Things To Do
Mount Rainier National Park
Looking for some amazing hiking nearby? Look no further. There are TONS of hiking options all over Washington. Rainier National Park is actually fairly close to Enumclaw and would be an excellent option. However, there are plenty of hikes nearby that do not require a parking pass as well.
Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge
Enjoy bird watching? This is a great option! There are lots of birds in the area including Bald Eagles. Depending on the tide, you may be able to see the eagles diving for fish and eating their catch along the boardwalk. There's plenty of other wildlife to be seen including turtles and crabs!
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Want to explore a little but don't want to go all the way into Seattle? The Point defiance area has some nice walkways, a zoo and is close to Ruston. Ruston has a lot of great dining options right on the water of the sound. Some of our favorites include Ram Restaurant and Brewery, Duke's Seafood, Ice Cream Social, and WildFin American Grill.
McMenamins Elks Temple
Ever heard of McMenamins? I hadn't until moving out here. This is an interesting location that has hotel rooms and multiple bars/restaurants. It is mostly known for the indoor bar-hopping experience and the secret bar, but the food is pretty good. Maybe if you visit you'll be able to find the secret bar located inside!
Browns Point Teriyaki and Sushi
Want to take a drive and grab a mellow dinner and beer in a location that is close to our hearts? Brown's Point Teriyaki is a favorite of ours from when we lived in Federal Way. Our usual order is the Spicy Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box. Delicious! We recommend you order a To-Go meal then head next door to North 47 Brewing for a beer. This is something people do often and they can bring your food over for you.
Olympia
Olympia is much less of a tourist spot than Seattle but there are still some fun things to see including the Capitol Building and Campus which includes gardens and the Governor's Mansion. Downtown Olympia is easily walkable with a wide range of bars, restaurants and shops. A couple restaurants we recommend are The Leaning Maple for brunch (don't be scared away by the gluten free, you can't taste the difference - Jenny recommends the Spicy Maple Chicken Waffle and Loaded Hashbrowns), Cascadia Grill (The Ahi Tuna was superb) and Well 80 Brewhouse (we recommend the Oly Style Tots but be aware it's a huge appetizer). For more information about downtown Olympia shopping and food look here: https://loveolydowntown.com/shop-and-dine/ There are also a lot of parks in the area for some nature walks such as Watershed Park. However, if you're up for a bit of a drive outside of Olympia Millersylvania State Park is a great option as well.
Whale Watching!
There are many good whale watching options in the Puget Sound. These tours guarantee whale sightings (usually Orcas but you may see some Humpbacks, Minkes, or Harbor Porpoises) Locations include Port Townsend, Port Angeles, or Seattle - see link for more details.
Pike Place Market
This is a staple of Seattle tourism. Lots of shops and food! You will need to find parking outside of the market itself but there is plenty nearby (just check for garages or lots beforehand to get an idea of where to go). I highly recommend trying the chowder flight from Pike Place Chowder (https://www.pikeplacechowder.com/). You can walk to the aquarium and docks for harbor cruises from Pike Place too. Don't forget to find the gum wall! For other Seattle food recommendations, don't hesitate to ask! We don't spend much time in Seattle but we still have a couple favorite spots.
Space Needle
A Seattle classic! Everyone's must see if you are up for sight seeing in Seattle. If you are planning some extra time around the wedding and want to see Seattle I highly recommend purchasing the Seattle City Pass (https://www.citypass.com/seattle?mv_source=visitseattle), this pass will get you into the Space Needle along with many other attractions!
Museum of Pop Culture
Jason and I have not been here yet but we've heard great things from our friends who have gone! Some of the exhibits change so be sure to check it out if that is interesting to you! This is an optional inclusion on the City Pass mentioned in the Space Needle blurb.
Seattle Aquarium
We've been here a couple times while visiting Pike Place Market and really enjoyed it! This is also included on the City Pass mentioned in the Space Needle blurb.
Woodland Park Zoo
We have not been here but we've heard it's pretty nice! This is also an optional inclusion for the City Pass mentioned in the Space Needle blurb.
Chihuly Garden and Glass
Jason and I loved it here! It is an absolutely amazing glass exhibit and it's right next to the Space Needle. This is an optional inclusion for the City Pass mentioned in the Space Needle blurb as well.
Pier 57 Historic Carousel
Pier 57 is a fun place to go for a little arcade, food, carousel, and a large Ferris wheel! It is walkable from the Aquarium and Pike Place. There are also options for harbor cruises here. Jenny and her family took a Salish Sea Tour to learn more about the history of Seattle, its harbor, and the native peoples who originally live in the area. Tickets for all can be found at the link provided.
Beneath the Streets
Looking for something a little different? Well here you go! This is a tour of the underground streets in Seattle where you get to learn a some fascinating Seattle history. Highly recommend for those of you who enjoy a history lesson with your sightseeing.
Looking to get your spooky on?
There's a few good places to get your holiday haunts started. We recommend the following Seattle - Georgetown Morgue, excellent haunted house but you should get there early because the line gets long and parking fills fast (https://seattlehaunts.com/) Lacey - My Morbid Mind, fun haunted house but the hours are more limited (https://mymorbidmind.com/) Buckley - Maris Farms Haunted Woods, close to the wedding venue, we haven't been but the reviews are pretty positive (https://marisfarms.com/plan/dates-hours-pricing/)
Leavenworth
Leavenworth is a super cute Bavarian-styled mountain town! It is very popular. If you want to make the trek up to see it, I recommend booking a place to stay well in advance. There are a ton of fun outdoor activities in the area as well as plenty of shops and eateries!
Olympic National Park
If you are planning to make more of a trip out of your visit to Washington I highly recommend shooting over to the Olympic Peninsula. It is absolutely beautiful over there. Olympic National Park is home to a lot of hiking options as well as the Hoh Rainforest. There are also some gorgeous beaches along the peninsula's coast including Second Beach, Kalaloch Beach (home to the Tree of Life, hopefully it is still hanging by this time), Ruby Beach, and Rialto Beach. Keep in mind, these beaches will be chilly especially this time of year.
Vancouver
This is probably a long shot but if you want to make this trip international, I recommend Vancouver! It is a lovely City about 3.5 hours away from Enumclaw. We've explored a few areas up there that we think might be worth a trip. If this is something you might be interested in I suggest seeing some of the following: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park - an iconic tourist destination for Vancouver and maybe you'll get to see some banana slugs! Stanley Park - a huge park with some pretty amazing views, there are scooter rentals nearby if you want to scooter around the sea wall VanDusen Botanical Garden - a massive botanical garden including plants from all over the world, even during the fall it is a beautiful place. Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden - an intimate tranquil garden in the Chinatown discrict Queen Elizabeth Park & Bloedel Floral Conservatory - a beautiful free garden to enjoy. The conservatory does charge for entry (very cheap) but it also has some exotic birds!
Victoria
Victoria is another great option if you want to turn your Washington trip into an international adventure! We have not been out there yet but a plan is in the works. There are tons of fun outdoor activities in the area and from what I've seen some interesting spots include: Butchart Gardens - an extremely famous/popular botanical garden Victoria Bug Zoo - a small zoo with live bugs, some of which you can handle! Tea at The Empress - have a fancy English afternoon tea in a sophisticated lounge Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park and the historic Helmcken House