6 Best Day Trips from Seattle

You will find a wide range of activities to do in Seattle that will allow you to get to know in depth its most emblematic places, its history, traditions and main attractions. But you'll also have unmissable excursions that will take you to explore the surrounding area and make you fall even more in love with Seattle.

On day trips, you can visit Woodinville Wine Country and taste some of the best wines in the area, marvel at Snoqualmie Falls and its fairytale sites, and explore the Boeing Factory and Olympic National Park. Here are the best things to do from Seattle to make sure you don't miss a thing.

Snoqualmie Falls are the most impressive waterfalls in the United States and you can find them just 40 kilometres from the city of Seattle. As well as being a great place to take a day trip from Seattle, it's renowned for being one of the main sources of hydroelectric power in the region.

From a vantage point with a 180-degree view, you'll have a privileged spot to enjoy the falls, and you can also take a nature trail down to the power plant for the best views from below. You're sure to recognise the picturesque surrounding areas that were the setting for such well-known film productions as Twin Peaks, Northern Exposure and The Vanishing.

As well as taking in the views, you can sample delicious wines at Chateau Ste. Michelle and other renowned wineries.

Interesting details

• Price: This tour starts at €85 per person.
• Duration: 6 hours.
• Time: Starts at 10:30 a.m.

Where to eat at Snoqualmie

At the falls, you will be able to buy some basic things like snacks and water. But nearby you will have other options in case you want to eat something more elaborate, I recommend a few places.

• Salish Lodge Hotel: offers some fine dining options for you to consider.
• Got Rice Chinese: just a few minutes away from the falls and offers unique dishes of traditional Chinese cuisine.
• Gianfranco Italian Restaurant: you will find the best Italian cuisine in the area.

There are also a variety of outdoor dining options in Snoqualmie and picnics in the middle of nature.

Woodinville Wine Country is just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle. It is located in western Washington, situated around the town of Woodinville and is the epicentre of wine. You will have the chance to experience the most varied wine offerings in the area and taste the best wines from family-run boutique wineries.

In addition, this experience will allow you to learn a little about the history of the area and you will have access to William Grassie Wine Estates - Events Only and Patterson Cellars.

Details of interest

• Price: You can enjoy this experience from €197 per person.
• Duration: 8 hours.
• Time: Starts at 10 a.m.

Olympic National Park is a natural wonderland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll get there by ferry, across Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula and you'll find a great ecological diversity and extensive trails full of vegetation.

It's definitely a place you'll love to visit and you'll have a lot to learn from an expert guide. You will be able to explore the forests, you will pass by blue water lakes and some of glacial origin and you will have the best views of the mountains that make this area unique. In addition, this tour will allow you to visit Hurricane Ridge, Crescent Lake and Marymere Falls, among many other breathtaking landscapes.

Details of interest

• Price: You can enjoy this experience for a price starting from 360 €.
• Duration: 12 hours.

Mount Rainier is one of Washington State's most impressive natural wonders. With its towering snow-capped peak and expansive forests, it is a perfect destination for nature and adventure lovers. On this tour, you'll travel from Seattle to Mount Rainier National Park, where you'll explore alpine landscapes, wildflower-filled meadows and majestic waterfalls.

Accompanied by an expert guide, you'll visit some of the park's most iconic landmarks, such as Narada Falls, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the area, and Paradise Valley, where you'll enjoy panoramic views of the volcano. You will also have the opportunity to walk along trails surrounded by glaciers and ancient forests, learning about the local flora and fauna.

Details of interest

• Price: from 180 € per person.
• Duration: approximately 10 hours.

Discover the serenity of Whidbey Island, a destination filled with coastal scenery, charming towns and a rich history. Located north of Seattle, this island is perfect for those seeking a quiet escape surrounded by nature and culture.

During the tour, you'll cross the Puget Sound by ferry and visit iconic sites such as Deception Pass State Park, famous for its breathtaking cliffs and scenic bridges. You'll also explore Coupeville, one of Washington State's oldest towns, where you can stroll along its historic waterfront and sample local produce. You'll also explore hidden beaches and quiet forests that are ideal for unwinding from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Interesting details

• Price: from €330 per person.
• Duration: approximately 7 hours.

Just minutes from Seattle you'll find a modern marvel in commercial aircraft production at Boeing's Future of Flight Aviation Center. This is the home of legendary aircraft such as the 747, 777 and the world's most advanced jetliner, the 787 Dreamliner.

On this incredible tour you will learn about the long history of Boeing aircraft, seeing one of the largest buildings in the world that houses aircraft in various stages of assembly. You'll have plenty of places to take pictures and shop for unique Boeing branded gifts.

This tour includes admission to the factory and a 90-minute tour with a Boeing expert who will tell you all about the site.

Interesting details

• Price: You can enjoy this experience from 197 € per person.
• Duration: 4 hours and 30 minutes.

Most of these tours don't include meals, but that's not a problem in Seattle. You'll have plenty of options to choose from before you set off on your tour of choice, or on the way back. You can even combine one of these tours with a food tour of Seattle. Here's a list of a few places where you can sample some of Seattle's most popular delicacies.

• The Walrus And The Carpenter: Here you will taste oysters straight from Seattle's waters. Here you'll get good food at a good price.
• Jackson's Catfish Corner: welcome to the place with the most delicious fried food in town. Their signature dish is American catfish, but you'll also get shrimp, chicken, onion rings, battered mozzarella and more.
• Pike Place Chowder: you will find the best clam chowder in Seattle in its different versions and varieties.
• RockCreek: A wide variety of Seattle's signature fresh fish and seafood.
• General Porpoise: donuts are the speciality of this place. They are exquisite and have a variety of fillings such as vanilla cream, lemon, chocolate and many more.
• Molly Moon's: This is Seattle's most popular and famous ice cream parlour and you must try their more eccentric tastes such as Earl Grey tea and lavender honey, as well as the classics such as chocolate, strawberries and salted caramel.

You can purchase any of these tours online: you will receive confirmation of your booking immediately upon purchase. Remember to choose the exact date you want to take the tour. In case your plans change for any reason, no problem, you can cancel the tour for free.

To do some of these tours from Seattle, you will need a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 12 hours.

You should also consider that if you choose a tour longer than 5 hours, you may not have much time to do anything else that day. However, if you choose a tour of less than 5 hours, you will have the afternoon free to make other plans. Even if you plan to spend only a few days in the city, you may be able to arrange to do two short tours in the same day.

You can enjoy these excursions for very varied prices ranging from 85 to 281 euros and choose the one that best suits everything you want to know and even combine them. Consider that the main variables in relation to the price will depend on what you want to see, the duration of the trip, the number of passengers and what is included in each excursion.

Seattle is a city full of contrasts and attractions that make it seem futuristic and modern, yet surrounded by greenery, nature, lakes and the great outdoors. From the buses that will take you to the surrounding areas on these tours, you'll be able to see how the huge skyscrapers blend with the green of the skyline. Plus, you'll take away unique flavours, colours, sights and smells.

• Snoqualmie Falls: you'll have the best views of the falls from the lookout point and you can hike a short trail to the base of the falls to appreciate them from other vantage points. You'll learn about the flora and fauna along the wooded trail and discover the history of the falls.
• Woodinville: one of the most charming places you will visit, full of nature and wineries. Woodinville developed in the 1880s as a farming and logging community along the Sammamish River. You'll visit the area's best boutique wineries and taste the local flavours.
• Olympic National Park: You'll get lost in the lush trails after enjoying a ferry ride. You will be able to discover unique landscapes that make this national park a world heritage site.
• Boeing Factory: one of the largest aircraft assembly plants in the world, where Boeing's most famous models are assembled. You will also learn about the history of the place and curious facts about aeroplanes that will fascinate you.

I recommend that you wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes for these tours, as although you'll be travelling to destinations by bus or ferry, there will be plenty to explore on foot in these places. In some cases, the excursions will last several hours and you'll be touring a number of sites, so you don't want to be uncomfortable and have a bad time.

Some time before the hike, it's essential that you check the weather so you can dress accordingly and don't feel either hot or cold, taking into account the temperature of the day and the date you'll be hiking.

Note that all tours to Snoqualmie Falls, Woodinville and Olympic National Park are weather-conditioned, as good weather is necessary for them to take place, otherwise they will have to be rescheduled. While it's not possible to guess the exact weather, here are the best months to visit Seattle for these tours.

Fortunately, Seattle is a city where the weather is usually good most of the year. The best months are May, June, July, August and September. July and August are the mildest months. The coldest, wettest and rainiest months are January, November and December.

In case you want to combine any of these excursions with other activities, here's an itinerary of things to see and do in Seattle in summer.

Here's the main reason why these tours DO make sense: you can't miss out on the most eccentric and aesthetically stunning natural wonders near Seattle. With these tours, you can live a unique experience, knowing the most impressive surrounding places, along with the experience of an expert guide who will accompany your tour and telling you unique details of each place.

Seattle is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the United States. However, its enormous skyscrapers and its modern, technological style blend with the lively nature and flavours of its border areas. You'll have all these options so you won't miss anything: see the best views of Snoqualmie Falls, taste the best wines in Woodinville Wine Country, visit the Boeing Factory, tour Olympic National Park and much more.

Now I'll tell you when NOT to go: if you're travelling to Seattle for a short time. It is a city with a wide variety of attractions to see and history to learn about, so you probably won't have time to dedicate a full day to any of these excursions.

In this case, I advise you to make a list of the attractions you want to see and choose the tour that best suits your wish list. Also, find out beforehand if the Seattle City Pass is worth it to make the most of your time and save on the main attractions.