I’m of the mindset that a visit to a national park is always a good idea, so when a friend of mine was presenting at a conference in Seattle during the fall of 2022 and she and her husband had decided to extend their trip, we started tossing around ideas of where we should go to rendezvous with them and landed on Olympic National Park. Just two hours west of Seattle, the park is one of Washington’s three national parks and is located in the heart of the Olympic Peninsula. The park has four regions: the Pacific coastline alpine areas, the west-side temperate rainforest, and the forests of the drier east side. Plus, the little seaside town of Port Angeles and infamous Forks offer all the amenities you need amidst the parks.
- Day 1: Port Angeles
- Hollywood Beach
- Port Angeles Crab Fest
- Port Angeles Wharf
- Day 2: An Introduction to Olympic National Park
- Hoh Rainforest
- Hard Rain Cafe & Mercantile
- Ruby Beach
- Forks
- Day 3: Olympic National Park Day 2
- Lake Crescent
- Marymere Falls Hike
- Brunch in Port Angeles
DAY 1: Port Angeles
Hollywood Beach, Crab Fest, Port Angeles Wharf
After making our way from Anchorage to Seattle on Thursday night, we got up bright and early the next morning and drove the two and a half hours to Port Angeles.
Upon arrival in town we quickly realized that it was our lucky day: it was crab fest weekend! While we had planned to stop for lunch, this was an unexpected surprise that we fully embraced.
We walked out along Hollywood Beach and took in the views from the Port Angeles Tower before exploring the various crab fest vendors and attractions along the pier. There were lots of great food options, and we followed up some delicious crab snacks with ice cream from Welly’s. Welly’s is located in the Port Angeles Wharf building, and serves up soft serve ice cream, New Zealand style. We started on the second floor of the Port Angeles Wharf building at the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, then made our way downstairs to the various art galleries.
Our final stop of the day was our AirBNB, a sweet little house on Lake Sutherland that my friend had found. It boasted a beautiful dock, where we sat and enjoyed some hot apple cider while catching up and watching the sun set.
DAY 2: An Introduction to Olympic National Park
Hoh Rainforest, Hard Rain Cafe and Mercantile, Ruby Beach, Forks
Day two of our trip started with one of the most famous Olympic National Park attractions: the Hoh Rainforest. We stopped in at the visitor center, and then went for a quick hike around the Trail of Mosses, enjoying some gorgeous fall weather amidst all of the green and sounds of the river. The temperate rainforest filled with moss, ferns, and towering trees is incredible, and it felt like walking through a fairytale.
As we were leaving this part of the park, we stopped in at the Hard Rain Cafe and Mercantile for lunch. They’ve got burgers and sandwiches, plus your typical touristy gift shop area, but something we weren’t expecting was another little hiking opportunity. Once we were done, we headed across the road and checked out the little trail that winds through the woods, across a creek and ultimately ends at a river bed. It was a good way to move a bit after eating and before climbing back into the car.
After lunch we made our way to Ruby Beach, which we were lucky enough to catch at low tide. Ruby Beach is only 45 minutes or so from the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, so it makes it easy to check out both locations in one day. When we arrived it was misty and moody out, but we still enjoyed wandering along the beach and checking out all of the sea life that was visible thanks to low tide.
Our final stop of the day was the town of Forks. Yes, that Forks. We were greeted by an “Edward Cullen didn’t sleep here” sign at the Olympic Suites Inn hotel as we entered town, and putzed around town before grabbing dinner.
DAY 3: Olympic National Park Day 2
Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls Hike, Brunch in Port Angeles
On day three we headed to our final Olympic National Park location: Lake Crescent. Unfortunately the lodge was closed, but we walked down to enjoy views of the morning light on the water before heading to the Marymere Falls trail. The hike wound through the woods to a waterfall and is just under two miles roundtrip.
Since we had to catch flights later that afternoon, we started working our way back towards Seattle, with a quick brunch stop in Port Angeles. All in all it was a wonderful weekend!
My “next time” list:
- Cape Flattery is the furthest northwest point of the contiguous United States.
- Rialto Beach has some hiking options, and is another coastal area with sea stacks and tide pooling.
- LaPush is a coastal region known for whale-watching, and is also mentioned in the Twilight books.
- More hiking! While we did a fair amount of hiking, it was all quick, low-distance hikes. Next time around I’d love to commit some time to a few longer-distance options.