You don’t have to drive hours from Seattle [1] to experience the great outdoors. There are loads of natural wonders right out the doorstep from the Puget Sound.
Drive up to the thundering water of Snoqualmie Falls [2], the waterfall made famous as the backdrop for the TV series Twin Peaks. Take a short hike down to the bottom of the falls and then splurge on a gourmet meal in the Salish Lodge [3] overlooking the scenery here.
Enjoy the Issaquah Alps today, with a nice hike up to the top of Tiger Mountain for fantastic views of Seattle and the Eastside. Then drive over to the unique Cougar Mountain Zoo and visit the menagerie of endangered animals there.
Take a drive to Kanasket-Palmer State Park and put-in with a guided rafting trip through the white water of the Green River Gorge [4]. Experience class IV rapids with quirky names like the Nozzle and the Ledge Drop as you float by the hanging gardens along the river until you reach Flaming Geyser State Park.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/seattle
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-cascades/snoqualmie-area/snoqualmie/sights/snoqualmie-falls
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-cascades/snoqualmie-area/snoqualmie/accommodations
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/washington/south-cascades/cle-elum-area/enumclaw/sights/green-river-gorge