Here's Where To Stop On Washington's Most Popular Road Trip
By Jessica Wick|Published August 03, 2016
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Jessica Wick
Author
Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.
Whether or not you live in either city, at one point or another, you’re most likely going to have to make the drive from Spokane to Seattle (or vice versa) if you live in Washington. It may be for work, it may be for fun, it may be for a combination of the two. But it’s basically a rite of passage as a Washingtonian.
You’ll see a lot of natural beauty on that drive, both in the wheat fields and green farms of Eastern Washington and the mountains of Snoqualmie Pass. But between the long, flat stretch of I-90 between Spokane and Ellensburg and the often volatile pass conditions, this road trip gets a lot of slack. But the truth is, it can be a blast if you know where to stop. The next time you’re heading from one city to the other, make a day of it and explore some of these places.
For consistency’s sake, we’ll describe the drive from Spokane to Seattle. But this road trip works just as well in reverse.
About an hour into your drive, you'll hit Ritzville and realize you're hungry. You could stop for some fast food, but why not go for a classic breakfast from a kitschy little diner? The Ritz Roadhouse serves all three meals, so stop in no matter what you're craving.
Before you get back on I-90, stop at the adorable Cow Creek Mercantile. They serve food (in case nothing at The Ritz Roadhouse looked appealing), but they also have a great collection of gifts and specialty items. Now you can arrive in Seattle with unique gifts for your loved ones (or for yourself).
Need a late morning caffeine boost? Stop at Mason's Place on East Third Avenue in Moses Lake. The owner, Heather Mason, spent years traveling and moving around before returning to her hometown to open this coffee shop as a tribute to her family (her late parents raised her in Moses Lake). The service here is friendly and the coffee is perfect.
Just over an hour from Moses Lake is the city of Ellensburg. Stop for gas at Love’s Travel Stop, a convenient gas station and store near the freeway. Then head to the Yellow Church Cafe for a delicious lunch in an adorable setting. The building is actually a former church, and the food is heavenly.
Road trips are mostly about eating, right? Cle Elum is an easy town to navigate, so swing through and head to the bakery that's been a local favorite since 1906.
Snoqualmie Point Park has the best views of the Snoqualmie Valley, Mount Si, and the Cascade Mountain Range. And it's not far from the freeway, so you'll have plenty of time to pause for a few photos.
Usually one of two things happens when you go outlet shopping: You either rejoice at the amazing deals you find or you wander from store to store, lost in a sea of irregular and discontinued items. At North Bend Premium Outlets, the former seems to happen more often than the latter.
Road trips are addictive, so the drive from Spokane to Seattle could spark a desire to see more of our beautiful state. If that’s the case, try this Washington waterfalls road trip.
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