Seattle

If you've ever wanted to witness the birthplace of flying behemoths without donning a jumpsuit and welding goggles, the Boeing Factory Tour in Mukilteo offers your best shot-think Disneyland, but with jet engines and fewer screaming toddlers. Set in the cavernous hangars of the largest building in the world by volume (rumor has it clouds occasionally form indoors, yes seriously), this factory churns out planes at a dizzying pace, making you realize your procrastination skills pale in comparison to Boeing's meticulous choreography. You'll wander along elevated walkways, marveling as thousands of rivets, miles of wiring, and hulking sections of aluminum magically transform into vehicles capable of whisking you toward overpriced cocktails and jet lag. Book your slots at least a week ahead, arrive early (mornings have fewer crowds and more caffeinated tour guides), set aside around two hours, and bring your ID, comfy shoes, and all your burning aviation questions. The roughly $25 ticket price is a steal, considering it grants you conversational ammunition and aviation geek bragging rights for years. Even if you're not particularly into planes, this factory pilgrimage is worth it-after all, how often can you casually drop into conversations that you've strolled beneath a half-assembled jumbo jet whose landing gear bolts are bigger than your head?

Visiting Mount Rainier National Park for the day is like stepping onto a postcard that might explode into volcanic glory-though thankfully, Rainier hasn't blown its top since Grover Cleveland was president. Rising imposingly above the sleepy, flannel-clad hamlet of Ashford, this glacier-capped monarch dominates everything around it, daring visitors to come closer and marvel-or perhaps tempt fate by hiking on one of America's most famously overdue volcanoes. Arrive painfully early-think sunrise early-to beat the busloads of selfie-stick wielders and to watch Rainier blush with alpenglow as if embarrassed by all the attention. Bring solid hiking shoes, a waterproof jacket (because nature doesn't care about your Instagram feed), and snacks hearty enough to sustain Lewis and Clark, or at least get you through a well-earned picnic at Paradise or Sunrise Visitor Center. Plan your trip at least a week ahead-this park is beloved, crowded, and not always forgiving for procrastinators with casual sightseeing ambitions. A $30-per-vehicle entry fee is standard-fair enough, considering you're stepping into one of America's finest natural cathedrals. Even if your quads ache and your wallet's lighter, standing beneath a glacier-crowned, dormant volcanic titan is unquestionably worth it-because let's face it, casually dropping "that one time I picnicked beneath an active volcano" is a fantastic conversation starter at dull cocktail parties.