Travel

Sunny Getaways: The Brightest Northwest Vacation Spots in the Desert, Small Towns, Mountains and on the Coast

Gray skies may rule over Seattle, but the sun is shining at these vacation destinations only a few hours from the city

By Danielle Centoni, Leslie Kelly, Kristen Russell, and Roddy Scheer May 1, 2018

1-intro_0

This article originally appeared in the May 2018 issue of Seattle magazine.

[addtoany]

This article appears in print in the May 2018 issue, as part of the “Sunny Getaways” cover story. Click here to subscribe.

It’s no secret—even to Seattle newcomers—that we have more than our share of gray days (226 days of “heavy cloud cover” by one estimate). No doubt that’s why Hawaii and Mexico are popular destinations for locals. 

But you don’t have to go that far afield to catch a few reliable rays. Next time you’re desperate for a sunny weekend or week, load up the car with a few essentials (i.e. sunscreen and shades) and head out to one of these bright spots in the Northwest.

Leavenworth
Yakima
Ancient Lakes Trail
Oregon’s Painted Hills
Sequim and Port Townsend
Oregon’s southernmost coastline

 

Follow Us

Summer of Aquatic Bliss

Summer of Aquatic Bliss

Dive into diverse delights

To celebrate this summer of aquatic bliss, we rounded up providers that deliver all the nautical thrills at a fraction of the overhead. Along the way you can also encounter indigenous lands, marine mammals, and distant islands...

Food Flight

Food Flight

The best portable meals to grab on the way to Sea-Tac

Crunching through a fresh bánh mì at the far end of Terminal C at Sea-Tac International Airport or unwrapping an oversized cemita during boarding sits just at the edge of acceptable airport behavior. Not because someone shouldn’t be able to enjoy some of Seattle’s finest sandwiches or slices en route, but simply because...

Hidden Washington: Leavenworth All Year

Hidden Washington: Leavenworth All Year

This Bavarian-style village in the Cascade Mountains offers more than just Oktoberfest and Christmas celebrations

Beyond the beer and bratwurst and lively seasonal celebrations — notably Oktoberfest with a “K” and Christmas with a heaping dose of Nutcrackers — Leavenworth is a fabulous place to spend a long weekend...

Got to Get to California

Got to Get to California

The state’s stunning beauty is on full display in these pastoral midsize cities

Just like the 1987 Seattle Supersonics, California has a Big Three. Xavier McDaniel, the “X-Man,” is Los Angeles, flashy and often spectacular...