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Tours in Seattle |
For a Half Day
Local islands: For foot passengers, Washington State Ferries depart from Pier 50 eight times a day to Vashon Island, located 16km (10 miles) southwest of downtown Seattle (journey time - 35 minutes). The island is still considered ‘counter-culture' in that it has resisted suburbanisation and is home to many artists. The ferry also lands at Southworth, at the top of the Kitsap Peninsula. The ferry from Pier 52 takes cars to Vashon, as well as Bremerton, situated approximately 32km (20 miles) west of Seattle and home to the Naval Museum of the Pacific (tel: (360) 479 7447; website: www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1157719). The museum is open Monday to Saturday 1000-1600 and Sunday 1300-1600. Admission is free. The historic destroyer USS Turner Joy is located right next to the Bremerton ferry docks.
Bainbridge Island, some 16km (10 miles) west of downtown Seattle, is also accessible from Seattle within 35 minutes, has its own winery and is a great place for biking. From there, it is an easy half-hour jaunt to the historic town of Winslow, one of Greater Seattle's antique capitals. Ferry information is available from Washington State Ferries (tel: (206) 464 6400; website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries). Private speedboats from Yarrow Bay Marina (tel: (425) 822 6066; website: www.yarrowbaymarina.com) take passengers from the city centre's Lake Union to Lake Washington, home to many of Seattle's wealthiest residents.
Snoqualmie Falls: Approximately 24km (15 miles) east of Bellevue, just off I-90, these dramatic 82m (268ft) falls are perched on a rock precipice near the town of North Bend. North Bend was the setting for the quirky television series Twin Peaks, and many scenes took place in the Salish Lodge, beside the falls. Snoqualmie Falls makes a pleasant bike trip or picnic destination. The Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce (tel: (425) 888 4440; website: www.snovalley.org) can provide information.
Wine and brew country: The Chateau Ste-Michelle Winery, 14111 NE 145th Street (tel: (425) 415 3600 or 1 800 267 6793; website: www.ste-michelle.com), in Woodinville, 24km (15 miles) east or a half-hour drive from the centre of Seattle, is an impressive French-style chateau with landscaped grounds perfect for picnicking and sampling the locally produced wine. The winery is open daily 1000-1700, with a free tour with free pre-selected wine tasting. Opposite Ste-Michelle, Redhook Brewery, 14300 NE 145th Street (tel: (425) 483 3232; website: www.redhook.com), offers daily tours, including beer samples. Gray Line (see Tours of the City) organises bus tours here. Nearby, the Columbia Winery, 14030 NE 145th Street (tel: (425) 482 7490 or 1 800 488 2347; website: www.columbiawinery.com), offers free tours on the weekend 1000-1800.
For a Whole Day
Olympic National Park: The Olympic Peninsula (tel: (360) 565 3130; website: www.nps.gov/olym), which separates Seattle from the Pacific, covers nearly 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) and 97km (60 miles) of coast, with a haunting rainforest near Lake Quinault. The far northwest corner of the region is home to the Makah Cultural and Research Center, Bayview Avenue, at Neah Bay (tel: (360) 645 2201; website: www.makah.com), as well as windswept Pacific beaches. The centre is open daily 1000-1700 (last weekend in May to mid September) and is closed on Monday and Tuesday during the rest of the year. The park includes the glacier-studded Olympic Mountains, rainforests, lakes and streams. Route 101 encircles the park and can be reached from Seattle by Black Ball Transport ferry (tel: (206) 283 4400; website www.cohoferry.com) across Puget Bay to Port Angeles (journey time - 3 hours).
Mt Rainier National Park: Located 144km (90 miles) to the southeast of Seattle, Mt Rainier National Park (tel: (360) 569 2211; website: www.nps.gov/mora) is one of five national parks founded in the 19th century, making it one of the USA's oldest. It was created to preserve one of the country's most spectacular scenic wonders, the snow-capped volcano known as Tahcoma to Native Americans in the past and as Mt Rainier today. At 4,392m (14,410ft), it is one of the region's tallest peaks. The 94,245 hectares (235,612 acres) of park also contain mountain ranges, glaciers, rivers, deep forests, lush meadows covered with wildflowers during the summer and around 500km (300 miles) of trails. Although there are provisions for skiing and other winter sports, 96% of the park is classified as wilderness.
Access is from the I-90 east from Seattle to Highway 202, the main entrances being on Highway 706 near Ashford or Highway 410 near Enumclaw. The mountain road ends at the aptly named village of Paradise, which has a visitor centre and historic lodge. The Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center (tel: (360) 569 2211, ext. 2328; website: www.nps.gov/mora) is open May to October. Every year, thousands of climbers begin their long trudge to the summit from here. Gray Line and Seattle City Tours (see Tours of the City) offer 10-hour bus tours of the park, leaving every morning, May to September, from downtown Seattle.
San Juan Islands: Located in the northwest corner of Washington State, the San Juan Islands stretch from the coast off Seattle north to Vancouver. The largest are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw, all served by the Washington State Ferry System. The islands contain miles of stunning, unspoiled beaches, various marine facilities, state parks and primeval forests, fishing, camping, cycling and picnicking opportunities, as well as many Native American heritage sites. Friday Harbor (website: www.friday-harbor.net), on San Juan Island, is a prosperous fishing town and now a popular dock for yachts and other pleasure boats. There is a whale spotting point at Lime Kiln Park. Moran State Park, on Orcas, is home to Mt Constitution, the highest point in the islands. It also contains three lakes. The film Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) was set in the islands.
Boats to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, British Columbia, in Canada, leave from Pier 48 during the summer and Pier 69 all year round. The four-hour excursion to Tillicum Village, on Blake Island, offers a cruise of the harbour and a taste of Pacific Northwest crafts, traditional dance and a salmon buffet in a cedar longhouse. Tillicum Village Tours (tel: (206) 933 8600 or 1 800 426 1205; website: www.tillicumvillage.com) depart from Pier 55-56. Kenmore Air (tel: (425) 486 1257 or 1 866 435 9524; website: www.kenmoreair.com) runs scheduled and charter seaplane services to Victoria (Canada), the San Juan Islands and other destinations. Washington State Tourism (tel: 1 800 544 1800; website: www.experiencewashington.com) can provide further information.
Local islands: For foot passengers, Washington State Ferries depart from Pier 50 eight times a day to Vashon Island, located 16km (10 miles) southwest of downtown Seattle (journey time - 35 minutes). The island is still considered ‘counter-culture' in that it has resisted suburbanisation and is home to many artists. The ferry also lands at Southworth, at the top of the Kitsap Peninsula. The ferry from Pier 52 takes cars to Vashon, as well as Bremerton, situated approximately 32km (20 miles) west of Seattle and home to the Naval Museum of the Pacific (tel: (360) 479 7447; website: www.museumsusa.org/museums/info/1157719). The museum is open Monday to Saturday 1000-1600 and Sunday 1300-1600. Admission is free. The historic destroyer USS Turner Joy is located right next to the Bremerton ferry docks.
Bainbridge Island, some 16km (10 miles) west of downtown Seattle, is also accessible from Seattle within 35 minutes, has its own winery and is a great place for biking. From there, it is an easy half-hour jaunt to the historic town of Winslow, one of Greater Seattle's antique capitals. Ferry information is available from Washington State Ferries (tel: (206) 464 6400; website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries). Private speedboats from Yarrow Bay Marina (tel: (425) 822 6066; website: www.yarrowbaymarina.com) take passengers from the city centre's Lake Union to Lake Washington, home to many of Seattle's wealthiest residents.
Snoqualmie Falls: Approximately 24km (15 miles) east of Bellevue, just off I-90, these dramatic 82m (268ft) falls are perched on a rock precipice near the town of North Bend. North Bend was the setting for the quirky television series Twin Peaks, and many scenes took place in the Salish Lodge, beside the falls. Snoqualmie Falls makes a pleasant bike trip or picnic destination. The Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce (tel: (425) 888 4440; website: www.snovalley.org) can provide information.
Wine and brew country: The Chateau Ste-Michelle Winery, 14111 NE 145th Street (tel: (425) 415 3600 or 1 800 267 6793; website: www.ste-michelle.com), in Woodinville, 24km (15 miles) east or a half-hour drive from the centre of Seattle, is an impressive French-style chateau with landscaped grounds perfect for picnicking and sampling the locally produced wine. The winery is open daily 1000-1700, with a free tour with free pre-selected wine tasting. Opposite Ste-Michelle, Redhook Brewery, 14300 NE 145th Street (tel: (425) 483 3232; website: www.redhook.com), offers daily tours, including beer samples. Gray Line (see Tours of the City) organises bus tours here. Nearby, the Columbia Winery, 14030 NE 145th Street (tel: (425) 482 7490 or 1 800 488 2347; website: www.columbiawinery.com), offers free tours on the weekend 1000-1800.
For a Whole Day
Olympic National Park: The Olympic Peninsula (tel: (360) 565 3130; website: www.nps.gov/olym), which separates Seattle from the Pacific, covers nearly 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) and 97km (60 miles) of coast, with a haunting rainforest near Lake Quinault. The far northwest corner of the region is home to the Makah Cultural and Research Center, Bayview Avenue, at Neah Bay (tel: (360) 645 2201; website: www.makah.com), as well as windswept Pacific beaches. The centre is open daily 1000-1700 (last weekend in May to mid September) and is closed on Monday and Tuesday during the rest of the year. The park includes the glacier-studded Olympic Mountains, rainforests, lakes and streams. Route 101 encircles the park and can be reached from Seattle by Black Ball Transport ferry (tel: (206) 283 4400; website www.cohoferry.com) across Puget Bay to Port Angeles (journey time - 3 hours).
Mt Rainier National Park: Located 144km (90 miles) to the southeast of Seattle, Mt Rainier National Park (tel: (360) 569 2211; website: www.nps.gov/mora) is one of five national parks founded in the 19th century, making it one of the USA's oldest. It was created to preserve one of the country's most spectacular scenic wonders, the snow-capped volcano known as Tahcoma to Native Americans in the past and as Mt Rainier today. At 4,392m (14,410ft), it is one of the region's tallest peaks. The 94,245 hectares (235,612 acres) of park also contain mountain ranges, glaciers, rivers, deep forests, lush meadows covered with wildflowers during the summer and around 500km (300 miles) of trails. Although there are provisions for skiing and other winter sports, 96% of the park is classified as wilderness.
Access is from the I-90 east from Seattle to Highway 202, the main entrances being on Highway 706 near Ashford or Highway 410 near Enumclaw. The mountain road ends at the aptly named village of Paradise, which has a visitor centre and historic lodge. The Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center (tel: (360) 569 2211, ext. 2328; website: www.nps.gov/mora) is open May to October. Every year, thousands of climbers begin their long trudge to the summit from here. Gray Line and Seattle City Tours (see Tours of the City) offer 10-hour bus tours of the park, leaving every morning, May to September, from downtown Seattle.
San Juan Islands: Located in the northwest corner of Washington State, the San Juan Islands stretch from the coast off Seattle north to Vancouver. The largest are San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw, all served by the Washington State Ferry System. The islands contain miles of stunning, unspoiled beaches, various marine facilities, state parks and primeval forests, fishing, camping, cycling and picnicking opportunities, as well as many Native American heritage sites. Friday Harbor (website: www.friday-harbor.net), on San Juan Island, is a prosperous fishing town and now a popular dock for yachts and other pleasure boats. There is a whale spotting point at Lime Kiln Park. Moran State Park, on Orcas, is home to Mt Constitution, the highest point in the islands. It also contains three lakes. The film Snow Falling on Cedars (1999) was set in the islands.
Boats to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, British Columbia, in Canada, leave from Pier 48 during the summer and Pier 69 all year round. The four-hour excursion to Tillicum Village, on Blake Island, offers a cruise of the harbour and a taste of Pacific Northwest crafts, traditional dance and a salmon buffet in a cedar longhouse. Tillicum Village Tours (tel: (206) 933 8600 or 1 800 426 1205; website: www.tillicumvillage.com) depart from Pier 55-56. Kenmore Air (tel: (425) 486 1257 or 1 866 435 9524; website: www.kenmoreair.com) runs scheduled and charter seaplane services to Victoria (Canada), the San Juan Islands and other destinations. Washington State Tourism (tel: 1 800 544 1800; website: www.experiencewashington.com) can provide further information.
View Our Airport Guides for Seattle:
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
