Day trips to take while living in Seattle (Tacoma, Vancouver: to buy, beach)

[Sadie181]

I am looking for small day trips to take this summer. I'd like to keep it to 3 hour each way max if possible. We have done Ocean Shores and Leavenworth in the past. What is out there exciting for us to see??

Thanks!

I have a 4 year old that will have to find it interesting too!

[beautifulseattlehomes]

Vancouver BC is amazing and world class...so much to do there but the aquarium is top notch and Granville Island has one of the funnest kids spaces I have seen around, Victoria BC by ferry...There are tons of things to do here in the area but since we are so close to Canada I say take advantage of visiting another country.

Around here we love to go to Whidbey Island by taking the Mukilteo Ferry and then driving the whole way to Deception Pass. Breathtaking beauty! Port Townsend is great...the wooden ship building center is always a favorite with the boys in our family and the town is charming and interesting.

We love going up to the Skagit Valley and visiting the different farms to buy our food and share with the kids where there food comes from.

Just a few ideas!

[Hemlock140]

The best by far is Hurricane Ridge, then Winthrop, Cle Elum, Ginkgo Petrified Forest at the Gorge, White Pass, Lake Quinault.

[Jalhop]

I-90 hikes/walks near Snoqualmie pass: Ashael Curtis nature trail off exit 47. A 4 year-old can handle and enjoy the Denny Creek trail (off exit 45) to the "bathing rocks" area.

Walk onto the Bremerton ferry. Near the ferry dock see the Navy museum (outside is a neat fountain) and do a self-guided tour of the Turner Joy Vietnam-era ship. On another day drive via the Bainbridge ferry to Keyport to see the Naval Undersea Museum.

Fort Casey State Park on Whidbey Island is kid haven. Bring a flashlight and keep the kid close since there's stuff to fall from.

[Seacove]

Lunch in Poulsbo, Discovery Park, Woodland Zoo, Remlinger Farms, the aquarium, Argosy cruise through the locks, arboretum, Underground Tour, berry picking at a U-pick farm, Seattle Ducks, Hoh rain forest, Mt. St. Helens, Snoqualmie Falls, San Juan ferry from Anacortes, also Padilla Bay in Anacortes, afternoon on Whidbey Island - ice cream in Langley, seafood lunch basket in Coupeville, Deception Pass, stopping at Cranberry Lake along the way.

[phoenixmike11]

Portland is good-and with Boltbus -its cheap as well
Seattle travel guide - Wikitravel (at the bottom of the page are suggestions for daytrips)

[Peak2Creek]

Lake Quinalt Lodge is pretty cool. Head down to Timberline Lodge in Oregon. Crystal Mountain gondola ride with spectacular views of Mt. Rainier. A boat ride to Blake Island, walk the trails and stay for the Native American salmon feast dinner. Come south to Tacoma and experience Point Defiance Park and Zoo. In Sequim they have the Olympic Game Farm and famous Lilac festival. in about 3 hours you can get to Whistler Blackcomb. Head up in August when you'll have a great chance to spot Grizzly Bears. In North Vancouver BC is the Capilano Bridge and Cliff Walk. It is spectacular! Great for adults and perfect for kids.

[sean98125]

Big Four picnic area on the Mountain Loop highway. There's a short trail that is perfect for little kids, and a spectacular view of Big Four. If you take the trail to the Ice Caves keep your distance - big pieces of ice can tumble down the slope. Takes about 60-90 minutes to get there depending on where you're starting from. There are also a few short nature trails and places to go hang out by the river.

Whidbey Island loop - north in I-5 to 20. Drive to the top of Mount Erie and look at the views. Hang out at Bowman Bay at Deception Pass State Park. Tidepool near Rosario Head. Head across Deception Pass and go to Fort Casey. Bring a flashlight and explore the old fort. Head south and catch the ferry from Clinton to Mukilteo. Probably an all-day event, but worth it.

Camlann Medieval Village and Remlinger Farms, both near Carnation. Go to Camlann on a summer weekend when they have crafts along with their living history museum of a 14th Century English village. Kids love it. And spend a few hours on the rides at Remlinger, all pretty much perfectly sized for a 4-year-old. If you aren't worn out, take a ride on the Snoqualmie Valley Railroad. Only about an hour away.

Picnic at Gold Creek near Snoqualmie Pass. Lovely pond with great views of the Gold Creek Valley, just off I-90. Short, easy hike around the pond. Less than 90 minutes to the pass.

Go to Cle Elum and stop at the bakery for donuts or breadsticks and run across the street to the butcher for beef jerky and pepperoni sticks. About two hours to get there.

Mount Rainier. Explore it. Sunrise, Paradise, Longmire, Stevens Canyon... just go and start discovering it. My parents took me there several times a year from the time I was four. It's an amazing place and the more time you spend there the more you appreciate it. Anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to get there. (Blackberry Pie a la mode at Copper Creek Kitchen is not a bad mountain tradition to have!)

Northwest Trek, about 60-90 minutes, south of Tacoma. Great wildlife park

Federation Forest State Park, on 410 east of Enumclaw. Just a trail through the woods and near the White River? Sure, if that's all you look at. But if you pay attention and follow the nature trail signs you'll discover a half dozen distinct types of forest on the short path. Ask the rangers where the Hobbit Village is. Have a picnic next to the river.

Keep an eye out for the Scottish Highland Games in Mount Vernon and Enumclaw, and the Renaissance Fair in Bonney Lake. Kids love 'em.

Lake Wenatchee State Park- great swimming beach and picnic area on the south side. Great drive over Stevens Pass, about 2 hours

Iron Goat Trail on Stevens Pass, about 90 minutes - park on the west side, and take the lower trail. You'll walk along an old railroad grade, seeing relics in the underbrush, and in a mile or so you'll come across a couple of tunnels. You can peer in to them, and at one of them you can walk in a little way. There's also a bridge that goes outside one of the tunnels that is not high enough to scare an adult but can give a thrill to a kid. While you're there, check out the trail at Deception Falls. Follow the loop around clockwise and soon you'll pass through the pretty little creek valley that my daughter called Unicorn Creek, and then you'll see several cataracts and waterfalls. It's a short walk.