4 Day Pacific Northwest Itinerary

Want the perfect mix of city and country? Love the idea of soaking in the hustle and bustle one day and relaxing in the peace of nature the next? Well then the Pacific North West is the place for you! Surrounded by mountains, countryside and stunning coastline, Seattle and Portland remain metropolitan strongholds in the middle of some of nature’s finest work. You could easily spend weeks exploring the region but for those with less time on their hands (aka, most normal, working people), here is my 4 day Pacific Northwest Itinerary.

The Basics

Round trip itinerary

Fly Into/Out of: Sea-Tac Airport, Seattle

Transport Method: Hire Car

States Covered: Washington, Oregon

Day 1: Seattle

Morning: Pike Place, Pioneer Square and Waterfront

Kick off your first day with a self guided walking tour of Seattle, starting at Pike Place Market, the shopping destination synonymous with Seattle culture. You can grab a bite to eat, some flowers, a souvenir or 20, or just wander around the sprawling stalls. Finish with a visit to the Gum Wall, a literal wall full of chewing gum, or check out the world’s first Starbucks. Next head toward Pioneer Square, an old neighbourhood full of beautiful architecture before ending the morning strolling along the waterfront.

Afternoon: Space Needle and Seattle Centre

No trip to Seattle would be complete without a trip to the Space Needle. Although you can see it from all round the city, no view is better than from the base at the Seattle Centre. Go up the tower for a panoramic view of the city or check out one of the many surrounding museums and galleries, from Chihuly Garden and Glass to my favourite, the Museum of Pop Culture.

Evening: Capitol Hill

Seattle is famous for its craft beer so spend the evening sampling some of the finest. Capitol Hill is packed full of local breweries as well as top notch restaurants, making it the perfect place to end your day in Seattle. For those not into beer (like me!) there are plenty of bars with a great view of the city to while away the hours.

Alternative Activities

Fremont

The quirky neighbourhood of Fremont is a great place to spend an afternoon. Gasworks Park provides an interesting vantage point of the city, while Shillings Cider House serves up a huge variety of ciders in tasting flights for a chilled evening. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the Fremont Troll, a troll sculpture hidden away under a bridge.

Harbour Cruise

One of the most popular ways to see the skyline is on a cruise. From wine tours to historical tours, there’s something for everyone out on the water.

Book your harbour cruise here.

Day 2: Mount Rainier National Park

Leave Seattle early in morning for Mount Rainier National Park (Drive Time:1.5 hours). The absolutely stunning park boasts countless miles of walking trials, varying in length and difficulty so everyone can enjoy the nature at their own pace. There are also roads through most of the park with incredible view points if you’d rather explore on wheels, and tonnes of activities from mushroom picking to a scenic gondola.

My Favourite Trails and Areas

Paradise

If you’re going to give something the name Paradise, it has to be good, and this region of the park is exactly that. Known for its beautiful wild flowers, there are a few trails stemming from a beautiful lodge which wind around the flower fields, offering a great view of the mountain if the weather conditions are right. The best time to see the flowers is August to September as the weather can stay pretty cold way into the summer. I went in July and the park was still covered in snow so be sure to time your visit well if the flowers are your main motive.

Reflection Lakes

If you catch the Reflection Lakes at the perfect time, the view is probably the best in the park. I however, did not. I found myself looking at quite a lot of cloud, barely reflected in a heavily rippled lake. Not ideal. But if you’re lucky, and head over at sunrise or sunset, the views that await you are astonishing. There is a 2-3 hour loop trail around the various lakes which I would highly recommend but if that’s not your style, there is a short path leading down to one of the lakes from the road.

Pinnacle Saddle/Plummer Peak

Mount Rainier

The Pinnacle Saddle Trail was my favourite hike in the park. You climb pretty high through the forest opposite Mt Rainier so the views are to die for. This was another place covered in snow during my visit so it was pretty tough with some navigational skills required. During better weather though I imagine it’d be a more moderate walk that could be completed in 2-3hours, giving the feel of a summit hike with less of the exertion.

Evening: Sleep amongst nature

Spend the night in one of the park lodges or surrounding areas to enjoy unparalleled views of the stars. There are plenty of options from camping to lodges to suit all budgets.

Need some more hiking inspiration? Check out my guide to the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand

Day 3: Portland

If you don’t fancy hiring a car, there are plenty of trains from Seattle to Portland or even greyhound buses to take you on to the next portion of the itinerary!

Morning: Coffee and a good book

Arrive in Portland in the mid-morning (Drive Time: 2.5 hours) ready to explore one of America’s quirkiest cities. Grab a coffee at one of the 27 million cafes and head to Powell’s City of Books. It might not seem like much to do for your entire morning but you can easily get lost in this GIANT store that covers an entire city block and is the largest independent book seller in the world. Make sure you grab a map before starting your adventure (yes, seriously, they have maps).

Afternoon: Food Trucks and Waterfront Walks

Portland is famous for its food trucks so you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to lunch. There are food truck parks all over the city so just find the one closest to you when the hunger takes over. After lunch, wander down to the waterfront, stopping off at the world famous Voodoo doughnuts on the way. They have a huge range of crazy flavours but it’d be rude not to get the namesake voodoo doll (and at least 3 others, you know, cos you’re there). If you’re lucky enough to be visiting on a Saturday, explore the waterfront market, if not, just take a stroll along the river and enjoy the view.

Evening: Movie Brewpub

An evening in Portland wouldn’t be complete without something a little different. After dinner head to one of McMenamins movie theatres housed within a pub. Complete with sofas and bar access, it’s like watching the latest releases in your living room, only better!

Alternative Activities

International Rose Test Garden

Portland isn’t called the City of Roses for nothing! In WW1, America decided it was necessary to protect its European rose species that might be affected by the bombed, and so Portland’s Rose Garden was born. Nowadays, you can walk between over 7000 rose species for free! Try to visit between April and October to see the flowers in full bloom, otherwise it may be seriously underwhelming.

Forest Park

Around a 10 minute drive from the city centre sits Forest Park, one of the largest urban forest in the US. With over 80 miles of hiking and cycling trails, you can easily spend a day lost in the beauty of an iconic Pacific Northwest landscape.

Day 4: Multnomah Falls and Mount Hood

Multnomah Falls

One of the most famous sights in the Portland region is Multnomah Falls, often considered to be one of the best waterfalls in the USA. The area is only a short drive from town and you can view the falls just moments from the car park. For those who like to earn their views a little more (like me!) there are a few trails around, although they have recently been closed due to a fire. Head there early to avoid the crowds and be sure to head up to the bridge for an close up look at the water.

Tamanawas Falls

Take a drive along the river before cutting in towards Mount Hood until you reach this interesting trail (about an hour from Multnomah). The hike winds through a mixture of rocky terrain and forest before opening out into an impressive waterfall. You can walk right up to it, and even take a look behind it, although the spray makes it freezing, and very slippy so be careful!

Trillium Lake

Driving this route through the Mount Hood area already boasts incredible views of the mountain but a stop at Trillium Lake is definitely worth it. The recreation ground around the lake is the perfect place to settle down for a picnic before you enjoy the surroundings on the gentle loop hike around the lake. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the nature before driving back to Seattle airport and heading home (Drive Time: 3.5 hours).

What would you include in your 4 day pacific Northwest itinerary? Let me know in the comments!

Katie x

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6 Comments

Bidisha
November 17, 2018 / 10:23 am

Looks like you made the best out of these four days. Pike Place looks so amazing and there’s a whole wall filled with chewing gum is something I still can’t believe. Haha. Is it gross or pretty? I loved the hiking trails you have been on. I am sure the experience must have been beautiful.

serenaslenses
November 17, 2018 / 10:06 pm

omg this is so amazing. i really need to make it out there someday!

Elisabeth
November 18, 2018 / 6:38 am

Thanks for sharing your advice! I’d love to see the waterfall in real life and go to Paradise. So funny that it is actually called that way but it does look beautiful!

Georgie Mack
November 18, 2018 / 10:53 pm

I’ve always wanted to visit Seattle since I’m a huge Nirvana fan, and Portland since I saw it on House Hunters haha! This sounds like an amazing itinerary with lots of beautiful nature.

Bahar
March 5, 2019 / 2:54 pm

Hope to have a chance of visiting this beautiful place.

Find Tash
August 14, 2019 / 10:55 pm

I love this itinerary! It has all the places I’ve wanted to visit and perfect suggested activities. I think Mount Rainier looks beautiful in these photos – cheers!