Raise a glass! Best breweries & winemakers in Seattle for your cruise stay

With over 280 cruise ship departures offering a variety of Seattle to Alaska itineraries, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy your ship’s delicious culinary and beverage fare as you sail the high seas – but don’t stop there.

Add a few days in the city before or after your cruise from Seattle to sample the talent and flair of local winemakers, brewers and distillers serving up Washington’s delicious artisan beverages.

Washington is the second-largest producer of premium wine in America, offering sips that rival France from some of the most creative and talented winemakers in recent decades.

Find refreshing Rieslings, earthy merlots, and everything in between at more than a thousand wineries beyond Seattle cruise port. Raise a glass to the maker as you explore and taste from wineries large and small across the state and discover a one-of-a-kind experience.

Washington Wine Country, in eastern Washington, celebrates the state’s vineyard region in the Yakima Valley, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla Valley. Here you’ll experience award-winning wines straight from the source and frequently poured by the winemaker who will give you insights about the varietals you’re tasting. This region contains the first American Viticultural Area (AVA), Yakima Valley AVA, which began in 1983.

Walla Walla, in eastern Washington, has won USA TODAY’s “America’s Best Wine Region” for an unprecedented three consecutive years celebrating eastern Washington’s finest vintners.

Thirty minutes from downtown Seattle (and an hour from Seattle cruise port) discover the picturesque Sammamish River Valley, also known as Woodinville Wine Country, a unique haven where over 130 wineries and tasting rooms represent every appellation in Washington.

This is where the fruit of eastern Washington meets the vintners. It’s a delicious crossroads of winemaking, microbrewing, fine dining and the people who pour their heart and soul into them.

More than 400 craft breweries and over 100 artisan distilleries embrace Washington’s “drink local” ethos – ripe for discovery before or after cruises from Seattle.

Flavor preferences tend toward hoppy India pale ales, but master brewers and distillers offer up endless creativity when it comes to your next sip.

The craft beer industry in Washington is growing at an astonishing rate. Brewers pride themselves on sourcing local, with Yakima as the largest single source of hops in the world.

Many breweries are small and family-owned, often an integral part of their communities, hosting beer-themed festivals to celebrate the craft. Discover award-winning ales, creatively infused brews, seasonal flavor and hoppy selections at www.washingtonbeer.com.

Local distilling is an art form. Taste uniquely infused liqueurs and spirits that have been creatively distilled with flavor. As the Washington Distillers Guild puts it: “From someone making bottles of absinthe a handful at a time to distillers tracking production in barrels per day, Washington state has it all. While the scope and volume of distilleries may vary, one metric does not: passion.”

Washington is one of the top states in the nation for craft distilling and its unique geography is home to distilleries from rural farms to urban centers. Indulge yourself and take a trip on the Washington Distillery Trail.