There’s so much to do within Seattle – you can visit the space needle, go to the glass museum, visit the many art museums, hunt for one-off pieces at Fremont’s Sunday Market, take a picnic in one of the many parks.. the list goes on!

There’s a lot of fun adventures to be had outside of Seattle too.. such as hiking in the beautiful mountains of Washington.

We decided to hike Snow Lake in Snoqualmie National Forest. It’s a very popular, moderate hike about 8 miles roundtrip – a great day out for family and friends and only a few hours drive from central Seattle.

We parked north of the Alpental Ski area, of course hiking boots on (you don’t really need to wear proper hiking boots but since I bought new ones I have to wear them at every opportunity!), picnic packed and off we went!

The trail is pleasant, winding its way up with stunning views of Chair Peak across the valley.

The views really do get better and better. As we reached the top, eager to take in our surroundings, the gorgeous Snow Lake sparkled beneath us. It was much more beautiful than I had expected!

I couldn’t resist to let my hair down and do a happy dance..

The trail takes you winding down towards the lake. We found a lovely picnic spot, nestled amongst some warm rocks, letting our feet cool down in the icy, fresh lake water.

It was a lovely and romantic day out with my boyfriend.

We finished off the day with delicious, cold cider and american-sized ice-cream, much to my delight :).

Hiking is such a great form of exercise, a way to experience new surroundings and get your healthy dose of fresh air and nature.

A really recommend a trip to Snow Lake. The rugged mountain views and shimmering blue-green shades of the lake are all very beautiful!