Since moving back to Washington, one of my absolute favorite things has been exploring locally and checking out some of the small towns we have. There are just so many cute and charming options! My latest adventures took me to Roslyn with a dash of Ellensburg, and let me just say I’m obsessed! Whether you’re looking for a fun day trip from the west side or you’re planning a weekend getaway with your friends or family, I’d definitely recommend checking these spots out!
Coming from the Seattle area, Rosyln is about an hour and a half and Ellensburg is about half an hour further. I-90 is known to get backed up with traffic — especially during the summer months though so I would just account for a little longer if you’re traveling during peak traffic. Regardless, it’s just a hop and skip away!
I recommend starting in Rosyln because you’ll hit it first. You can head right to their downtown which is located on Pennsylvania Street. If you haven’t visited before, Rosyln is an old coal-mining town that was founded in 1886 and it has plenty of western charm. Another one of its claims to fame is being the backdrop for the show Northern Exposure from the 90’s. Which after visiting, I kind of want to rewatch the series. I know I watched it as a kid but admittedly don’t remember much other than there being a moose walking across the road in the intro. You know, the important things you remember as a kid.
Where to go in Rosyln
The downtown isn’t big by any means — it is a small town after all! There are plenty of great restaurants and cute shops to check out though! Here are a few I recommend making sure you make it into.
If you did watch Nothern Exposure, you’ll recognize the mural on the side of the building! Let me tell you about their food though because it was BOMB.com! Seriously, so good! They offer breakfast all day as well as plenty of lunch or dinner options. My friends and I ordered their fried chicken sandwich, cafe burger and fish and chips and we were all very impressed. SO yummy!
Basecamp is a bookstore, gift store, coffee shop and bar! Covering all of its bases… see what I did there. Haha. This was such a cute shop though and they had a really great variety of books and cute gifts. They also have a bar downstairs with a wide range of signature cocktails, beer, cider and wine. The whole shebang.
If spirits are your jam, then you’ll love Heritage Distilling. They have a really cute tasting room as well a gift shop that is worth checking out.
Also located in the Old Company Store is an adorable boutique that has a variety of clothing and gift options.
Another cool spot to check out is Fused which is a glass workshop studio. They have gorgeous glass pieces and also offer classes. There was actually a session taking place when we visited which looked really cool!
Another staple in the town is the Brick Saloon. In fact, it is also the oldest continuously operating bar in the whole state of Washington! Operating since being founded in 1889. When you walk in, it feels like you walked right back in time. They also have live music on Fridays and Saturdays.
This is just a list to get you started too! There are plenty of other options to check out too — that I’ll definitely be adding to my next trip. Rosyln is also close to a lot of hiking options in the summer and snow activities like snowmobiling in the winter so there are plenty of other things you can check out beyond the downtown too.
Where to Stay in Roslyn
If you want to make a weekend of it, I highly recommend checking out the Hotel Rosyln. It’s a boutique hotel located right up the block from main street and it’s absolutely adorable! The offer a variety of rooms and a few townhouses that are gorgeous and continue the charm you’ll find throughout the town.
If you’re looking looking for other places nearby to check out, you’re in luck! Because Cle Elum and Ellensburg are not far. Both offering other cute spots to visit! For this trip, we did not adventure in Cle Elum but we did drive through and there were a lot of spots that are on my list to visit next time around! We did go to Ellensburg though which is only about half an hour further from Roslyn. Here are a few places worth checking out!
A Few Spots in Ellensburg to add to your trip!
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve definitely seen me mention time place a time or two. It’s right off the freeway on your way to Ellensburg and is one of my favorite places to stop for produce or a snack while heading to eastern Washington. Beyond their produce though, they also have a full store with other specialty food items, wine, and two HUGE floors of antiques! This place is massive and definitely a fun stop.
A few other spots worth stopping at right in downtown Ellensburg are:
If you are a fellow plant lover, this shop is for you. It’s SUCH a good plant store! Full with a huge variety of plants, pots and gifts. The overall vibe was just TOP NOTCH too. Seriously so cute.
Then our last stop on this trip was to Hayday Bakery. Which was the perfect last stop! We loaded up on treats and they did not disappoint. We each tried some of their baked goods and then enjoyed their coffee and hot apple ciders. I also took a few pieces of pie home and their peanut butter cream pie was to die for! Like, I’ll be driving through Ellensburg again just to get that if they have it again.
That’s a wrap on this trip! It was such a great time though so I hope you find some of these recs helpful!
