Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP - Washington Message Board - Tripadvisor

Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP

CH
Maryland
Level Contributor
67 posts
3 reviews
3 helpful votes
Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP

Considring planning a trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer for late July and looking for guidance:

Tentative plan rrive (fri) and spend 2 nights in Seattle (fri/sat), Sunday afternoon; - drive to Rainer and stay outside the park (Sun night), Mt rainer Ntl Park Mon/Tues;; Drive early Wed to ? Wed. Thur - ? ; Friday fly out (red eye(

Are there places to pick up a rental car in downtown or should I plan to pick up the car when we arrive and drive straight to Rainer and save Seattle for the end?

I have been checking the Gov site for reservations,

If you want to do the sunrise entrance, do you need both paradise and sunrise passes? Should I split these into two days?

I don't think we'll have time to also do ONP, is it a option to drive from Rainer to ONP and stay there for 1-2 nights or will that not give us enough time? Or is there another good option for 1-2 days to stay before we have to go back to Seattle?

Any must do recommendations in Seattle for teen girls?

TIA for any guidance.

3 replies to this topic
Port Angeles, WA
Destination Expert
for Olympic National Park
Level Contributor
18,577 posts
22 reviews
17 helpful votes
1. Re: Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP

You don't have time for ONP, and it's Rainier, not Rainer.

What does your teen like to do? What is she interested in?

Seattle, Wa
Level Contributor
10,539 posts
66 reviews
73 helpful votes
2. Re: Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP

Yes Sunrise and Paradise have different entries with different parking lots so you need different permits. It's all about trying to minimize waits at the booth and making sure you'll have a spot to park.

Seattle
Destination Expert
for Puerto Vallarta, Seattle, Solo Travel
Level Contributor
88,357 posts
23 reviews
79 helpful votes
3. Re: Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP

With that amount of time I'd spend 3 days in Seattle, 3 days in or around Mt Rainier.

As far as which order you might want to check where you can find a place to stay. Guessing more options for Seattle hotels over a weekend. So Fri/Sat/Sun in Seattle, Mon/Tues/Wed at Rainier area, fly out Thursday night.

You definitely don't have time to add ONP, unless you want to skip everything else.

As far as teen girls in Seattle... yes what are her interests? There's MoPop (contempory music museum), places to go up high for a city view (Space Needle, Sky View Observatory, Smith Tower). The Underground Tour and Klondike Museum (gold rush) in Pioneer Square historic district. Of course there is shopping and fashion (flagship Nordstrom store), art galleries, boutiques, spice shops, bakeries, a gazillion coffee shops, ice cream... Do not miss the Pike Place Market, both for gift shopping and places to eat.

Edited: 21 May 2024, 03:24
Reply to: Trip to Seattle/Mt Rainer NP
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