With everything Seattle has to offer, it can be hard to imagine wanting to get out of the city for even just an hour or two.

Museums can be saved for rainy days, and it would be a shame to spend sunshine hours in craft breweries when there’s such gorgeous scenery to enjoy beyond the city limits. 

Whether you need a break from the tourist crowds and bustle of downtown, are looking for a serious hike, or have a pup threatening all the zoomies after being dragged to yet another farmers market, there are plenty of opportunities to get out of Seattle for the day. In fact, some of the most breathtaking scenery, charming towns and picturesque back roads in the state lie within an easy drive or ferry ride out of the city. Here are some of our favorite day trips from Seattle.

Explore the planet’s most surprising adventures with our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox. Take a day hike at Mt Rainier National Park © thinair28 / Getty Images

1. Mt Rainier National Park

Travel time: 2 hours

The drive – about two hours, depending on the route and traffic conditions – makes this a bit of an investment for a day trip, but you can’t be this close to one of the most impressive mountains in the United States and not go see it.

The views are spectacular, whether it’s a sunny spring day with wildflowers in bloom, a moody, cloudy afternoon, or a snowy winter’s day. 

You could easily spend weeks hiking in the Mt Rainier area (permits permitting), but you can develop a healthy appreciation for the place through any of the several day hikes…

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