Road trips are great and all, but sometimes it’s nice to park the car upon arrival and enjoy your new surroundings on foot or by bus. Luckily, there are plenty of places where you can easily do that in Washington. These 10 are a few fine examples of destinations where you can go carless.
- Edmonds
Michael Matti / Flickr Edmonds is a picturesque waterfront community located about 11 miles north of Seattle. Its downtown area can easily be explored on foot, and they have public transportation available if you decide to wander a little farther.
- Leavenworth
The Wu’s Photo Land / Flickr You don’t need to take your car to our beautiful Bavarian village. Many of the hotels are within walking distance of the charming downtown area. There are also several tours, like winery visits, that have transportation provided. You can even get to the city itself by bus from places like Seattle and Wenatchee, so if you really don’t want to drive there, you don’t have to.
- Cheney
Ian Poellet / Wikimedia Since Spokane’s neighbor, Cheney, is a college town, it has good public transportation for its size. Its small but charming downtown is very walkable and includes some good food and great shops.
- La Conner
Jasperdo / Flickr La Conner is a little off the beaten path, so you’ll definitely want to drive there. But once you arrive, park your car and enjoy the quaint waterfront businesses and catch a sunset from the boardwalk.
- Bellingham
Robert Ashworth / Flickr Bellingham is a little larger and more “spread out” than the other places on this list - it’s the largest city in Whatcom County. But it also has a decent bus system and ridesharing options like Uber. Or, you could always pick your favorite neighborhood and stick to it.
- Walla Walla
andrewghayes / Flickr The always pleasant Walla Walla is full of shopping, restaurants, and of course, wine. They’ve got an array of options for chartered wine tours, not to mention their decent city bus system.
- Bainbridge Island
Canadian Pacific / Flickr Bainbridge Island is accessible by ferry - but you can leave your car behind. The downtown area is just steps from the ferry terminal and has everything you’ll need, including a few hotels.
- Mount Vernon
Orin Blomberg / Flickr Mount Vernon is best known for its close proximity to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, but in the “off” season it’s a more relaxed and fun place to visit. The city was established in 1889 and still retains some of its historic charm. The restaurants, shops and other small businesses downtown don’t require a car to reach.
- Pullman
Orin Blomberg / Flickr The home of the WSU Cougars is full of hills, so it might not seem very walkable at first. But if you only want to explore the campus and the downtown area, you can park and stroll around all day. There are also busses available for when you get tired.
- Port Townsend
Travis Lowdermilk/Flickr Our little Victorian village is a beautiful place to visit however you’d like to see it. If you’d rather not drive around, stay at one of the waterfront hotels, like the Swan Hotel. You’ll be within walking distance of plenty of places.
It’s so nice to be able to get around a town without a car. And it’s even better when you don’t have to use more than one tank of gas to get there.
Michael Matti / Flickr
Edmonds is a picturesque waterfront community located about 11 miles north of Seattle. Its downtown area can easily be explored on foot, and they have public transportation available if you decide to wander a little farther.
The Wu’s Photo Land / Flickr
You don’t need to take your car to our beautiful Bavarian village. Many of the hotels are within walking distance of the charming downtown area. There are also several tours, like winery visits, that have transportation provided. You can even get to the city itself by bus from places like Seattle and Wenatchee, so if you really don’t want to drive there, you don’t have to.
Ian Poellet / Wikimedia
Since Spokane’s neighbor, Cheney, is a college town, it has good public transportation for its size. Its small but charming downtown is very walkable and includes some good food and great shops.
Jasperdo / Flickr
La Conner is a little off the beaten path, so you’ll definitely want to drive there. But once you arrive, park your car and enjoy the quaint waterfront businesses and catch a sunset from the boardwalk.
Robert Ashworth / Flickr
Bellingham is a little larger and more “spread out” than the other places on this list - it’s the largest city in Whatcom County. But it also has a decent bus system and ridesharing options like Uber. Or, you could always pick your favorite neighborhood and stick to it.
andrewghayes / Flickr
The always pleasant Walla Walla is full of shopping, restaurants, and of course, wine. They’ve got an array of options for chartered wine tours, not to mention their decent city bus system.
Canadian Pacific / Flickr
Bainbridge Island is accessible by ferry - but you can leave your car behind. The downtown area is just steps from the ferry terminal and has everything you’ll need, including a few hotels.
Orin Blomberg / Flickr
Mount Vernon is best known for its close proximity to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, but in the “off” season it’s a more relaxed and fun place to visit. The city was established in 1889 and still retains some of its historic charm. The restaurants, shops and other small businesses downtown don’t require a car to reach.
The home of the WSU Cougars is full of hills, so it might not seem very walkable at first. But if you only want to explore the campus and the downtown area, you can park and stroll around all day. There are also busses available for when you get tired.
Travis Lowdermilk/Flickr
Our little Victorian village is a beautiful place to visit however you’d like to see it. If you’d rather not drive around, stay at one of the waterfront hotels, like the Swan Hotel. You’ll be within walking distance of plenty of places.
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