picturesque back roads in Washington state lie within an easy drive or ferry ride out of the city. Here are some of our favorite day trips from Seattle.

1. Mt Rainier National Park

Travel time: 2 hours

The drive – about two hours, depending on the route and traffic conditions – makes this a bit of an investment for a day trip, but you can’t be this close to one of the most impressive mountains in the United S tates and not go see it.

The views are spectacular, whether it's a sunny spring day with wildflowers in bloom, a moody, cloudy afternoon, or a snowy winter’s day. 

You could easily spend weeks hiking in the Mt Rainier area (permits permitting), but you can develop a healthy appreciation for the place through any of the several day hikes from Paradise , which is home to the relaxing Paradise Inn and a visitor center. 

Paradise also makes for a fun Seattle day trip during the winter because it's one of the most popular areas in the park for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. It's also the only area in the park that allows sledding. Bring good shoes, warm clothes and a camera. Try to visit midweek to avoid crowds.

How to get to Mt Rainier National Park from Seattle:  The park has year-round access via the Nisqually Entrance, just under 90 miles and an almost two-hour drive from Seattle along SR-706. If you use GPS, use the address 39000 State Route 706 E, Ashford, WA 98304, or you’ll otherwise be taken to the park headquarters in Ashford.

From the Nisqually Entrance, it’s another 29 miles via Longmire to the Henry M Jackson Visitor Center in Paradise, where you can find parking and several trailheads. Note that in winter, the road between Longmire and Paradise is closed at night.

If your idea of a successful day trip to Mt Rainier involves hiking and biking, the Carbon River Entrance is a little over 60 miles – nearly 1½ hours – along SR-165. No cars are allowed beyond this entrance, only pedestrians and cyclists. 

You can also enter the park on its east side during the summer. It’s just under 82 miles – 1¾ hours – from Seattle to the White River Entrance via SR-167 and SR-410. From there, it’s about 18 miles, or half an hour’s drive, via SR-123 to Ohanapecosh . There are no public transit connections from Seattle to the park.

2. Leavenworth

Travel time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Adorable and unashamedly touristy Leavenworth has oodles of charm all by itself, but the imitation-Bavarian town’s idyllic wilderness setting is what really puts it over the top. Grab a beer and some brats at München Haus , then choose your adventure: the hiking, rafting and rock climbing here are all fantastic. 

Leavenworth is the gateway to the Wenatchee River and the Alpine Lakes Wilderness , where you’ll find some of the best hiking in the state, including several easily accessible day hikes.

How to get to Leavenworth from Seattle:  The 117-mile drive east along US Hwy 2 via Monroe, through the Cascades and over Stevens Pass, is truly spectacular. It takes under 2½ hours, but you’ll want to stop often for photo ops.

The route via the Snoqualmie Pass along the I-90 takes about the same time, even though it stretches over 135 miles. Several bus companies serve the route between Seattle and Leavenworth, or you can take the Amtrak train, although the three to four-hour bus journey makes it less feasible for a day trip.

3. Bainbridge Island

Travel time: 1 hour

Bainbridge Island is a favorite vacation destination for Seattleites and visitors from further afield, but the island is close enough to the city that it contains a healthy full-time population, many of whom commute to Seattle by ferry.

It’s the quickest and easiest way to get out on the water from the big city, and the ride over provides stunning views of both Seattle and the Sound. Lazily stroll around, tour some waterfront taverns like Doc’s Marina Grill , taste wines and maybe rent a bike and cycle around the invitingly flat countryside.

As far as family day trips from Seattle go, it doesn’t get much easier than this; the ferry ride is short enough that kids won’t get bored, and once they’re on the island, they’ll love exploring the Kids Discovery Museum .

Lively pubs and great Washington wines are the order of the day on Bainbridge. The island doesn’t stay up very late, but you won’t go thirsty when it comes to happy hour or leisurely cocktails in the evening.  Bainbridge Vineyards is a quaint and certified organic winemaker about 5 miles from the Bainbridge ferry terminal off Hwy 305 – perfect for a bike ride on a sunny day.

How to get to Bainbridge Island from Seattle:  Washington State Ferries run several times a day from Pier 52 in Seattle. The crossing takes about 35 minutes.

4. Bellingham

Travel time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Bellingham is underrated as a fun town for nightlife, especially if you’re into craft beer. Try the Kölsch at Chuckanut Brewery , a Bellingham Blonde ale at Boundary Bay and a Cosmic Dreams IPA at Aslan Depot , a historic bus and streetcar station renovated to look and feel like a cozy old English parlor.

If you like your adult beverages with a side of culture, start with a visit to the Whatcom Museum , a three-building collection of local and regional art, culture and history.

You can also wander the well-preserved Fairhaven neighborhood with its shops, restaurants and lovely bookstore, Village Books . Alternatively, drive 15 miles north to the traditionally Dutch town of Lynden, which has a pioneer history museum , bakery and historic hotel .

To stretch this day trip a little, opt for scenic Chuckanut Drive on the way there or back. This byway hugs the coastline between Bellingham and Mt Vernon, with opportunities to stop for hiking in Larrabee State Park and oyster-eating at the Oyster Bar in Bow along the way.

How to get to Bellingham from Seattle:  Head north on I-5 for about 90 miles (1½ hours) to Bellingham. For the more scenic Chuckanut Drive (SR-11) option, take exit 231 off I-5 just north of Mt Vernon. This route is about the same distance but adds around 15 minutes to the drive – if you don’t stop to admire the scenery.

5. Victoria, Canada

Travel time: 3 hours

At around a 2¾-hour ride on the fast ferry, Victoria stretches the definition of a "day trip," but the British Columbia provincial capital is worth the effort if you remember to bring your valid passport and meet the requirements for entry into Canada . 

With double-decker buses, afternoon tea, homes that look like castles and pubs with names such as the Sticky Wicket and the Penny Farthing , Victoria has long traded on its British affiliations. 

But while the fish and chips remain first class, and summer cricket games still enliven Beacon Hill Park , the days when Victoria was more British than Britain are long gone. In Victoria 2.0, the food culture embraces fusion, the beer leans toward craft brews and the abundance of bicycles resembles  the Netherlands  more than England .

Compared to the glassy skyscrapers of Seattle, Victoria is more laid-back and low-rise. On balmy summer days, a distinct holiday atmosphere takes over as people pile off the ferries to escape the mayhem of the mainland and forget their work. Sure, Victoria might have become trendier and more sophisticated in recent years, but in pace and essence it remains comfortingly old-fashioned.

How to get to Victoria from Seattle:  Victoria Clipper runs a passenger-only, high-speed catamaran from Pier 69 in downtown Seattle to Victoria’s Inner Harbor. There’s one round-trip a day; check the website for departure times as these may vary according to season.

6. Whidbey Island

Travel time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Whidbey Island is an idyllic emerald escape beloved by stressed-out Seattleites. At 41 miles, Whidbey is the longest island on the US West Coast. While it’s not as detached or nonconformist as the San Juans (a bridge connects it to adjacent Fidalgo Island at its northernmost point), life is certainly slower, quieter and more pastoral here. 

Having six state parks is a bonus. There is also a plethora of B&Bs, two historic fishing villages (Langley and Coupeville), famously tasty mussels and a thriving community of artists and artisans. Also on the island is the US Naval Air Station that dominates Oak Harbor. 

Whidbey is a particularly desirable day trip during the fall harvest: grapes, apples and pumpkins abound, as do cider and pumpkin beer. The season also brings wild mushroom foraging tours, which, unless you’re an expert, are best to join if you want to pick some. In the words of Terry Pratchett, “All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once.”

Emerging from Fidalgo Island's flat pastures, the precipitous Deception Pass cliffs are overlooked by a famous bridge made all the more dramatic by the churning, angry water below. The bridge has two steel arches spanning Canoe Pass and Deception Pass, joined by a central support on Pass Island. Built during the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), it was considered an engineering feat in its day. The 5.5-sq-mile park also spans the channel, with facilities on the north and south flanks of the passage.

How to get to Whidbey Island from Seattle: You'll need a car and to take a ferry ride. Take I-5 north and SR-525 from Seattle to Mukilteo; depending on the route and traffic conditions, this trip will be around 40 to 50 minutes. Washington State Ferries run 20-minute trips between Mukilteo and Clinton throughout the day. The Sound Transit train on the Sounder North N-line isn’t a good choice for a day trip since it departs from Seattle twice in the late afternoon and returns from Everett twice in the early morning.

7. La Conner

Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes

A small town with a surprising number of things to see and do, La Conner is practically made for a day trip. It has a compact, walkable center lined with shops, pubs and restaurants, a spring tulip festival that shows off its pastoral surroundings and a top-notch art museum in the heart of town. 

Its position alongside the lazy Swinomish Channel adds a cool maritime feel. And at around a 1¼-hour drive, it’s one of those short trips from Seattle that you can do without spending most of your day on the road.

Arguably the best time to visit La Conner is in April when the tulip fields around town paint themselves in bands of vivid purples, reds and yellows. Weekend traffic can be discouraging at this time, but the blooms are worth it.

Once you’ve had your fill of flowers, wander downtown toward the tiny marina. Stop in and browse at Handmade La Conner , where artisans in a back-room workshop make all the coffee mugs, textiles, fancy soaps and letterpress cards on offer. Be sure to save time for an exploration of the Museum of Northwest Art , which has an outstanding collection of regional paintings and sculptures and mounts several temporary exhibits each year.

How to get to La Conner from Seattle: From Seattle, take I-5 north about 55 miles to exit 221, then follow signs another 10 miles west along Fir Island Rd to La Conner. There are no bus or train services to La Conner.

8. San Juan Islands

Travel time: 3 to 4 hours

The sleepy San Juans exist in striking contrast with Seattle’s sensory overload, and they’re easier to reach than you might think (though if you can spare the time, an overnight stay is even better than a day trip). 

It may be nearly a four-hour ferry ride from Seattle to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, but the voyage itself is one of the highlights – you can make the trip as part of a whale-watching tour, but it’s a gorgeous ride even without the whale element. 

On arrival, your entertainment options include mellow bicycling, paddling around in a kayak, eating decadent, locally sourced meals from restaurants like Doe Bay Café , and just hanging out. This day trip is also fantastic to make with your dog; there are several off-leash dog parks, including San Juan Islands Sculpture Park .

How to get to the San Juan Islands from Seattle:  From mid-April to mid-October, the scenic San Juan Clipper goes directly to Friday Harbor from the Seattle waterfront’s Pier 69 in 3¾ hours.

Or you can drive the 85 miles or so to Anacortes – it should take a maximum of two hours, depending on the route and traffic conditions – and hop a Washington State Ferry to Lopez Island (45 minutes), Shaw Island (55 minutes), Orcas Island (a little over an hour) or San Juan Island (an hour). Schedules vary by season, so check the WSF website for the latest. 

Note that for the San Juan Clipper, any pets need to be in a carrier, and you will need to book the trip in advance. For the Washington State Ferry, passengers can bring their leashed dogs into the exterior passenger areas, including the shelter decks.

This article was first published July 2019 and updated December 2023

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Washington Museums Worthy of a Road Trip

By Allison Williams April 12, 2024

Image: Dean Davis Photography/courtesy Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

As a stop on a random road trip , museums are unparalleled for their ability to offer a taste of local culture, easy edification, clean bathrooms, and maybe even a good gift shop. Some of Washington's best (and weirdest) collections are far flung, making the ideal anchor for a day or overnight jaunt away.

Maryhill Museum of Art

So iconic it might count as one of the seven wonders of Washington state (if we had that), this Columbia Gorge mansion was turned into an art repository thanks to local highway proponent Samuel Hill—who got assists from, of all people, a pioneering modern dancer and the then Queen of Romania. Artworks range from a large Auguste Rodin sculpture collection to Northwest Indigenous pieces, plus Orthodox icons and fashion history items. Expect a little of everything.

Image: Kyungbum Kim/courtesy the Whale Museum

The Whale Museum

Friday Harbor

At more than 40 years old, this petite San Juan Islands center has all the charm of an old-fashioned museum, including a small space and a singular mission: to celebrate the Salish Sea orca (with a hat tip to other local whales). With constant whale watching taking place on the waters around the San Juans, the museum can serve as a starting or ending point for discerning the difference between a southern resident and a Bigg's. The skeleton of a young L-Pod killer whale hangs in the center of the gallery, a reminder of the trials faced by our local swimmers.

Nutcracker Museum

Leavenworth

It's right there in the name: it's nutcrackers. Just nutcrackers. One next to the other like an army of little walnut-hungry wooden zombies. Boasting more than 9,000 figures from around the world, this is the rare corner of Leavenworth that takes Bavarian culture beyond its bratwurst and lederhosen shenanigans to focus on how the classic style has been recreated, repurposed, and reimagined in various materials. An annual Nutcracker Day in June includes a hunt for specific nutcrackers and the chance to put one to work with a hazelnut.

Image: Courtesy U.S. Naval Undersea Museum

US Naval Undersea Museum

Aside from the worthy salute to the rigors of working in a naval submarine, exhibits dive into the classic pranks pulled by submariners on each other (tip: if a fellow sailor tells you to go check the mail buoy, you're the butt of the joke). Tucked into one of the outposts of Naval Base Kitsap, the bite-size museum makes a good add-on to Bremerton's USS Turner Joy shipboard experience . Though the submersibles parked outside are impressively giant, the interior explanations of the navy's dolphin and sea lion members is most illuminating.

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

The MAC, as its known, stands as one of Spokane's preeminent historic and cultural institutions; beyond its modern main building, it includes the 1898 Campbell House next door. Exhibits tend toward the intersection of art and local stories, like current show, Frank S. Matsura: Portraits from the Borderland, about a Japanese photographer who used his lens on Indigenous Pacific Northwesterners. This year, the museum will also celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Spokane's World's Fair, Expo '74.

Image: Allison Williams

Pacific Bonsai Museum

Federal Way

I sn't a collection of plants a botanic garden, not a museum? Not at the outdoor institution on the old Weyerhaeuser campus, where bonsai trees are respected as legitimate living artworks, a kind of collaboration between plant and human. Turns out any wooded plant can be coaxed into a miniature tree form, and bonsais are listed with their "In Training Since" date—meaning how long their bonsai artist has been pruning them to their delicate, exacting form. Add on a ramble through the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden next door, which has its own museumish cataloguing qualities.

Museum of Glass

How to select one destination among Tacoma's veritable smorgasbord of institutions? The austere Washington State History Museum, snappy Tacoma Art Museum, nautical Foss Waterway Seaport, surprisingly in-depth LeMay–America's Car Museum; all worthy endpoints for a day trip. But with its salute to the state's signature fine art, the Museum of Glass delivers shimmery artworks and a working hot shop to see artisans in action.

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How to Plan an Amazing Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip

Looking to plan a road trip that takes you from Seattle to San Francisco? We basically spent a full two months on this route a few summers ago, after we quit our corporate jobs and lived in a converted Honda Odyssey for the better part of two years, and it was every bit as memorable, beautiful, and amazing as you might imagine. 

Since then, we regularly drive it because our families are located in San Francisco and Seattle, respectively. And we live in Portland, Oregon now, so many of the stops on this itinerary are basically in our backyard. 

There are a nearly unlimited number of route combinations you could take to get from San Francisco to Seattle, but which is the best? 

Well, that depends on a bunch of different factors, like what time of year it is, how much time you have, whether or not you’re looking to do some hiking, if you’re a beach or mountain person, and too many others to list. 

Your experience is largely going to be dictated by the amount of time you have. If you only have three days, you’re obviously not going to be able to hit some of the far flung destinations like Crater Lake and Bend.

In this guide to planning your Seattle to San Francisco road trip, we’ll give you the best stops to make along the drive from San Francisco to Seattle, and do our best to present you with itinerary options for the various factors we mentioned above (namely time of year and amount of time you have, in this case). 

Oh, yeah, we should probably mention that we’ve done some version of this road trip at least three or four times in the past couple of years, since Alysha’s family lives in the Bay Area, and Matt’s lives in Seattle. We’ve driven the coastal route, the central route, and the “drive-it-all-in-one-shot” route (which we definitely don’t recommend at all). 

The point is that we have plenty of personal experience to draw from to help you plan an amazing road trip from San Francisco to Seattle. 

In this guide, we’ll give you our perspective on the best possible route, and cover the practical information to help you actually plan your road trip. 

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.

Where to Fly In and Out of

Usually, this section is “where to start and end your road trip” but, given that this guide is about driving between two specific cities, I feel like that’s pretty self explanatory here. 

Instead, let’s talk about what airports to fly in and out of if you’re planning on flying to the west coast. 

One note : If you’re doing this road trip in the summer or fall, we’d consider renting a campervan from Escape (who have locations in both Seattle and San Francisco) for a fun way to experience the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. We first did this road trip in our Honda Odyssey, and fell in love with short term campervan living.

Flying Into Seattle

This one is far less complicated. There’s only really one major airport in the Seattle area – Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) . It’s about 30 minutes south of the core of Seattle, but it’s well-connected to the city. 

There’s a second, much smaller airport – Paine Field (PAE) – just north of Seattle, but the convenience of flying out of a small airport (and time saved going through security) is offset by the fact that it has very, very few flights available. 

Flying Out of San Francisco

Flying into San Francisco can be a bit of a nightmare thanks to weather delays caused by the infamous fog that flows in and out of the city in the morning and afternoon. We lived in San Francisco for almost a decade, and experienced those delays firsthand. 

You have two airport options in the San Francisco area. 

First is San Francisco International Airport (SFO) which is the bigger airport with more direct flight options. It’s also the most convenient airport for getting into San Francisco itself. However, it’s also the airport that is most famous for delays. 

The second airport option in the Bay Area is Oakland International Airport (OAK) , which is across the Bay Bridge in Oakland, California. It’s a smaller airport with fewer flight options, it’s a little harder to get into San Francisco, but it isn’t subject to the fog, and therefore usually has fewer weather delays. 

DO NOT FLY INTO SAN JOSE . It’s over an hour south of San Francisco, sometimes more with the ugly Silicon Valley traffic that clogs up the freeways there. 

How Many Days to Spend on This Road Trip?

You can totally do a Seattle to San Francisco road trip in one day. 

It’ll take 13 hours, and it’s going to be miserable. 

Trust me, I’ve done it. 

Twice. 

In the past two years. 

Instead, we suggest spending AT LEAST 7-10 days to drive between Seattle and San Francisco. The guide below is written with a two week trip in mind.

This route has a total of 24 hours of driving – split up between 10-14 days when you follow our recommendations below. 

That could be more time than you have. If that’s a few too many days, then we recommend heading down the I-5 corridor through Oregon instead, skipping Bend and Crater Lake, which are further inland. 

You can choose from the stops below based on how much time you have to spend – think of it as a “choose your own adventure” sort of thing (used to LOVE those Goosebumps books!). Except the authors have strong perspectives on what adventures you should choose. 

• With 3-5 days , you’ll be a bit pressed for time, and you won’t be able to deviate from the direct route straight up I-5 as much. Still, there are some worthwhile stops to make along the way, which we’ll cover in the alternate routes section below. 
• 7-10 days will give you more time to explore along the way, both the beautiful landscapes at places like Crater Lake and Mount Rainier, and amazing cities like Bend, Portland, and Mendocino. 
• 14+ days would be best, but we also know that you might not have that kind of vacation time to burn. 

However much time you have, we’ll do our best to give you the information you need to make the most of it.

The Best Route for Your Seattle to San Francisco Road Trip

Before we get into the details of where to stop and what to do and see, let’s zoom out and talk about what route to take.

Believe us, there are plenty of options, and we want to help you make the best choice for your interests. 

The fastest and most direct route is to hop on I-5 south in Seattle and take it alllll the way down to San Francisco.

It takes about 13 hours, and I’ve personally driven it countless times, including several times where I drove the entire thing in one day. Which I do not recommend. 

It’s also the least interesting route, passing through hours and hours of farmland in Northern California. 

If you have more than a few days (probably only realistic with 7+), we’d recommend making some detours from that direct route to enjoy the unique landscapes and staggering natural beauty that Northern California and the Pacific Northwest have to offer. 

Here’s the route we’d take if you have 7 or more days, which takes in the Cascades, Crater Lake, and the Northern California coast. 

An Alternate Route for Winter / Spring Road Trips

In the winter and spring (even into late June, some years), the central route through Oregon and the stop at Mount Rainier will be either inaccessible, or not worth the effort because things will be closed and covered in a deep layer of snow. 

If you’re planning a winter/spring road trip from Seattle to San Francisco, we’d hit the coastal route all the way from Seattle to San Francisco. In fact, we did this exact road trip each of the past two winters, and while it can be a little stormy at times, the scenery is incredible. 

Lucky for you, we have a few guides you can put together to form an incredible coastal road trip. 

Start with our Olympic National Park itinerary , roll into our Oregon Coast road trip , and finish with our Northern California road trip .

This route is going to be best with 7+ days because the driving is a little slower than the less windy, more straightforward highways on the main route below. 

16 Great Stops to Make on the Drive from Seattle to San Francisco

Now, onto the main attraction. We’re going to give you 15 stops to make on your drive from Seattle to San Francisco that we like and think are worth your time. 

First, we’ll give you the stops that are along the route we’ve mentioned above. Some stops are bigger stops that deserve the better part of a day, some are smaller stops that might take a few hours. We’ll leave it up to you to decide. 

Then, we’ll give you a couple of changes that you can make in the winter and spring to avoid the snowy mountain passes and park closures, and explore the coast instead. 

Mount Rainier National Park

Drive time from Seattle: 2 hours 30 minutes / 110 miles

Mount Rainier National Park is the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest. In most of Western Washington, the definition of a “good day” usually involves whether the Mountain is visible or not. It is called Tahoma (or Tacoma ) in the Salish language, but the name “ Rainier ” is so named after a friend of a British officer in the Royal Navy, which is pretty classic. 

Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in the Cascades that range from Washington down through Oregon, is an awe-inspiring place to visit. 

Everything from the abundance of wildflowers in the early summer to the lenticular cloud that swirls over the peak, building in strength throughout the day, is spectacular. 

We can’t get enough of Mount Rainier National Park, and would encourage you to make an effort to visit on your drive from Seattle to San Francisco. 

There are five distinct areas of the park, but if you’re coming from the I-5 corridor, the most convenient place to explore is going to be Paradise , which is on the south side of the Mountain. 

From here, you’ll get a taste of all the things that make this area special. Countless waterfalls, alpine lakes, and increasingly impressive views of Rainier around every corner. 

Here are the things we think you shouldn’t miss in Paradise, which to us is an accurate name for this slice of natural beauty. 

Hike the incredible Skyline Trail : This hike is in the top three of our list of the best hikes in Washington State . From start to finish, the views of Mount Rainier are nothing short of spectacular, and they get better the higher you climb towards the 14,000 foot peak. The Skyline Trail Loop, which we’d do counter-clockwise, starts from the parking lot at the Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center, and immediately takes you past Myrtle Falls, a gorgeous waterfall, and through a meadow bursting with wildflowers with Rainier looming over it. You’ll climb to Panorama Point, where you’ll have an unparalleled view of Rainier and the surrounding Tatoosh Range and Mount Adams. It’s a great hike. The shorter, easier Nisqually Vista Trail or Bench and Snow Lakes Trail would be good alternatives if you’re not confident in your ability to do the Skyline Trail. 

Visit Reflection Lakes : This is a great spot with a picture-perfect reflection of Mount Rainier in the water of the lake. It’s very popular with humans and mosquitoes alike, especially in the summer. Stop here for a spectacular sunrise or sunset. 

Admire the waterfalls : This part of the park is full of gorgeous waterfalls. The easiest to access are Narada and Christine , which are basically just off the road. Myrtle Falls – our favorite of the bunch – is a half mile hike from the main parking lot along a paved trail, and Comet Falls involves a four mile hike. 

Of course, the other areas are well worth visiting too. 

You can read our other guides to Mount Rainier’s best hikes and the best things to do in Mount Rainier National Park to help you venture out to the other parts of the park. 

Mount St. Helens

Drive time from Mount Rainier : 3 hours / 130 miles (though it’s shorter if you’re coming from I-5)

Mount St. Helens is just a couple of hours north of Portland, but most people skip it in favor of the more famous mountain just north, Mount Rainier. 

And to be honest, we get it. If you’ve only got a couple of days in the area, it’s better spent around Rainier. And the fact that both St. Helens and Rainier are a solid hour from the I-5 corridor means that you’re probably picking one or the other.

But with more time, we’d give Mount St. Helens a look. Especially if you want to avoid the crowds that descend on Rainier in the summertime. 

The western side of the mountain is the easiest to access from the I-5 Corridor, though the less-visited eastern side is gorgeous. If you find yourself over there, definitely do the hike up to Norway Pass – one of our favorite hikes of all time.

The Johnston Ridge Observatory is your destination on the western side.

It’s about an hour inland from I-5 along a steep, climbing road that passes Coldwater Lake before you emerge onto a ridge with spectacular views of the volcano that wrought so much destruction on the surrounding landscape 40 years ago. 

Even 40 years later, you’ll be surrounded by evidence of the destruction that St. Helens’ 1980 eruption brought upon southern Washington and northern Oregon. Logs from downed trees are scattered on all of the hills surrounding the volcano.

While you’re there, we’d make sure to hike at least a portion of the hike out to Harry’s Ridge , which takes you along the ridge and gives you an incredible view of Mount St. Helens.

Check out the Johnston Ridge Observatory , and make a stop at Coldwater Lake for lunch and a short stroll along the lakefront on the way back down towards the freeway. 

You only need about half a day to explore the area on the western side of St. Helens, though with the driving it turns into the better part of a full day. 

Portland, Oregon

Drive time from Mount St. Helens: 2 hours 20 minutes / 110 miles

Ah, Portland! We love Portland, which is why we decided to relocate here a few years ago after nearly a decade of talking about it. 

Portland takes the things we love about living in Seattle and San Francisco and makes them better because the cost of living is (slightly) lower, which means there is more opportunity for innovation from local artists, chefs, and other small businesses that just doesn’t exist in places where it costs a million dollars to do anything. 

Specifically, Portland has unrivaled access to nature and green spaces in the city center, a thriving food and drink scene with a surprisingly diverse set of offerings (given the fact that Portland is NOT diverse), and access to both the ocean and the mountains within 90 minutes or so. 

Now, if you’re on a road trip, chances are you’re looking to spend most of your time outside of major cities. Which we totally get.

However, we’d strongly recommend a stop in Portland for a meal, at the very least. Specifically, a meal at a food truck!

Here are a few things to do in Portland that we think are worth your time, even if it’s limited. 

Powell’s Books: The biggest independent bookstore in the world! We take all visitors here, and regularly visit ourselves. It’s worth going to their flagship in downtown Portland, which is a massive multi-story building full of books from all genres. 

Eat at a Food Cart Pod: Portland is famous for its food cart pods, which are somewhat unique and offer a really important part of Portland’s food scene: a lower cost way to try a concept without investing in a full restaurant. Take a look at many of Portland’s hottest restaurants and you’ll find that they actually started as a food truck, slowly expanding their empire into brick and mortar. It’s cool, and it’s part of what makes Portland such an interesting food city. Our favorite pods in the city are the Prost! pod near Mississippi Avenue in NE Portland (we used to live nearby) and Hawthorne Asylum in the Central Eastside. 

The International Rose Test Garden: Stop and smell a massive amount of breathtaking roses at the International Rose Test Garden , which has 10,000 buds that bloom from June to October, roughly. Great views of Portland and Mt. Hood (on a clear day) too!

Eat Some Doughnuts: Donuts : For doughnuts, which are a must-try in Portland, a city full of artisanal donut shops, enjoy delicious donuts at Pips Original (sadly not gluten-free, but they offer chai flights, need we say more?), Blue Star (also not gluten-free), or Petunia’s (100% gluten-free!). You’ll notice that we skipped Voodoo, the most famous doughnut spot in Portland, which has average doughnuts, but does deliver on the Portland vibe (though they have a location at Disney World these days). If you MUST go to Voodoo, go to the one on the east side of the river ( here on Google Maps), which is a much more pleasant experience.  

The Columbia River Gorge

We’re not including drive time here, because it starts just after you leave Portland, and ends in Hood River. 

In this section, we’re going to give you a route between Hood River and Portland that has you enjoying our favorite stops in the Columbia River Gorge. 

The drive between Hood River and Portland is about an hour, but with all the stops to make along the way, it will take you at least a half day to complete. You’ll see three waterfalls along the way, which is what the Gorge is arguably most famous for. 

The Vista House and Women’s Forum Viewpoint : Both along the Historic Columbia River Highway, these are two of the best views of the Gorge you’ll find anywhere. The Vista House is here , and just a bit further up the road, the Women’s Forum Viewpoint is here . 

Latourell Falls : A quick and easy waterfall hike that takes you up to the upper falls, then loops down around, crossing under the highway to bring you to the base of the more spectacular lower falls. Don’t settle for the view from the parking lot, it’s worth doing the short hike! More trail information here . 

Multnomah Falls : While this is the most famous waterfall in Oregon, it’s not our favorite. That’s not to say that it’s not spectacular – it absolutely is – but it’s SO CROWDED. You should get out and see the waterfall, but there are better waterfall hikes nearby to tackle instead. If you’re looking for a less visited waterfall, head to Dry Creek Falls , which intersects with the Pacific Crest Trail and ends at a nice waterfall with far fewer visitors. 

Horsetail and Ponytail Falls : A little bit further down the Historic Columbia River Highway are two of our favorite waterfalls in the Gorge – Horsetail and Ponytail. Horsetail is visible from the parking lot, and you can do a quick half mile hike up to Ponytail, where you can walk back behind the falls, which is cool. 

Drive time from Portland: 1 hour / 63 miles

Hood River is a charming town in the Columbia River Gorge that generally marks the point where the landscape turns from the temperate, wetter climate of western Oregon to the drier, warmer climate of the central and eastern parts of the state. 

The town is known for windsurfing thanks to its position right on the Columbia River Gorge. The wind whips through the gorge and creates an ideal pocket for windsurfers. As you drive towards Hood River from Portland, you’re likely to see a bunch of windsurfers on the water on days where the conditions are right. 

It sits on the northern edge of one of the most fertile areas in all of Oregon. Cherries, apples, pears, and grapes all grow here with great success, and it’s a perfect area to sample local produce. 

Here are some things not to miss in Hood River – we’re not including activities in the Columbia River Gorge here, because we have a whole section on that above. 

Drive the Fruit Loop : Speaking of amazing produce, the Hood River Fruit Loop is just south of town, and you’ll drive right through it as you’re approaching from Bend. This is where the apple trees go as far as the eye can see, backed by jaw-dropping views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount St. Helens. Stop by Hood River Lavender during the summer to see blooms of purple lavender in the foreground, with Mount Hood in the background. Draper Girls Country Farm is the place to go for farm-fresh (and u-pick) produce, including cherries in the summertime. And the Gorge White House is a nice stop for lunch, wine, or cider in a gorgeous setting. 

Drink at a brewery in town : There are a couple of famous breweries in Hood River that were among the first craft breweries in Oregon. Full Sail has a taproom right in downtown Hood River, and Double Mountain Brewery is just a few blocks away, making it easy for you to hit both and decide which is your favorite. 

Wine tasting : Though not as famous as the Willamette Valley, the area around Hood River produces some pretty solid wine. We really like the wine on the Washington side from Loop de Loop , who have a very cute winery dog and a great view of Mount Hood from the vineyard. 

Mount Hood (Government Camp) 

Drive time from Hood River: 45 minutes / 42 miles

Mount Hood is our favorite hiking spot near Portland, and you’ll find us up here every single summer.

In a lot of ways, Portland’s relationship to Mount Hood is similar to Seattle’s to Mount Rainier in that it’s one of the most popular outdoor destinations near the city and it’s a barometer of how nice the weather is (whether or not you can see the mountain). 

If you’re coming from Hood River, you’ll be approaching Mount Hood from the eastern side, driving up Highway 35, which skirts the eastern face of Hood. Which puts you in the perfect position to stop and tackle one of our favorite hikes in the state, Tamanawas Falls . 

It’s a great waterfall hike, it’s accessible in terms of difficulty, and it’s right off the side of the highway.

The vast majority of the things to do and see at Mount Hood are around the southern side of the mountain, near the town of Government Camp.

It’s a ~15-20 minute detour from your route, and we think it’s worth it if you’re looking for a) some of the best hiking on this entire route and b) one of the most picturesque lakes in the state. 

In terms of hiking , you have lots of options near Government Camp. 

Our favorite hikes here are Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain , which climbs to the summit of one of the mountains across the valley from Hood with a magnificent view looking back at the mountain, and the hike to Bald Mountain from Lolo Pass , which ends at another jaw dropping view of Hood. 

There’s also Mcneil Point , which is a brutal climb up to one of the highest points you can reach on foot. That’s a full day excursion though, and it’s probably best for a trip where you have more than a day in the area. 

We also really enjoy the majestic and historic Timberline Lodge , which is a century old and feels like a relic from a different time. It’s perched high up on the slopes of Mount Hood’s southern face, and is a great ski destination in the winter, and an equally great hiking destination in the summer and fall. 

Timberline Lodge to Zigzag Canyon is a great, relatively easy hike that traverses both ski runs and the Pacific Crest Trail en route to a great view of Hood. 

The last place we’d call out here is the aforementioned lake with an unbeatable view, which is called Trillium Lake .

We’ve camped here almost every summer for the past several, and the view from the far end of the lake looking back at Hood is one of our favorites (roughly here on Google Maps). 

We even have that photo, which we took here at sunrise a few years ago, framed on the wall of our living room in Portland. 

Smith Rock State Park

Drive time from Government Camp: 1 hours 45 minutes / 85 miles

Just north of Bend in the town of Terrebonne, you’ll find Smith Rock State Park. We like Smith Rock because, while Bend still feels vaguely like it’s in the mountains, Smith Rock State Park is much more indicative of the types of landscapes you find in central and eastern Oregon. The high desert. 

Towering rock formations, dry and dusty, with a dose of rattlesnakes. That’s the high desert for you. 

It’s a beautiful park, with a winding river snaking (ha!) its way through deep, rocky canyons.

It also happens to make a great stop between Mount Hood and Bend, which is your next destination as you head south. You only need a few hours to see it, and you can continue north after a jaunt in the high desert. 

There’s exactly one thing we think you should do here, and it’s hiking the Misery Ridge Trail .

There are two different versions of this hike, but both of them involve a steep climb to ascend to the ridge, and then a similarly steep descent past Monkey Face – a famous climbing destination that looks like a monkey’s face from a certain angle – where you’ll hit a trail junction. 

From that trail junction, a right puts you on the Summit Trail , which is a longer, harder, but more beautiful hike up and around the rim of the canyon. 

A left puts you on the River Trail , which is a shorter, easier, mostly flat walk along the river back to the parking lot. 

We prefer the longer version, but both are beautiful. It will be hot in the summer, so make sure to bring lots of water and sunscreen with you on your hike.

Bend, Oregon

Drive time from Smith Rock: 30 minutes / 26 miles

Bend is one of the best adventure towns on the west coast, if not the entire country. It’s close to the Cascades, and is a veritable hiker’s or skier’s paradise, depending on the season. 

However, we’re going to assume you’re here in the summer or fall, which is when this area is at its best (at least in our opinion). 

Bend’s location on the eastern slopes of the Cascades put it in a unique position.

It’s close to the mountains, but it’s at the start of the high desert, which is the primary landscape you’ll find in central Oregon, east of the mountains. In every direction, you’re likely to see snow-capped peaks like the Three Sisters, Jefferson, and Bachelor (among others). 

The Deschutes River runs directly through town, creating a playground for lovers of water sports like kayaking and paddleboarding, and Bend’s Downtown and Old Mill District are full of great local restaurants and breweries, the latter of which the town has become famous for over the past decade or two. 

Here are some of our favorite things to do in Bend. 

Hiking near Bend : We have a few favorite hikes around Bend. The Green Lakes Trail , which is near Sparks Lake (worth a stop at sunrise or sunset) is an incredible journey following a babbling creek to a trio of three turquoise lakes sitting at the feet of the South Sister and Broken Top, two towering peaks. Tumalo Falls is a relatively easy hike out to a nice waterfall. Right in town, the Pilot Butte Trail takes you up to the top of a small inactive volcano with great views of the surrounding landscape, including a handy guide to all of the mountain peaks dotting the landscape to the west. This hike is a nice, easy walk along the river. 

Floating the river : Escape the summer heat by jumping in the river with a tube and spending the day on a leisurely float. You could also do it via kayak or SUP (stand up paddleboard), depending on what you’re up for. More information here . 

In terms of eating , you’ve got plenty of options in Bend (including just heading to a brewery and ordering their food). Head to the Lot , a food cart pod on the west side of the river, with a bunch of different food trucks and carts for you to choose from. Go to El Sancho Taco Shop for, well, tacos. Spork is good for a fusion of all sorts of different cuisines. Go to the popular Lemon Tree for brunch. 

When it comes to drinking, Bend is known for its breweries . Crux Fermentation Project has a lovely outdoor space, perfect for relaxing in the sun with a pint in the summer. Bend Brewing Co. has a nice outdoor space near Downtown and the river. Silver Moon Brewing has a fun trivia night on Thursday nights that’s worth stopping by. 

Crater Lake National Park

Drive time from Bend to the South Rim: 2 hours / 110 miles

Formed almost 8,000 years ago, Crater Lake is the result of the eruption of Mount Mazama, which used to stand where the crater is today. The eruption caused the volcano to collapse, and here we are. 

We think this stop is worth a day or less. It’s beautiful, but there’s really only a couple of things to do in the area, and anything more than a day is probably better spent elsewhere. 

Heads up : There are very, very few places to stay near Crater Lake. There are the campgrounds – Mazama Campground is the main one – and there’s the Crater Lake Lodge . Other than that, there’s not a whole lot. Book early!

Here are our favorite things to do at Crater Lake. 

Drive the Rim Road : The road around the rim of the lake is 33 miles long, and we think you should make an effort to drive the entire thing, making stops along the way and marveling at the sapphire blue water of the lake from all sorts of different angles. The drive is best before 9:00 am, when the traffic on the road starts to build and it becomes a whole lot harder to find parking at the various pullouts. The road around the eastern edge of the lake opens in the summer and closes during the fall – check road conditions here . 

Hike to the highest and lowest points in the park : There are a couple of hikes we think are worth doing at Crater Lake. Mount Scott takes you to the highest point in the park for fantastic views of the lake and surrounding area. Cleetwood Cove is the only place in the park where you can get down to the water level. Both are fantastic. 

Watch the sunset from the rim : Close out your day by watching the sun set from the rim. We have spent sunsets at Cloudcap Viewpoint ( here on Google Maps), which is on the east side of the lake facing the setting sun. Get there an hour before sunset for a prime parking spot. The other spot to go for sunset is Garfield Peak , which involves a steep 3.4 mile hike to a viewpoint with a great view of the lake and the setting sun. 

Redwood National and State Parks 

Drive time from Crater Lake’s South Rim: 5 hours / 230 miles

And finally, you’ve made it to California! 

Getting to the coast from Crater Lake involves a long drive, but it’s worth it. You’ll head west form Crater Lake to get back to I-5, then continue on towards the coast on Highway 199, which leaves from Grants Pass and meets up with 101 near Crescent City, California. 

Your next destination is a complex of national and state parks – Redwood National and State Parks – which, collectively, are the best place in the world to see towering coastal redwoods. 

What exactly is included in this complex of parks, you ask? It includes Redwood National Park and three California State Parks – Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek – forming a complex that is prime redwood territory. The complex was protected under the National Park Service through activism by the Save the Redwoods League , who fought to preserve the best example of coastal redwoods in the state against the desire of logging companies

Howland Hill Road : Drive through the redwoods – and we really mean that – along this 10 mile long stretch that used to be a stagecoach road. It’s narrow, but it’s about as up-close-and-personal as you can get to the redwoods. We drove it in our minivan in the winter, and it wasn’t bad at all – should be suitable for most (if not all) vehicles. More information here . 

Stout Memorial Grove : A short, beautiful hike featuring huge redwoods that were used in various movies, from Return of the Jedi (keep an eye out for Ewoks!) to Jurassic Park. The size of some of these trees – particularly the downed trees – is staggering. More information here . 

Fern Canyon : The most famous hike in this part of the state, this hike starts at a trailhead that is hard to access in the wetter months, as rain can wash out the road. If you’re doing this in the winter, you probably need a high-clearance vehicle. The hike itself enters a canyon that is, you guessed it, full of ferns. Like, ferns lining the walls of the canyon top to bottom. It’s surreal, and feels like it should be in a Jurassic Park movie. Can’t access the trailhead because of the washed out road? Here’s an alternate route that takes you into the canyon from the end of the well-maintained road.  

Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway : Similar to Avenue of the Giants, this scenic drive takes you parallel to 101 through Prairie Creek State Park and a nice string of redwoods. 

Avenue of the Giants

Drive time from Trinidad: 1 hours 20 minutes / 70 miles

While the Avenue of the Giants is basically parallel to 101, the main highway you’ve been driving on, it is truly a whole different world. 

You’ll meander along a windy, two lane road through massive redwoods for 31 gorgeous miles. It starts here , and there are countless points to pull over and walk into the redwoods that are often thousands of years old, marveling at their size. 

For what it’s worth, we loved the Bull Creek Westside Loop , which is a three mile hike through the redwoods, with enough up and down to get the blood pumping after a long drive. 

Drive time from the Avenue of the Giants: 2 hours 30 minutes / 100 miles

This is a long drive, but it’s not like there aren’t stops to make along the way. This is the part of the journey south where you meet up with world-famous Highway 1 (don’t let Google Maps tell you to cut inland, which is slightly faster and far less scenic) south along the Northern California coast towards San Francisco. 

Make your way down the coast to Mendocino, a lovely little town on the Northern California coast, perched on a bluff over the Pacific Ocean. We’re going to include Fort Bragg in this section too, which is a small town just a few minutes north of Mendocino. 

Here are some of our favorite things to do on this stretch of beautiful California coast.

Hike the Point Mendocino Trail : The Point Mendocino Trail takes you out onto the bluffs where Big River (creative name) meets Mendocino Bay and, ultimately, the Pacific Ocean. The short, easy hike makes a loop along the bluffs on the southwest side of town, and is a perfect location for a morning stroll. Afterwards, grab breakfast in town at the Good Life Cafe and Bakery or Cafe Beaujolais. 

Explore Russian Gulch State Park : This sliver of land that comes inland from the coast is a gorgeous setting for an afternoon stroll in the woods. Do this lollipop hike starting from the western entrance, making your way up the canyon, and doing the waterfall loop at the eastern end of the park. There’s also a shorter loop that focuses on the area around the waterfall. Fern Canyon is another good redwood hike, just south of Mendocino. 

Go wine tasting in the Anderson Valley : Alysha took me to Mendocino for my birthday a few years ago, and one of our favorite things we did was wine tasting in the Anderson Valley, which is ~40 minutes inland from Mendocino. In a part of the country known for amazing wine, we’re used to having to fork over at least $20 for three tiny pours of wine, which we inevitably split to save money. Not so in the Anderson Valley! It’s more affordable, and the wines are a better fit for our palates (we prefer light and fruity reds and whites to big and bold, which is what Napa is known for). We loved Roederer Estate for bubbles, and Navarro for the setting (and their Gewurztraminer is great, too). Hendy Woods State Park is worth a stop out there too, for the redwoods.

Explore Glass Beach and Point Cabrillo : These are both quick stops north of Mendocino towards Fort Bragg. Point Cabrillo is home to a nice lighthouse and some coastal hiking trails. Glass Beach is a cool beach made of sea glass rather than sand ( here on Google Maps). 

Point Reyes National Seashore

Drive time from Mendocino: 2 hours 45 minutes / 135 miles

Today is a long driving day, with three and a half hours (and 140 miles) of sheer coastal California beauty waiting for you between Mendocino and Point Reyes.

There are plenty of places to get out and stretch your legs along the way. However, with limited time, we would recommend just a stop rather than spending an entire day or night here – you’ve got a long way to go!

Some good stops to make are the charming seaside town of Bodega Bay , Wright’s Beach and Sonoma Coast State Park , and Jenner Beach , to name a few.

Point Reyes is a big peninsula that juts out into the Pacific, separated from mainland California by Tomales Bay. There are two main places to explore here – on the peninsula, and in the town of Point Reyes. 

You should know that the drive time / distance above gets you to the town of Point Reyes Station, which is a charming small town that’s definitely worth a stop, but the real fun starts after another 45 minute drive out to the coast.

That drive is full of rolling hills, pastoral scenes featuring barns and cows, and coastal views as you approach your destination. 

We’re biased, because Alysha grew up about 30 minutes away from here, but we think this is going to be among the most stunning places you visit in Northern California. 

From December to May, this is prime whale watching territory. We’ve seen migrating gray whales frolicking in the shallow waters just below the Point Reyes Lighthouse before. 

Here are some things to do in and around Point Reyes. 

Visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse : A gorgeous lighthouse set into a cliff, accessed via a steep set of stairs. This is one of our favorite lighthouses in California, and probably on the west coast. It’s a long drive to get there, but we think it’s worth it. More information here . 

Hike the Tomales Point Trail to see some Elk : The Tomales Point Trail is an excellent hike for stunning coastal views and, surprisingly to some, elk. There’s a relatively big Tule elk population that calls the peninsula home, and this hike is one of the best places to see them. The last time we did this trail, we came across numerous elk along the trail, including a cute mama and baby elk that were just hanging out, grazing with a view. It’s a long hike out to the northern tip of the peninsula, but you can do a portion of the trail to get a feel for the landscape and wildlife. 

Explore Point Reyes Station : Point Reyes Station is a cute little town with a surprisingly high number of good places to eat and drink. The two best are easily Cowgirl Creamery , a famous cheesemaker that is an excellent place to grab lunch and cheese, and Bovine Bakery , who makes Alysha’s favorite Bear Claw (among other pastries). 

Eat oysters on Tomales Bay : Tomales Bay is famous for its oysters, and you can enjoy them fresh at various places along the shores of the bay. Hog Island Oyster Co . is the most famous, and is our pick. They have an oyster bar about half way up Tomales Bay from Point Reyes Station ( here on Google Maps). 

See the Cypress Tree Tunnel : You’ve likely seen pictures of the famous Cypress Tree Tunnel from your favorite photographers on Instagram. The trees have grown over the road in a nice little canopy, and the light is particularly nice at sunrise and sunset, when the low angle of the sun means that the golden glow enters the canopy. It’s on the way to the Lighthouse, and makes for a nice stop – here on Google Maps. 

Mount Tamalpais & Around

Drive time from Point Reyes to the Mountain Home Inn: 45 minutes / 24 miles

If you thought you were going to be able to get to San Francisco without making several stops on your way into the city, you were mistaken. 

Since we lived in San Francisco for nearly a decade, there are a bunch of places just outside the city that we have visited over and over again. This is one of those places that we love, and this stop is for hiking enthusiasts .  

A couple of the best hikes in the Bay Area are found in the area surrounding Mount Tam, and we’re going to give you three of our favorites. 

The Dispea, Steep Ravine, and Matt Davis Loop : This might be our favorite hike in the Bay Area. It has it all – redwoods, babbling brooks, and coastal views. Start from the parking area near Stinson Beach ( here on Google Maps) and head downhill first before climbing back up. The scenery changes drastically over the course of the hike, which makes it fun and interesting.

Cataract Falls : A moderate hike to a cascading waterfall, be aware that you’re hiking downhill on the way there, which means you’re going to be hiking uphill the entire way back.

Mountain Home Inn to East Peak : This is a hike we’ve done numerous times. Sure, you can totally drive to the parking lot at the East Peak, but where’s the fun in that? The views are always better when you earn them, and this hike through the woods is the way to do just that. From the top of Mount Tam’s East Peak, you can see the entirety of the Bay Area, sprawling out before you.

Drive time from Mount Tam: 10 minutes / 3 miles

We went back and forth on whether or not to include Muir Woods on this itinerary at all. 

Why? Because – SPOILER ALERT – you have already seen some pretty incredible redwoods on the Northern California coast, and we think they’re much more impressive than the ones you’ll find at Muir Woods. 

But, we decided to give you the information so you can make that decision for yourself. 

Muir Woods is a National Monument, and it was created to protect 240 acres of old growth redwoods, which used to be commonplace in the Bay Area but are, sadly, now relegated to just this little slice of paradise thanks to the logging industry. Most of the trees here are somewhere between 500 and 800 years old. 

There are two ways to access Muir Woods. 

First is navigating the permit system, which is how they limit the number of people within the area. 

You’ll need to either make a parking reservation in advance (which allows you to park right at Muir Woods, which has a small parking lot) OR make a shuttle reservation in advance, where you can park at a large parking lot and take a quick and easy shuttle to and from the park. 

The shuttle is only available on weekends and holidays, but parking is much easier to get on weekdays so it shouldn’t be a problem if you plan in advance. 

More information on the permit system here . 

The second way to access Muir Woods is less known, and it involves some (beautiful) hiking. This short hike from the Mountain Home Inn is the back door to Muir Woods.

You’ll start from atop the Panoramic Highway (which is a fun drive in its own right) and drop down into the forest, winding your way towards Muir Woods from the backside. 

Whichever direction you do it, you’ll have a relatively steep uphill section to get back to your car. Make sure to get to the parking lot very, very early (especially on a weekend) because it’s tiny. There is some parking along the highway, but it also fills up by 10:00 am or so. 

The Marin Headlands

Drive time from Muir Woods: 30 minutes / 15 miles

Your trip to San Francisco ends with a drive across the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge. It’s worth parking at the toll plaza ( here on Google Maps) to get some nice pictures of the bridge. If there’s no coastal fog obscuring it, which there probably is. 

Right before you drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll come across the towering coastal bluffs on the northwest side of the bridge.

These are the Marin Headlands , and there are a bunch of amazing hikes and things to do and see here. 

Kirby Cove : A nice protected cove just north of the Golden Gate, there’s a short hike downhill to get to a sandy beach with an unbeatable view of the bridge. You can actually camp down on the beach, but reservations need to be made six months in advance, to the day. 

Battery Spencer : One of the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s on the northwest side, where parking is notoriously hard to find. Consider walking to Battery Spencer after you hike to Kirby Cove without moving your car (they’re a few hundred feet apart).

Point Bonita Lighthouse : A short hike takes you to a lighthouse that was built in 1855 to help ships navigate the treacherous waters around the Golden Gate, which refers not to the bridge, but to the opening into the bay. It’s a short hike (uphill on the way back), and when you arrive at the lighthouse you cross a fun little suspension bridge. More information here . 

Rodeo Beach : A nice, wide sandy beach just north of the Golden Gate. Perfect for a nice picnic lunch before a hike. 

Hiking : There are multiple hikes in this area, but we have two favorites. First is the Rodeo Beach / Coastal / Miwok Trail , which takes you from Rodeo Beach along the coast and up and over the hill with stunning views all the way through. The second, which is a little further north, is the Tennessee Valley Trail , which is an easy hike that takes you out to a beautiful, secluded beach (extend it by hiking to Muir Beach, another gorgeous beach). 

Matt is the founder and main writer behind Wheatless Wanderlust, which he started back in 2018 as a way to share his gluten free travel guides with his fellow Celiac travelers.

Since then, Matt and his wife Alysha have visited 18 national parks, spent three months in Europe and six weeks in Colombia, and have explored every corner of the Pacific Northwest, which is where Matt grew up.

He writes super detailed guides to the places they visit, bringing together personal experience and historical context to help YOU plan an amazing trip.

27 Comments

Hi, first of all thank you so so much for this amazing post. We’re going to California in mid October, and thought since we’re already flying in from outside US, maybe we should do our long wished-for seattle-SF trip. However a bit unsure about the timing, how is it in mid October there? What’s the weather like and is there any concerns doing it that late? (we’re probably gonna do a 10-14 day trip).

Thank you again. /Pontus

Hey Pontus! So sorry for the late reply – I totally missed this. Hopefully you’ve found the answer you needed elsewhere, but for anyone else wondering what the weather is going to be like in mid-October, you’re likely going to get some great fall color, though the weather could be more unpredictable, with rain or even snow. It totally depends on the year. Still, totally doable in October. Early November is when the weather really starts to turn.

Came across this article and this looks amazing. I was planning a similar trip and I think I’m just going to follow your itinerary to a T!

I did have a concern though, I’m likely doing 2 weeks from October 28th to Nov 11th 2022. How’s the weather like for a Road Trip and visiting alot of these spots then? Would it be too cold in Washington/Oregon?

Thanks in advance!

As you get into November, it’s going to get more unpredictable. You might end up with more rain and snow, which isn’t necessarily a deal breaker if you’re prepared for it (pack a good rain jacket and waterproof shoes / boots!).

I’d start in Washington and move south in hopes that you get the last pieces of good weather in the Northwest, but it’s hard to say what you’re going to get at that time of year.

Cheers! Matt

Oh! And roads at Mount Rainier NP close sometime in early November, which is another reason to start in Washington if you’re planning on going to Rainier.

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11 Amazing Road Trip Stops Along the Seattle to Portland Drive

If you’re keen on an adventure and want to explore the Pacific Northwest, then the Seattle to Portland Drive/road trip is just the ticket. It’s a short 180-mile road trip through some incredible nature places, with plenty of stops along the way.

There’s no place quite like America’s Pacific Northwest. You’ll get to pass along some stunning seascapes, lush forests, and towering mountain ranges. From the incredible Olympic National Rainforest, Mount Rainier, Cannon Beach, Mount St Helens, and more to see along the way  – who’s feeling pumped ?

If this tickles your fancy and you’re keen on exploring the most scenic way to get from Seattle to Portland, read on to find out more.

So, without further ado, pack your cooler, put on your comfy shoes, gas up, and get ready for a great time finding things to do between Portland and Seattle.

Psst…Looking for some inspiration before you leave Seattle behind? Take a look at these awesome Seattle quotes for some inspiration!

1) Point Defiance State Park, Washington

Once you’ve got your Original Starbucks coffee, your first Seattle to Portland stop should be the Point Defiance State Park . It’s located a 45-minute drive from Seattle and just outside Washington’s third-most populous city, Tacoma.

It’s a 760-acre urban park, which includes a huge zoo and aquarium, the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, world-class beaches, trails, and gardens.

It’s the only joined zoo and aquarium in the Northwest, and most of the park’s residents are native to the Pacific Rim. Here you can explore the 5-acre Asian Forest Sanctuary and spot plenty of wildlife, including clouded leopards, Sumatran tigers, and Asian elephants.

The Arctic Tundra exhibit hosts many cold weather-loving mammals. This includes polar bears, reindeer, and musk oxen that are native to the Arctic areas of Canada and Greenland. There’s also the Pacific Seas Aquarium that houses an array of aquatic animals.

Visitors can also feel what life was like in Washington during the 1850s fur trade era at the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum. The majority of this area is covered in lush forests of cedar, douglas fir, and maple. Here you’ll find plenty of hiking trails with the snow-capped Mount Rainier and Olympus from dramatic viewpoints.

Suppose you have time on your road trip from Seattle to Portland, head to Bob’s Java Jive restaurant-turn drive-bar. The 25-by-30 foot coffee pot-shaped building is a great place to share a pint or two with the friendly locals and enjoy the atmosphere of Tacoma.

Where to Stay near Point Defiance Park: Silver Cloud Inn – Tacoma Waterfront

Located in Commencement Bay, Silver Cloud Inn provides a stunning beachfront stay, with rooms flaunting extensive views of the bay. After a day of exploring your surroundings and a stop on your scenic drive from Seattle to Portland, enjoy a large 55-inch plasma TV with WiFi to relax.

2) Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge

After an hour’s drive from Seattle, you’ll come to find the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Once you arrive at the visitor center, walk through to the viewpoint of the marshy lake to spot the wildlife that calls this refuge home.

There are several trails with signs highlighting the different fauna and flora in the region. Make your way along the winding boardwalk to the wetlands until you reach a gazebo. There you’ll be spoiled with sweeping views of the Puget Sound and Mount Rainier peak. It’s a great place to look around before continuing on your trip.

Where to Stay near Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge: Best Western Plus Lacey Inn & Suites

Located a mere 10 minutes drive from the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge lies the Best Western Plus Lacey Inn & Suites. Flop back on the sofa, turn on the flat-screen TV with WiFi and stream your favorite movies. There’s also free breakfast, a heated indoor pool, and a hot tub to enjoy during your stay.

3) Olympia, Washington

Around an hour’s drive south of Starbucks’ headquarters and Nirvana’s birthplace, Seattle to Olympia drive time is well worth a visit to stretch your legs and look around – after all, it’s Washington’s capital.

Pop into the Capitol Campus, which holds the historic Governor’s Mansion. To catch some scenic views, head to Capitol Lake, connected to the campus. There are 3.5 miles of trails that hug along the lake. If you’re keen on exploring some green spaces, head for a stroll to Ellis Cove and picnic in Priest Point Park.

Step back in time and visit the Olympic Flight Museum. Discover over 20 vintage aircraft, from military trainers to an array of historic helicopters and carrier fighters from World War II.

Before heading back on the road, enjoy some delicious Italian cuisine at Pizzeria La Gitana for a quick bite to eat.

Where to Stay in Olympia: Ramada by Wyndham Olympia

Located in Olympia, Washington, the Ramada features a flat-screen TV with pay-per-view channels, WiFi, en suite bathrooms, and more. Wake up to a delicious complimentary breakfast, relax in the hot tub, and stock up on snacks at the mini-market onsite.

4) Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier to Portland is around two and a half hours drive. And around an hour and 40 minutes from Olympia, you’ll begin to see towering Mount Rainier in the distance. As Washington State’s highest peak, the park offers some incredible hiking routes amidst the forests and alongside rivers.

If you’re brave enough, you can climb to the 14,410-foot peak of Mount Rainier. Alternatively, you can opt for a more relaxed route, such as starting from the Sunrise Visitor Center to Sourdough Ridge.

Another fun activity in the national park is riding the scenic railroad. It’s a beautiful ride that takes visitors through the foothills and countryside on a vintage logging locomotive.

You should consider stopping at Mount Rainier National Park for at least two days, if possible. It’s an incredible place with so many things to see and do in it. Although 48 hours may not be enough, you will still be able to hit some highlights without feeling totally worn before hopping back on your ​​scenic drive from Portland to Seattle again (or visa versa). 

Where to Stay near Mount Rainier National Park: Mountain Meadows Inn

Located 6.2 miles from Mount Rainier Park in Ashford, Mountain Meadows Inn boasts cozy accommodation, ideal to come back to and relax after a busy day exploring. The stay provides flat-screen TVs and WiFi in all the rooms, a private bathroom, free toiletries, and parking is available.

Note : If this place isn’t your vibe, take a look at this list of secluded cabins in Washington State .

5) Mount St. Helens Visitor Center

Mount St. Helens’ eruption in 1980 sparked the biggest landslide ever recorded in history and spewed ash thousands of feet into the sky. Today, tourists may learn about the active stratovolcano’s massive eruptions at the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center , which serves as a gateway to the mountain.

In the center, visitors can enjoy an assortment of interpretive displays, including a model of the volcano, a live feed of the current volcano’s seismicity, and more. And if you’re looking to stretch your legs a little, you can embark on a 0.6-mile trail to explore Silver Lake.

You can also visit the Learning Center in Seaquest State Park on the Spirit Lake Highway. Learn about the area’s geology and history from the aftermath of the explosion.

Where to Stay near Mount St. Helens: GuestHouse Inn & Suites

If you’re looking for a break to stop over and stay during your Seattle to Portland scenic drive, then the GuestHouse Inn & Suites may be a solid choice. It’s also a great place to stay as it’s en route between Silver Lake and Mount St. Helens Visitor Center. Each room features WiFi, a flat-screen tv, an en suite bathroom, and coffee/tea making facilities.

6) Silver Lake, Washington

Silver Lake is on your way to Mount St. Helens, about 65 miles from Portland and 123 miles to Seattle.

It’s one of the top Seattle to Portland road trip stops and makes for a great place to stop and stretch your legs. It’s a 3,000-acre, intermittent high-desert lake, where visitors can enjoy plenty of water activities such as fishing and boating. There are also camping facilities available here too.

If you’re keen on heading out for an outride or walk, there are also trails open to horseback riders, mountain bikers, and hikers.

7) Astoria, Oregon

Now it’s time for a bit of a coastal drive from Seattle to Portland. You’ll travel along US Route 30 to Astoria, a beautiful coastal town where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. This spot marks a little history, as it’s near the place where the famous explorers Lewis and Clark ended their expedition across the country in 1805.

Astoria is packed with quaint Victorian homes built for the first settlers and fur traders. The town is chock-full of boutiques, cafes, and art galleries for you to amble around and explore during your off time or to stretch those legs.

And once you’ve worked up a thirst, head to the Buy Beer Company for a bite to eat and a little guzzle of beer. It’s a brewery that serves locally caught, fresh seafood, meats, and other produce.

Where to Stay in Astoria: Norblad Hotel

Norblad Hotel is a lovely accommodation option to rest your head for the night before you continue driving from Portland to Seattle (or visa versa). The 90-year-old historic building is located a short stroll away from lovely restaurants and shops along the riverbed. It offers WiFi, free toiletries, and a private bathroom.

8) Seaside, Oregon

If you’re driving from Seattle to Portland along the coastline from Astoria, then you’ll certainly want to make a stop at this charming little resort town along the Oregon Coast.

The distance from Seattle to Seaside, Oregon is around 197 miles via the I-5 S and a mere 20-minute drive from your stay in Astoria. It’s famous for its gnarly surf breaks and the Tillamook Head Recreational Trail starting point, which ascends to Ecola State Park.

In the Ecola State Park, you’ll come to see some of the Northwest’s most incredible wildlife, from bald eagles to elk and deer, and the seasonal gray whales en route to Alaska.

Take a walk and snap some pictures at Turnaround, a commemorative statue celebrating the Lewis and Clark expedition. Relax at Arcadia Beach State Recreation Area or head out for a paddle on the waters.

Before you head off for your next adventure, stock up and indulge your sweet tooth at Seaside Candyman shop, one of the largest candy shops in the region. You can stay in Cannon Beach or Astoria and make Seaside your little stopover for the day.

9) Cannon Beach, Oregon

A 13-minute drive from Seaside and you’ll come to Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock. Here, a giant rock looms over the beach and provides beachgoers ample photo opportunities up close.

The large slab of protruding earth is also protected as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. It also provides a home for an array of seabirds and intertidal animals, including starfish, crabs, and more.

A short hike along the shores, and you’ll come to waterfalls and caves that are found at Hug Point. There’s also the Les Shirley Park, Coaster Theater, and the Haystack Gallery to visit while you’re here.

Where to Stay in Cannon Beach: Webb’s Scenic Surf

Located in Cannon Beach, a hop, skip, and a jump away from the shores and Haystack Gallery, Webb’s Scenic Surf features stunning accommodation options. Each room has a flat-screen TV, a coffee maker, free WiFi, and a private bathroom. It’s the ideal spot to relax on the terrace with a cup of coffee and watch the waves come in from the Pacific.

10) Tillamook, Oregon

A little south of Seaside and Cannon Beach is Tillamook. It’s another cute, small-town that may sound familiar to you in the context of its dairy products produced at Tillamook Creamery – yum!

Provided you aren’t lactose intolerant, the creamery may just be a good enough reason to visit Tillamook. But if that isn’t enough, make your way to Tillamook Bay, where you’ll come to find a beautiful stretch of coastline. Stretch your legs and snap some pictures of the Cape Meares Beach and Oceanside Beach – both of these are Seattle to Portland road trip-worthy sites.

Where to Stay in Tillamook: Sheltered Nook on Tillamook Bay

Sheltered Nook on Tillamook Bay is, as the name suggests, a short stroll from the bay. Each room is furnished with a flat-screen TV, a shower, tea/coffee making facilities, and a stocked kitchen. Sit out on the terrace, recharge, and enjoy the beautiful mountain or garden views before your drive into Portland.

11) Portland, Oregon

From Tillamook or Cannon Beach, you’ll need to head inland via the OR-6E and US-26 E for around an hour and a half until you reach – drum roll – Portland. As Oregon’s largest city, you’ll find its cool vibe super exciting, with plenty to see and do.

Discover the many boutiques and shops along the Saint Johns neighborhood and hit the Portland Saturday Market featuring locally made jewelry, wood making, and art. And one place you certainly want to stop by is Powell’s Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore – so large that you may just need a map to find your way through. 

Take a light stroll through Washington Park, home to Japanese Gardens and the International Rose Test Garden. And once you’ve worked up an appetite from all the driving and strolling, stop by Voodoo Doughnut for some mouth-watering pieces of sweet deliciousness.

Where to Stay in Portland: The Mark Spencer Hotel

After exploring all the top attractions between Seattle and Portland, why not spoil yourself with a well-deserved stay at The Mark Spencer Hotel. Located near Portland’s Pearl District, the boutique hotel offers a 24-hour fitness center, room service, and private parking. Each room features WiFi, a full kitchenette and cooktop stoves, coffee makers, and cable TV.

Planning a trip to the Pacific Northwest?

Take a look through a few of my other favorite articles that could help you plan your trip or provide future trip inspiration!

• Top 15 Music Festivals In Washington To Keep You Dancing All Year Long .
• The Ultimate Travel Guide to Gig Harbor, Washington
• EDM FESTIVALS | The 20 Best Electronic Music Festivals in the USA
• The 21 Best Airbnb’s in Portland To Rest, Rejuvenate & Explore
• 101 Beautiful Natures Quotes To Inspire Your Next Outdoor Adventure
• The 20 Best Airbnbs in Seattle | Unique Cabins, Luxury Apartments & Cozy Studios
• The 25 Best Country Music Festivals in the U.S.A
• Top 14 Music Festivals in Oregon To Experience Before You Die
• Top 12 Glamping Oregon Sites For Your Bucket List
• Top 20 San Diego Music Festivals To Experience Before You Die
• 101 Beautiful Nature Quotes to Inspire Your Next Adventure
• TOP 50 Music Festivals in the U.S.A | US Festival Bucket List
• The 78 BEST Road Trip To Inspire Your Next Adventure
• The 90 BEST Mountain Quotes To Inspire Your Next Adventure
• 77 Fun & Inspirational BEACH Quotes & Captions
• The 50 Best Explore Quotes To Inspire Your Next Adventure

Thanks for reading my Seattle to Portland drive road trip guide!

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San Francisco To Seattle: The Ultimate Road Trip Itinerary

• Road trippers can choose between two main routes from San Francisco to Seattle, each with its own advantages and unique views.
• The more direct route follows I-5 and takes approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes of non-stop driving.
• The coastal route along the Pacific Coast Highway is more scenic but takes longer, with a total trip time of approximately 17 hours and 10 minutes.

The majority of people are used to the most famous road trip in the United States, from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Road-tripping individuals will have the chance to behold the unique views on the Pacific Coast Highway in California . With several stops on their way, allowing them to see the beautiful nature, relaxed beach towns, busy cities, and unique attractions, commuters will experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that they have never gone through before.

However, another road trip that allows visitors to the western side of the US to explore the Pacific Northwest is equally attractive to the Los Angeles-San Francisco drive . That journey consists of the Drive from San Francisco to Washington's largest city, Seattle. Many people wonder what the best stops from San Francisco to Seattle are, and there are plenty.

UPDATE: 2023/08/06 02:46 EST BY NICOLE HANSEN

More To Know When Planning A Roadtrip From Boston To San Francisco

There's always more to add to create the perfect road trip itinerary. This article has been updated with additional route details, including maps, stop suggestions, and highlights in California, Oregon, and Washington. Have fun, and be safe!

Related: Road Trip Patagonia: Driving Scenic Ruta 40 From Esquel To Bariloche

Best Routes From San Francisco To Seattle

There are two main routes for a road trip from San Francisco to Seattle, each with its own advantages and unique views.

The more direct route follows I-5, stopping through Redding, California, Portland, Oregon, and Olympia, Washington on its way to Seattle. When venturing along the I-5 highway, the trip takes approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes of non-stop driving, much of which is through the granite Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. However, if one wants to enjoy most of the attractions along the San Franciso-Seattle road, they must spend at least an extra 5–7 days.

San Francisco to Seattle Via I-5

• Distance: 819 miles
• Time to Drive: ~12 hours 45 minutes
• Recommended Road Trip Time: 5–7 days
• I-5 Road Trip Route Outline: San Francisco, California → Mt. Shasta, California → Ashland, Oregon → Eugene, Oregon → Portland, Oregon → Olympia, Washington → Tacoma, Washington → Seattle, Washington

For a more meandering drive from San Francisco to Seattle, The famous Pacific Coast Highway, the most well-known California road trip, turns into Highway 101 and extends into Oregon and Washington before connecting with Highway 30. Travelers follow Highway 30 until they reach I-5, which returns them to the north-south route until Seattle.

This coastal route from San Francisco to Seattle is arguably the most scenic but does take longer to complete. The entire trip takes approximately 17 hours and 10 minutes non-stop. A coastal road trip from San Francisco to Seattle also demands a slightly longer time frame, taking 7–10 days to fully enjoy.

San Francisco to Seattle Via The Pacific Coast Highway

• Distance: 901 miles
• Time to Drive: ~17 hours 10 minutes
• Recommended Road Trip Time: 7–10 days
• Pacific Coast Highway (California to Washington) Road Trip Route Outline: San Francisco, California → Fort Bragg, California → Crescent City, California → Gold Beach, Oregon → Astoria, Oregon → Olympia, Washington → Tacoma, Washington → Seattle, Washington

Related: 10 Best Routes To Take On The Ultimate Cross-Country Road Trip

Planning For A Drive From San Francisco To Seattle

A trip from San Francisco to Seattle involves driving for 800 or more miles along the Pacific Northwest and watching the most attractive views while on the way. Before hopping onto the automobile, visitors must rent a car from legitimate and affordable sources, such as RentalCars.com , which offers rentals from various car brands. Another better option is to rent a Campervan or an RV from Outdoorsy to make one's life easier regarding accommodation. A crucial step to take is to issue a car insurance policy to hedge against any sudden accidents.

• Cost of a Campervan: depending on its size, a Campervan costs an average of $130 per night to rent.

Top Road Trip Stops In California

The first stop on the San Francisco to Seattle drive is the Town of Sausalito, known for its breathtaking nature and relaxing atmosphere. People can go on hiking trips in Sausalito and learn about the natural habitat and the preserved seashore, among other activities.

Next on the road is the Muir Woods National Monument, which boasts 600-year-old, 246-foot-long redwood trees and diverse wildlife. Another stop worth embracing is the picturesque wine region of Sonoma. The iconic Napa Valley in California is the most famous stop on the San Francisco to Seattle road trip.

Additionally, a lot of visitors head to Domaine Chandon to taste the US's best sparkling wines. People on a high budget go to world-class Michelin-starred restaurants, such as The French Laundry or Auberge Du Soleil, to eat in Napa Valley. The Coast of California offers even more unique stops, perfect for a road trip from San Francisco to Seattle. An artistic stop full of galleries in the coastal town of Mendocino that boasts a gallery in a water tower. The most beautiful city to visit on the road trip from San Francisco to Seattle is Fort Bragg, famous for its Glass Beach in the Noyo Headlands Park, which boasts mesmerizing views of the Pacific Ocean.

Another popular stop is the marvelous Shasta Lake, surrounded by mountains with barren trees that create a magnificent effect with the lake's crystal clear waters and the blue color of the sky. It is also worth stopping at Crescent City to visit Redwood National and State Parks.

Related: Need A Day Trip from Las Vegas? Try Off-Roading In The Mojave Desert

Unique Stops In Oregon And Washington

Visiting Crater Lake National Park is a must when on a road trip from San Francisco to Seattle. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the US and was formed by a super-volcanic eruption 7,700 years ago. Next is a stop at the most beautiful waterfall in Oregon, the unique Toketee Falls.

Eugene City, the birthplace of NIKE, is next on the list and is best to visit during summer for hiking trails. Another good stop for hiking is in the city of Bend in Oregon. A gem of the Pacific Northwest is the Willamette Valley, known for its 1300 wineries and vineyards. Additionally, visiting the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum would be a good idea when in Willamette Valley. Flying kites on the beach in Lincoln City, Oregon, is fun during the road trip.

Next, people usually stop in Tillamook to have ice cream and cheese tasting. They can also visit The Tillamook Creamery for free. The jewel of the Pacific Northwest, the city of Portland is a popular stop for nature and hiking lovers and foodies. For those taking the coastal route through Oregon, the port city of Astoria is arguably the best road trip stop in the Pacific Northwest , offering ocean views, hiking trails, and a unique downtown vibe consistent with traveler's favorite Oregon cities.

Next comes Washington in the road trip from San Francisco to Seattle, where most commuters stop at the iconic Mount Rainier National Park and the Gig Harbor for a couple of calming and relaxing days. Washington also has a number of short detours for those looking to get outdoors on their road trip adventure, including nearby Olympic National Park, one of the most beautiful national parks in the US .

Next: Every Wine Aficionado Needs To Visit These Napa Valley Vineyards

• EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAN YOUR ROAD TRIP

• Inspiration
• Packing Lists
• Road Trip Advice

British Columbia , Canada , Road Trip Itineraries , United States , Washington

Seattle to banff road trip: 11 best stops + 2 itineraries.

If you’re thinking about doing a Seattle to Banff road trip, I’m here to tell you it’s completely worth the long drive. Banff is hands-down one of the most jaw-dropping spots in Canada – imagine yourself in a landscape filled with enormous mountains, surreal lakes, and other spectacular natural features. While I’ve been to many parts of Canada over the years, Banff really is one of the most beautiful spots I’ve ever been to.

I’ve done a ton of road trips starting from Seattle, and this one’s a favorite because you get to cruise through some of the best parts of British Columbia along the way. I’m talking about killer views, from forests and coastlines to mountains, that make you pull over just to snap a picture. It’s not just about getting from Seattle to Banff; it’s about all the cool stuff you’ll see and do along the way.

In this article, I’ll share all my go-to spots on this drive. Looking for the perfect overlook for that epic photo? I’ve got you. Want to know where to grab a good bite that’s not just another fast-food joint? Yep, I’ve got that too. Need a comfy but affordable hotel for the night? I’ve got recommendations. Basically, if you want to know how to really enjoy the Seattle to Banff drive, stick around.

Table of Contents

Tips for a Seattle to Banff Drive

As with any road trip, there are a few key things to remember before turning on the ignition. Here are those tips.

How Far is a Seattle to Banff Road Trip?

There is more than one route to Banff from Seattle. The shortest route is on the Trans-Canada Highway, where you can stop at national parks, natural hot springs, and cities.

If you take this non-stop road trip from Seattle to Banff, be prepared to sit for 11 hours at minimum. The drive is about 600 miles and can vary in length depending on what roads you take and how many stops you make.

The second route is via I-90 E. This route takes you to national parks, cities, waterfalls, and alpine forests. It’s about 650 miles and takes slightly longer at 12 hours without stops.

What’s the Best Time of Year to Do a Seattle to Banff Road Trip?

The good news is that this trip is beautiful year-round and is a great road trip idea for couples .

You can expect clear skies and lush scenery throughout the journey in the summer. Banff and Seattle also have a daily high of over 70°F and cool evenings. This is ideal if you plan on doing a lot of hikes, canoeing, or water activities in general.

In winter, the whole area sees snowfall, and the Canadian Rockies are breathtaking when covered in snow. Of course, you’ll have to remember the freezing temperatures when planning a winter trip.

Banff can reach temperatures of -40°F on its coldest days. Travel in winter if you’re hoping to get a chance to ski, snowboard, or go on sleigh rides.

Can You Drive From Seattle to Banff in One Day?

Yes, you can. However, it would require more than one driver as the total drive time can take up to 13 hours, depending on your route. This turnaround also depends on whether you drive non-stop.

So, while it is possible, it’s not recommended. The best part about a road trip is the stops you make along the way, so, if you can, try to split up the journey into multiple days. 

Seattle to Banff Road Trip Map

Here are the places you’ll stop during this Seattle to Banff Road drive.

Seattle to Banff Road Trip Itinerary

Here’s a quick list of where I recommend stopping on a Banff road trip from Seattle:

• North Cascades National Park
• Okanagan Valley
• Lake Louise
• Mount Rainier National Park
• Glacier National Park

How to Drive From Seattle to Banff

Need help deciding which route to take? Below, I’ll break down everything you need to know.

Scenic Route

As mentioned, following the Trans-Canada Highway is the fastest route to Banff at only 11 hours of driving time. Adding a few pit stops along the way can make the course much longer.

This route is the most scenic, with stops along North Cascades National Park, Vancouver, Whistler, and Lake Louise . This brings the total driving time to about 18 hours.

I’d recommend breaking up this trip into two to three days to get the most enjoyment out of your time.

Fastest Route

The I-90 E route will take roughly 12 to 13 hours to complete. This is the fastest route when driving from Seattle to Banff, with stops that include Mount Ranier National Park, Spokane, and Glacier National Park.

This should bring the total driving time to about 17 hours, and, once again, I’d recommend it to be done over two to three days.

Best Places to Stop on a Seattle to Banff

Make your trip unforgettable with these beautiful stops along the way.

Route #1 Trans-Canada Highway

This is the most scenic route on a road trip to Banff from Seattle.

1. Seattle, Washington

Starting in Seattle means you’ll have a wide variety of things to do before the trip begins. I suggest you start early and pick up breakfast at Pike Place Market , which opens at 9 a.m. Here, you’ll have a variety of treats and coffee to choose from.

Since I’m a Seattle native, I could recommend dozens of local coffee shops to go to, but some of my favorites include the following:

• Victrola Coffee Roasters
• Storyville Coffee (the Pike Place location is particularly scenic)
• Cherry Street Coffee House

If you’re not from the city, consider taking some time to explore on your Seattle to Banff road trip. The Space Needle offers panoramic views of Seattle. The beautiful glass museum, Chihuly Garden and Glass , also sits next to it and deserves a visit. Carve out two to three hours in your itinerary to enjoy both places.

2. North Cascades National Park, Washington

To get to North Cascades National Park from Seattle, you’ll take the I-5 N, turn onto WA-530 E, and finally take the North Cascades Highway, which is about a two-hour drive .

North Cascades National Park is often called the ‘American Alps’ because of its jagged peaks and alpine lakes. Summer is the peak hiking season, with trail options ranging from under an hour to full-day hikes. I also love coming here in the fall because hikes like Blue Lake and Heather-Maple Pass are stunning when covered with fall foliage.

There are countless waterfalls and lakes you can see among the pines. If you’re lucky, you might see a handful of the park’s 300 glaciers if you’re lucky. Even in summer, some highly elevated mountain tops have snow.

You’ll also love going on the drive from Seattle to Yellowstone if you like national parks.

You should note that most of the North Cascades Highway closes from about October until May, so keep that in mind when planning your trip.

Note: Entrance to the North Cascades National Park is completely free!

Get your free road trip packing list here!

3. Vancouver, British Columbia

It’s another three-hour drive from North Cascades National Park to Vancouver, so I’d recommend calling it a day here on your Seattle road trip to Banff.

I have already covered a Vancouver to Banff road trip itinerary, but here are the highlights. First on the list is a visit to the 405-hectare Stanley Park , filled with towering Sequoia trees and totem poles from the First Nation people.

The Vancouver Aquarium, Gastown District, and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park are also worth a visit. A great way to end the weekend on summer nights is to visit the Richmond Night Market or Granville Street in winter for lively nightlife and street food.

Don’t even get me started on the food in Vancouver – the last time I came here, I essentially ate and drank my way through the city. I recommend Rogue Kitchen & Wetbar for gastropub food and The Magnet if you want a huge variety of local beers to choose from.

4. Whistler, British Columbia

Vancouver to Whistler is only a short hour and a half drive away via BC-99 N and my favorite stop on the Seattle to Banff road trip. The village is known for its snow-capped peaks, sparkling lakes, and lush alpine hiking trails. 

This town has the largest ski resort in Canada — Whistler Blackcomb. The resort has many snow-centered activities to enjoy in winter, from skiing and ice fishing to bungee jumping and dog sledding.

I’ve been to Whistler dozens of times over the years and have also been here in every season. While winter is popular for skiing, I actually prefer the other seasons, so it’s easier to get around, and there’s more to do outside. 

In summer, Whistler comes alive with blooming wildflowers and roaming wildlife. Once again, you‘ll find many outdoor activities here. You can swim on the small beaches of the resort, hike alongside 900-year-old trees, or go boating to escape the heat.

5. Kamloops, British Columbia

Whistler to Kamloops is about a four-hour drive via the BC-99 N . The number one thing to do in Kamloops is to visit BC Wildlife Park to learn more about Canada’s varied wildlife, from bears to cougars.

As the temperatures drop, the city turns into a winter wonderland, with skiing and sleigh rides available at Sun Peaks Resort and Harper Mountain . For a culture trip, why not take a street art tour of the city’s many colorful portraits?

Alternatively, you can take another kind of culture trip and do a wine tasting at Monte Creek Winery before having lunch at The Terrace Restaurant.

6. Revelstoke, British Columbia

One of the best things to do in Revelstoke is visit its hot springs — especially after that long car drive. To get to Revelstoke, Stay on the Trans-Canada highway, and you should reach the city within two and a half hours .

There are a few hot springs about an hour out of town, but I recommend Crazy Creek Resorts on the way to Revelstoke. This hot spring offers remote relaxation among the alpine trees in mineral-rich pools. 

You’ll need to buy single-entry or day passes at the gate to enter. If you enjoy various activities, Crazy Creek Resorts also has hiking trails, a suspension bridge, and biking available.

7. Lake Louise and Banff National Park, Alberta

Lake Louise is a village just off Banff, about four hours from Revelstoke . You can reach it by staying on the Trans-Canada Highway. A few feet after the Golden Visitor Center, you’ll have to turn right onto BC-95 and then AB-93.

You’ve probably already seen images of this emerald lake without even knowing it. The crystal waters reflect the Rockies in a spectacular show resembling a painting. 

In winter, Lake Louise freezes over, making it the perfect place to enjoy ice skating, ice hockey, and other chilly activities. There’s even an ice bar on the lake that serves decadent hot chocolate. 

The lake typically defrosts by the first of June, and that’s when people gather again to enjoy water activities like a morning canoe ride.

Banff is a very short 38-minute drive from Lake Louise to Banff National Park (more about this below), and you may want to spend a few days in the area when visiting Banff from Seattle. 

Route #2 I 90 E

This is the second route you can take to reach Banff. While a bit less scenic, there are still tons to see.

If you’re taking this route to Banff, I would still recommend getting something to eat in the city. I suggest buying something to include in your picnic basket to enjoy in Mount Rainier National Park .

Pike Place , once again, remains a winner in finding a variety of treats and snacks to add to your lunch. I recommend getting bread at Three Girls Bakery , cured meats at DeLaurenti Food & Wine , or ready-packed meals at Michou Deli for a no-fuss lunch.

2. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Roughly two hours from Seattle is the dormant stratovolcano — Mount Rainier. You can enter the park for $30 per car.

The park has so much to see, so don’t be surprised if you can’t see everything in one day. The top thing to do here is, of course, hike these spectacular trails. The easiest but prettiest trails are the Silver Trails Loop and Myrtle Falls, which take you to cascading waterfalls.

Some of the best sunset spots to enjoy here are Chinook Pass, Sourdough Ridge, and Reflection Lakes . Chinook Pass comes alive in summer with multicolored wildflowers, while Sourdough Ridge is most beautiful in winter. By then, the mountains peaking through at the back have a beautiful blanket of snow covering them.

Make sure to buy your America the Beautiful pass ahead of time so you can easily enter all the national parks for a low price.

3. Spokane, Washington

It is a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Mount Rainier National Park to Spokane via the I-82 and I-90. You make a few stops along the way to stretch your legs, like Dick and Jane’s Spot. 

This quirky spot in Ellensburg is just two hours away. The art studio is filled with unusual sculptures and super-friendly owners. Almost every inch of this house is a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns. It’s so eye-catching you can even see it from the side of the road.

Once you’ve reached Spokane, you can check into your hotel and go downtown to visit the city’s urban park — Riverfront Park . Here, you can enjoy the last rays of sunlight and explore over 30 sculptures, including the iconic ‘Garbage Goat.’ 

Not too far from here is the Wonder Market Food Hall , where you can pick up something to eat. If you want a more substantial sit-down meal, I recommend the fine-dining restaurant Wild Sage Bistro .

4. Glacier National Park, Montana

Stay on I-90 E for about four hours to reach your next destination. I’ve covered multiple stops you can take on a Spokane to Glacier National Park road trip . The top places you absolutely cannot miss are the quaint towns of Lake Coeur d’Alene, Wallace, and Columbia Falls.

The park has seven entrances, but taking the I-90 E will take you to the park’s western entrance. This is on Going-to-the-Sun Road — the most scenic route, so take your time snapping pictures and taking it all in.

I recommend you take easy trails like Avalanche Lake Trail and Aster Falls as an introduction to the park. While short, these trails offer incredible panoramic views and pass some sparkling waterfalls and lakes. Once you’ve conquered these, you can try more moderate to advanced trails.

Note: The park has an entrance fee of $35 per car.

5. Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is about three hours away from Glacier National Park, and you can reach it by almost exclusively staying on the AB-2 road.

Driving to Calgary, you should take time to enjoy the charming sites and shops along the three hours. Places like The Candy Store in Nanton and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump , a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offer unique souvenirs you can’t find anywhere else. 

Once you reach town, you can explore the Calgary Zoo , the Heritage Park Historical Village, and Calaway Amusement Park. 

6. Banff, Alberta

From Calgary to Banff is a short hour-and-a-half drive via the Trans-Canada Highway. The town is part of the Rocky Mountain Park UNESCO World Heritage Site and a short drive from the park.

Of course, many people visit Banff for the National Park, but you’ll need to buy a pass before entering. You can buy it at the visitor center or on the Banff and Lake Louise website beforehand. 

Set in the Rocky Mountains, outdoor enthusiasts flock to Banff National Park since its in 1885. It’s basically a playground with outdoor activities like hiking, boating, and wildlife watching. In winter, you can also expect skiing and snowshoeing.

Note: Tickets cost about $11, but kids under 18 can enter the park for free.

Seattle to Banff Itinerary (2 Routes)

I suggest breaking up your stay over two to three days for these routes. Here are the proposed itineraries for both routes.

Day 1: Seattle to Vancouver

Mileage: 4 hours, 32 minutes (232 miles) 

Your day starts in Seattle, where you’ll pick up breakfast and a few road-trip snacks. You can spend a few hours exploring the iconic landmarks in the city before starting your journey. Your first stop is the North Cascades National Park . 

The park is packed with beautiful lakes and trails to keep you busy for hours. Stop by Stehekin in the park for something to eat, a beer, or a refreshing ice cream.

Your last stop of the day is Vancouver . If you have time (and energy), I suggest stopping by one of the city’s parks before stopping by Gastown. Here, you can get food, drinks, and souvenirs before retiring for the night in your hotel.

Where to Stay: I recommend staying at the 3-star boutique Blue Horizon Hotel . It’s in the West End of Vancouver but still close to many attractions, and it even has an on-site restaurant for dinner. (Rates start at $216 per night)

Day 2: Vancouver to Kamloops

Mileage: 3 hours, 56 minutes (219.8 miles)

First on the morning agenda is to get breakfast in Vancouver at Jam Cafe or Cafe Medina. From there, you’ll move on to Whistler , where I recommend spending the afternoon at Whistler Blackcomb.

The final stop is Kamloops , where you can walk around the city on a street art tour or visit BC Wildlife Park for an educational trip. If you’d like to do wine tasting and get a bite to eat, I recommend Monte Creek Winery.

Where to Stay: Wingate by Wyndham Kamloops is a 4-star hotel near downtown Kamloops. It has a wellness spa, an indoor pool, and spacious rooms. (Rates start at $100 per night)

Day 3: Kamloops to Banff

Mileage: 6 hours, 56 minutes (372 miles)

You can enjoy breakfast at your hotel or visit the city for local fare. Either way, you’ll need your strength because today will be jam-packed.

Your first stop is driving to Revelstoke’s many hot springs. There are a few around the city, but I recommend Crazy Creek Resorts or Canyon Hot Springs. Once you’ve spent a few hours here, you can visit town for something to eat. 

I recommend walking through the side streets of Victoria Road to find hidden gems like Village Idiot Bar and Grill for a proper BBQ meal or The Taco Club. After your meal, it’s time to visit Lake Louise and Banff National Park as your last stops.

Where to Stay: High Country Inn is set at the foot of the Banff mountains. After a long day, relax at the dry cedar sauna or indoor pool before enjoying a meal at the on-site Swiss-Italian restaurant. (Rates start at $110 per night)

You can take this alternative route instead of Route 1 or use it for your return to Seattle.

Day 1: Seattle to Spokane

Mileage: 4 hours, 8 minutes (279 miles)

Take time to get your energy levels up by grabbing a cup of coffee and breakfast in Seattle . While you’re here, I recommend stopping by Pike Place to fill your picnic basket for Mount Rainier National Park .

Once in the park, you can spend your morning and afternoon hiking to the prettiest views of places like Myrtle Falls, Patriarchs Trail, and Eagle Peak. There are a few places to enjoy your packed lunch, but I recommend sitting near a bubbling waterfall like Narada Falls or Box Canyon.

After spending a few hours working up a sweat, head to Spokane, your last stop for the night. 

Where to Stay: The Davenport Grand, Autograph Collection is a historic hotel in the city center that you’ll love. (Rates start at $152 per night)

Day 2: Spokane to Glacier National Park

Mileage: 4 hours, 39 minutes (272 miles)

You can’t go wrong with having breakfast at Frank’s Diner. The restaurant is inside a train car, which adds to the vintage quirk.

Next, it’s off to Glacier National Park . You can make a few pit stops to stretch your legs, like at Lake Coeur d’Alene, Wallace, and Columbia Falls. You’ll find many hiking and biking trails, water activities, and more at the park.

Where to Stay: Meadow Lake Resort & Condos is 22 minutes from Columbia Falls Park. The resort offers a peaceful and remote stay with spacious modern rooms, a wellness center, and an indoor pool. (Rates start at $90 per night)

Day 3: Glacier National Park to Banff

Mileage: 4 hours, 20 minutes (253 miles)

Start your morning with a hearty breakfast from Nite Owl & Back Room Restaurants before returning to the road. You’ll need to take a short drive to Glacier National Park, where you can spend a few hours hiking, cycling, or going on a guided landscape tour. 

You can pack a picnic to enjoy in the park or eat lunch at one of the restaurants in Glacier National Park. In no time, you’ll reach Banff to end the trip by staying at a nearby restaurant and visiting the town for a late dinner.

Where to Stay: I again recommend High Country Inn for Banff because of its convenient location and affordability. (Rates start at $110 per night)

You’ll love going on a Seattle to Banff road trip, no matter which route you take.

Marissa Pedersen

Marissa is a passionate road trip enthusiast who has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada via car and continues to go on new trips every year to explore more of the country. Her love of road tripping has given her a unique perspective on the best routes, hidden gems, and must-see attractions along the way.

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10 Best Road Trips in the United States

Across the United States of America, roads and highways crisscross the country, tying and connecting people and places featuring some of the most beautiful landscapes and natural wonders. Some of the best examples include the sunny Pacific Coast Highway and the legendary Route 66, part of a big web of roads running through cities, towns, and all the natural wonders in between. These roads and highways are more than about getting from place to place; they are part of the destination and experience in and of themselves. They are also a reflection of what makes America such a special place! So, let us dive in and explore some of the best road trips in the United States.

The Road to Hana

Set off from Kahului on Hawaii , cruise toward Hana along Maui's east coast, and there you have it: the winding Hana Highway. As you zip along a road, it is not a super long journey, but it is like going on a mini adventure with all its sharp turns and narrow bridges. This path is famous for how it zigzags, with many twists and curves, and all its one-way bridges. There is definitely some skill involved with this drive! The best part is driving through the lush green forests with waterfalls popping up here and there as you go, including the famous Twin Falls and Wailua Falls.

These spots are great for taking photos and sometimes even going for a swim. Near the end of your trip, make sure to check out Ohe’o Gulch. The stop is intensely pretty, with sights of pools and waterfalls tumbling right into the Pacific Ocean .

Grand Teton, Yellowstone, & Glacier National Parks Road Trip

How does 900 miles through some of the nicest mountain valleys in the country sound? Well, this trip weaves through America’s stunning national parks. You can see wildlife as there are many spots to get out for hikes and, of course, some of the region’s famous geysers. The dramatic Teton Mountain Range, with its jagged peaks, lay on one end, while the countless lakes and mountains of Glacier Mountain Park lie on the other. This road trip is truly breathtaking.

Right between those two points lies Yellowstone, famed for the iconic Old Faithful Geyser , the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring , and numerous other geysers and hot springs. This does not even include the bison, elk, and wolves that roam inside its borders! The best time to tackle this trip is between the end of June and the start of September when most roads and services are available.

Is there a road in the U.S. as well-known as Route 66? It has appeared in songs and films and is deeply woven into what it means to be American. The road has a deeper meaning, too, standing for freedom, new chances, and the thrill of exploring. Running from Chicago to Santa Monica , the road was a key path for folks heading west in the 1930s, searching for a brighter future. Altogether, Route 66 is just under 2500 miles, going through natural wonders like the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest National Park. It also goes past towns like Tulsa, St. Louis, and many others. So, if you want to see the outdoors or take in some of the sights of a city, Route 66 truly has it all!

Olympic Peninsula Loop

Olympic Peninsula Loop circles through the state of Washington , passing through rainforests, past glaciers, and beside beaches. You have found your match if you want a road where you can stop to explore the outdoors. At just over 300 miles, it is not as long as some trips on this list. It is the kind of road where you can take it slowly, stopping at landmarks as you circle the loop. Look out for places like Mount Ellinor, known for its easy-to-reach peak, and Lena Lake, perfect for day trips beside clear, blue waters. Looking for a chill day out? Swing by Port Townsend. It has vintage Victorian-style buildings and a laid-back city center that is perfectly inviting.

The Great River Road

This is no ordinary drive. This long, winding passage goes through 10 states, following the twists and turns of the Mississippi River . Altogether the drive spans over 2000 miles, through peaks, valleys, towns, and cities. When you are driving through this many states, it is more than just a drive. It is a lesson in the cultural essence of America. Some people will put aside weeks to tackle the entire length. Get lost easily? You will know you are on the right road by the green and white pilot’s wheel logo, making it simple for travelers to follow the route. Some of the best places to see along the way include the Itasca State Park in Minnesota or the cultural treasure of the French Quarter down in New Orleans .

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Quality, not quality. That is the simple rule of this trip, found in Montana's Glacier National Park. This trip is only 50 miles long but full of great scenery, like spring-time wildflowers, icy lakes, and top-notch mountain scenery. Passing through Logan Pass over the Continental Divide opens up an array of the park's diverse ecosystems. Some of the best spots to look for include Avalanche Creek, a beautiful spot featuring the Trail of the Cedars and the Avalanche Lake trailhead. The Weeping Wall is also a section of the road where water cascades down from the garden wall, often drenching cars in the early summer.

Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast Highway is an iconic way to see some of the best views available on the California coast. It has everything you would look for in a drive by the ocean. Also known as Highway 1, the drive is one of the most famous routes around the world. It covers just over 600 miles, passing cliffsides, thick forests, and the Pacific Ocean by your side. You can take this journey slow, with countless places to stop and explore, making for an amazing long adventure, or you can visit different towns one after another for a quick hop. Must-see spot choices include Carmel-by-the-Sea , the dramatic cliffs of Big Sur, Santa Monica, and even the Golden Gate Bridge .

Blue Ridge Parkway

This path is called "America's Favorite Drive" and cuts through the Appalachian Highlands. Its name means it passes through rolling mountains topped with lush forests. The best time to see it is in fall when the foliage turns all sorts of vibrant colors. The road links Virginia with North Carolina , providing a one-of-a-kind journey through the natural wonders and cultural history of the American South. Speed demons beware: the National Park Service looks after the road and is made for relaxed driving, and the speed limit usually does not exceed 45 mph. This way, travelers can go at a nice, slow pace and really soak in the surroundings.

Las Vegas to San Diego

This path goes from a cool, breezy beach to a hot, dry desert. It mixes the fun energy of Las Vegas with the relaxed beach vibe of San Diego . It's the kind of drive that's great for the person who wants to explore all sorts of fun. It is that interesting combination of cities and nature that makes it so unique! The quality and variety of biomes you can see are unbeatable, such as the Cleveland National Forest or the Mojave Desert. The best time to head out on this trip is during the fall, winter, or spring as summer can be a tad hot. You should definitely check out places like Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Death Valley National Park while driving past.

Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway

This byway stretches over 70 miles and showcases the beautiful Black Hills in South Dakota. People love it for its views, with its rugged rock shapes, pine woods, and lots of animals to see as you drive by. But it can be more than just pretty sights; many say there is something special and spiritual about this place, almost like it touches your soul, making the Black Hills truly one-of-a-kind.

The drive is short but filled with iconic places. Custer State Park and the Mount Rushmore National Memorial are the two endpoints, with stops like the ongoing Crazy Horse Memorial construction on the way. One of the most popular segments of the drive is Iron Mountain Road, which forms a portion of the byway. It offers stunning views and unique features like its famous pigtail bridges and tunnels.

Driving through the United States, there is something new to see or experience on every new road. From Maui's rainforests to the famous Route 66, these trips let us deeply experience what makes this country's nature and culture special. Whether looking at the views on the Blue Ridge Parkway or experiencing the wild beauty of the Olympic Peninsula, the drive is all about exploring and finding new things, showing us why traveling by road is so appealing. So jump into the car, grab a map and just drive.

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Betting | Cubs vs. Mariners odds, prediction: MLB picks,…

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Betting | Cubs vs. Mariners odds, prediction: MLB picks, best bets for Friday, April 12

The Chicago Cubs continue their nine-game road trip Friday night as they open up a three-game set with the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.

For the most part, the Cubs have been tested in the early part of the season, facing contending teams like the Rangers, Dodgers and Padres.

Removing its 3-0 mark against Colorado, Chicago is just 4-5 against the three other foes after dropping two of three at San Diego earlier this week.

Let’s take a look at Chicago’s series opener ion Friday against the Mariners and find a betting edge.

Cubs vs. Mariners odds

• Run Line: Cubs +1.5 (-205), Mariners -1.5 (+168)
• Moneyline: Cubs +108, Mariners -126
• Total: Over 8 (-104), Under 8 (-118)

Odds via FanDuel

Maximize your Cubs vs. Mariners action with our FanDuel promo code .

Cubs vs. Mariners prediction

Left-hander Jordan Wicks makes his third start of the season for the Cubs.

Wicks, who has yet to pitch past the fifth inning this season, picked up a no-decision in his first outing at Texas as the Cubs blew multiple three-run leads in the first five innings.

Wicks put together four scoreless innings in his last outing against the Dodgers but gave up a pair of singles in the fifth inning before exiting the game.

Following a 2-6 road trip at Milwaukee and Toronto, Seattle returns home. The M’s needed extra innings to avoid the sweep against the Blue Jays on Wednesday.

Bryce Miller, who gets the nod for Seattle on Friday, struggled in his first start, allowing four runs in five innings of a 5-1 home defeat to the Red Sox.

However, the Seattle right-hander rebounded nicely in his last trip to the mound by tossing seven scoreless innings and striking out seven in a 5-3 victory at Milwaukee.

The offense needs to get on track for Seattle, which has scored a total of six runs in the first 27 innings at Toronto prior to busting out for five runs in the 10th inning on Wednesday.

The Cubs are 6-2 in the first five innings in their last eight games, while not allowing a run five times in the span.

Let’s back Chicago in the first five innings against the Mariners at plus-money.

• Pick: Cubs first five innings (+114, DraftKings )

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