Seattle is certainly one of my favourite household journey locations. This stunning Pacific Northwest metropolis provides enjoyable actions, distinctive museums, and a stunning panorama. It’s so totally different from my dwelling in New England, which makes it a very attention-grabbing place to discover and see. Often known as the Emerald Metropolis, Seattle at all times showcases its pure magnificence with inexperienced in every single place.
There are such a lot of implausible issues to do proper within the metropolis of Seattle with youngsters. Nonetheless, if you’re there for an prolonged journey, it’s possible you’ll need to enterprise out past the Area Needle and town limits. There are additionally some nice household highway journeys from Seattle – each inside america and out of doors the US borders.
We typically suggest a four-day Seattle itinerary. Nonetheless, if you wish to add on any of those highway journeys from Seattle, you’ll most likely need to add some further days to your journey. You’ll be able to select to remain in Seattle, or for longer highway journeys, change motels for extra comfort.
When flying into Seattle, you’ll most likely need to lease a automotive proper on the airport to take you to your resort. That method, you’ll be capable to drive round wherever and everytime you need. You’ll probably pay for parking at your resort, so make sure you funds for that.
In any other case, you could possibly select to take a cab or ride-share to your Seattle resort, after which lease a automotive for a day or two within the metropolis. Zip Vehicles may be out there and are an awesome possibility for a highway journey – particularly a brief one.
Keep in mind that you’ll want your passport if you’re touring into Canada. You should definitely apply effectively upfront.
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7+ Greatest Household Highway Journeys and Getaways From Seattle
Olympic Nationwide Park
Olympic Nationwide Park is positioned about 2 1/2 hours west of Seattle. This nationwide park provides virtually one million acres, together with mountains, rainforests, mountain climbing trails, and coastlines.
There are such a lot of actions households can get pleasure from on the Olympic Nationwide Park. These embrace mountain climbing, tenting, boating, fishing, and viewing wildlife native to Washington State.
There are a number of guests and ranger stations positioned all through the park. Whilst you might undoubtedly take a day journey to Olympic Nationwide Park from Seattle, it’s possible you’ll need to keep in a single day.
A number of lodging choices are provided. The park provides a number of campsites in addition to campsites related to a number of of the park lodges.
There are additionally a number of lodges and resorts within the park. These embrace the next:
For extra data and reservations, go to the Olympic Nationwide Park web site.
Snoqualmie Falls
Snoqualmie Falls, positioned in Snoqualmie, Washington, was at all times certainly one of my favourite locations to go to once I lived within the Seattle suburbs. It’s a brief drive a couple of 30-minute drive west of Seattle and is unquestionably well worth the journey.
There, you’ll discover a 270-foot waterfall (one of many finest waterfalls within the US), a present store, a small park, and the Salish Lodge. Parking is free, as is entry to the viewing platform which is a brief stroll away.
You would simply go to Snoqualmie Falls for a day. It isn’t a really lengthy drive, and also you most likely gained’t spend an excessive amount of time there.
Nonetheless, if you wish to do one thing actually particular, the Salish Lodge is an expensive resort and spa overlooking the falls. It’s someplace that I’ve at all times needed to remain – it seems like such a novel spot. For those who do guide the lodge, you could possibly most likely simply spend the night time. It’s additionally the most effective weekend getaways from town.
Be taught extra about Snoqualmie Falls on their web site and see critiques of the Salish Lodge.
Everett
Everett, Washington is positioned about 40 minutes north of Seattle, on Puget Sound. There, you’ll discover Funko HQ, the worldwide headquarters of Funko, an organization providing popular culture collectibles. One in every of our greatest day journeys throughout our trip was our journey to Funko HQ.
In case your youngsters get pleasure from accumulating Funko Pops, you’ll undoubtedly need to take the drive as much as Everett. It’s a simple highway journey for the morning or afternoon. Funko HQ is often closed on Mondays, so that you’ll need to test on the shop hours earlier than heading up.
Funko HQ is a very enjoyable place to go to, even for those who aren’t searching for any particular collectibles. There are many totally different life-sized Funko figures, in themed rooms together with Disney, Harry Potter, and Marvel. You can even design your personal Funko Pop, for a unique memento of your journey.
Anticipate to spend about 30-60 minutes at Funko HQ. Past the store, there aren’t some other amenities for vacationers.
Mukilteo
Positioned about half-hour from Downtown Seattle is the city of Mukilteo, a seaside small city positioned alongside Puget Sound. If you’re planning a visit to Everett, Mukilteo is without doubt one of the finest locations to cease.
There are a number of factors of curiosity within the city, together with the Boeing Way forward for Flight Museum and Boeing Manufacturing unit Tour. Throughout our go to, we stopped for a tour however they had been bought out for the day. You’ll undoubtedly need to plan forward and make advance reservations for a tour. It apparently consists of fairly a little bit of strolling, so that you’ll need to be sure you have comfy strolling sneakers.
If the climate is sweet, you may additionally need to cease on the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. Discover a spot within the huge parking zone and stroll alongside the water’s edge to the lighthouse. You’ll need to test working hours earlier than visiting.
Even when the lighthouse isn’t open to guests, it’s nonetheless good to see the websites alongside the Sound. You can even watch the ferryboats leaving from the terminal and might get pleasure from sitting within the waterfront park.
A scrumptious seafood restaurant, Ivar’s Mukilteo Touchdown, is positioned adjoining to the park. You’ll be able to both eat within the restaurant or go to the takeout home windows to get meals to eat outside whereas watching the boats.
San Juan Islands
Regardless of the similar-sounding identify, the San Juan Islands will not be positioned in Puerto Rico. As an alternative, they’re positioned North West of Seattle. You’ll be able to entry the islands by ferry, airplane, or non-public boat.
Most company select to take the Washington State Ferry, which departs from the Anacortes Ferry Terminal. It’s positioned about 2-3 hours from Seattle, and reservations are beneficial. There are automobile ferries for those who select to take your automotive.
The full ferry journey is a bit over an hour. Due to that, and the journey time to Anacortes, we’d suggest staying a minimum of a number of days within the San Juan Islands.
There are three islands which are served by ferry service. These embrace San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island. These three provide several types of actions, so that you’ll need to do analysis upfront to be sure you keep within the location with one of the best actions for your loved ones.
The San Juan Islands Customer’s Bureau web site is one of the best spot to begin your analysis and resolve the place to remain. You can even see issues to do within the San Juan Islands right here.
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver is certainly one of my favourite cities to go to in North America. The largest metropolis in British Columbia provides the whole lot – mountains, inexperienced area, and an city surroundings.
It’s positioned a bit greater than two and a half hours north of Seattle (though you’ll additionally need to account for the time it takes to cross the Canadian border). In my view, it’s the most effective highway journeys from Seattle.
I’d suggest spending a minimum of a number of days in Vancouver. There’s a lot to see, so that you’ll undoubtedly need greater than a day. After we visited, we’d often spend an extended weekend, after which head again all the way down to Seattle. Three days is an efficient period of time there until you have got particular belongings you need to do.
One of the standard points of interest within the space is Stanley Park. This city park provides a botanical backyard, mountain climbing, seashores, sports activities, a prepare, an aquarium, and a lot extra. You would undoubtedly spend greater than a day there, relying in your pursuits. It’s positioned proper within the metropolis, so it’s very handy.
Different standard points of interest in Vancouver embrace Granville Island, in addition to Grouse Mountain, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge. It will get chilly on prime of Grouse Mountain, even in the summertime, so be ready.
In my possibility, one of the best time to go to Vancouver is in the summertime. However, if you’re a skier, it’s possible you’ll need to go to through the winter months. There are different locations to go to within the space, together with North Vancouver Island.
If you’re staying in Vancouver, a few of the hottest motels are:
One other Canadian possibility is Victoria BC with youngsters.
Mt. Rainier Nationwide Park
Mount Rainier is without doubt one of the most identifiable components of the larger Seattle panorama, alongside the Cascade Mountain vary. This beautiful mountain, which can be an lively volcano, will be seen from Seattle on a transparent day (which doesn’t occur as a lot as I’d like).
To get a more in-depth look, and discover nature within the Seattle space, contemplate a go to to Mount Rainier Nationwide Park, positioned lower than two hours away from town. The park is accessible by way of roads open from Might to October and provides a lot of enjoyable out of doors actions for households. It’s one of many stunning Washington State Nationwide Parks.
It does get busy within the peak summer season months, so that you’ll need to arrive early and go to on a weekday, if doable. Household actions embrace mountain climbing, biking, fishing, and boating. There are extra adventurous camp/hikes out there that require a allow and aren’t nice for households.
The park has three drive-in campgrounds in addition to one campground out there for tents. Two of those can be found for advance reservation. For those who’d desire to not camp, you could possibly undoubtedly go to the Nationwide Park for a day journey from Seattle.
Close by Drives
Along with these longer day journeys listed above, there are a number of enjoyable Seattle suburbs you can go to in just some hours. If in case you have a automotive in your journey, you’ll be able to undoubtedly mix a go to to a number of of those areas.
Take a fast drive previous Bellevue Washington into Redmond, the house of Microsoft. Whereas Redmond is definitely a small city with out an excessive amount of to do, it’s nonetheless enjoyable to see the entire buildings on the Microsoft campus. It’s fairly spectacular.
Drive to close by Ballard, Washington, about twenty-five minutes from town middle, to go to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (generally called the Ballard Locks). Entry to the customer middle and to view the locks is free, nevertheless, parking just isn’t.
The Ballard Locks are positioned the place the saltwater of Puget Sound meets the freshwater of Lake Washington and Lake Union. They had been created by the US Military Core of Engineers to handle the totally different water ranges. It’s a enjoyable space to stroll round, and a novel expertise for those who haven’t seen locks earlier than.
One other enjoyable place to go to with youngsters is Fremont. It’s a small city with outlets and eating places. As you drive by way of, make sure you see the Fremont Troll, a stone sculpture that lurks below the George Washington Memorial Bridge on N. thirty sixth Road.
Different Widespread Locations
There are many different standard highway journey locations in Seattle and the encompassing space. These embrace Leavenworth (a Bavarian village – see issues to do in Leavenworth right here), Vancouver Island, Lengthy Seashore, Whidbey Island, and North Cascades Nationwide Park.
Resorts in Seattle
Whether or not you might be planning to remain a number of nights within the metropolis after which enterprise to a brand new location, or preserve your property base as Seattle, there are many nice Seattle motels on your trip. Whereas it’s a small metropolis, you’ll undoubtedly need to take into consideration which particular space you need to keep in.
After we visited Seattle with our household, we selected to remain on the Lodge FIVE – Staypineapple Seattle. This distinctive boutique resort is centrally positioned, so we had been capable of stroll to each Pike Place Market and Seattle Heart.
We booked our journey by way of JetBlue Trip, and whereas there have been a number of nice resort choices out there, Lodge FIVE appeared finest for our plans and funds.
There are different household resort choices in Seattle as effectively. A few of the hottest Seattle motels embrace:
Continuously Requested Questions
For those who plan to journey past the downtown space, I feel every week could be a very good period of time. Seattle itself will be skilled in about 4-5 days.
Seattle’s status for rain and clouds is unquestionably based mostly on truth. Nonetheless, one of the best months to go to for clearer skies is the summer season months.
