We’re a bit biased, but we love the PNW! If you have time to explore the rest of Washington state, we encourage you to add a few days to your trip on either end. We have lots of ideas about what to see here!

What to do in Seattle

If you’re flying through Seattle, it may be worth taking a day to see some of our favorite Seattle sites:

• Pike Place Market (we endorse stops at Beecher’s Handmade Cheese and Rachel’s Ginger Beer - only wait in line to order at the first Starbucks if you feel it will complete your life)
• The Chihuly Museum at the base of the Space Needle
• Local parks (our favorites are Discovery Park and Seward Park - both of which feature views of Mt. Rainier on clear days)
• Local beaches (fun fact: Aleta thought everyone wore jackets to the beach until she was 10 because of the weather in the PNW - our favorites are Golden Gardens near Ballard and Alki in West Seattle)
• Local-ish hikes (there’s a wide range of hikes within 60 minutes of Seattle by car - let us know if you want a recommendation or check out the Washington Trails Association to find one)
• Any Seattle brewery (our favorites are Fair Isle and Lucky Envelope in the Ballard Brewery district and Holy Mountain in Greenwood or Interbay)

What to do in the greater PNW

If you have a hankering to see other islands in the San Juan archipelago, there is ferry service to other islands in the San Juans:

• Lopez Island: Very quiet island (sometimes called “slowpez island” by locals) with several parks and a handful of eateries/bakeries. This would be a great place to unplug for a few days and really relax.
• Orcas Island: More touristy, this island has some incredible restaurants (Matia and Monti!), beautiful parks (Moran State Park), great accommodations, and many of the same island activities as SJI – just with a different island flair.

If you’re familiar with Seattle and want to go further afield, we may suggest some outdoor explorations:

• Mount Rainier National Park (southeast of Seattle): This is doable in a long day, but doubly worth it if you can plan an overnight pitstop too. We recommend a loop from Seattle - driving south to Sunrise Lodge and then on to Paradise Lodge. There are good, short trails from both lodges that showcase good mountain views and wildflowers!
• North Cascades National Park (northeast of Seattle): A bit north, North Cascades National Park is a hidden gem (and one of the least visited national parks in America)! We love this park, in part because it’s so remote. This is an excellent place to do a scenic drive (seriously Highway 20 is beautiful!) or any serious hiking, backpacking, and/or boating (on Diablo or Ross Lakes).
• Olympic National Park (west of Seattle): You could spend several days exploring this park because there is a lot to see – the park has mountains, forests, and beaches. Key pitstops include: Hurricane Ridge, Crescent Lake, Hoh Rainforest (one of the largest temperate rainforests in the US), and beaches galore (Rialto, Second Beach - where we got engaged, Third Beach, and Ruby Beach are some Greer family favorites).
• Mt. St. Helens (south of Seattle and a National Volcanic Monument - not a national park!): Cool to see a volcano that erupted so recently! This is in the opposite direction of the wedding venue, but doable if you’re interested in seeing the SW part of the state and have some extra time or if you decide to fly in through Portland. Ira ran around this during a 50k race in 2022 - you can do that too if you want but, fair warning, it is hard.
• Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest (northeast from Seattle): If you were hoping that we’d have another volcano suggestion, you’re in luck! Mt. Baker is another gorgeous area to explore, especially if you’re looking for a place to hike that is closer (relatively speaking) to the wedding. Most access points are close to Bellingham if you’re looking to pair some outdoor exploring with a home base for a few days.

If you’re more of an indoor cat, we may suggest some city/town explorations:

• Bellingham, WA (north of Seattle): This is a chill town north of Seattle that is right on the water, looking out at the San Juan Islands and Canada. It’s known for its breweries, views, vibes, and cute shops.
• Leavenworth, WA (east of Seattle): If you were hoping we’d get married in Germany, please add Leavenworth to your itinerary. Nestled in the Cascades, Leavenworth is a cute and kitschy town that takes its stylistic cues from Bavaria – doable as an overnight or as a stop on the way to explore the eastern part of the state. Nice food, cute shops, and excellent access to the outdoors are all featured here.
• Vancouver or Victoria, Canada (north of Seattle): If you’re open to making this an international trip (really!), we strongly encourage a trip to Vancouver and/or Victoria. We’re doing them a disservice by looping them together here since they are wildly different cities with a lot to offer - and they’re separated by a lot of water. Go to Vancouver to see an international city with world class food, fascinating first nations history, and great city parks. Check out Victoria for high tea (at the Empress), harbor tours, and - again - excellent food.
• Portland, OR (south of Seattle): We couldn’t miss a chance to shout out one of the best food cities in America (in our opinion): PDX. Come for the food, stay for the zany airport carpet (kidding - kinda), great city parks, cool art, and adorable independent shops.