Nice but not-too-expensive countryside getaway near Seattle in October ?

Perhaps say a bit more about what you mean by "countryside" as my definition of that may be very different than yours. Also, how far are you willing to drive on that arrival day?

Hi Kim. I have a few to suggest depending on how far you want to go. These fall more under “towns” but they are small and scenic.

• Gig Harbor (1/2 hour from SeaTac)
• Poulsbo (about 75-90 minutes from SeaTac)
• Bellingham (near CA border)
• Snoqualmie (east about 45 minutes from SeaTac)

There are so many… If you want very rural you could try for the San Juan Island but October might be getting late in the season. I haven’t been there other than early September.

Or you could visit ETBD Hq in Edmonds…. It’s an appealing, but expensive, small city,

I agree with the other comment: What do you mean by countryside? Are you looking for a quiet retreat or a place to get out in nature? Do you need to work remotely during the stay? What are your interests?
Without knowing the answers to these questions, my first thought was Vashon Island. I think there is still countryside there (I've only been once in the last 30ish years). Or keep going on the ferry to Southworth and stay near Port Orchard.
In the opposite direction is Suncadia near Roslyn. It's more PNW style countryside: evergreen forest rather than open fields. And it's a resort, so not really a natural area. There is a spa, a winery and a couple of decent places to eat.

How far from Seattle do you feel like going?

La Conner
Langley (Whidbey Island)
Vashon Island
Sequim/Port Angeles
North Bend

You could certainly do a circuit around the Olympic Peninsula and enjoy Olympic National Park.

Some great suggestions. I would suggest Vashon. It's the closest semi-rural area. You would drive to West Seattle, get in line for the ferry (might be a long wait if it's rush hour), take a 15 minute ferry ride and be on Vashon. The Lodges on Vashon are running around $240/night in October. There are a number of Airbnbs and if you are interested, PM me and I can help you look at locations. I don't live on Vashon any more so no personal stake. Just a regular visitor.

If you can fly into Paine Field in Everett, WA I would also look into Whidbey Island. Bigger and more rural than Vashon but a difficult drive from SeaTac Airport.

I’ll offer up my favorite small town - Port Townsend! It’s a town, for sure, with restaurants and shopping. But it sits RIGHT on the water - with ferries going by, whale watching boats. There’s gorgeous Victorian architecture everywhere.

And then - just outside town - there’s hiking, walking, parks, beaches to stroll.

It takes me 90 minutes from Tacoma - so add the SeaTac to Tacoma traffic in, which is a little hard to predict…45 minutes if you’re lucky.

With all due respect, Laurel, Bellingham is not a small town. Nearly 100,000 people live here. The other towns mentioned have fewer than 25,000 residents (and some half that).

Hi Kim,
I'd say you have lots of options though I don't know the lodging costs. Some of my favorite for a few days include:
1) Bellingham--specifically Fairhaven. Lots of good restaurants, cute shops, beautiful boardwalk, easy access to hiking or fall walks (Lake Padden has a great walking loop that is flat-ish)
2) Winslow on Bainbridge Island. Charming seaside town, easy access to Seattle, lots of quaint businesses (restaurants, pubs, shops, etc.)
3) La Conner (in Skagit Valley)
In October there will be so many fun harvest/fall events no matter where you choose. Enjoy your break in our little corner of the world!

Thank yoy all very much, I have been to the San Juan Islands before (but not for long enough).

I think based on what y’all have written here, I am first going to check out Vashon Island and Port Townsend.

As for what I meant and being more specific — that is a very good point. I think I am just sick of cities right now and need to be somewhere less built up. So yes even small towns would be good. A cabin that is easily accessible but out in nature (ha!) with comfy furniture for lounging and reading, a good bakery nearby, and good walks around would be perfect.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to respond. I have had a lot of family stuff this year and haven't gotten to take any actual vacation. So even just four nights enjoying some calm and beauty somewhere will be very welcome.

I’ll add another idea and suggest Paradise Lodge at Mount Rainier. It’s our favorite mountain in the Cascades and a nice place to stay.

Paradise Inn at Mt. Rainier closes for the season on Wednesday.

thanks for clarifying what you're looking for. I agree with the Port Townsend suggestion, just know that in October the weather will probably be on the verge of turning PNW dreary so hopefully you have a good raincoat. Some shops may transition to winter hours but are usually open over the weekends. Plenty of outdoor areas to explore (Ft. Flagler and Ft. Worden are nice), good bookstores and bakeries. Port Angeles is another option, you could also take the ferry to Victoria, BC from there.

With all due respect, Laurel, Bellingham is not a small town. Nearly 100,000 people live here. The other towns mentioned have fewer than 25,000 residents (and some half that).

You are right Gerry! Gosh, my memory of a retreat there is many years ago! It was a great location but not that big!

Kim, if you end up in Port Townsend you could take the ferry to Whidbey for the day. If it's a nice fall day I'd rent a bike (or e-bike) in Port Townsend, take the ferry to the Coupeville Ferry Terminal and then bike to the town of Coupeville via Ebey's Landing Park. https://www.bikewhidbey.org/routes. Callen's, across the street from the Coupeville Ferry, has excellent mussels.

I would agree with the Port Townsend recommendation. If you’ve see An Officer and a Gentleman you will recognize places where they filmed.

Kim

An itinerary variant. Stay on Whidbey Island. Either in Langley or in Coupeville. (We like the Anchorage Inn in Coupeville.) The Oystercatcher is a lovely restaurant in Coupeville; finer dining than Callen’s, which we also like. There are art galleries in Langley, Coupeville and sculpture studios in Freeland. And there is a fun and free outdoor sculpture garden in some woods, just 2 or 3 miles outside Coupeville. https://sculptureforest.org/

You can easily take the Keystone ferry from Whidbey TO Pt. Townsend for a good part of one of your days. And, you can easily park near the ferry dock on Whidbey Island and just “walk on” the ferry to Pt. Townsend. The ferry terminal in Pt. Townsend is right in town.

Two ways to Whidbey from Sea-Tac airport (SEA):

1. North on I-5 to the exit for the Mukilteo ferry (30 or 35 miles up I-5), then 10 or 15 minutes to the ferry. It’s a 1/2 hour crossing to the south end of Whidbey Island. OR
2. North on I-5 past Mt Vernon (60 miles north of Seattle and 75 or 80 miles north of the airport), then West on State Route 20 to the north end of Whidbey Island. The crossing at the north end of the Iisland is called Deception Pass and it is absolutely beautiful on a sunny day.

Not sure what your timing is. This could be a nice way to spend 3 or 4 nights … or even just 2 nights plus an afternoon and morning on either side. It is not clear to me from your post if you are spending a few days in Seattle PLUS a few days in the countryside or if you have just 4 nights for Seattle and out of town areas.

What could work is to spend a couple of nights in Seattle, then drive up in the morning to the Whidbey ferry to the south end of the island and proceed to Langley. Lunch and galleries in Langley. Studio visits in Freeland. Late afternoon in Coupeville. Next day in Pt. Townsend and Coupeville; second night in Coupeville. Then the next morning, return to Seattle … either route and get a late afternoon or evening flight to your next US destination. If you left Whidbey 10 am, you’d easily get to the airport by 2 pm … just to be safe, let’s say 3 pm. Turn in the rental car and get a 6 pm flight.

Hi Kim, not sure of the cost this time of year, but the Suncadia area is very relaxing and no large town in site. Also, would you like Seabrook at the coast? It’s a little planned community that’s charming & laid back.

My daughter’s family stayed in a special treehouse in the woods near Seattle. Let me know if you want me to ask her for details.

Whidbey Island was my first instinct, I love Coupeville, and with a car there's plenty of short day trips, like Deception Pass to the north, Langley to the south, or the ferry to Port Townsend (where you wouldn't need the car, you could leave it at the ferry terminal near Coupeville). The only downside would be that getting to Whidbey requires driving north from SEA through Seattle in some of the worst freeway traffic in the US. Avoid rush hour.

Another choice might be a short drive from SEA to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal in West Seattle, where you can get a boat to Vashon Island, or beyond it to Southworth on the Kitsap Peninsula. From Southworth you could drive up to the north Kitsap area (Poulsbo, Kingston, Hansville), or beyond to Port Townsend and the Olympic Peninsula.

This is a good problem to have. If all else fails, come south to Olympia and, if it's Friday morning, I'll give you a free tour of our beautiful state capitol! ;-)

Check out Leavenworth to see if it fits what you are looking for.

We just spent a couple of nights in Leavenworth. It’s a Bavarian town that has a lot of shops and restaurants, but is close to nature. If you choose that I can give you a good restaurant recommendation.

Leavenworth would not be my first choice in October. Depending on dates, Octoberfest will be in full swing

Oktoberfest in Leavenworth is on the weekends only (October 2-3, 9-10 & 16-17). The town-wide Bavarian theme is very kitschy and maybe corny to anyone who’s been to the Bavarian alps, but the mountain scenery is the real deal.

Everything is so green here in Seattle, we enjoy the fall turning of the leaves in the Cascade Mountains. I was just checking my photos from a trip we took to Leavenworth in mid to late October a few years ago — the colors were spectacular. We had cool crisp sunny days on that trip.

I’ve done a side by side comparison of photos I took at Lake Wenatchee, near Leavenworth, and photos I took in Kochel am See, in Bavaria last year. You can’t really tell them apart.

Port Townsend is also one of my favorite getaways. I don’t think that you could go wrong with either town.

I won't repeat all the great suggestions already given, but you get the idea that we have so many wonderful places so close to us here. My first thought was Whidbey and Port Townsend, but also had Leavenworth on my mind. Even though Leavenworth is kitschy, it has some very good restaurants and you can hike to your hearts content even right in town. Blackbird Island is especially nice in the early morning or evenings as it goes along the river and is very peaceful. There are a lot of cabins/houses to rent outside of town as well, so you can get that country relaxing atmosphere and then be just a few minutes from town for anything else, which for us is a good mix.

A favorite place of ours in Port Townsend is the Morgan Hill Guest Cottage which we keep returning to. They fill up fast, but the rates are in your budget and it fits what you are looking for. It is a wonderful little oasis and you can walk down to a park, or along the water, into town, etc.

Thank you to everyone who made such thoughtful suggestions ! I really appreciate it.

I ended up narrowing it down to a luxury (or almost-luxury?) resort in Woodinville, the Willows Lodge. The rooms with balcony and fireplace looked soooo appealing. Obviously that wwasn't any near a $200-per-night limit, but I had some minutes of thinking what the heck - plus it was not so badly positioned for my last night, when I want to be in Seattle to see my niece at UW.

Then I started looking around on AirBnB. The place I really wanted to go was up on Guemes Island, but that seemed awfully far to go, and anyway I have been to Anacortes and the San Juan Islands before (not that Guemes is in the San Juans).

Then I was basically down to places on Vashon Island and near Gig Harbor, I figured getting to either of those would be relatively easy from SeaTac, and then when I’m done with my more “rural” part of “vacation,” I can just return the car to SeaTac and catch the light rail up to UW for the last night and back to the airport the next day.

In the end, I have opted for (reserved and paid yesterday) for an AirBnB on Fox Island. It is an extra small apartment on the land with someone's house. Very private, but with apparently lovely hosts who have thought of everything, a view of the water, and a lovely pine forest off the back/bedroom deck (lovely for morning tea). So I will go there the afternoon I arrive, and spend three nights there (so only two full days). That will be some nice time on the island and going into Gig Harbor, I imagine.

Then on Saturday, I will drive back to SeaTac and drop the car, and head into town, where I’ve reserved a Hilton on points. Will see my niece Saturday afternoon/ evening, then head out to the airport Sunday morning for that direct Seattle - Tulsa flight ! (They started running this route back in March, which is what gave me the idea for this little stop.)

It's not much, but I’m looking forward to it. Hoping for those gorgeous October days. But even if I run into dreary wind and rain, I will be snug and cosy up in the little apartment.

Thank you all again - I wish I could do everything that you all have noted — there are so many interesting places to visit out there !!

And p.s. CL: good reminder to pack my good raincoat !!

I hope you have a wonderful time on Fox Island. You will be skirting downtown Gig Harbor on your way to the Fox Island bridge. The cafe at the Gig Harbor airport (yes, there is one but it's general aviation) is suppose to be good and not a far drive from the bridge. If you feel like bargain hunting while in Gig Harbor you could see if the Gig Harbor Sample Sale is open. They have salesmen samples and the bargain room is a bargain. The non-bargain room is a little less bargainy. I'm sure your host will have suggestions but if not, ping me if you are interested in additional restaurant ideas.

I'm sure you'll like Fox Island, it will be quiet and peaceful. Gig Harbor is a nice side trip. The freeway drive from SEA isn't much fun, but it would be inevitable for most of the choices discussed above. A highlight will be crossing the Tacoma Narrows on a high-level suspension bridge. If you want an urban break, I'd recommend downtown Tacoma with its Museum of Glass and the Washington State History Museum.

That sounds like a great plan. And you may not need the rain jacket but you'll be glad if you do. Have a wonderful time.

Thank you Trotter, Dick, and CL. I have a big Barbour, but also a more “high-tech” serious raincoat I got in Sweden a couple of years ago that will be fun to stash in my bag.

Thanks for the hint on the possible sample sale and other things I’ll see around. Yes I figured the drive will be a drag for a while no matter which way I chose. It's worth it to get to some tranquility.

The whole thing is a bit silly. Three nights somewhere peaceful is nothing. But it's a lot longer than I have had somewhere peaceful in much more than a year. I already feel guilty taking this many days.

Kim, you deserve this getaway. Some peaceful time to yourself is definitely needed.

Kim, depending on when you are in the area you may want to consider a visit to Point Defiance in Tacoma. https://www.parkstacoma.gov/place/point-defiance-park/#visitor-information It's a 700 acre free public park on the shores of Puget Sound with views of the Tacoma Narrow Bridge, Gig Harbor and Vashon. It has miles of hiking trails and old growth trees. It also has a small zoo and aquarium. Starting October 15 the zoo will have a selection of the Thomas Dambo Trolls. I've only seen one of them, a towering installation on Vashon. I hope to see the installation in Tacoma while it's there. https://www.pdza.org/trolls-open-this-fall/