The Pacific Northwest is an enchanted land of old-growth forests fueled by a seemingly endless supply of rain. However, during the summer, the showers give way to sunshine and fields of wildflowers. It’s a time for celebration, festivals, and adventures in the great outdoors.
PNW vacations might not be objectively cheap compared to other places, but they’re a superior value considering the uniqueness of the land and the ever-present comparisons to Alaska. Our budget vacations in the Pacific Northwest are all about getting the most for your money.
Seattle Southside Getaways
For most people, Seattle is the gateway to the Pacific Northwest, but the Emerald City is notoriously expensive. Also, technically, the gateway is Sea-Tac Airport, which is in the middle of Seattle Southside. We love staying at the Cedarbrook Lodge, with its “living room” setup and airport shuttles, but you’ll find Seattle Southside hotels to be an exceptional value compared to Seattle proper.
Not only are there homegrown romantic things to do in Seattle Southside, but it’s an excellent base of operations. You’re right around the corner from Mt Rainier and the Olympic Peninsula and you don’t have to fight the notoriously bad Seattle traffic to get there. You can even take the light rail directly into the city and not worry about traffic or parking at all.
Olympic Peninsula Road Trips
Another great way to avoid Seattle pricing is to leave Seattle. Hotel prices immediately drop once you cross over to the Olympic Peninsula, but that isn’t why you’re going. The Hoh Rainforest in Olympic National Park is the largest temperate rainforest outside of Alaska. Seattle, AKA Emerald City, receives 36 inches of rain a year. The Hoh Rain Forest gets 168 inches of rain plus enough fog and mist to contribute another 30 inches of precipitation. The Hoh Rainforest isn’t just emerald; it’s iridescent.
It’s about an 8-hour drive to drive the entire Olympic Peninsula loop, but that doesn’t leave you enough time to let it all soak in. Instead, plan to spend a few days hiking in the old-growth forests. We like to run the loop counterclockwise and spend the first night on the coast. Then go to the Hoh Visitor Center on day two before spending the night at a hot spring hotel. From there, you can continue to Seattle or, better yet, the San Juan Islands.
San Juan Islands Excursions
San Juan County has 172 named islands. The three most popular, San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island, are the most popular with ferry service, affordable hotels, and plenty of things to do. We like the laid-back feel and bicycle-friendly roads, but we love the opportunity to see orcas in the wild. Whether you’re sea kayaking or on an excursion boat, nothing compares to seeing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
The quaint hotels and B&B of the islands are less expensive than a comparable property in the city, but the bucket list experiences bring real value to a San Juan Island vacation.
Cannon Beach and Oregon Coast Drive
Oregon coast road trips are another way to escape the cities and experience the real Pacific Northwest. Oregon has 364 miles of coast, but the crown jewel of the rugged shoreline must be Cannon Beach.
Cannon Beach has seaside hotels and delicious restaurants (you must try the clam chowder). It’s also home to the photogenic Haystack Rock and beautiful Ecola State Park, with forested hiking trails and sweeping panoramic ocean views. Be sure to work in a visit to nearby Astoria at the mouth of Columbia River for a visit to Fort Clatsop and Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
Bend Adventures
Bend is a fun mountain town with a romantic and sophisticated side. You can hammer on single track in the morning before breaking for lunch at the Bend Ale Trail, the largest beer trail in the West. You can visit a spa in the afternoon before indulging in dinner at an award-winning restaurant.
Lather, rinse, repeat – Bend is a lot of fun. Bend is also surprisingly affordable; just look at these hotel prices! As for things to do, don’t forget kayaking on the Deschutes River, visiting Tumalo Falls, caving in Lava River Cave, and climbing at Smith Rock State Park.
Coeur d’Alene Escapes
The Coeur d’Alene has 55 lakes within easy driving distance of the city, including the impeccable Lake Coeur d’Alene just outside town. Ten Thousand years ago, these massive sheets of ice slid down from the Bitterroot Mountains, which now house the Coeur d’Alene National Forest. Of course, there’s plenty of hiking and watersports, but don’t forget the magnificent Route of the Hiawatha Scenic Bike Trail. This 15-mile ride takes you through nine dark tunnels and seven sky-high trestles. Best of all, it’s all paved, and local shuttle and bike rental companies will take you up the hill, so your ride will be predominantly downhill.
Coeur d’Alene is close enough to Seattle for a weekend getaway and flights from LAX to nearby Spokane for under $400. Once you arrive, you’ll find reasonably priced lakeside resorts, mountain ranches, and charming boutique hotels. The food (and wine!) is sourced from local farms and vineyards, making it fresh, delicious, and a terrific value.
Whitefish and Glacier Getaways
Whitefish, Montana, is a charming mountain town at the front door of America’s most beautiful National Park (in our opinion) – Glacier National Park. It’s fun for every season, with summer offering warm-weather operations at Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort and watersports on Whitefish Lake. However, you could hike Glacier every day of your vacation and still not see it all. If you’re coming in the early summer before Logans Pass is open to automobiles, you can cycle to the pass without sharing the road, one of America’s most spectacular bike rides.
Accommodations are reasonable, especially if you can secure lodging in Glacier National Park. However, the logistics of getting to Whitefish dissuade many budget travelers. However, with Amtrak service from Seattle, a select few will disagree. You can spend less than $150 for round-trip train tickets and check your bikes, so you will not need to rent a car.
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