3 WEEKEND TRIPS FROM SEATTLE

 Seattle is a gem in of itself, but you can see a lot of the city in a few days. If you're wanting to venture out and see more of the beautiful state of Washington, these are 3 weekend trips from Seattle that are well-worth it! (Also get ready for a ton of photos)

First on our list is Suncadia, which is in Cle Elum. It's about an hour and a half drive from the city (so you could go for a day-trip as well). Alex, Cooper and I went here in June and it was such a perfect trip (even during Covid). We stayed at the Lodge at the end of the street. You can also rent condos/Airbnb's

Things to do in and around Suncadia:

1) If you're a golfer, Suncadia is your heaven. There are four golf courses and a driving range

2) Cle Elum Lake--20 minutes from Suncadia and fun to paddleboard, kayak, and swim

3) Trail running/walking/biking; there are trails everywhere around Suncadia. You can explore for hours

4) Walk down to the river; there are "stairs of death" behind the Lodge down to the Cle Elum river. I will tell you now, there are a lot of stairs and it's a great workout! However, once you get to the river you can float, play or fish! Alex loves fishing and did some fly fishing on this river

5) Cooper Lake--40 minutes from Suncadia. This is a small, mountain lake that is just breathtaking! There are camping spots along the river and it is a serene place to fish and play in the water

6) Walk downtown Rosalyn--cute (delicious) restaurants and shops

Second on this list is Whidbey Island. I came here as a kid to Fort Casey either for soccer tournaments or our fifth grade overnight camp. So many fun memories. Whidbey Island is easy to get to by ferry from Mukilteo or you can drive around through Deception Pass. They take almost the same amount of time if they ferry is crowded. The island is quite large and there are a lot of fun activities to do for all ages! We went with some great friends of ours. 

Things to do on Whidbey Island: 

1) Fort Casey--As I mentioned above, this is such a fun place to visit for everyone. It is an old military base that still have cannons, bunkers, and switchboards to walk around. There are open fields, places to eat lunch, and go to the beach as well

2) Driftwood beach--You will find washed up driftwood at most beaches here so it's fun to make forts or just play around

3) Berry picking--Like most places in Washington, the fruit game here is strong. There are wild blackberries during blackberry season all over the island. We were lucky enough to pick some on our daily walks

4) Whidbey Island Ice Cream--this place was worth mentioning, it's that good!

5) Mukilteo Ferry--Half of the fun going to Islands is riding the ferry! It's about a 20-minute ride; enough time to walk up on deck and be outside for a little bit

6) Deception Pass--We chose to drive home this way and so glad we did! Deception pass is beautiful. You can walk along the bridge and go down to the beach. The water is the clearest blue color!

7) Hike along the bluffs--not mentioning any hike in particular but there are beautiful spots along the coast of the island that you can hike and see views of other islands/the water. Just breathtaking.

Last place on our list is Port Townsend and Sequim. I have been here multiple times and it is one of my favorite places in all of Washington! First, you get to take the ferry over, which by this point you know I love. (sidenote: this is a great ferry to take for just a daytrip. It leaves from Edmonds and goes to Kingston--a quaint town). There is a lot to discover in these areas and the adventure is endless.

Things to do in Port Townsend and Sequim:

1) Walk downtown Port Townsend--Shops, restaurants on and off the water that are excellent, or you can take your meal to go and sit by the water

2) Port Townsend Light House--Cute, old light house by the rocky beach (note: this is a state park so you do have to pay)

3) Olympic Game Farm--if you're going to do one thing, do this. One of the funnest experiences ever. You drive through an animal farm and the animals come right up to your car. You get to feed them bread and pet them. And it's not just horses or deer but also zebras and buffalo. There is another area where there are caged animals--bears, lions, tigers, etc.

4) Fat Smitty's--Fun burger joint on the side of the road in Sequim. It is custom to hang dollar bills from the ceiling and wall.

5) Purple Haze Lavender Farm--Open from May to September, this is a beautiful place to visit. There are fields of lavender, a flower garden, and a chicken coop for kids to see

6) Whale watching day trip--There are multiple companies that will take you throughout the San Juan to see whales. Usually a 4-hour trip and almost a guarantee to see whales or you get your money back.

I hope you enjoy these trips! All so unique but beautiful areas! Happy vacation.

xoxo,

kay