Seattle-Portland romantic 3-day self-driving tour
2 cities |
11 attraction(s) |
total distance 206
km
TIPS
Day1
Day2
Day3
Day1: Seattle
6 attraction(s) ·
16 km
1
The University of Washington is located in a large area with a great geographical position. It is surrounded by Portage Bay and Union Bay, facing the vast Washington Lake, and only a 15-minute drive from the city center. The main entrance of the University of Washington has several tall totem poles, which are unique landscapes of the university and a symbol of the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. The University of Washington is known as having the most beautiful campus in the United States. When you enter the university, you will be immediately impressed by the magnificent European-style buildings, as if you are in a city in Europe. Here, you can not only see buildings with Gothic spires, but also buildings with Baroque-style exquisite decorations, which are grand and elegant, and all exude a strong classical atmosphere.
Spring is the best time to visit the University of Washington. There is a whole road of cherry blossoms leading to the Drumheller Fountain in the center of the campus. Inside Suzzallo Library, there is a reading room that resembles a scene from Hogwarts in Harry Potter. The free atmosphere of academic openness allows you to visit without registering.
9
km
3
This is a quite curious attraction, covered with various colors of chewing gum, which can be a bit controversial, but you can also see many creative "artworks". It is about 50 feet long and 15 feet high, known as the wall with the most bacteria.
3
km
4
Experience music project
This building, ranked third on Forbes' ugliest architecture list, is a peculiar one from inside out. Built in honor of the Seattle native rock musician Jimi Hendrix, who had an unparalleled charisma in the British rock scene when rock music was booming in the 1960s. Besides, the museum also features various exhibitions and a sound lab where visitors can freely play musical instruments. The most captivating is the instrument sculpture "If Ⅵ Was Ⅸ" that can be seen upon entering the museum. Before seeing it, one may never imagine the exhilarating and passionate energy that bursts from this countless stack of instruments, reaching all the way to the top.
2
km
5
Kerry Park is the best place to capture the night view of Seattle. From this angle, you can not only include the downtown area and the Space Needle in your frame, but also capture the top of Mount Rainier on clear days. If you have enough patience, you can watch the sky gradually darken from dusk, changing from orange to light blue, then deep blue, and finally into purple. Standing on a high point and watching the city slowly light up with city lights will make you wonder how there can be such a city in the world that fulfills people's imagination of a better life, making people aspire to have one of these thousands of lights. Many postcards featuring the scenic views of Seattle's various cities, as well as the Space Needle and Mount Rainier, are taken here.
3
km
6
When you arrive in Seattle, not going up the Space Needle is like going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, or going to New York without visiting the Empire State Building. No matter where you are in the city, you can always see the Space Needle when you look up. Tourists can take the elevator, which travels at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour, to the top of the tower. From the top, the whole city looks like a miniature landscape, and on clear days, you can even see Mount Rainier in the distance. On Independence Day and New Year, there are fireworks displays at the Space Needle.
Day2: Portland Oregon
3 attraction(s) ·
68 km
1
The Columbia River, the fourth largest river in the United States, located in the Rocky Mountains, forms a winding river valley over 1000 kilometers long at the border of Oregon and Washington. The valley is magnificent and expansive, with breathtaking scenery. On a good weather day, the sparkling river surface is particularly beautiful. The most famous feature of the valley is its waterfalls, with Multnomah Falls being the second tallest waterfall in the United States. Divided into upper and lower sections, the upper section has a drop of 165 meters and the lower section has a drop of 21 meters. The lower waterfall, due to its greater width, is more spectacular and impressive. This is also a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, who enjoy thrilling activities such as whitewater kayaking here.
64
km
2
Astoria, located an hour and a half away from Portland, is the mouth of the Columbia River. The area is surrounded by mountains, rocky reefs, and frequent fog. Over the course of 300 years, more than 200 ships have sunk in these waters, earning it the nickname "the graveyard of the Pacific." The complexity of the water conditions makes it impossible to build a traditional lighthouse, so a light ship is used instead, which is a ship anchored in the sea with a powerful light. The museum houses a model ship in the midst of turbulent waves, about to sink.
4
km
3
International Rose Test Garden is located in Portland, USA. It's a must-visit place in Portland. The garden is filled with the fragrance of roses, especially on sunny days you can also see Mt. Hood.
Day3: Seattle
2 attraction(s) ·
124 km
1
Mount Rainier National Park, also known as the Rainier National Park, is a national park located in Pierce County, southeast Washington, United States. It was established on March 2, 1899, and is the fifth national park in the United States. The park covers an area of 368 square miles and includes the entirety of Mount Rainier, a 14,410-foot stratovolcano. The park offers a unique natural landscape with features such as the largest glacier in the contiguous United States, the Carbon Glacier, as well as ancient forests and subalpine meadows. The park is known for its pristine state, surrounded by canyons and waterfalls. Paradise is one of the most popular attractions in the national park, offering heavy snowfall in winter and vast wildflower fields in summer. The iconic Paradise Inn, with its log structure, cobblestone fireplace, and views of the forest and mountains, provides a tranquil retreat. The Sourdough Ridge Trail in the park is a moderately challenging hiking route that leads to Frozen Lake and offers opportunities to encounter bears and cougars. Experienced hikers can continue from Frozen Lake to Burroughs Mountain, where they can enjoy panoramic views of snow-capped mountains, alpine flowers, and lush meadows in the canyons.
124
km
2
As the largest aviation museum on the West Coast of the United States, it is awe-inspiring to see the collection of over a hundred aircraft here. Not only can you see the planes used during the First and Second World Wars, but you can also learn about the stories behind these aircraft through precious documentaries. This is an absolute must-visit museum for every aviation enthusiast.
