A Spectacular 7-Day Road Trip in Washington State

Looking for your next road trip to go on? Start planning for a spectacular 7-day road trip with the ultimate itinerary for Washington State!

Washington is full of outdoor and adventurous options. Driving through the state is the ultimate way to fall in love with the landscape. While Washington may appear small on a map, driving through it is another story. So, take your time travelling and add in stops between your journey!

In search of beaches along the pacific coast, rainforests on the Peninsula, National Parks with mountains and glaciers, and even a little town that transforms you to Bavaria, Germany, Washington state has so much to offer and will leave you in complete awe. Without Instagram, I may have never discovered this gem in America with so many must-see stops!

This post includes a list of several must-see stops on your Washington road trip. Prepare to plan an adventure for a lifetime of memories! For those of you who are coming from outside the USA (like I was), you will find some tips for navigating the state’s website for national parks and other tips we picked up along the way. Start packing your car and load up your road trip playlist because the ultimate road trip is waiting for you in Washington state!

Make sure you bring all the essentials for your trip, if you want to avoid forgetting the important things, check out the Detailed Road Trip Packing List.

Beginning your Road Trip

If you choose to drive from another state or Canada, make sure to account for the time you will need to arrive. Even if you are flying, you will need to account for the time at the airport, flying, and picking up your rental car.

Below you will find the time it will take to drive from a few different starting points to Leavenworth, Washington – our first destination.

• Calgary: 10.5 hours drive time – enter through Eastport-Kingsgate border crossing
• Vancouver: 4.5 hours drive time – enter through Blaine-Douglas border crossing
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: 2 hours drive time
• Spokane International Airport: 3 hours drive time

Leavenworth, Washington State

Located in the Cascade Mountains, you will find a little piece of Bavaria, Germany in the town of Leavenworth. The buildings and signage within the town will make you feel like you are roaming the streets of Germany. There are many events going on throughout the year. During the month of October, you can attend Oktoberfest. While between December and February, you can celebrate Christmas at the Village of Lights: Christmastown. Check out the Town of Leavenworth’s website for complete information on the events they have going on.

Colchuck Lake via Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake Trail

• Difficulty: Hard
• Distance & Type: 13.0 km out-and-back
• Duration: 4 h 50 min
• Elevation Gain: 709 m

Leavenworth Restaurant Recommendations

There are plenty of options for dining in Leavenworth. Our absolute favourite spot is the Andreas Keller Restaurant where you will find schnitzel, spätzle and live polka music (on certain days). For a casual space to relax, there is München Haus, a Beer Garden that serves on draft local Icicle Brewing Company beer and Hofbräuhaus Beer imported from München (Munich), Germany.

Where to stay in Leavenworth

• For a bed & breakfast experience, check out Abendblume Pension
• With a group of people, check out Chalet options such as the Leavenworth Chalet
• For more budget-friendly options, there are the LOGE Camps with cabins by the riverside and a downtown hostel/hotel location

Mount Rainier National Park

With the name of the mountain literally included in the name of the national park, Mount Rainier National Park is a must-see! There are numerous hikes available around the park starting from any of the 3 entrances ranging from short and easy to hard, multi-day treks. You could spend weeks in this park discovering all of the trails or try completing the Wonderland Trail of 150 km (93 miles) around the entire park.

“If someone is injured or needs help, mark the exact coordinates of your location and provide this to the park rangers so they can easily and quickly locate the person in distress. “

Mount Rainier National Park has 3 access points to enter the park. They are in the East, South and NW, so you can get there from whichever direction you are driving from. In July, we entered the East, passed through the South and exited in the NW. Even just along the road of the park is beautiful. You can choose to camp in your tent or an RV at one of the 4 car-accessible campgrounds around the park – Ohanapecosh (SE section), Cougar Rock (SW section), White River (NE section), or Mowich Lake (NW section). If you are going on a multi-day trek and plan on camping in the backcountry, there are plenty of campsites available but don’t forget to plan your trip and book the campsites accordingly through the National Park Services website.

Since we did not have a set itinerary for this trip, we were banking on finding a “walk-in” campsite at White River Campground as it is situated closest to the hike we planned to go on the next day. After searching high and low at White River, and setting up camp, a park ranger arrived and told us we could not stay at the spot we were at. We packed up quickly and by the time we arrived at Ohanapecosh Campground, the Park Rangers were gone for the evening and there was no one to ask where we could stay.

We located a spot with signage that was promising and appeared to be available. The next day, however, when I went to go pay, I got in trouble with the Park Rangers as they said the site was reserved and there was a potential the person could have shown up. I learned the signage is really confusing and the next time, I will make sure to book a campsite in advance to avoid any issues and confusion from the walk-in site situation.

Finally, the day we get to hike at Mount Rainier National Park. I came across the Fremont Lookout Trail via Sourdough Ridge online after reading Renee Roaming’s blog post 17 Breathtaking Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington. At 9.2 km, the Fremont Lookout Trail is not too long or strenuous but had the promise of breathtaking views of surrounding mountains and of course Mount Rainier. The views along the Fremont Lookout Trail did not disappoint and were more than I could have ever imagined! The entire way was scenic with wildflowers galore, rolling mountains going as far as the eye can see, and a clear view of Mount Rainier throughout the hike.

It was extremely hot in Mount Rainer when we visited in late July, with 35-42°C (95-107°F) temperatures. With the extreme heat, I hiked much slower and made sure to drink lots of water and have some candies to avoid heat exhaustion. On our way down, there was a man who had collapsed due to the heat. He did not have any water with him, and his legs just gave out. There was a group of hikers who stopped to help him and were giving him water. I made note of where on the trail we had seen them, and we went down to find a park ranger. If someone is injured or needs help, mark the exact coordinates of your location, and provide this to the park rangers so they can easily and quickly locate the person in distress.

Safety TIP!! (1) Always carry enough water with you – bring more than you think you will need. (2) Know your limits and know when it’s time to stop. It’s not worth pushing yourself to get to the point of collapsing and can be extremely dangerous for a number of reasons! (3) Take as many breaks as you need, find shade on the trail on hot sunny days and turn back if you don’t think you will be able to make it the full way.

Recommended Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park

Fremont Lookout Trail via Sourdough Ridge

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance & Type: 9.2 km out-and-back,
• Duration: 2 h 48 mins
• Elevation Gain: 339 m

Tolmie Peak Trail

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance & Type: 9.0 km out-and-back
• Duration: 3 h 15 min
• Elevation Gain: 470 m

The Summerland Trail to Pandhandle Gap

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance & Type: 16.3 km out-and-back
• Duration: 5h 45 min
• Elevation Gain: 791 m

Food Stop Near Mount Rainier on Your Road Trip

I can’t recall the name of the shop, but within the park on our way out towards the West, we came across a small shop that had some souvenirs and most importantly – ice cream. After a hot day filled with hiking, we treated ourselves to nice cold ice cream. It was very much necessary.

Then, on our way driving toward the Pacific Ocean, we drove through the town of Buckley where we saw a drive-in diner-style burger place called Wally’s Drive-in. It was like going back in time and a new experience for my partner and me, so we enjoyed it a lot.  We both ordered fries and a burger, I even ordered a Dr. Pepper. You won’t typically ever see me drinking pop but after the hike in the heat, I was looking for some sugar and wanted a real refreshing drink where you get that lip-smacking moment. We found a covered gazebo structure with picnic tables a street behind the burger spot and were delighted with views of the Mount Rainier peak while the sun began to set.

Where to stay in Mount Rainier National Park

• Stay at one of the 4 National Parks car campgrounds: Ohanapecosh (SE section), Cougar Rock (SW section), White River (NE section), or Mowich Lake (NW section)
• For more of a glamping experience, stay at a cabin at the Mounthaven Resort in Ashford – SW in the park
• Or, if you are wanting a less outdoorsy overnight stay, the Paradise Inn in Ashford is a hotel that is located within the park.

Quinault Reservation

The Quinault Reservation was beautiful – so green and lush with a massive lake located in Quinault. If you are going to Olympic National Park and plan on staying at Rialto Beach – this is one of the ranger stations where you can pick up your campsite permit. While a small town, there is still a museum and general store available across from Lake Quinault you can check out. The building structures will make you feel like you are at a different time, transporting you to another place.

After speaking with some locals, we found out that Lake Quinault is a popular spot for locals where you can camp overnight, swim and relax in the lake. The temperature here compared to just an hour north was completely different and was much hotter and sunnier at the Quinault Reservation. To book a campsite and obtain more information on the lake, the National Park Service website has a page dedicated to Visiting Quinault.  

About 30 minutes south of Quinault, we stopped in a little town called Seabrook where we had lunch and went on a walk. It’s a town that looks to be quickly growing and one that filled up quite a bit during the pandemic when those living in an apartment or condo in the city were seeking more space and more nature. We had lunch at Rising Tide and sat at the bar talking to the bartender who is also a pastor at a local church there. I loved getting to speak to him and learning more about Washington and how this part of America is living in Washington State. He told us many stories and gave us some great recommendations for spots to check out.

While in Seabrook, we walked through a trail starting by houses which took us into a gnome and fairy-filled forest. The locals have built and placed among the tree small little fairy scenes and little gnomes and they invite anyone staying in Seabrook to take part in this fun activity. It was fun trying to spot where each one was. This is a great spot if you have small kids to take them through and find each one!

The trail then took us across the roadway and into a small forest on the beach side of the Pacific Ocean. We walked through along a planked trail and onto the sand in a complete fog. It was not until we got to the edge of the ocean that you could see the water and out a little bit. Once we turned around, we were delighted with the town sitting just above the sandy beach with a small forest in front and fog perfectly filling the empty spaces for a spectacular and unreal view.

Olympic National Park

There are so many spots you can stop at along the coast of the Pacific Ocean within Olympic National Park. For anyone who used to love the Twilight series, discover familiar places like Forks, La Push and Port Angeles. There is some fun signage in an ode to Twilight between the vampires and the werewolves in La Push. Make sure to stop by the burger spot here and try one of their burgers and vampire-inspired milkshake.

You will start from Ocean Shores, and travel along Highway 109 to take you to Seabrook, and then the Quinault reservation. You can stop by Forks to pick up supplies, food, and drink from their large general store and then to La Push where you will camp at Rialto Beach, Hole in the Wall. Camping at Rialto Beach is a MUST do, an incredible and memorable experience. I could have stayed another night at Rialto Beach to really get to experience all the space.

Rialto Beach and Hole in the Wall

During low tide, you will have the best views of the Pacific Ocean, Hole in the Wall and the tall rocks that remain in the water of the ocean. It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, it felt surreal and magical all at once. It’s not a far walk along the beach and you can pretty much choose any spot you like – make sure you are setting up camp high enough to avoid the high tide. Basically, high tide means the water has risen and is coming inshore whereas low tide means the water has dropped and receded back into the ocean.

During low tide, this is your chance to discover lots of large-sized starfish, Acorn and Gooseneck Barnacles, Blue Mussels, Sea Urchins, tiny Dungeness Crab and Green Anemones. They were everywhere, mostly attached in groups among the rocks of the tidepools that are exposed during low tide. The ochre starfish can live up to 8 hours outside of water which is why they can stay there even when it is low tide. When discovering the tidepools, please watch where you step as there are SO many living creatures that are among the rocks, grouped together. You can learn more about the sea life that lives in this area by reading Life in Olympic’s Tidepools on NPS.

Camping at Rialto Beach ended up being the highlight of the trip for me and was more than I ever expected. When we first arrived at the beach, we were surrounded by a thick fog that completely covered the ocean. It wasn’t until we got quite close to the large rocks in Rialto that we could see them. We set up camp across from the tall rocks and the fog decided to dissipate during sunset allowing us to see more ocean with pink skies. Overnight, we had the noise of the ocean water crashing into the rocks – no need to turn on that ocean waves sound for going to sleep when you get the real thing! 😉

Hole-in-the-Wall from Rialto Beach

• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance & Type: 5.3 km out-and-back
• Duration: 1 h
• Elevation Gain: 33 m

Backcountry Permit at Rialto Beach

If you will be camping at Rialto Beach, you will need to pick up your campsite permit at one of the ranger stations. To book your permit for camping in the backcountry of Rialto Beach Hole-in-the-Wall, book it online through the Recreation.gov website. There is no station close to the beach, so plan ahead. Be aware of which ranger station is on your way and stop by to pick up your permit. Be mindful of the operating hours of the ranger stations as they close earlier in the day. You cannot camp on the beach without a paper copy of your permit.

TIP!!
I found the permit booking website to be a bit confusing. Likely from my lack of experience on the website as well as my limited knowledge of the location. When you are on the website, select “North Coast” as your starting area. You will find the Hole-in-the-Wall campsite listed here.

Hoh Rainforest

Across the world are 7 temperate rainforests, with 1 of them located in North America – specifically along the Pacific Northwest. From British Columbia in Canada to Northern California in the USA, you will find thousands of km of lush rainforests in one of the world’s largest temperate rainforest ecoregions. From the towering redwoods to the mossy-covered logs and varying fern types you can find throughout. Whether you are looking up to the sky or down to the ground there is a lot to be discovered in a rainforest.

In the Hoh National Rainforest, there are a few different hikes available with one providing the opportunity to camp in the rainforest! While the trail was more of a walk, we walked the Hall of Mosses and the Spruce Nature Trail – both of which took a total of 1 hr 15 mins to complete. Some of the trees have massive tree trunks and are very tall. It feels quite temperate throughout with a lot more humidity.

Hikes in Olympic National Park – Olympic National Forest

Hall of Mosses Trail

• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance & Type: 1.8 km loop
• Total Time: 24 mins
• Elevation Gain: 24 m

Spruce Nature Trail

• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance & Type: 2.3 km loop
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Elevation Gain: 5 m

Sol Duc Falls Nature Trail

• Difficulty: Easy
• Distance & Type: 2.6 km loop
• Total Time: 42 mins
• Elevation Gain: 69 m

Additional Spots to Discover in Olympic National Park

• Ruby Beach: Although it was closed for construction when we were there.
• Shi Shi Beach
• Cape Flattery: the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States
• San Juan Islands

Port Angeles

Port Angeles was not quite what I had imagined. After reading online, I found mixed reviews on Port Angeles and what activities are there or nearby. It is a very quiet town with most businesses that had wanted signs as they were all short-staffed. With the town having a port, you may think there would be a bit more to the town and a larger number of people living in the city.

We completed Hurricane Hill via the Hurricane Ridge trail a close drive from Port Angeles. There were a couple of groups that mentioned they spotted a bear close by. We saw plenty of families arriving at this spot ready to go hiking – all without bear spray. This is a reminder to always carry bear spray with you. Even in large groups that can be loud, it’s better to have extra protection.

There is a set of mountain peaks all grouped together that remained snow-capped. These mountain tops were the highlight of this hike. Paired with all the wildflowers – including wild roses, pink mountain heather, rockslide larkspur, Oregon sunshine and many others. In one of the spots along the hike, there were SO many little bugs. The bugs clung to our clothes and would not leave. I still wanted a photo sitting near a meadow of wildflowers, but didn’t last very long with the bugs flying around.

Hikes Near Port Angeles

Mount Storm King

• Difficulty: Hard
• Distance & Type: 6.6 km out-and-back
• Total Time: 3 h 25 min
• Elevation Gain: 642 m

Hurricane Hill via Hurricane Ridge

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance & Type: 5.5 km out-and-back
• Total Time: 2 h
• Elevation Gain: 252 m

Fun Fact:
You can take a ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, BC – a city on Vancouver Island (Canada) in about 2 hours!

We chose not to spend much time in Port Angeles and planned to continue to go back toward Calgary. There was a distillery in a small town we had the plan to stop for a drink and food, but the construction on the one and only highway in Olympic National Park had other plans for us. The construction left cars at a dead stop for miles. With the uncertainty and potential for the wait itself to take 3-4 hours we had to PIVOT (yes, this is a reference to Friends) and turned back to get to Port Angeles. There is a ferry that will take you from Port Angeles to Victoria, BC in only 2 hours!

Changing Plans

We did not have the option to extend the trip or be late, so we decided that we could get home at the same time we planned. Whether we made it at the same time, took longer or saved time I am not sure, but it was a fantastic experience, and I am very happy we chose to go this route.

It is recommended to book and purchase your ferry ticket in advance – specifically, if you will be bringing your vehicle on, otherwise you run the risk of having to wait for the next one that could be the next day. Luck was on our side and while we were number 14 in the waiting line, we made it on the ferry! Entering a different country via ferry was a new and unique experience. If you do take the ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria and vice versa, you may get lucky and see a whale in the Pacific Ocean! Still, the views of the mountain ranges in Washington and the well-known Mount Baker.

Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent is nearby and a gorgeous massive lake where you can swim, kayak, and go SUP. I would opt to spend the day at the beach of Lake Crescent where you can also check out a relatively easy hike that will give you a great vantage point of the Lake and surrounding area. You can camp at Lake Crescent with your tent, stay in a cabin at one of the nearby lodges or find a unique stay through Airbnb.

Where to Stay Near Port Angeles

*It seemed quite pricey at all spots here for some not-so-nice-looking hotels and motels. I recommend staying at a campground nearby or finding a unique Airbnb that is nearby*

• Fairholme Campground
• Lake Crescent Lodge
• Stay at an A-Frame tiny home, book through Airbnb

North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park borders British Columbia in Canada so you can look towards the mountains in BC. The original plan was to do a drive-by through here and maybe even stop and camp inside the park. The North Cascades mountains have beautiful alpine lakes. It’s the type of place where you will want to catch sunrise or sunset on top of a mountain. The views are dreamy and magical. Without a doubt, I will hike here in the future. I cannot wait to experience this mountain range.

Recommended Hikes in North Cascades

Cascade Pass Trail

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance & Type: 10.8 km out-and-back
• Total Time: 3 h 50 min
• Elevation Gain: 544 m

Cascade Pass Trail to Cottonwood Camp

• Difficulty: Hard
• Distance & Type: 25.6 km out-and-back
• Total Time: 9 h 30 min
• Elevation Gain: 1,423 m

Diablo Lake Trail

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Distance & Type: 11.6 km out-and-back
• Total Time: 3 h 40 min
• Elevation Gain: 461 m

Road Trip Costs

Cost	Description	Location
$30 USD	7-day park entrance fee (for a car) in Mount Rainier National Park	Mount Rainier National Park
$30 USD	7-day park entrance fee (for a car) in Olympic National Park	Olympic National Park
$22 USD	Camp permit for 2 people at Rialto Beach (Hole in the Wall)	Rialto Beach
$20 USD	Camp permit at Ohanecopesh in Mount Rainier National Park	Mount Rainier National Park
$190 USD	1 night in Leavenworth with a queen bed and shared bathroom (we booked this room 5 mins before checking in)	LOGE in Leavenworth
$400 CAD	This was a walk-in price they gave us that included a suite with 2 queen beds, a couch, small balcony with an ocean view. Complete with a double sink by the bathroom, and a partial kitchenette with a mini fridge, coffee maker, microwave, and sink. (IMO this price is completely outrageous, and I did not think it was worth it)	Lighthouse Inn in Ocean Shores
$90 USD	A 10 min drive from Leavenworth we booked for the first night. The room was booked 1 week in advance and was the most reasonable price. It was a very basic motel and clean enough, but not a place I wanted to spend a lot of time.	Wedge Mountain Inn, Leavenworth
$108.10 CAD $71.20 $36.90	Ferry from Victoria to Vancouver For passenger vehicles under 20 feet For 2 passengers 12+	BC Ferries – Port of Victoria to Port of Vancouver
$105.75 USD	Ferry from Port Angeles, Washington to Victoria, BC – price includes a passenger vehicle under 18 feet, the driver and 1 other passenger 12+	Black Ball Ferry Line – Port Angeles to Port of Victoria

Tips for Your Road Trip

• Be flexible, your plans may need to change due to factors outside of your control!
• Bring along a portable camp shower if you plan on doing more camping. Most campgrounds, even the car campgrounds do not have showers available.
• Don’t forget to bring your cooking grill! Tasty meals will make the experience much more enjoyable.
• Load up your phone with the ultimate road trip playlist! (You can’t go wrong listening to Classic Rock on your road trip. You may even feel like you are living through a movie ;))

Navigating Through Washington State

Google Maps Offline Maps

Make sure to download offline maps for Washington and the areas you will be in!! You can download FREE offline maps directly from Google Maps. I found most of the National Parks to have spotty signals throughout. While you can use a paper map, Google offline maps are so simple and give you step-by-step directions and will cost you nothing. The only thing you won’t get is active construction notifications if there is traffic, sudden road closure, etc.

AllTrails App for Hiking

The AllTrails app is great for hiking for several reasons. I love that you can save the hikes you want to complete and organize them in custom-named folders. You can apply different filters depending on length or difficulty in search of the perfect hike. And, I always make sure to read the latest reviews of the trails.

Users often use the review section to let you know if a trail is closed unexpectedly (e.g. bear activity in the area) as well as to provide current trail conditions. You can follow the map while recording so you know the total distance and time it takes you to complete. AllTrails has the option to pay for premium features like if you want full access to the trail map throughout your hike – without signal.

Speeds in Washington State

If you are driving your car from Canada, don’t forget that miles are used in the USA. If your vehicle has a digital speed screen, you might be able to toggle it to miles. Make sure you watch your speeds and follow the speed limit.

Craving More Road Trips

Check out one of my other posts to plan some more epic road trips:

• The Ultimate Banff Travel Guide: One Day Road Trip Edition
• A Complete Guide to Waterton National Park in Alberta, Canada