Ultimate 7-Day Washington Road Trip Guide

January 10, 2024

Looking for the perfect road trip itinerary for a one-week Washington road trip from Seattle? For the perfect week long road trip itinerary through Washington State to mountains, ocean, and rainforest, read on!

why this blog? hi there! My name is Maddy and I’m an adventure guide and guidebook writer committed to helping people explore the outdoors, with a focus on Midwest Adventurers. Last year, I spent 8 months living and working as a guide in Washington State. I’ve decided not to create any eBooks on hiking & paddling within Washington, at least for the foreseeable future, and instead have created a number of detailed, totally free resources linked throughout this blog post! I’m stoked to show you around!

from left to right: hiking the Lake Ann trail, visiting the San Juan islands, Olympic National Park

Best 7-Day Washington Road Trip Route:

Here is the ultimate week long Washington road trip to see the most things possible in the shortest amount of time, visiting the best hiking in Washington and best National Parks:

Note: this blog post contains affiliate links! That just means that if you chose to make a purchase based on my recommendation, I make a small kickback at no additional cost to you šŸ™‚

When is the best time of year for a road trip in Washington State?

Washington is beautiful in all seasons, with the rainforest coming alive in the winter, and the wildflowers of the spring! Still, the best time of year to visit to make the most of your hiking is late summer and the fall. The mountains will be mostly snow-free from mid-July until first snow in October. That said, you’ll experience heat and bugs in those months. For the most ideal conditions, consider visiting September- early October.

Because campgrounds and lodging fills early, I recommend planning your trip at least a few months in advance!

What to pack for a 7-Day Washington Road Trip:

Travelling and hiking in Washington you’re likely to experience cold, sun, heat, rain, and just about everything in-between! Here’s a few quick essentials to make your Washington Road Trip easy:

Day One: Seattle to Mount Baker Highway

First thing on your Washington Road trip pick up your rental car and head north towards Bellingham, Washington. In Bellingham, grab lunch and the best coffee and tea drinks in town at Locus of Bellingham. Hop on the Mt. Baker Highway to your campsite at the Silver Fir Campground, centrally located most of the way up the Mt. Baker Highway.

In the evening, head up to the Artist’s Point parking lot to watch the sunset in the mountains and hike some of the short and easy trails that leave from that parking lot for stunning views of Mt. Shuksan and Mt. Baker.

for a full list of all the best hiking trails accessible from the Mt. Baker Highway, click here!

hiking trails near Artist’s Point along the Mt. Baker Highway

Day Two: Mount Baker to San Juan Islands

Set your alarm for early in the morning to hit the trail and get in one of the most beautiful hikes in Washington State before the crowds hit! Head up to either the Lake Ann Trail or the Chain Lakes Loop. The Lake Ann Trail is an out and back to an alpine lake, about 10 miles round trip if you hike around the lake and meadows, with stunning views of Baker, Shuksan, and the Lower Curtis Glacier. Meanwhile the Chain Lakes Loop is about 7 miles and features views of several alpine Lakes and Mount Baker as well as Shuksan.

Personally, I would choose the Lake Ann Trail over the Chain Lakes Loop. Chain Lakes is crowded with brutal elevation change (I do recommend starting from the lower parking lot rather than the upper). While both routes are beautiful, Lake Ann has the added beauty of not being quite so crowded and borders North Cascades National Park.

If you start your hike early enough, you’ll be back at the car by 5pm, in time to drive back down the mountain and to your next destination, Anacortes, Washington! Book a budget friendly hotel in Anacortes (or the adorable Ship Harbor Inn in Anacortes which I loved staying at and is right next to the ferry terminal!) for two nights! Alternately, camping is available at the nearby Washington Park, also walking distance from the ferry.

Scenes from hiking trails along the Mt. Baker Highway

Day Three: See the Orcas in the San Juan Islands

Hop on the early morning ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands! To reach Friday Harbor via ferry, you can either walk on as a foot passenger (no reservation needed!) or bring your car across (more expensive, reservation recommended but I’ve never had an issue at I lived on island for a summer).

The single best thing to do in the San Juan Islands is book a whale watching tour with Maya’s Legacy! This gets you on a high-speed boat touring the islands and spotting wildlife ranging from sea lions to orcas. While these tours are a little pricey, this is the most expensive activity on the list and 100% worth it.

Overall, a whale watching trip in the San Juan Islands is one of the best things to do on a Washington road trip!

In Friday Harbor, grab coffee at 13 Ravens Cafe and a bite to eat at Downriggers before hopping on the ferry and heading back to Anacortes! If you’ve brought your car and have extra time, head to American Camp in the San Juan Islands National Historic Park. Here, you’ll find beautiful beaches, bluffs, and hiking trails as well as the foxes of San Juan Island.

Scenes from Washington’s San Juan Islands! Personally, I think the San Juan Islands are beautiful but easily the most exciting thing about the San Juan Islands is how they are teeming with wildlife!

Do I need to bring my car for a day trip to the San Juan Islands:

No! While bringing your car to the island will help you access many of the beautiful hiking trails in the San Juan Islands, it is not required to spend a day in Friday Harbor, and most tours pick up right down town by the ferry terminal.

more resources for planning a trip to the San Juan Islands:

Some of the beautiful easy hiking trails in the San Juan Islands

Where to stay on San Juan Island:

Personally, I recommend bringing your car and doing SJI as a day trip if you only have one week in Washington. Hop on the earliest ferry over, spend the morning hiking by American camp, grab lunch and coffee, then hop on an afternoon whale watching tour before heading back to Anacortes. With this option, I recommend staying at the Ship Harbor Inn, which is cute with ocean views and a 30 second drive from the ferry.

If you plan on staying on San Juan Island, the cheapest option is the San Juan Island Hostel— there is a campground at San Juan County Park, but it fills pretty much immediately every summer. Another good, more luxury option is the Earthbox Inn and Spa.

looking to sleep in your car? Check out this beginner guide to car camping as a solo traveller, including no-build car camping set ups, route planning, and solo camping meal advice.

Day Four: Travel to Olympic National Park

Wake up early in Anacortes to catch an AM ferry from Coupeville to Port Townsend, reservations highly recommended! This ferry will take you from Whidbey Island, accessible via the highway, to the Olympic Peninsula!

In my opinion, the Olympic Peninsula is easily the most magical place in the whole state of Washington. Here, you’ve got plenty of car camping options, as well as cheap hotels and lodging in Port Angeles. I’ve done the trip both staying in Port Angeles and camping on the Coast, and I’ve got to recommend heading all the way to the Coast to camp. Olympic National Park’s Kalaloch Campground is magical beyond belief, but book far in advance!

On your way to the coast, stop at Crescent Lake and a quick hike to Marymere Falls to stretch your legs! After, finish the long drive to Kalaloch, set up camp, then head just 10 minutes up the road to Ruby Beach (aka the most beautiful place in the world) to watch the sun set.

Check out this budget-friendly guide to visiting Olympic National Park!

Visiting Olympic National Park, left to right: Sol Duc Falls, Hoh Rainforest, Ruby Beach

If you’re only going to do one thing on your Washington road trip, make it Olympic National Park! It’s truly the most magical place on earth and I can’t stop thinking about it!

Day Five: Exploring Olympic National Park

Whether you’ve chosen to stay in the Port Angeles Region or on the Coast, there is so much great exploring to do in Olympic, and it’s impossible to do everything in just one day.

If staying on the coast or near Forks, do the Hoh Rainforest first thing in the morning when the sun begins to hit the damp moss for the best light rays. Then, head to Rialto Beach and hike the hole-in-the-wall (tides dependent), or head up to Cape Flattery to hike the northwestern most point in the continental US (be sure to pick up a permit at the Makah cultural center!)

If you’re staying near Port Angeles, head up to Hurricane Ridge early in the morning to hike up in the mountains! If you’ve still got juice left, consider tackling the difficult Mt. Storm King hike near Crescent Lake. Alternately, head inland to hike the beautiful Sol Duc Falls then head to the coast and hit Hurricane Ridge first thing the next morning.

from left to right, Cape Flattery, the Hoh Rainforest, Hurricane Ridge

Day Six: From Olympic to Rainier

Use Day Six, your last full day before catching a flight home, to soak up the last little bit of the Olympic Peninsula! If leaving from the Coast, hit Sol Duc Falls early in the morning for one last hike. If near Port Angeles, head up Hurricane Ridge!

Note! It will take about 3-5 hours of driving to get to Rainier National Park from Olympic! One of the things I disliked most about living in Washington is how long it takes to get to places that , in theory, are pretty close together. If your goal for your road trip is to hit all the best places in Washington, it’s definitely doable, but you’ll likely spend a decent amount of time waiting in Seattle traffic or waiting for ferries. This road trip is meant to be a compromise between seeing as much as possible, and spending tons of time waiting in traffic and lines.

Alternately, leave Olympic early to head to Rainier as soon as possible. There are plenty of Inns, Cabins, and Yurts along Highway 706, which is the best place to stay to access the Paradise region of Mount Rainier National Park. Alternately, stay at the Cougar Rock Campground in Mount Rainier National Park.

Mount Rainier in the Fall

If there is one park to skip on your Washington road trip, it’s Mount Rainier! Rainier is beautiful, but very crowded. I’d recommend only visiting if you can make it at the end of September or on a weekday.

Day Seven: Mount Rainier National Park to Seattle

Mount Rainier National Park is incredible and definitely worth the visit, but can be super crowded! The Paradise Visitors center is easily one of the best place to visit, with easy hiking to Marymere Falls and the six-mile Skyline Loop, considered one of the best hiking trails in Washington State.

After spending the morning exploring Mount Rainier National Park, head back to Seattle to get ready for your flight back home in the morning. Be sure to swing by the Copper Creek Inn for pie on your way back down the mountain!

A few things to keep in mind when planning your Washington road trip route:

Keep in mind that travel times between destinations can be long, especially when travelling near or across Puget Sound and near Seattle. The Washington State Ferry can eliminate some driving time, but only actually saves time when you time it correctly. While all of these places are fairly close as the crow flies, mountains, the Sound, and Seattle traffic mean that you’re likely to spend a lot of time in-transit between destinations.

For example, I lived in Bellingham, WA, and as the crow flies it was only about 70 miles to Olympic National Park. In practice, it was at least six hours of travel to reach the park due to Seattle traffic/ the ferries.

If you had to skip any one place, I would skip Mount Rainier National Park and spend more time up in the Baker area or in Olympic. Rainier is really beautiful, but it’s so so crowded that personally I feel like my time is better spent elsewhere. It’s definitely worth visiting once, and I would love to come back and backpack the Wonderland Trail, but other than that I’m just not sold on it.

Looking for more on planning your Washington Road Trip? Check out these additional resources!

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