12 Washington Day Trips From Seattle That Are Actually Worth It In 2026
My friends always joke that my car has a mind of its own, and honestly, they aren’t wrong. Most weekends, it just points itself away from the city lights and…
My friends always joke that my car has a mind of its own, and honestly, they aren’t wrong. Most weekends, it just points itself away from the city lights and…
My neighbors probably think I’m losing it. Every weekend, I stand in my yard staring at empty patches of dirt, sighing like a tragic poet longing for shade. If you’re…
The first time I heard Washington had a building big enough to hold entire airplanes under one roof, I assumed someone was exaggerating. Then I saw the scale of the…
I like to think I’m a responsible adult, but put me in front of a wall of squishy, vibrantly colored yarn when the sun is setting, and my brain instantly…
Look, I love a good taco as much as the next person, but sometimes my soul just craves carbs smothered in gravy. So, picture my sheer delight when I discovered…
My jeans always fit a little tighter by the time September rolls around, and honestly, I refuse to take the blame. It’s entirely the fault of a certain off-the-grid destination…
We all know waterslides give you a gentle push and a few seconds to settle in. This Arizona ride has a different idea. You step into a capsule, stand over…
The weekend plan had all the right intentions: a long coastal walk, fresh sea air, and enough movement to justify calling the day productive. Then the smell of warm butter…
If you had told my eight-year-old self that I’d someday find a place where giant model train layouts could fit inside a cozy shop, I probably would have fainted with…
Every now and then, a place comes along that makes you feel genuinely small in the best possible way. Oracle State Park, in the northern foothills of the Catalina Mountains…
My absolute superpower is getting lost, which is how I somehow ended up face-to-face with a badger that looked like it was judging my entire life path. I was taking…
I was cruising along Highway 260 when a 32-foot golden figure suddenly rose above the roadside, flute pointed toward the Arizona sky. Camp Verde had apparently been keeping a giant…
I watched The Polar Express way too many times as an adult, which is probably why I lost my absolute mind when I discovered a vintage train car you can…
There is a very specific kind of panic that sets in when you realize you can’t even see your own hand in front of your face, and I experienced all…
I packed five swimsuits for my Arizona trip and used exactly zero of them. Instead of lounging by the pool like a normal tourist, I spent my entire vacation hiding…
I have a confession to make: I am a sushi snob. There, I said it. I’m the kind of person who will relentlessly judge you if you drown your spicy…
My friends lovingly call me a beach snob, and you know what? They aren’t entirely wrong. I’ve traveled all over chasing the ultimate coastline, so I figured I’d seen it…
My official summer uniform in Arizona consists entirely of tank tops, flip-flops, and a desperate, glazed-over look in my eyes. By July, I am 90% melted ice cream and 10%…
My friends lovingly describe my relationship with water as “panicked,” yet here I am, willingly plunging into the epic madness of the Seafair’s massive Washington water festival this weekend. Maybe…
I thought the ostriches would be the main attraction, but the rainbow lorikeets had other plans. At this Arizona ranch, the tiny birds swoop down in flashes of green, blue,…
I have always had a soft spot for places where creativity comes with a little dust on the shelves and clay under someone’s fingernails. This Seattle shop is exactly that…
Who knew that poking around a decommissioned nuclear launch site could actually make for a amazing weekend outing? Down in the scorching Arizona desert, there is a secret underground world…
Everybody talks about the massive, storm-battered coastlines of Washington, but honestly, trying to find parking at those famous spots usually sends my anxiety straight through the roof. I needed quiet….
Forks, Washington sits on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula wrapped in perpetual mist and the kind of green that makes you feel like you wandered into a painting….
Growing up means trading water slides for grocery lists, overflowing inboxes, and conversations about lower back pain. Then one Washington waterpark reopens after dark for guests over twenty-one, giving adults…
Most people heading to Phoenix, Arizona have the desert heat, hiking trails, or sports arenas on their minds. Very few have a firefighting museum at the top of their list,…
My therapist once told me that I needed to find a hobby that encourages mindfulness and patience. I’m pretty sure she didn’t mean standing in a zigzagging line before the…
My friends call me a “maximalist” because I’m the type of person who picks up every pretty pebble I see on the sidewalk. Naturally, when I heard there was a…
Tears have been shed over brisket in this house, mostly because I once dropped a perfectly charred rib in the dirt and spent five minutes mourning the loss of such…
If you told my younger self that I’d be spending my Saturday night sweating under a flickering disco ball inside a stationary train car, I probably would have laughed. Mostly…
Navigating the aisles of a warehouse this size requires stamina, a sharp eye, and perhaps a extra-large coffee, but the payoff is absolutely worth the effort. My recent trip to…
My kids have reached that age where they are no longer satisfied with a backyard kiddie pool; they want adrenaline, splash zones, and enough water to drown a small village….
I have learned not to judge a barbecue stop by its surroundings, especially in Washington. Sometimes the best smoke is not rising from a polished downtown dining room. It is…
Ever feel like your local spot is just a little too… normal? Sometimes, a person needs an establishment in Washington that understands the artistic merit of a well-placed jump scare…
Arizona’s wild side does not always announce itself with a roar. Sometimes it comes with a faint rattle from the edge of a trail, which is usually enough to make…
Nothing clears my head quite like the hushed, reverent silence of a room filled with books. Lately, my wanderlust has shifted from hiking trails to the aisles of charming, independent…
If you told my younger self that I’d spend my weekends hunting for vortexes and ancient petroglyphs, I probably would have laughed while clutching a lukewarm energy drink. Yet, here…
I have a theory that the best meals are always discovered when you’re slightly lost, low on gas, and craving something you can’t find back home. That’s exactly how I…
Adrenaline is essentially my love language, especially when it involves dodging corners at breakneck speeds while pretending to be a professional racer. Recently, a visit to a massive indoor track…
Adulting can be synonymous with endless spreadsheets and lukewarm coffee, which is precisely why finding a portal to a whimsical underwater world feels like a necessary act of rebellion. Imagine…
Road trips follow a simple, sacred rhythm: gas up, pick a killer playlist, and locate the nearest high-quality ice cream shop immediately. If your travel philosophy involves prioritizing sugar over…
I have tasted a lot of desserts in my time exploring Washington, but nothing quite prepared me for the slice I encountered tucked away in a quiet mountain cabin. This…
If you grew up around here, you know the unspoken rule: you don’t talk about the best wings in Arizona unless you’re ready to face the consequences. For decades, locals…
Washington State takes its baked goods seriously, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the cinnamon roll department. I’ve spent the last three weeks eating nothing but dough, sugar,…
Dining out used to be simple, but nowadays, it feels like navigating a high-stakes obstacle course just to find a decent plate of food. Every week, someone claims they have…
I have a soft spot for secondhand stores that make me forget what time it is. I go in thinking I might browse one rack, maybe peek at the home…
Road trips through Washington often lead to unexpected discoveries, but few are as delightfully bizarre as the giant frying pan anchoring this charming seaside community. For years, locals have pointed…
My idea of a five-star hotel is a patch of dirt in Arizona that offers a decent sunrise and zero cell service. But let’s be honest: the guests at these…
I’ve always been the type of person who needs to unplug before I completely lose my mind to email notifications. Last summer, I stumbled upon James Island, and let me…
Moving here was, without a doubt, the best decision I’ve ever made. Even if my bank account complains every time I discover a new favorite brunch spot. I’ve lived all…