Snoqualmie Falls is 30 minutes from downtown Seattle, and Mount Rainier is close enough to see from the city on a clear day. The 23 day trips here run from Woodinville's tasting rooms, 25 minutes out, to Artist Point under Mount Baker at 2h 40m. Most are mountains, islands or the small towns along Puget Sound, and several start with a ferry.
Make Mount Rainier the first big day; take the ferry to Vashon for a slow one; drive over to Leavenworth in October. With a night or two, the weekend getaways from Seattle reach the San Juan Islands, the Olympic Peninsula, Vancouver and the Oregon coast.
All costs are in US dollars for two people: gas there and back, ferries, food, entry fees and local transport. No hotel. Drive times are one-way from downtown Seattle, ferry crossings included where a route needs one.
The short list
| Destination | Round trip | Best for | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodinville | ~25m20 mi | ~50m | Food | $220–$320 | May |
| Edmonds | ~25m17 mi | ~55m | Hidden gems (offbeat) | $220–$320 | August |
| Snoqualmie | ~30m29 mi | ~1h 5m | Nature | $220–$330 | May |
| Tacoma | ~35m34 mi | ~1h 10m | Cultural | $220–$330 | September |
| Gig Harbor | ~45m44 mi | ~1h 30m | Beach | $220–$330 | June |
| Snoqualmie Pass | ~55m54 mi | ~1h 45m | Adventure | $230–$340 | July |
| Vashon | ~1h15 mi | ~2h | Beach | $220–$320 | July |
| Olympia | ~1h61 mi | ~2h 5m | History | $230–$340 | April |
| Camano | ~1h 10m64 mi | ~2h 25m | Nature | $230–$330 | July |
| Bow (Chuckanut Drive) | ~1h 10m73 mi | ~2h 25m | Beach | $240–$340 | October |
| La Conner | ~1h 15m67 mi | ~2h 25m | Cultural | $230–$340 | April |
| Whidbey Island | ~1h 15m35 mi | ~2h 30m | Beach | $230–$340 | August |
| Poulsbo | ~1h 20m22 mi | ~2h 35m | Cultural | $220–$330 | May |
| Cle Elum and Roslyn | ~1h 20m83 mi | ~2h 40m | History | $240–$350 | September |
| Shelton | ~1h 25m82 mi | ~2h 50m | Nature | $230–$340 | August |
| Anacortes | ~1h 25m81 mi | ~2h 50m | Nature | $240–$340 | August |
| Centralia | ~1h 25m84 mi | ~2h 50m | History | $240–$350 | September |
| Bellingham | ~1h 30m89 mi | ~3h | Food | $240–$350 | August |
| Mount Rainier National Park | ~1h 30m76 mi | ~3h 5m | Nature | $240–$340 | August |
| Ellensburg | ~1h 45m107 mi | ~3h 25m | Cultural | $250–$360 | June |
| North Cascades National Park | ~2h107 mi | ~4h | Nature | $250–$360 | August |
| Sequim | ~2h 10m66 mi | ~4h 20m | Nature | $230–$340 | July |
| Leavenworth | ~2h 15m117 mi | ~4h 25m | Nature | $240–$350 | October |
Everything under an hour fits a half day. Past two hours, the mountain parks and Leavenworth want a full day and a start before eight.
Closest if you're short on time
Four day trips sit within about 35 minutes of downtown: Woodinville and Edmonds at 25 minutes, Snoqualmie at 30 and Tacoma at 35. Any of them fits an afternoon.
Best for mountains and waterfalls
Mountains are what Seattle's day trips do best: three national parks and the Cascade passes are within a morning's drive. Make Mount Rainier the one you plan the summer around.
Mount Rainier National Park
The park's edge is about 1h 30m from Seattle here; Paradise, the visitor area on the south side, sits farther in. Walk the Skyline Trail past Myrtle Falls through meadows that bloom in August, then stop at the Longmire Museum on the way out. Bring a park pass and leave early, because the parking lots at Paradise fill by late morning in summer.
Don't miss
- Skyline Trail
- Paradise Inn
- Grove of the Patriarchs
- Longmire Museum
Mount Rainier National Park
≈ USD 240–USD 340
1h 30m drive · Best in August
Myrtle Falls frames the snowy peak of the stratovolcano against alpine meadows.
Top sights
Reflection Lake
Skyline Trail
Narada Falls
Grove of the Patriarchs
Comet Falls Trail
Snoqualmie
Snoqualmie Falls drops 268 feet into a mist-filled gorge, and the Salish Lodge sits on the cliff above it; fans of Twin Peaks know it as the Great Northern. Ride the old trains at the Northwest Railway Museum in town afterward.
Don't miss
- Snoqualmie Falls
- Northwest Railway Museum
- Snoqualmie Valley Trail
Snoqualmie
≈ USD 220–USD 330
30m drive · Best in May
Snoqualmie Falls drops over a massive cliff edge into a mist filled basin.
Top sights
Snoqualmie Falls
Northwest Railway Museum
North Bend
Snoqualmie Pass
In summer, hike to Franklin Falls or up to Snow Lake; in winter, ski at The Summit at Snoqualmie or Alpental. It is the closest mountain pass to Seattle, under an hour up I-90.
Don't miss
- Alpental
- Snow Lake
- Gold Creek Pond Trailhead
- Cabin Creek Sno-Park
Snoqualmie Pass
≈ USD 230–USD 340
55m drive · Best in July
Hike to Franklin Falls or Snow Lake in summer, then ski or tube at The Summit at Snoqualmie once the snow arrives.
Top sights
Alpental
The Summit at Snoqualmie
North Cascades National Park
Drive the North Cascades Highway past the milky-turquoise water of Diablo Lake and stop at the overlook. The highway closes over Washington Pass in winter, so this is a summer and early fall trip; August is the month.
Don't miss
- Cascade Pass to Sahale Arm
- Ross Lake Overlooks
- Diablo Dam
Iconic eats: Espresso, Wild Salmon
North Cascades National Park
≈ USD 250–USD 360
2h drive · Best in August
Drive the North Cascades Highway past the turquoise water of Diablo Lake, stopping at the overlooks and short trails along the way.
Top sights
Diablo Dam
Newhalem
Ross Lake Overlooks
Skagit General Store
Shelton
Shelton is the town at the bottom of Puget Sound and the gateway to Lake Cushman and the Staircase entrance of Olympic National Park. The Skokomish River valley above it is quiet forest most visitors to the Olympics never see.
Shelton
≈ USD 230–USD 340
1h 25m drive · Best in August
The Skokomish River valley leads to deep forests and quiet river banks.
Best for the islands
Every trip in this group crosses water: four by ferry, Camano by bridge. The drive times include the crossing.
Vashon
Vashon is a ferry ride from West Seattle and a world away: farm stands, an old Coast Guard lighthouse at Point Robinson, and no bridge to the mainland. Walk on and rent a bike, or bring the car for the island's long hills.
Don't miss
- Point Robinson Park
- Vashon Farmers Market
- Point Robinson Lighthouse
- Lisabeula Park
Iconic eats: Oyster
Vashon
≈ USD 220–USD 320
1h drive · Best in July
Point Robinson Lighthouse marks the sandy spit stretching into the Puget Sound.
Top sights
Point Robinson Park
Whidbey Island
The 1h 15m reaches the south end of Whidbey by the Mukilteo ferry, where Langley sits above the water. Deception Pass, the bridge over a tidal gorge, is at the island's north end. Order Penn Cove mussels anywhere on the island.
Don't miss
- Deception Pass State Park
- Goose Rock Trail
- Whidbey Island Center for the Arts
Iconic eats: Penn Cove Mussels, Penn Cove Oyster, Salmon
Whidbey Island
≈ USD 230–USD 340
1h 15m drive · Best in August
Deception Pass Bridge spans the swirling tidal currents between high rocky bluffs.
Camano
Camano is an island reached by bridge, not a ferry. Walk the forest trails and beaches of Camano Island State Park and the old cabins at Cama Beach, looking across Saratoga Passage to Whidbey.
Don't miss
- Camano Island State Park
- Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park
- Livingston Bay
Camano
≈ USD 230–USD 330
1h 10m drive · Best in July
Walk the forest trails and beaches of Camano Island State Park and Cama Beach, with views across Saratoga Passage to Whidbey.
Poulsbo
Poulsbo was settled by Norwegians and still calls itself Little Norway: Scandinavian storefronts along Front Street and pastries at Sluys Poulsbo Bakery. Take the Bainbridge ferry over and drive the rest.
Don't miss
- Front Street
- Olympic Outdoor Center
- SEA Discovery Center
- Chris Craft Rendezvous
Iconic eats: Smoked Salmon Chowder, Pacific Cod and Chips, Wild Salmon
Poulsbo
≈ USD 220–USD 330
1h 20m drive · Best in May
Walk the Scandinavian storefronts of Front Street in this Norwegian-settled harbor town and pick up pastries at Sluys Poulsbo Bakery.
Top sights
Kingston Ferry Terminal
Kitsap Memorial State Park
Best for the Puget Sound shore
La Conner
La Conner is the town for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, when the fields around it turn red and yellow in April. The rest of the year, walk the waterfront boardwalk and the Museum of Northwest Art.
Don't miss
- Museum of Northwest Art
- Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
- Rainbow Bridge
- Gaches Mansion
La Conner
≈ USD 230–USD 340
1h 15m drive · Best in April
Wander the waterfront boardwalk and galleries of this Skagit Valley town, then drive out to the tulip and daffodil fields in spring.
Top sights
Museum of Northwest Art
Rainbow Bridge
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Bow (Chuckanut Drive)
Chuckanut Drive winds along the cliffs above Samish Bay between Bow and Bellingham. Stop at Larrabee State Park for the tide pools and eat oysters at the shellfish farms on the flats below.
Bow
≈ USD 240–USD 340
1h 10m drive · Best in October
Chuckanut Drive winds along the cliffs overlooking the blue waters of Samish Bay.
Gig Harbor
Gig Harbor is a fishing town around a sheltered harbor, with Mount Rainier behind it on a clear day. Rent a kayak on the water or walk the waterfront from Skansie Brothers Park.
Don't miss
- Skansie Brothers Park
- Gig Harbor BoatShop
- Penrose Point State Park
Iconic eats: Coffee, Clam Chowder
Gig Harbor
≈ USD 220–USD 330
45m drive · Best in June
Fishing boats bob in the protected harbor under the view of Mount Rainier.
Top sights
Harbor History Museum
Kopachuck State Park
Anacortes
Anacortes is where the San Juan ferries leave, and Washington Park at the edge of town has a loop road out to the headlands. Cap Sante Park looks down on the marina.
Don't miss
- Washington Park
- Cap Sante Marina
- Anacortes Historic Downtown District
Anacortes
≈ USD 240–USD 340
1h 25m drive · Best in August
Cap Sante Park overlooks the harbor where fishing boats wait for the tide.
Top sights
Cap Sante Marina
Anacortes Community Forest Lands
Bellingham
Bellingham is a college town with a brewery on most blocks. Walk the brick streets of Fairhaven, then the boardwalk at Boulevard Park out over Bellingham Bay. Amtrak Cascades stops here.
Don't miss
- Fairhaven Historic District
- Boulevard Park
- Kulshan Brewing Company
Iconic eats: Coffee, Pacific Oyster
Bellingham
≈ USD 240–USD 350
1h 30m drive · Best in August
Fairhaven district brick buildings overlook the bay and the distant island ferries.
Top sights
Chuckanut Drive
Fairhaven Historic District
Sequim
Sequim sits in the rain shadow of the Olympics and grows lavender; the farms bloom in July. Walk out along the Dungeness Spit, one of the longest natural sand spits in the world, toward its lighthouse.
Don't miss
- Purple Haze Lavender Farm
- Hurricane Ridge
- Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge
- Sequim Museum and Arts Center
Sequim
≈ USD 230–USD 340
2h 10m drive · Best in July
Lavender fields fill the valley with purple blooms and sweet summer scents.
Top sights
Dungeness Spit Lighthouse
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge
Sequim Museum and Arts Center
Best for towns over the mountains
The dry side of the Cascades starts an hour and a half east, with sunshine when Seattle is gray.
Leavenworth
Leavenworth rebuilt itself as a Bavarian village in the 1960s, and the whole main street plays along. Walk the Icicle Creek trails, eat a pretzel the size of a plate, and come in October for Oktoberfest and the larches.
Don't miss
- Front Street Park
- Icicle Creek Trail
- Leavenworth Ski Hill
Iconic eats: Pretzel, Bratwurst
Leavenworth
≈ USD 240–USD 350
2h 15m drive · Best in October
Bavarian style storefronts line the streets surrounded by the jagged Cascade Mountains.
Top sights
Leavenworth Ski Hill
Icicle Creek Trail
Cle Elum and Roslyn
Roslyn, next to Cle Elum, is the old mining town that stood in for Alaska in Northern Exposure, and its brick downtown is little changed. Ride the Iron Horse Trail along the old railroad grade.
Don't miss
- Iron Horse State Park Trail
- Lake Cle Elum
- Roslyn Cemetery
- Salmon La Sac Road
Cle Elum
≈ USD 240–USD 350
1h 20m drive · Best in September
Roslyn historic downtown preserves the early mining era brick buildings.
Top sights
Lake Cle Elum
Lake Easton State Park
Lake Ingalls Trailhead
Ellensburg
Ellensburg is a ranch and college town with a brick downtown and the Ellensburg Rodeo over Labor Day weekend. Hike Umtanum Creek Canyon in the Yakima River Canyon south of town.
Don't miss
- Barge Hall
- Kittitas County Historical Museum
- Umtanum Creek Canyon
- Gallery One Visual Arts Center
Iconic eats: Ellensburg Blue Agate Candy, Washington Apple Pie, Beef Tri-Tip
Ellensburg
≈ USD 250–USD 360
1h 45m drive · Best in June
The historic downtown features brick storefronts and unique local art galleries.
Top sights
Central Washington University
Gallery One Visual Arts Center
Kittitas County Historical Museum
Dick and Jane's Spot
Olmstead Place State Park
Best for wine and history
Woodinville
Woodinville has dozens of tasting rooms within a few miles, led by the grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle. Bike the Sammamish River Trail between them. At 25 minutes, it is the closest day out of the city.
Don't miss
- Chateau Ste Michelle Winery
- Sammamish River Trail
- DeYoung Park
Woodinville
≈ USD 220–USD 320
25m drive · Best in May
Chateau Ste Michelle grounds offer tasting flights of local estate grown wines.
Top sights
Sammamish River Trail
Tacoma
Tacoma's Museum of Glass sits at the end of the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, and the hot shop lets you watch glassblowers work. Point Defiance Park has the zoo, old-growth forest and a five-mile loop above the water.
Don't miss
- Museum of Glass
- Point Defiance Park
- Ruston Way Waterfront
- Proctor Farmers Market
Tacoma
≈ USD 220–USD 330
35m drive · Best in September
Point Defiance Park contains a large garden and ancient forest on the sound.
Top sights
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Museum of Glass
Chihuly Bridge of Glass
Point Defiance Park
Tacoma Art Museum
Olympia
Washington's capitol dome rises above Capitol Lake, and the building is open for tours. Walk the boardwalk at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually refuge, then eat oysters downtown.
Don't miss
- Washington State Capitol Building
- Capitol Lake Park
- Billy Frank Jr Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Iconic eats: Freshly Shucked Oyster, Salmon Filet
Olympia
≈ USD 230–USD 340
1h drive · Best in April
Capitol Lake reflects the white dome of the legislative building at sunset.
Top sights
Billy Frank Jr Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Capitol Lake Park
Washington State Capitol Building
Centralia
Centralia is a railroad town halfway to Portland, with its historic depot still served by Amtrak. The McMenamins Olympic Club, a century-old saloon turned hotel and pub, is the place to eat.
Centralia
≈ USD 240–USD 350
1h 25m drive · Best in September
The historic train station stands as a reminder of early rail travel.
Best for something offbeat
Edmonds
The offbeat pick. Edmonds has an underwater park off its public beach, a scuba site of sunken boats and structures beside the Kingston ferry dock. Above the water, walk the small downtown and the Cascadia Art Museum.
Don't miss
- Edmonds Underwater Park
- Cascadia Art Museum
- A Taste of Edmonds
- WhirlyBall
Iconic eats: Espresso, Smoked Salmon Chowder
Edmonds
≈ USD 220–USD 320
25m drive · Best in August
Stroll the waterfront and the small downtown of shops and cafes, then walk Marina Beach as the ferries cross to Kingston.
Top sights
Cascadia Art Museum
Edmonds Historical Museum
Which to skip, and when
Skip the North Cascades Highway from November to June; the road is closed or snowbound. Skip Leavenworth on an October weekend unless you go early, and the Mount Rainier parking lots at midday in August. On a rainy weekend, Tacoma's museums and Woodinville's tasting rooms hold up best.
See a real example
Common questions
What's the closest day trip from Seattle?
Woodinville and Edmonds, each about 25 minutes from downtown, are the closest of the 23 day trips on this page. Snoqualmie Falls is next at about 30 minutes, then Tacoma at about 35.
What's the best day trip from Seattle?
Mount Rainier National Park is the strongest day trip from Seattle: the Skyline Trail at Paradise climbs through wildflower meadows under the glaciers in August. Leave by seven; the park's south side is the far end of a long day.
How much does a day trip from Seattle cost for two?
A day trip from Seattle costs about $220 to $360 for two people on this page, covering gas, ferries where needed, food, entry fees and local transport, with no hotel. The closest trips sit at $220 to $330; Ellensburg and the North Cascades reach about $360.
Can you do Mount Rainier as a day trip from Seattle?
Yes. The edge of Mount Rainier National Park is about 1h 30m from Seattle on this page, and Paradise, the main visitor area on the south side, sits farther in. Start early, carry a park pass, and expect a full day.
Which day trips from Seattle work without a car?
Amtrak Cascades trains stop at Edmonds, Tacoma, Olympia, Centralia and Bellingham, and Vashon is a walk-on ferry ride from West Seattle. The mountain parks, Leavenworth and Chuckanut Drive need a car.
What's the best waterfall day trip from Seattle?
Snoqualmie Falls, about 30 minutes east, is the closest big waterfall to Seattle, with the Salish Lodge perched on the cliff above it. Franklin Falls near Snoqualmie Pass, at about 55 minutes, is the short hike to add.
What's the best fall day trip from Seattle?
Leavenworth, about 2h 15m east over Stevens Pass, is the October day trip from Seattle, with larches turning in the Cascades and Oktoberfest in town. Chuckanut Drive near Bow is the closer fall drive at about 1h 10m.
What's an offbeat day trip from Seattle?
Edmonds, about 25 minutes north, is the offbeat pick: a ferry town with an underwater park, a scuba site of sunken boats and structures off its public beach, next to the Kingston ferry dock.
The bottom line
Do Mount Rainier first, on a clear August day with an early start. Take the Vashon ferry when you want the day to feel slow, and save Leavenworth for October. Plan your day trip free and the planner ranks these for your date and group.
Browse more day trips by city, or stay out a night with the weekend getaways from Seattle.
Drive times are routed by road from downtown Seattle in October 2026, ferry crossings included. Costs come from the same pricing the planner uses. Check ferry schedules, pass closures and park reservations before you go.
Written by Namrata · Editor
Related reading
USA travel guide
21 Day Trips From San Francisco, by Drive Time
Twenty-one day trips from San Francisco, each with a routed one-way drive time and a day cost for two. Wine country leads: Napa is an hour out, Sonoma an hour and five minutes, Healdsburg and Calistoga under an hour and a half.
17 Day Trips From Phoenix, by Real Drive Time
Seventeen day trips from Phoenix, each with a routed one-way drive time and a day cost for two. Goldfield's ghost town is 40 minutes out, and Tombstone and Meteor Crater hold the far edge of a day at 2h 50m.
22 Day Trips From Washington DC, by Drive Time
Twenty-two day trips from Washington, D.C., each with a routed one-way drive time and an honest day cost for two. Great Falls is 30 minutes out; Rehoboth Beach and Ocean City hold the far edge of a day at nearly three hours.