by Richard Max Detrano

Created on: June 03, 2009

Day trips from Seattle are fun, and offer lots of diversity. Whether nature, history, architecture, or a trip abroad is your thing, you can get there within a day from Seattle.

My top ten trips rated for value and quality of experience, ranked one to ten are:

1. The Victoria Clipper from Downtown Seattle. (All day)

The hydrofoil runs daily from the Seattle waterfront to Victoria. Whale spotting is possible; dolphins are frequent. The

city of Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and the biggest city on Vancouver Island. The city's center is walkable, and debatably more British than modern England. There is a combo package available which includes transportation and high tea at the famous Fairmont Empress Hotel. Although sail time is less than three hours, don't forget your passport. New laws require US citizens to have a passport entering and returning from Canada. Special Whale Watching day voyages are available from May to September.

2. Port Townsend, WA (All day)

Once upon a time, when clipper ships carried bricks from China for ballast and returned to Asia with a belly full of NW timber, Port Townsend was the shipping hub of the area. Located in the mouth of the Juan de Fuca Strait, ships were loaded and unloaded in Port Townsend. With the advent of steam power the port was all but abandoned. The richness of Port Townsend's architecture owes a lot to its years of economic neglect. The main street is a treasure of Victorian buildings. The Port Townsend Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been declared a National Historic Landmark. In the summer the town is a bustling arts center.

Take the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Take State Route SR305 north/west to SR3 north and follow the signs 7 miles and cross the Hood Canal Bridge. Take SR19 till it joins with State Route SR20. Follow SR20 to Port Townsend.

3. Leavenworth, WA (All day)

A Bavarian town nestled in the mountains just east of Seattle will make you think you went to Switzerland, Germany, or Austria. It is a popular destination for hikers, lovers of all things Bavarian, food lovers, and beer lovers.

Take I-90 East over Snoqualmie Pass, then north on to Highway 97. OR take I-5 North to Everett and turn East on Highway 2 over Stevens pass, part of the famous "North Cascades Loop."

4. Whidbey Island and Deception Pass (All day)

Deception Pass State Park is possibly the most visited scenic wonder in Washington. The park is home to old growth forests,

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