Here’s a scenario for you. You work in the Greater Seattle Area, on the Eastside or near Tacoma. You love your week long vacations to Hawaii or Palm Springs or Florida, which you maybe get to take once or twice a year if you’re lucky. Yet, you’re also thinking to yourself, “Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a second home in Washington, where I can get away for the weekend and it feels like its own mini-vacation?”
This dream home not only gives you the opportunity for a quick getaway, but it presents a chance for a future retirement destination for you and your spouse. It allows for an easy escape from an especially difficult week of work. And this home gives you an opportunity to familiarize yourself with another place in WA. The only problem is that there are so many options out there, it can be difficult to choose where to find that ideal vacation home with an affordable mortgage in this beautiful state.
Luckily for you, we have found 4 overlooked and underrated vacation home destinations in Washington that would be perfect for those wanting more of what this great state has to offer. We even found a spot in every direction you could want to go, whether it’s the mountains, the ocean, or the river calling you.
North: Anacortes
Average price of home: $670k
The best part: it’s the gateway to the San Juans and right next to the beautiful Deception Pass. It’s especially a great place if you enjoy boating and fishing.
Only 1.5 hours from Seattle and 2 hours from Tacoma, Anacortes presents homebuyers with beautiful waterfront destinations, lush aquatic adventures, and the ability to travel to nearby San Juan and Whidbey Island.
West: Port Angeles
Average price of home: $580k
The best part: its proximity to the Olympic National Park. Another place near the water, Port Angeles is a great destination for those wanting sea and forest all in one.
2.5 hours from Seattle and 2 hours from Tacoma, Port Angeles is one of the largest port towns in Washington and less than 20 miles away from the iconic Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park (How iconic? check out this timelapse of September to May at Hurricane Ridge). Also, in less than 90 minutes, you can catch a ferry to explore the beautiful Victoria, B.C. If you are a fan of port towns, Dungeness crab, National Parks, and much more, Port Angeles is your ideal vacation home location in Washington.
East: Lake Entiat
Average price of home: $710k
The best part: waterfront property on the Columbia.
3 hours from both Seattle and Tacoma, Lake Entiat is a dammed off portion of the Columbia River, in between Wenatchee and Chelan. It gives its homeowners sunny, warm weather in the summer and snow in the winter, as well as nearby wineries, skiing options, golf courses, and easy access to boating and fishing. Also, it’s a less than 30-minute drive to both Chelan and Wenatchee!
South: Cowlitz River near Packwood
Average price of home: $390k
The best part: it’s in the shadow of Mount Rainier and less than 30 minutes from White Pass ski resort.
2.5 hours from Seattle and 2 hours from Tacoma, this lesser known town south of the mountain presents its homeowners who love the outdoors with unlimited options. You could get lost (no actually, you easily could) in the vast wilderness that is Mount Rainier. If you are searching for the ideal “cabin in the woods” location for a vacation home, look no further.
If you’d like to learn more and are thinking of buying a second home in these areas or anywhere in Washington, reach out to one of our loan officers here at Fairway Kirkland. They would love to assist you in the loan process of getting pre-approved for your Washington dream home!
WRITTEN BY
Noah Rankin
Noah Rankin works for Fairway Sound, one of the top branches of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation.
