I'm Ashley, a commercial photographer from Seattle, Washington. Traveling, taking photos, and getting outdoors are all hobbies of mine that continually energize and inspire me.
The Olympic Peninsula, including Olympic National Park, absolutely blew me away during our first adventure to the area. We experienced lush rainforests, glacial lakes, jagged peaks, roaring rivers, and a diverse coastline in just five days. Continue reading to learn more about this extraordinarily diverse region!
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Table of Contents
In the most northwestern corner of Washington State is a peninsula that lies between the Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean. The peninsula is 3,600 square miles filled with jagged mountain peaks, maintained hiking trails, roaring rivers, glacier lakes, and green rainforests. It’s the perfect place to disconnect in nature and spend time in the outdoors!
Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula in the northwestern corner of Washington State, only a three-hour drive from Seattle. My favorite way to travel to the peninsula is by driving my car onto the Bainbridge Ferry and cruising across the Puget Sound, so that’s where you should begin your adventure! There are other ferry terminals that will bring you to the peninsula as well, but this is my preference; please note that the ferry will cost extra.
Driving is the best way to travel around the Olympic Peninsula. We drove an old VW Campervan from Peace Vans and loved the convenience of having our home with us the entire trip. You can also rent a campervan through Outdoorsy ($50 off your first trip with this link!), which is similar to Airbnb where campervan owners rent their vehicles out to travelers.
The Olympic Peninsula has accommodations for every traveller and budget. There are quaint hotels, Airbnbs, and campgrounds in every city along Highway 101. Accommodation recommendations will be in the location sections below.
The Olympic Peninsula is accessible year-round, but spring is my favorite time to visit. Below describes what you can expect during each season!
Spring: Spring is my favorite time of year to visit the Olympic Peninsula. During spring the weather can be somewhat unpredictable, but if you happen to visit when the weather is mild, you can find lush landscapes and warm weather.
Summer: This is the most popular time of the year to visit, and the most crowded. The sun should be shining and you’re almost guaranteed to feel warmth in the air.
Fall: Fall is when the weather starts to turn from bright and sunny to somewhat dark and rainy, but you could still catch some nice days depending on the year
Winter: The weather on the Olympic Peninsula is not ideal during Winter unless you’re chasing snow! The coast gets pounded by winter storms and there will be snow almost everywhere.
Here are my road trip rules. In case of emergency, you’ll want to have these items in your car at all times. There will be points on the road trip where you’ll have hours between resources so it’s always good to be prepared ahead of time.
Traveling to remote areas means that there will be times when you’re out of service. Download your road maps on Google Maps before you head out and if you plan on taking any hikes, download them on AllTrails too! These apps are free to use and
Don’t forget to bring food and water on your road trip! If you get a flat tire and are waiting for assistance, you’ll have plenty or snacks and water while you wait. My favorite water bottle is the Stanley Adventure Tumblr and I always bring a larger water jug to refill our cups too. We fill up our cooler with snacks and sometimes an adult beverage or two. I also bring a packable down blanket in the car with us as well.
Always fill up gas when you can (even if you’re half full!) There will be long periods of driving during this trip and it’s well worth it to continue filling up when you see a gas station. There’s nothing worse than having to turn around to fill up gas!
If you’re car camping, check out my Ultimate Car Camping blog post!
Otherwise, these are the essentials you’ll need during your trip around the Olympic Peninsula:
I also recommend downloading my car camping checklist by subscribing to the Ashley In Focus mailing list; you can use the opt-in form on the right side of this post, or in the footer at the bottom of the page and it will be sent right to your email!
If you are looking for more information on planning the perfect road trip, check out my road trip planning guide.
The closest airport to the Olympic Peninsula is the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. I recommend starting your trip in Seattle and heading over to the Olympic Peninsula from there! Seattle is a great city to visit with so much to see and experience. If you decide to spend an extra day there, head to Pike Place Market to check out the gum wall and try the famous Beechers Cheese, or visit the Space Needle and see the Chihuly Garden and Glass, or the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP). Truthfully, you could spend far longer than one day in Seattle, but these are a few of the things you should prioritize if your time is limited!
Begin your journey from Seattle to the Olympic Peninsula by taking the Bainbridge Ferry. You can find the ferry schedule here. Once you’ve landed on Bainbridge, make your way to a town called Poulsbo, also known as “Little Norway.” You’ll want to stop and grab pastries at Sluy’s Bakery to enjoy on your ride to the next town or for breakfast the next morning. Don’t skip out on Poulsbo’s mom-and-pop shops, they’re fun to explore!
Once you’re done perusing Poulsbo, start your drive towards Port Townsend. Port Townsend is a Victorian Seaport town that’s fun to visit year-round. Take a stroll on Water Street in downtown Port Townsend, and if you’re in need of some energy for the last drive of the day, pick up some coffee at Better Living Through Coffee!
I think I had to pick my jaw up off the ground during my first visit to the Dungeness Recreation Area in Sequim. If this is your last stop of the day then do your best to arrive in time for sunset, you’ll be amazed by the colors hitting the spit, bluff, and mountains along the coast. There are excellent camp spots at the Dungeness Recreation Area, or you can stay in a local Airbnb in Sequim, both options are a great choice! You can find campsite reservations here.
Get ready for a great day of exploring by waking up early and setting out toward Hurricane Ridge! Hurricane Ridge is accessed via a scenic 18-mile drive up to the viewpoint. The ridge accommodates hikers, skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers. I highly recommend waking up for sunrise if you can, the colors are breathtaking during this hour.
After sunrise, head towards Mt. Storm King Ranger Station. Once you get there, spend a few minutes checking out this iconic ranger station and then proceed toward Marymere Falls. Marymere Falls is 1.8 miles roundtrip with 500 ft. in elevation gain and showcases one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Washington. Once you’re done there, drive around Lake Crescent! There are plenty of pull-offs along the scenic loop where you can take a nap, enjoy a cool dip in the lake, or break out the paddle board. If you are seeking a more strenuous hike, try Mt. Storm King, a 5.3 mile hike with 2,076 feet in elevation gain; It’s a leg burner, but totally worth it for the epic views!
There are plenty of Airbnbs in the area, but Lake Crescent Lodge is another great accommodation right in the heart of Olympic National Park. Other campgrounds close by are Sol Duc Campground and Fairholme Campground; both are great options!
If you want to check off another fantastic, short hike in the morning before heading out to La Push, the Sol Duc Falls hike is perfect! It’s a short, but fulfilling hike with around 1.6 miles distance and 200 feet in elevation, showcasing a beautiful waterfall; another Pacific Northwest classic!
After your hike, queue up your favorite podcast or Spotify playlist and set out for Rialto Beach. There are great Airbnbs in the area or you can camp at Mora Campground; we opted for the campground and loved it! Once you’ve settled in, head to Rialto Beach to check out the sea stacks (a geological landform consisting of steep, vertical columns of rock in the sea). I highly recommend hiking to Hole in The Wall for sunset to enjoy the serenity that the coast of Washington offers.
If it’s not wildfire season, enjoy s’mores by the fire and tell campfire stories with the Campfire Stories Deck; I just got it for our friend’s birthday!
Feel free to sleep in today and take your time before making your way towards the Hoh Rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest is one of the largest temperate rainforests in the United States. Hike the Hall of Mosses and take in all of the beautiful greenery. Once you’ve finished exploring the Hoh Rainforest head towards Kalaloch. If you have time, stop at Ruby Beach to have lunch!
There are Airbnbs in the area or you can camp at the famous Kalaloch campground. It’s a great campground located right on the beach! Another option that provides more privacy while camping is staying at Wild Coast Lookout Hipcamp; use code “ashleymargaretmay” for $10 off your first visit! Once you get settled in, walk down to the Tree of Life. You can see the entire root system of the Tree of Life and witness how full of life it is even though it’s been stripped of the soil beneath it.
Enjoy the sunset on the beach and delicious food around the fire!
The last day of your trip is to meant experience the Quinault Rainforest! Make your way to the Quinault Rain Forest Loop Drive, which is a 31-mile scenic drive that circles Lake Quinault, goes into Olympic National Park, and back out on the other side. It’s such a beautiful driving experience, boasting epic waterfalls and snow-capped mountains. Some parts of the road are unpaved, so the drive may be difficult if your vehicle is too large or unequipped for rough roads.
Take a walk along the Quinault Loop Trail. The trail is located across from the Quinault Lodge in the rainforest. The trail’s total length ranges from 1.5 to 8 miles depending on how far you feel like hiking!
The world’s largest Sitka Spruce Tree and six of the world’s tallest trees are all located in Quinault. It’s definitely worth checking these out!
You can stay at the Lake Quinault Lodge or the Rain Forest Resort Village. Both options are great! Wallaby Campground, Falls Creek Campground, and Gatton Creek Campground offer great lake views and are the most centrally located. We stayed at Graves Creek Campground, which is more off the beaten path, but I definitely recommend it.
I really hope you enjoyed my five-day Olympic Peninsula itinerary! Let me know if you have any questions at all, leave a comment below or message me on Instagram at @ashleymargaretmay.
I hope you have the best time on the Olympic Peninsula – happy traveling!
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