A round-trip Washington loop from Seattle — turquoise glacial lakes, the North Cascades Highway, an Old West town, a Bavarian village, and Mount Rainier. One SIXT rental, no one-way fee.
One design-forward pick per stop, same as the Oregon page. ★ marks them on the map's Places to stay layer.
Round-trip from Seattle. Head north over the North Cascades Highway (SR-20) — one of America's great drives — to Winthrop, south through Leavenworth, then to Mount Rainier and back. Toggle the map layers; tap any pin for a photo & Google Maps link.
🚗 colored line = driving order · 📍 things to see · 🛏 stays (★ = our pick) · ✦ optional add-ons (Olympic + Mt St Helens).
This is a bigger, more driving-heavy loop than the Oregon one — the SR-20 run to Winthrop is a ~4½-hour scenic day (the drive itself is the sightseeing: Diablo Lake, Washington Pass). The rest are 2–3½ hrs. Want rainforest & wild coast too? Toggle the optional add-ons to see the Olympic Peninsula — a ~2-day western extension.
Drive the North Cascades Highway past turquoise Diablo Lake and the jagged Liberty Bell at Washington Pass, landing in Winthrop — a boardwalk Old West town in the sunny Methow Valley.
Design huts★ Our pick
Mountain resort
CabinsModern casitasTimber lodgeBoutique hotelInn · pool & sauna
A walkable alpine town ringed by granite peaks — raft or tube the Wenatchee, hike the Icicle Gorge, climb toward the Enchantments, or paddle nearby Lake Chelan. Great food, riverside cabins, real mountains.
Eco resort★ Our pick
Alpine spa · 16+Riverside cabinA-frameStriking modern A-frames 5 mi from town with floor-to-ceiling valley windows, hot tub & firepit — the design-forward pick. (Books via IG DM.)
🛏 ~1,700 sqft · sleeps 4Adventure hotel
Tiny housesBoutique hotelMountain lodgeGrand lodgeCap the loop at Washington's giant — Paradise wildflowers, Sunrise's high alpine views, waterfalls everywhere — then drop back toward Seattle (~2h). Tempting last night: Salish Lodge right over Snoqualmie Falls (@salishlodgespa), 30 min from SEA.
A-frameDesign A-frame★ Our pickDesign cabins
Retro trailersHistoric lodge · in-parkIn-park innMountain resortYou fly in and out of SEA — grab a stylish night downtown to start or finish. All three are family-friendly and on Instagram.
Design hotelHistoric hotelBoutique hotelSEA → North Cascades/Winthrop (2) → Leavenworth (2) → Mt Rainier (2) → SEA. ~660 mi round-trip; one long scenic day (SR-20), the rest 2–3½ hrs.
This one is a bit more driving and the stylish-hotel options are fewer, but you get the North Cascades Highway, a Bavarian village & Winthrop's Old West — none of which the Oregon trip has.
Toggle the ✦ layer for the Olympic Peninsula (Hoh Rainforest, Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Ruby Beach) and Mt St. Helens — each a 1–2 day extension.
Scenery photos are real (Wikimedia Commons, the actual named places). Lodging photos are representative vibe shots — click "View" for the property's real gallery & live rates. Drive times are realistic estimates; road geometry via OSRM.
