Seattle Day Trips by Ferry, Road and Rail
Seattle has a short list of day trips that genuinely fit between breakfast and dinner, and a longer list of places that need a night away. Costs here are in US dollars and exclude sales tax.
Bainbridge Island by ferry
Washington State Ferries leave from Colman Dock, Pier 52 (801 Alaskan Way), and the crossing takes 35 minutes. Pier 55 next door is for Argosy cruises, not the ferry. The adult walk-on fare is $11.35, collected only in Seattle and covering the round trip, so the return is free. Seniors pay $5.65 and riders 18 and under travel free. Cars pay in both directions, with a summer surcharge from 1 May to 30 September, so budget roughly $20 to $27 each way depending on season. Winslow is an easy walk from the terminal. See WSDOT ferry fares for the current calculator.
Visitors who want to learn about local history can also visit the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial at Pritchard Park, 4192 Eagle Harbor Dr NE. On 30 March 1942, Japanese Americans from the island became the first community forced out of their homes, and the Story Wall carries the names of 276 islanders. Entry is free and the site is open from dawn to dusk. It is about 3.7 miles from the ferry terminal, an 11-minute drive. Walking is strongly discouraged because there are no sidewalks, so plan on a car, taxi or BI RIDE (call two hours ahead, no Sunday service). A National Park Service ranger is usually on site Thursday to Sunday from March to November. The main lot is closed during visitor center construction, so use the signed curb parking on Taylor Ave. Visit the memorial’s own site for current access notes.
Snoqualmie Falls
About 30 to 45 minutes east on I-90, the falls are open from sunrise to sunset daily. Two observation decks overlook the drop. A free lot sits across the street, and the paid lot costs $7 per hour. Salish Lodge sits at the top. The Snoqualmie Falls site lists hours and parking.
Mount Rainier
Allow a long day, with about 2 to 2.5 hours each way by car to Paradise and no public transit. Entry is $30 per vehicle for seven days, cashless. No timed-entry reservation is required anywhere in the park in 2026. The National Park Service advises arriving before 10 a.m. or after 2:30 p.m. on busy summer days, and on sunny weekends Paradise parking can be difficult or impossible. Paradise sits at about 5,400 feet, snow can linger on trails into July, weather changes quickly and cell coverage is patchy. Bring layers and check the Mount Rainier plan-your-visit page for road alerts. The Longmire to Paradise road closes nightly from 1 November. If you would rather not drive, guided day tours run roughly $148 to $250 per person. Compare them at Seattle to Mount Rainier day tours .
Boeing Future of Flight
The visitor center is 30 to 40 minutes north in Mukilteo. Book factory tours ahead, since they sell out.
Vashon Island
The King County Water Taxi leaves Pier 50 for Vashon in about 22 minutes. Adults pay $7 ($6 with ORCA) and youth ride free. A new schedule runs from 10 October 2026 to 9 April 2027, so check the day’s sailings on the Water Taxi page . Car ferries to Vashon leave from Fauntleroy in West Seattle, not downtown.
Leavenworth and farther afield
Leavenworth is about 2.5 hours from SeaTac, a very long day that works better as an overnight. Oktoberfest fills only three October weekends, and the 2026 dates (2 to 3, 9 to 10 and 16 to 17 October) have already passed. Christmas lighting is reported from 27 November to 24 December 2026. Olympic National Park, Portland and Vancouver, BC are all overnight trips, and Vancouver needs a passport.
Read more: multi-day trips from Seattle for the longer loops.