From famous sights in Seattle to scenic islands, bays and parks, Washington State is home to many beautiful places to visit. Plan a weekend trip to Spokane, Vancouver, Leavenworth, Ellensburg, Walla Walla and other unique towns surrounded by vineyards and stunning scenery.
Best place for a beach vacation: Relax on the Kitsap Peninsula
The Kitsap Peninsula on the Puget Sound is surrounded by 236 miles of coastline, dotted with over twenty coastal towns and villages, making it an ideal area to visit for a beach holiday. Not only will you have a wide selection of beach activities such as sailing, scuba diving, kayaking, and fishing to enjoy, but the entire area is also steeped in history and there are many interesting historic places to visit should you tire of the beach.
What to do:
- Explore the walking trails along the Hansville Greenway
- Picnic on the shores of Buck Lake
Where to Stay:
- Book a room at The Eagle Harbor Inn
- Check into The Marshall Suites
Best for active families: Plan a weekend in Spokane
Spokane offers a diverse selection of activities for weekend visitors, including many outdoor attractions as well as a small but select number of cultural activities. Riverfront Park lies at the heart of Spokane, covering over 100 acres and encompassing the sensational Spokane Falls. You can enjoy visiting all the park attractions on foot or get a great aerial view from the Spokane Falls Skyride.
Plan ahead for these Spokane Events:
- Bloomsday Run - Sunday, May 4th, 2025
- Spokane Lilac Festival - May 10 – 17, 2025
- Spokane Hoopfest - June 28-29, 2025
- Pigout in the Park
Best for nature enthusiasts: Go cycling in Port Angeles
Situated in the heart of Washington State's beautiful Olympic Peninsula, Port Angeles has something special to offer every visitor. Energetic visitors can enjoy a variety of active holiday pursuits such as ocean and lake kayaking, mountain biking and paddle boarding - lessons and equipment on site. Go cycling along the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Things to do:
- Explore the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center & Webster's Woods
- Visit the Fiero Marine Life Center on the waterfront
Go on a whale watching tour in Port Townsend
Head to Port Townsend to enjoy fresh sea air, beaches and boating, and some of the popular activities include exciting whale watching tours with the Puget Sound Express, and various other maritime wildlife excursions.
Plan ahead for these Port Townsend events:
- Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival July 27-August 3, 2025
- Wooden Boat Festival from September 5- 7, 2025
Enjoy wine tasting in Walla Walla
The picturesque Walla Walla Valley is best known as a premier wine growing region, home to over 150 wineries, but the town of Walla Wall is equally enticing.
Things to do:
- Take the kids to the Children's Museum of Walla Walla
- Visit Fort Walla Walla Park
- Enjoy the Outdoor Sculpture Walk of Whitman College (pdf)
Take a day trip to family-friendly Kirkland
Kirkland's scenic position on the shores of Lake Washington ensures a great selection of activities for the whole family.
Escape to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island
Regardless of whether you are looking for a quite weekend getaway or are seeking history, culture and shopping, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island fits the bill. Whale watching, island hopping, kayaking tours and charter fishing are all very popular activities and there are several tour operators vying for your business.
Feel like you've been transported to Europe in Leavenworth
Leavenworth is like a little piece of Bavaria that has been relocated to the center of Washington State, complete with scenic mountains, forests and distinctive Bavarian food.
Pick fruit and berries in Yakima Valley
Yakima Valley in the heart of Washington State is blessed with great sunny weather, superb scenery and some of the best agricultural land in the state, and produces huge amounts of apples, hops and superb wines.
Spend a weekend in Seattle
Bustling and scenic Seattle has such an enormous variety of attractions that weekend visitors will have to do some serious prioritizing to make the most of every minute. Start your visit at the Sky View Observatory or the Space Needle, both of which offer incredible views of the city and the surrounding islands and mountains.
Plan ahead for these Seattle events:
- Northwest Chocolate Festival - October 4 - 6, 2024
- New Year’s at the Needle
- Seattle Museum Month in February
- Seattle International Film Festival in April
- Northwest Folklife Festival in May
- Seattle PrideFest in June
- Seafair Summer Fourth on Friday, July 4, 2025
- Boeing Seafair Air Show in the summer
Enjoy a relaxing weekend in Ellensburg
Situated in the heart of Washington State, Ellensburg is an ideal weekend getaway destination with an amazing variety of activities to suit all interests. The town is famous for the Ellensburg Rodeo held each year on the Labor Day weekend, but great weather has made Ellensburg a popular center for outdoor activities such as water-skiing on the Columbia River, rafting, golf, fishing and a variety of snow sports in winter. Check out the annual Ellensburg Winterhop Brewfest.
Take in amazing views in Gig Harbor
Gig Harbor is a small town on the shore of Gig Harbor Bay on Puget Sound in Washington.
Plan an active family vacation to Bellingham
Surrounded by the waterways of Puget Sound, Bellingham has developed a strong reputation as a destination for paddlers, but also offers a diversity of cultural and artistic pursuits.
Plan ahead for these Bellingham Events:
- Ski to Sea - May 25, 2025
- Bellingham SeaFeast - Saturday & Sunday
October 5 & 6, 2024
- Fairhaven Winterfest - from late November to late December
- Whatcom Cultural Arts Festival
Enjoy a couples' getaway to Bellevue
Bellevue is situated just across Lake Washington from Seattle and is an ideal weekend getaway destination offering a selection of family activities.
Bellevue is a quick 20 min day trip from Seattle (10.4 miles via I-90 E).
Learn all about glass art in Tacoma
Tacoma is beautifully situated along the banks of Puget Sound, offering a remarkably scenic backdrop to a modern city with an emphasis on the arts. Tacoma is famous for glass art, and at the Museum of Glass you can learn all about the art of glass blowing and see the amazing Chihuly Bridge of Glass created by local glass artist Dale Chihuly.
Learn about local history in Vancouver
Beautiful Vancouver is one of the oldest cities in Washington State, dating back to the early 1800's, and it has a treat in store for all nature lovers (video) and anyone interested in pioneer history. Don't miss the 4 Days of Aloha festival from July 24 - 27, 2025.
Take a day trip to Bainbridge Island just 35 minutes west of Seattle
Bainbridge Island is situated just 35 minutes west of Seattle (via the Washington State Ferry from Pier 52), making it the ideal destination for a weekend or day trip out of the city, offering many unique things to see and do.
Explore North Cascades National Park
Escape to North Cascades National Park for an outdoor adventure beyond your expectations.
Head to the beach in Point Roberts
Point Roberts is unique in that it is the only little chunk of the USA that is only accessible through Canada, and you will need the necessary identification documents to cross the border. Point Roberts offers visitors the ideal destination for a laid-back beach holiday with plenty of outdoor attractions to keep you busy from dawn to dusk.
See the lavender fields in Sequim
Sequim is one of the Olympic Peninsula's most beautiful small towns, known for its unique dry and sunny climate despite its proximity to nearby temperate rainforest areas. The gorgeous Clallam County town is surrounded by beautiful Douglas fir, western red cedar, and Garry oak forest areas and is known worldwide for its commercial production of lavender. Annual special events include the Sequim Lavender Weekend, held each year during July.
Enjoy the Norwegian character of Poulsbo
Poulsbo is a charming small town in Kitsap County, known as the Pacific Northwest's "Little Norway" for its Scandinavian heritage, which dates back to its founding by Be sure to check out the Viking Fest the 3rd weekend of May.
Get to know Olympic National Park
Olympic National Park offers you the rare opportunity to explore and camp in nearly one million acres of lush and pristine wilderness.
Escape to scenic Orcas Island
Orcas Island offers visitors a charming blend of cute villages, beautiful rural landscape, picture-perfect seascapes, beaches, water sports and a generous helping of the arts.
Explore the charming towns on Skagit Valley
Washington's lovely Skagit Valley is situated in a wonderfully scenic area between Puget Sound and the Cascade Mountains. The four very charming rural towns in the valley include La Conner, Mount Vernon, Bow and Burlington. Be sure to check out the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in the Spring.
There are some delightfully original shops and galleries you can visit in the Skagit Valley towns and the valley hosts several annual festivals including the Upper Skagit Bald Eagle Festival in January, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in April and the Skagit Valley Highland Games in July.
Take the scenic ferry to Vashon Island, Washington
Vashon Island occupies an enviable position nestled in the midst of Puget Sound, about half-way between Seattle and Tacoma. The 20 minute ferry crossing offers outstanding views of the Seattle skyline, but Vashon Island has more than just good views to offer visitors.Vashon Island hosts a fun Strawberry Festival each year in July where you can taste everything remotely related to strawberries and join in the parade.
