Scenic Locations Within One Day’s Drive of Seattle, WA
Anacortes/Oak Harbor. The environmentally conscious will take the ferry (you can take your car on it, but watch out for ferry traffic.) Or you can take I-5 North, and get off at the exit for the San Juan’s. This will take you to Whidbey Island, one of coastal Washington’s most beautiful places. Anacortes is a cute little town with great waterfront views (minus views of the oil refinery to the east.) Oak Harbor is about 15 miles or so away, on the other end. Both have some decent restaurants, antique stores, and coffee shops. The best part about Whidbey, though, is the drive that connects the two towns. There are two ways to go, so make sure to take the route that takes you over Deception Pass. It is an amazing bridge spanning a gorgeous channel. On either side, forested hills give way to rocky, desolate beaches. I highly recommend getting out and walking across the bridge, and snapping some photos. You can also take a trail down to one of the beaches, and hike through some well maintained camping grounds down to the water. This is my idea of the ideal beach: not golden sand and sun, but rugged, pristine, and beautiful.
Taking I-5 North is just a good idea, in general. As you head closer to the Canadian border, pull off at the exit just past Mt. Vernon, called “Chukanaut Drive.” This route will first take you through a broad span of Washington farmland, with fields and fences in every direction, as well as the occasional fruit or espresso stand. Eventually, the road begins to gain ground, and starts to wind. All of a sudden, you notice a huge, glittering bay on your left side. There are plenty of pull outs along the way where you can stop and admire the view. There are also a few cool places to eat, where you can get good seafood. If you keep driving, you’ll hit Larrabee state park, which is a great place to stop and hike around. There are some nice broad trails that take you though wooded areas. Depending on what side of the road you decide to tackle, you can either hike through forested mountains, or make your way down to the beach, where there are some cool rocks which form natural swimming holes, as well as beaches further down for sunbathers and swimmers. Important to note: a railway passes right through here, so you have to exercise extreme caution when going down to the water. In most places, there aren’t any other warnings than the track itself, and believe me, this railway is used. Most engineers seem to blow their whistle often when passing through this stretch, but you can never be too careful with trains. After a day at the beach, keep taking the road into Bellingham, just a few miles or so more. Bellingham is a beautiful coastal Washington city (the location of Washington State University, and home of Death Cab for Cutie.) It has some cool restaurants and bars, as well as a relaxed, eclectic atmosphere.
You’ll get to Blaine, Washington, by following I-5 all the way to the end, right to the Canadian border. Blaine is a small town that sits right on the water. The water views are really beautiful, and there’s something cool about being so near to the border (maybe it’s just me.) The “Peace Arch Park” is right there, which is a grassy park created to celebrate the benevolent relationship between Canada and the USA. Due to the proximity to the border, watch your speed- there are patrol cars everywhere. If you do decide to cross the border, Vancouver and Victoria are both just about an hour or so away. Vancouver is a gorgeous city, which reminds me a lot of Seattle, but I hate to admit that in a lot of ways, it’s even prettier. (Maybe it’s the novelty, or the fact that the city center is a giant waterfront park.) Victoria has one of the world’s most beautiful botanical gardens, the Buchardt Gardens. Border tips: have both your driver’s license, and a social security card, passport, and/or birth certificate. They might let you through without it, but sometime they will give you a hard time on the way back, or vice versa, depending on who is working the booths. And watch out for the switch from miles to kilometers.
Since you’re already so far up north, don’t return without checking out Birch Bay, a state park located just south of Blaine. You can camp here, if you like, or just walk along the nice pebbly beaches. (Note: once you are out of Seattle, leashed dogs are allowed on beaches in most areas of coastal Washington. Just be sure to scoop up after them.) This is yet another spot where the Washington coastline makes you draw in your breath at the exquisite beauty. If you’re lucky, you might see a blue heron, or a bald eagle.
If you have a day, do not miss the Scenic Cascade Loop, a driving tour best done in the middle of summer (even then, there’s tell tale traces of snow, though it’s on the mountains and not all over the road.) It is closed off during the bulk of the winter, so don’t even bother. The Mount Baker National Forest is so amazing to hike through, so definitely bring your camera. Drive all the way up the ski area and hike around (again, during the summer, unless you are there to ski- which is also great here.) There’s a trail called the “Chain Lake Trail,” which is easy going, but still very pretty. It takes you over some rocky alpine bridges, past crystal clear bodies of water, with snowy mountain back drops. Once you get out of sight from the ski lift equipment, you’ll feel like you’re in some remote area of the alps. Again, the trail is quite flat, and well maintained. If you’re up for something more challenging, there are plenty of steeper trails, or you can join the serious mountaineers, who are always up there with their snow shoeing equipment.
Now, if you don’t feel like taking a freeway, try driving east on old highway 2, towards Skykomish. After you go through Monroe (very cool historic downtown,) you’ll pass through the tiny, historic towns of Goldbar and Startup. Watch out for the tiny roadside “Wayside Chapel.” It might look like a white outhouse at first. But no. Note the prim cross on the tiny steeple roof. As the sign says “Stop. Rest. Worship (no facilities.)” The highway will take you through misty fields, mountains with thick green foliage, and past the Skykomish river. Keep driving until you go past Steven’s pass (ski area) and hit the turn off on old cascade highway route 67 towards the Iron Goat trailhead. This is one of Washington’s greatest trail ways, in the Stevens Pass historic area, where the Great Northern Railway used to run. Not only will you see beautiful views from this trail way, you will also see rail history. There are remnants of tunnels, snow shed coverings, and often, a pot or piece of machinery nearly grown over as the wilderness begins to reclaim the area where the now abandoned railroad once stood. The trail is about 6 miles long, and ends at the other trailhead at Wellington. It is like a walking wilderness tour through a history museum, and there are plenty of signs at destination points with interesting facts. It is a really unique experience.
If you keep driving highway 2, you’ll eventually get to Leavenworth, which is a shock to those unprepared for it. You’re in the middle of wilderness, and all of a sudden, you’re in the middle of a Bavarian village! No kidding, everything in the riverside town of Leavenworth is built in Bavarian style architecture – even the McDonalds and the gas stations. Walking around the tourist friendly town is fun, especially in the summer. There are some cute little shops, and they have some of the most well taken care of hanging pots of flowers you’ll ever see. Just outside of town, you can drive through rolling Washington vineyards, and check out some of the local fruit stand- which typically have wine tasting, too.
Now, if you decide that neither north nor east is the direction for you, try going south on I-5 towards Portland. Keep going all the way to the Washington/Oregon border to the city of Vancouver, Washington. This is Washington’s oldest town, and the former site of Fort Vancouver, the largest western fort at one time. There is now a historical preservation for the history buff. Or you can check out the beautiful views of the Columbia River, which is what defines the border between the two states. If you get bored, go check out Portland: it’s just across the river.
While I would recommend an entire day for this one, if you can, go see the Olympic Peninsula. From Seattle, you can take a ferry across the water to Port Townsend. Or you can drive 1-5 south, through the Tacoma Narrows, until you hit Highway 101. 101 will take you on a loop around the peninsula. The Olympic Peninsula is the country’s only temperate rainforest. Accordingly, prepare yourself for overcast weather and rain. Still, the trip is worth it. Try taking 101 to the turn off for 112, which will take you to Neah Bay, the westernmost point of the Continental United States. This winding road is lovely, but tedious. Along the way, you’ll see lonely, desolate beaches, and possibly even whales breaching. The last time I was there, there was a whole pod of Orcas in the water just off the road. This drive is infamous for bald eagle spotting (although you never see one if you go in expecting toâÂ?¦) 112 takes you all the way to the nation of the Makahs. These native peoples are known for their historic ties with the sea. The town recently added a large marina, and there are one or two places to stop for food. Drive to the Cape Flattery Trail, which is a short (Ã?¾ mile or so) boardwalk trail (although the planks are slippery in the constant rain, and the parts of the trail that dirt will be muddy. Wear you worst clothes.) You’ve driven a long time to get here, but the view at the end of this trail defies description. It is so beautiful- it really needs to be seen, as words can’t really do it any justice. There are tropical paradises, and then I guess there are temperate ones.
That being said, the Olympic Peninsula isn’t what I recommend for a light-hearted day at the beach, especially when you venture away from the small towns. The weather, the poverty of some of the people living in the more remote areas, and the thick, judgelike vegetation all contribute to feelings of loneliness. This is a good place to go for those that are in an introspective mood. Go with somebody, and try not to be on the road at night, as the windiness and the rain can make conditions difficult. Also, make sure to get gas before evening, as there aren’t many stations, and these close at night.
