Seattle Self Drive Tours
Get more from your Seattle self drive with this suggested Seattle fly drive tour.
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Suggested Self Drive Tour Itinerary For Seattle
Day 1 Seattle Arrival
Today, arrive in Seattle, pick up your rental car and proceed independently to your hotel.Hotel: Best Western Executive Inn
Day 2 Seattle - Leavenworth
Distance: 120 milesExplore the "Emerald City" famous for its Space Needle, its delicious coffee, its computer industry, and its cutting edge music scene. In the afternoon travel over Stevens Pass to Leavenworth, the Bavarian Village, to enjoy typical European hospitality in the heart of Washington State. Enjoy a brief visit to the Pioneer Village and Museum, or spend time walking among original pioneer homes, now gathered in a beautiful village green setting amid the backdrop of the Cascade foothills. Overnight in Leavenworth.
Hotel: Best Western Icicle Inn
Day 3 Leavenworth - Chelan - Winthrop
Distance: 120 MilesTake a walk to Front Street in Leavenworth, where you are free to wonder the streets, pop in to the many stores and discover what over 2 millions visitors a year find so attractive about this Bavarian Village in Washington State. In the afternoon, travel along highway 2 and Hwy. 97-A towards Winthrop, and enjoy the many stops at Applets & Cotlets Candy Factory in Cashmere, Ohme Gardens in Wenatchee and Rocky Reach Dam. You will also have the opportunity to stop for a lunch and visit Lake Chelan Recreation Area Continue on to Methow Valley area and the small country and western town of Winthrop. Relieve the Old West and browse the old-fashioned streetlights, or enjoy the many outdoor activities - horseback riding, mountain biking, river rafting, hiking and fishing.
Hotel: Best Western Cascade Inn
Day 4 Winthrop - Bellingham
Distance: 150 MilesDrive northwest via the Northern Scenic Highway, over Hwy. 20 to I-5 North towards Bellingham. A free tape providing narrative about the construction of the North Cascades Highway and the views along the way, can be picked up at the Forest Service in Winthrop before departure. This pretty, relaxed town at the foot of Mount Baker is a departure point for trips up the Alaskan Inside Passage, the protected boat route between Washington and Alaska. If you've got some time to look around, head south of downtown to Fairhaven Village, a district of restored buildings that contains cafes, bookshops and galleries. See the sculpture garden on the campus of Western Washington University, which features works from internationally known sculptors and artists.
Hotel: Best Western Heritage Inn
Day 5 Bellingham - Port Angeles
Distance: 80 MilesThis morning, you will have the opportunity to visit the new Whatcom Maritime Museum detailing the nautical history of the area, with displays of steam engines, compasses and other artifacts. Bellingham is a good jumping-off point for Mount Baker and vicinity, a beautiful alpine region that offers campgrounds, hiking, fishing and skiing. Travel along Hwy. 11 (Chuckanut Drive) to Hwy. 20, along Whidbey Island to the Keystone/Port Townsend Ferry. Early arrival in Port Angles would allow for afternoon or evening sightseeing at Hurricane Ridge.
Hotel: Red Lion Hotel
Day 6 Port Angeles - Ocean Shores
Distance: 120 MilesToday enjoy Olympic National Park, with some of the most diverse landscapes in the United States, making up this magnificent national park from pastoral meadows to forests of gargantuan Douglas firs to snow peaks. On your way south across the Olympic Peninsula, visit the Hoh Rainforest, and continue for an overnight at the charming town of Ocean Shores.
Hotel: Quinault Beach Resort & Casino
Day 7 Ocean Shores - Mt. St. Helens - Kelso
Distance: 95 MilesTravel Hwy. 12 to I-5 South to Kelso and a visit of Mt. St. Helens. Famous for the 1980 eruption that decimated a large chunk of the mountain and the surrounding area, Mt. St. Helens today is a testament to the power of nature. Since the blast, the area has slowly been restored to the recreation area that existed prior to 1980 and now features an interpretive centre that shows the chronology of events that led to the massive blast. Local flora and fauna have also made a steady recovery since the eruption, affording visitors glimpses of the local wildlife that continues to call Mt. St. Helens home. The area around Mt. St. Helens is easily explored from the town of Kelso located 30 miles west from this giant of geologic history.
Hotel: Red Lion Kelso
Day 8 Kelso - Seattle
Distance: 90 MilesAfter a city tour of Kelso, travel I-5 north from Kelso north to Tacoma. Optional activity: Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, near Eatonville. Continue to Seattle for an early afternoon arrival. When in Seattle, be sure to visit Pike Place Market and take a walk through its burgeoning shops, an open-air mecca for produce, fresh crab, salmon, baked goods, art, crafts and dining. Even if you're not looking to buy, there's no better way to capture the vibe of the city.
Hotel: Best Western Executive Inn