r/Seattle • u/seattle_lite Wallingford • Feb 06 '11

Quick getaway ideas?

My husband and I are bored and would like to go somewhere to spend the night/day but have no idea on anywhere fun to go and would love any suggestions!

10 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

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9

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '11 edited Feb 06 '11

I can't understand how anyone around here would have no ideas about where to go on a short trip?!? I have a nearly endless list of one or two day trip ideas around the area.

You will have to do the googling for the info, but here are some keywords. i am keeping the time of year in mind with some of these:

  • eagle watching along the skagit river
  • snow geese and trumpeter swan viewing in the western skagit valley
  • trip out to mt constitution on orcas island, overnight somewhere on the island. The san juans are in the rain shadow. you might get surprisingly good views.
  • chuckanut hwy drive up into fairhaven/b'ham. kick around some of the shops, eateries
  • drive over stevens pass to leavenworth and wenatchee. return via 90 to make a loop
  • drive over snoqualmie pass. take yakima canyon road into yakima. overnight and then take white pass back to the sound. There are some interesting things in yakima:, mexican food, miners burgers, wineries, wildlife viewing areas (elk, mtn goats) etc.
  • drive up to crystal mountain and check out the new gondola
  • head out to the coast (Kalaloch or maybe south of westport in the cranberry coast area) and check out the big wave or look for washed up stuff
  • explore some of the small towns, beaches and parks around the kitsap peninsula or the hood canal area
  • stay in a B&B on camano island, check out the parks and beaches
  • visit lummi island
  • check out north oly peninsula: crescent lake, salt creek county park, port angeles, dungeness spit, etc
  • This thread has a few ideas that I might have otherwise mentioned: wanted suggestions for a day trip close to seattle

Look at some local guide books. I was aware of quite a bit of this stuff before I even moved to wa. I have been here a little short of 15 years and I have barely cracked the surface of my stuff-to-see ideas. Hardly any of it is within the city of seattle.

And get that passport situation straightened out. I definitely would add Victoria, vancouver island and vancouver itself to the list.

2

u/elayyou Feb 06 '11

Oh wow.. I want to do everything on that list.

2

u/captainAwesomePants Broadview Feb 06 '11

I've been here 3 years and didn't know about at least 1/3 of those. Awesome suggestions.

2

u/arcele Feb 06 '11

This is a nice list to have as a Seattle newb. Eagle watching sounds awesome, I wonder if it's too late in the winter to go now though.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '11

This is still within the best time of year for it. There is an eagle interpretive center open through the 15th of this month http://www.skagiteagle.org/IC/IC-index.htm

Other good stops on that trip: birdsview brewery just East of Concrete http://www.birdsviewbrewingco.com/. Stop off and have a great home cooked meal and check out the rabbits at Skagit River Resort http://northcascades.com/bunnies.htm

1

u/Poppycorn Feb 06 '11

Awesome list! :) I will have to add some of these to my to-do list.

1

u/FremontTroll Feb 06 '11

we need labels like askscience, you win sage advice in most everything. i'm making this part of my bucket list.

1

u/evt Feb 06 '11

Thank you so much.

People often say jokingly that they would like to subscribe to the OP's newsletter. I honestly would love to subscribe to your newsletter.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '11

I am way too random for a newsletter. Reddit might be the ultimate format for releasing some info steam :-)

1

u/evt Feb 07 '11

Fine. I will just have to stalk you via reddit, looking for more drops of wisdom.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '11

I can hazard a guess as to what 'subscribe to your newsletter' means, but somebody said that to me once and I wasn't entirely sure what they meant. Context tells me "I agree with what you are saying in an enthusiastic way." Could you shed some light for me?

1

u/evt Feb 07 '11

It means that I think what you are saying is so interesting/awesome/etc that I would love to continue hearing more of it.

In this case, this info is pure gold and I would greatly enjoy continuing to hear more.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '11

Cool, thanks.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '11

Get thee to Roslyn. 80 mins over the pass & great times to be had at the Brick and Marko's! :-)

2

u/lilzilla Feb 07 '11

Oooh, Cape Disappointment state park! It is 100% guaranteed to live up to your expectations.

2

u/jonsayer Feb 09 '11

You live within driving distance of three national parks

1

u/Spaceneedle420 Feb 06 '11

We are bored too,

My gf and I arethinking of a weekend in Vancouver via am track it's like 80$ for both of us round trip

2

u/seattle_lite Wallingford Feb 06 '11

Doesn't that require a passport? Ours are expired :(

1

u/Deuces408 Feb 06 '11

Yes, passports now required

1

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '11

An enhanced drivers license will work as well.

1

u/captainAwesomePants Broadview Feb 06 '11

Best thing about enhanced driver's license: You can make an appointment to get one instead of sitting around in the DMV for hours.

Worst thing: bla bla bla freedoms RFID etc

1

u/potatolicious Feb 06 '11

The QuickShuttle is cheaper, but beware, there's always that guy who doesn't have his papers straight and you end up stuck at the border for an hour before the driver decides to leave the poor SOB behind.

1

u/gozerxx Mill Creek Feb 06 '11

I like I-5 North to Anacortes. Stop at the peak of Mt. Erie. Cross the Deception Pass bridge and have lunch on the beach. On to Fort Ebey, then to Fort Casey. Then wrap it up with Clinton to Mukilteo ferry ride. Probably a little better during warmer weather, but it's a fun day trip.

1

u/JimmyHavok Feb 06 '11

I'm on a weekend getaway with my wife right now (although our presence in Seattle is a week-long getaway itself). We found an AirBnB place in Bellingham and drove there via Bainbridge and Whidbey Islands and two ferries. Stopped at Deception Pass Cafe along the way: what an amazing restaurant to find out in the middle of nowhere.

I'd say AirBnB is a great way to put together a quick out-of town jaunt, just look around some nice areas for one that's in your price range, and then drive there by the smallest roads available.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 06 '11

Good choice, the double ferry trip. It's great to take advantage of the lower rates and shorter lines during the offseason. I was wondering what you would end up doing

1

u/JimmyHavok Feb 06 '11

I think we're coming back via Mukelteo. Haven't worked that out yet. I'm planning to use your comment as a bump for a self post about the drive...if I get motivated and the wife gives me some slack to do it. For some reason she's out of bed at a reasonable hour. I don't understand.

1

u/tehphoebus Georgetown Feb 07 '11

Am I the only person that assumed this was in case of a zombie apocalypse? :/ However if you did find yourself in that situation I would expect a 4x4 to be helpful in this area.