Day Trips to Mount Rainier from Seattle

With a height of 4,400 meters, Mount Rainier belongs to the national park that bears its name and is one of the highest mountains in the United States. Its natural scenery is a spectacle in itself. There is truly a lot to see and do in Seattle, but this is a must-see destination if you are visiting the city. Ideal for a day out alone, as a couple or with the family, and enjoy a day in contact with nature.

Located in the state of Washington, this stratovolcano offers truly breathtaking views. Mount Rainier National Park is one of the first national parks in the United States. Created in 1899, you can encounter some of the local wildlife, such as black bears and wild elk, in its nearly 100,000 hectares.

Enjoy an incomparable experience at Mount Rainier National Park, about 60 minutes from downtown Seattle.

With an absolute charm, this place is one of the most visited from Seattle, being an oasis of calm and wild nature, with incredible waterfalls, forests and majestic views.

You can see wild animals such as moose and black bears, you can visit the Henry Jackson Memorial Visitor Center, Paradise, where you can learn a little about the flora and fauna of the region, as well as its history.

In addition, throughout the tour you will be accompanied by a specialized local guide, who will tell you the most curious details about the place. Definitely an excursion that you cannot miss if you are in Seattle.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 150 €.
• Duration: 10 hours approximately
• Means of transportation: minibus
• Advantages of this option: it is ideal for nature lovers and outdoor activities.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is not recommended on rainy days, since, in addition to not being able to enjoy 100% of the majestic views, it will be difficult to walk around the place.

If you are someone who enjoys a good hike in the middle of nature, this hike to Mount Rainier National Park is definitely for you.

You will hike the Burroughs trail overlooking the forests and snow-capped peaks of the volcano. You will experience the feeling of being in the middle of nature, where you will see wild goats and hopefully some elk.

The tour includes some food and drinks so you can have a picnic in the open air, surrounded by this natural beauty. Then you and your guide will visit the Grove of Patriarchs, where you can enjoy a walk through the forest to the Henry Jackson Visitor Center, Paradise.

Included among the best tours from Seattle, the place has many points of great interest, such as Christine and Narada waterfalls or its lakes.

Note that the tour includes everything from transfers, coffee and tea, vegetarian sandwiches for picnic, fruits and other snacks, and tickets to the National Park, so you should not worry about bringing anything.

Just don't forget to bring your camera or smartphone, the views here are absolutely sublime. You will want to take countless pictures, I assure you.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 185 €.
• Duration: between 10 and 11 hours
• Means of transportation: van or minibus
• Advantages of this option: it is done for small groups of no more than 4 people, so you will have a personalized treatment.
• Disadvantages of this option: not recommended if you are not in good physical condition.

With this tour you will enjoy the views and the incredible scenery of Mount Rainier National Park, and taste some of the most exquisite wines of the Yakima Valley.

You will hike the trails of Mount Rainier, while your guide explains all the details of the place. You will be able to appreciate the local flora and fauna, take pictures and enjoy nature and the outdoors.

Then you will visit the vineyards and the Wilridge Distillery in the Yakima Valley, where you can also enjoy a wine tasting. To finish at the Owen Roe Winery, where you can taste other varieties of local wines.

It is worth mentioning that everything is usually included in the price of the tour, from the pick up at your hotel or airbnb, the trip, the entrance to the National Park and the tasting at Wilridge and Owen Roe.

Finally, if culinary is your thing, do not miss one of the best gastronomic tours in Seattle, I assure you that it is an incredible experience, to delight your palate with the best of local cuisine.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 294 €.
• Duration: 6 hours approximately
• Means of transportation: van
• Advantages of this option: as it is for small groups, you will have preferential treatment, as well as the possibility of enjoying delicious wines in an unbeatable natural setting.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is not recommended for those who do not drink wine, because although the scenery is incredible, much of the tour is focused on the tasting experience

Take a full day hike on Mount Rainier. Ideal for those who love outdoor exercise and especially hiking.

You'll hike through part of the National Park and get incredible views of the volcano that gives it its name. You will enjoy the forests, flowering meadows, lakes and waterfalls while your specialized local guide tells you all about this majestic place.

This excursion only accepts small groups, so you will have access to preferential treatment. Depending on the time of the year you schedule your visit, you will have completely different landscapes. You can go on foot or with snowshoes.

It is worth mentioning that this tour includes breakfast, where you can enjoy coffee or tea, fruit and delicious pastries, as well as lunch with local wine.

You will be picked up at your hotel or airbnb, transferred to Mount Rainier National Park, where you will enjoy a full day of hiking and adventure in incomparable landscapes, accompanied by your guide. In the afternoon you will be taken back to Seattle.

A complete experience, ideal to enjoy as a couple or with friends.

Interesting facts

• Price: from 287 €.
• Duration: 10 hours 30 minutes
• Means of transport: van or minibus
• Advantages of this option: you will not have to worry about everything, hiring this excursion you will not have to think about meals or entrance fees, since everything is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is the most expensive of all the full day excursions.

Can you imagine taking off from a lake and soaring through the sky over this incredible wilderness? Flying over the National Park in a seaplane is a truly unique experience.

You will be able to enjoy nature from a different perspective. You will see the forests and lakes, the trails in the middle of nature, and the incomparable adventure of doing it aboard a small plane.

In addition, the pilot will be your guide, he will narrate and show you the different monuments and places of interest that Mount Rainier National Park has. A very good way to see the great extension of the park on its west side, as well as some other nearby points. If you are lucky and the weather is nice, you may be able to fly over the city of Seattle.

Ideal for middle-aged children, so they can live the experience of flying in a seaplane and at the same time see the volcano from above.

If you like flying you can't miss this aerial tour. The seaplane takes off from Lake Washington and the tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Note that the tour does not include the transfer to the lake, but don't worry, you can easily get here by cab, for about 40 or 45 Euros, or by bus, with lines 101 or 107, for only 5 Euros approximately.

Interesting facts

• Price: starting at 317 Euros
• Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Means of transport: seaplane
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to enjoy aerial views of this incredible volcano, as well as Puget Sound, the snow-capped peaks and its lakes.
• Disadvantages of this option: not suitable if you suffer from vertigo or fear of flying.

Nowadays booking a tour or excursion is really easy, it can be done through the internet, and you can choose the option you like the most. Below is a direct link to book your Mount Rainier tour right now. This is undoubtedly the best and most practical way to do it, from the comfort of your computer or smartphone.

When you buy online you can see the comments and opinions of other travelers who have already done the tour. In addition, most of them have free cancellation in case you can't make it.

Since the National Park in which Mount Rainier is located is about 1 hour from the city of Seattle, the vast majority of these tours are all day tours. Estimate approximately 10 to 11 hours.

Although there are always shorter options. Of the tours I mention here, the seaplane ride is 90 minutes only from Lake Washington, and the tour with a visit to the Yakima Valley and wine tasting is 6 hours.

You will see some truly sublime natural scenery, with meadows filled with flowers of every color, glacial lakes, snow-capped peaks, and towering Mount Rainier, the tallest mountain in the United States.

In addition, with a specialized local guide, you will be able to learn in detail all about this region, its history, flora and fauna, while you observe it.

If you opt for the tour that includes a wine tasting, you will also learn about the varieties of Yakima Valley wines in a tasting next to the vineyards, an unparalleled experience.

If you opt instead for the seaplane ride option, you will have incredible views of the entire area. Although in the latter case the time is much shorter, the perspective you get flying over the National Park and the city of Seattle is unique.

Remember that this is an all-day hike (in most cases), so depending on whether meals are included or not, you should consider bringing something to eat. In the case that they are not included, the minibuses usually have refrigerators to store anything that may need to be kept cold.

Before leaving, you should always take into account the temperature that is expected for the rest of the day in the region. It never hurts to bring a sweater, a jacket or a raincoat, in case they are necessary.

Keep in mind that you will be in an outdoor area, with few places to take shelter in case it rains or cools off. If you have any doubts, you can ask when you make your reservation, since contact telephone numbers are always included.

Prices will depend on many factors, such as the number of hours the excursion lasts, whether breakfast and lunch are included or not, if there is any other type of special service (as in the case of the seaplane ride or the wine tasting), etcetera.

It is therefore very important that you evaluate the different excursion options offered so that you can choose the one that best suits your desires and your budget.

With this in mind, the excursions range from 150 € to 317 €, approximately. Of course there are other options, but I did not find them relevant enough.

It is more than recommended to hike Mount Rainier because you will have the opportunity to visit one of the oldest National Parks in the United States, a truly magical place just 94 kilometers from the city of Seattle.

It is a truly unforgettable experience, where you can see moose, black bears, goats, a currently active volcano and dreamlike landscapes. Ideal for nature lovers and those looking for a break from the city.

It is always preferable to take a guided tour rather than visiting the National Park on your own, since, in addition to having practically everything taken care of, from entrance fees, permits, transfers and more, you will have a local guide who is a specialist in the area, who can tell you all about the park, Mount Rainier, its species, its history, as well as its most recommended spots.

On the other hand, if you decide to visit the park on your own, it is very likely that you will have some things to visit, details to know, and you will end up wasting your vacation time, or not getting the most out of it.

So, never hesitate, a guided tour is always the best option, especially when it comes to a place like Mount Rainier, with no less than 100,000 hectares and hundreds of years of history behind it.