Enjoy a spectacular staycation in Seattle’s colorful countryside

When the tide turns, a stay a little outside the city limits will take you – but it can feel like miles. Just northeast of Seattle, harvest activities, wine bars, and spectacular fall drives await.

About 20 minutes northeast of Seattle, Bothell has several great options for families traveling. The sprawling 5-acre park at Bothell Landing is so autumnal photogenic that you’re likely to see families snap vacation photos on the recently reconstructed footbridge over the Sammamish River. Ride on promenades with carpets of leaves through wetlands, peek into the time slots of the Bothell Historical Museum and the nearby schoolhouse, or enjoy a sunny autumn day in the amphitheater.

Families will want to try the drop-in art classes at Tsuga Fine Art and Framing (and adults can browse well-curated local art). At Zulu’s Board Game Cafe, kids can enjoy games and creatively named pub food (i.e., Pokemon-style snacks) while parents sip beer and cider. In addition to Halloween-centric activities, Bothell hosts the Indian Diwali festival in late October with parades, lights, culture, dance, and music.

Downtown Bothell can also be a great starting point for families with the McMenamins Anderson School. The spacious campus was once a school from the 1930s and today offers an 89-degree Fahrenheit salt water lagoon (also open to the public) in a Tiki-style building, hotel rooms in original Art Deco interiors. While dining indoors is always an option, al fresco dining takes place amid incredibly lush scenery, with warmth from heat lamps and surrounding wood-burning fireplaces. Take part in pumpkin carving, live shows, and other Halloween activities in October.

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Adults can also book deals on accommodation, dining, and activities on the Begin at Bothell website, including girls’ outings and beers’ n ‘gear, focusing on craft breweries and local bike trails. Sip & Stay offers discounted rates at various local Bothell hotels, coupled with wine tastings in nearby Woodinville, just 4.2 km to the east.

Woodinville “Wine Country” is now known for more than 100 wineries and tasting rooms, including Washington’s oldest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle. In the unusually clean and well-maintained Woodinville Creek Village complex, where camouflaged speakers are playing light jazz into the streets, you’ll find 11 upscale street-level wine-tasting rooms with high-end apartments above. In the same complex, you can choose individual meat, vegetarian and vegan tacos in the Lifted Taco – many of them with fresh microgreens and red coleslaw. Those who stop for liquid fuel can try the lightly filled Sidekick Coffee, which offers the usual caffeinated options along with the hugely popular S’mores bars. If you’re addicted to sugar, consider a scoop of caramel ice cream from Swanky Scoop.

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For couples, Woodinville’s luxurious Willows Lodge offers 84 modern rooms and private fireplaces. The fall foliage on the Sammamish River Trail is just steps away and the on-site restaurant, Barking Frog, offers seasonal ingredients such as roasted pumpkin, pickled pumpkin and wild mushrooms. The “All the Fall Feels” package includes a blanket, Carhartt hats, a pumpkin-scented candle and autumn-flavored drinks for adults in the resort’s Fireside Lounge.

For the second day of staying fun, consider the rural recreation in and around Snohomish. Follow WA-522 north or turn onto WA-9 North. Along the way, enjoy rolling farmland and pumpkin fields, each with their own personality that goes beyond the typical U-Pick pumpkins and hay carts. Craven Farm promises cider donuts, ghoul-free petting zoo, and scarecrow photo ops, while Carleton Farms serves pumpkin donuts and weekend harvest activities for kids. Stocker Farms challenges visitors to weather a spooky evening corn maze, and Bob’s Corn and Pumpkin Patch might be a great fit for younger kids because of the rope maze, sandpit, corn crib, and trike area.

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The quiet charm of Snohomish along the Snohomish River makes an excellent day trip for groceries and quirky shops for older teenagers and adults. Accessories, clothing boutiques, and home interior stores line First Street and the nearby side streets. Among the options: Two stories of weird and perfect vintage goods at Remember When Antique Mall and Antique Station in Victoria Village (among the many antique options). Artisans Mercantile sells locally made gifts, Uppercase Bookshop presents bestsellers and used titles in a cozy interior. Inside Retreat Botanicals creates your own terrarium or planter in the Terrarium Bar using materials from the shop.

Stop for a bite to eat at the hugely popular Andy’s Fish House. Locals and visitors alike line up for Alaskan cod, halibut, salmon, prawns, scallops, popcorn prawns, clams, or oysters, hand tossed into panko breadcrumbs and served with hand-cut potato fries. While other dishes (tacos, fettuccines, and salads) are available, fish and chips are a big draw.

Eat outside or inside on site, or take your greasy goodness with you on a bench overlooking the Snohomish River and the paved Centennial Trail. The trail passes through Snohomish as part of its 30 mile route and is inviting for pedestrians, cyclists, and longboard skaters. After dinner, either drive back to Seattle (just an hour’s drive or so) or return to your hotel for a second night.

Note: COVID requirements are subject to change at any time, so keep up to date with the requirements of the county, city, and individual business owner. Restaurants can ask indoor diners to provide evidence of Covid vaccination or a negative test within 72 hours. Plan on wearing a mask indoors when you are not eating or drinking, regardless of vaccination status.

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