Seattle Vacation Ideas

If you’re looking to beat the crowds and find a vacation spot within a couple hours of Seattle, Lake Crescent may be the place to visit.

Located on the Olympic Peninsula, the lake is rimmed by an impressive array of mountains and lush green trees. You can find all the usual activities (swimming, picnicking, fishing, boating, hiking, etc.) on and around the 624-foot deep 8.5-mile long lake. Freshwater Lake Crescent is especially known for its Beardslee trout, a large subspecies that runs in the 12-14 pound range and is known for putting up a fight once it’s hooked. (Apparently that’s a good thing if you’re a fisherman or woman who likes a challenge.)

If you’re looking for a place to stay, you can check out the Log Cabin Resort on the lake’s northeast end. Rates start around $50, and you can find rustic cabins, motel rooms, and waterfront A-frame chalets. There’s some history to the place, and many of the buildings have been standing since the 1920s. There are also hookups for RVs, if you prefer your 21st Century luxury motorhome to a rustic historic cabin. Or if you really want to rough it, they have tent spots too.

You can experience all the lake activities without leaving the resort. There’s a grocery store, and meals are served in the lodge if you prefer someone else do the cooking. When you’re done eating, head outdoors for rowboat, canoe, paddleboat, and kayak rentals. You’ll get quite the workout if you kayak all the way around the lake! (I’m not sure I’d try it in a paddleboat.)

The resort is located three miles from Hwy 101 on E. Beach Road and is open April-October.

http://www.logcabinresort.net/

If you’re looking for a crowd-free vacation destination with a great climate, Harrison, Idaho, which is perched on beautiful Lake Coeur d’Alene, could be your spot. I actually just got back from a week spent in a rustic cabin over there. We were right on the lake with our own dock, and the nicely paved Trail of the Couer d’Alenes ran right past our yard.

A former railroad track, the 72-mile bicycle trail is popular with bicyclers, skaters, and walkers. But when I say “popular,” I mean by Idaho standards. If you’re used to the heavy use of the Burke Gilman Trail in Seattle, you’ll be pleased by the sparse population on this one. On weekday evenings when we went out to walk the dogs or roller blade, it wasn’t uncommon to see only one or two people the whole hour we were out there. It was, however, common to see deer, muskrats, chipmunks, and other wildlife heading down to drink at the lake in the evenings.

Though Harrison itself isn’t anything to write home about (one of those former logging towns that has since turned all its brothels and pubs into more tourist-oriented fudge shops, bicycle rental stores, and restaurants), the campground there is lovely. Though we were staying in a cabin, I thought it’d be nice to take an RV out there next time. The campground is right on the marina, and the trail I mentioned runs right behind it. Rent a boat, swim in the lake, go for a bicycle ride, or just kick around the one-horse town.

Harrison, Idaho is quite a drive from Seattle (about 6 hours), but it’s worth it if you can get away for a week, and you’re tired of the crowds. And if you’re a bicycler, you will love that trail.

http://www.harrisonidaho.org/

Lots of people head up to the Cascades for wildlife viewing and scenic hikes of varying degrees of difficulty, but maybe soaking in a tub of naturally heated spring water is more your style (of course, there’s no reason why you can’t combine both: hike then soak).

The Goldmyer Hot Springs flow from a cave in a cliff along a boisterous stream located at the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River Road, which is approximately 25 miles east of North Bend. The cave entrance is dammed to create a 110-degree pool and two lower rock pools of about 102 degrees.

The springs are on privately owned land, which is controlled by the nonprofit group Northwest Wilderness Programs. The fee to use the hot springs is $12 per day (children are free), and you can bring your tent to stay overnight on the property if you wish.

Since access is limited to 20 people per day, it’s best to call ahead for a reservation: (206) 789-5631.

http://www.goldmyer.org/

If you’re looking to get away from the hectic city life of Seattle for a weekend, then consider crossing Puget Sound to visit Lake Quinault and the surrounding Quinault Rainforest. My parents have often taken their RV to this neck of the woods and they always enjoy the serenity. Less crowded than the Washington beach tourist towns, Lake Quinault can be especially peaceful if you can go before or after summer (from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekends, you’re more likely to find kids and crowds, especially in campgrounds).

Enough about people; let’s talk about the scenery and what there is to do. The glacier-fed lake is surrounded by the moss-draped old-growth trees of the Olympic National Park. The Quinault Valley is called the “Valley of the Giants” because you can find the largest Sitka Spruce tree in the world as well as giant Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, and Douglas Fir trees.

The park offers miles of hiking trails, and there’s plenty to do on the lake itself. Try swimming, boating, and fishing, all accessible from the campgrounds and resorts around Lake Quinault.

If you prefer driving to all that physical exertion, try the 30-mile loop road. It takes you around the lake and into the south end of the Olympic National Park. Bring your camera, because you’ll have some good opportunities to see wildlife: deer, elk, cougars, bald eagles, bobcats, and black bears all call this area home.

Just remember to bring your rain gear. This is a rainforest after all. The 144 inches of rain the area sees annually can make Seattle seem dry in comparison.

http://www.quinaultrainforest.com/

For some people, camping means hiking up the side of a mountain and pitching a tent. For myself, I like a few more amenities. A roof for example, and maybe a room with a view. It’s nice to have the wilderness all around, but nicer to have a few walls in between me and it. Of course, there’s no reason you need to stay in some bland cabin out in the woods. Not when you could stay in a tree house.

The Cedar Creek Treehouse is a privately owned vacation rental, located one mile as the crow flies (10 miles by car) from the Nisqually River entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. The lofty cabin is perched 50 feet up in a 200-year old Western Red Cedar. Inside there is a sleeping loft with two double beds (skylights brighten the area), a bathroom, a kitchen, a dining area, and an observation room, though it looks like there are great views of the forest and the mountains from every window.

Tree house living doesn’t come cheaply though. You’ll have to pay $300 per night (for two people–$50 extra for each additional person) to reserve this rental, but maybe it’s worth it just to say you’ve truly slept among the stars…

http://www.cedarcreektreehouse.com/