We want to visit the Olympic Peninsula and Seattle next month. The kids are 5 and 7. I was thinking of leaving Seattle early and driving to the coast for an afternoon and back to Seattle. Is that too much? I’m not particularly familiar with the area.
There are so many things to see on the OP so I think it would be best to either just pick one stop (Rialto Beach?) or plan an overnight stay, say on the coast. Any way for the kids to see some snow or ice that time of year (we’re in Texas- heat index around 100)
Here is the plan (briefly):
Day 1 arrive, see the Pike St. Market
Day 2 drive to the ONF and back
Day 3 Science Museum, Ballard Locks (?)
Day 4 Ferry around the San Juan Islands
Day 5 Onmidome, depart
Slight hi-jack, but it might be useful for you Ca3799…
Me and a few friends from high school are having our 10 year reuninion and were thinking of doing a multi-day back packing hike on the Olympic Pen. Any suggestions? We were think 4-5 nights leisurly hiking (so 40-60km) and on the coast.
I was in Seattle for a wedding, last September, and “did” the Olympic Peninsula in 24 hours. It is not how I would have preferred to do it, but I was really short on time, but still did not want to skip it. (It will likely be quite a while before my kids have another chance to see the Pacific.)
When the family get-together broke up around 6:00 p.m., we took the ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, then drove around to the west side via Port Angeles on U.S. 101. It was getting dark by the time we passed Lake Crescent, so we did not see as much of it as I’d have liked–although it was still beautiful. Continuing around, about 15 miles past Forks, WA is the entrance to the Hoh Forest. The Hoh is one of the few (if not the only) rainforest in the Temperate Zone. There are two short trails that are really interesting (along with the much longer trails heading up into the mountains). We camped there, then hiked the trails in the morning, and moved off toward the beaches around noon. There are six or seven beaches in a row, extending north for almost ten miles from Queets, WA. As far as I know, they are all equally pretty.
We then kept following the circle around to U.S. 12 and back to the Seattle area.
I would think that you could make a similar trip by leaving early in the morning and getting back after dark. If you do that, I would recommend you follow my counter-clockwise path. The longest, boring stretch is between Tacoma and Aberdeen, across the base of the peninsula, so save it for when everyone is already worn out and not interested in the scenery. You’d have to pick only one or to places to stop (we were at the Hoh Forest for three hours and the beach for about an hour and a half)–otherwise you’d never make it in one day. Of course, our trip was interrupted by the sleep period. A day trip might be actually easier if your kids are up to it.
Re-reviewing your itenerary, I would put the Olympic tour back-to-back with the San Juans . Match the two trips by crossing from one to the other at Port Townsend
If it is a clear day, don’t skip Hurricane Ridge. Near the highest portion of the Olympic range, so it has very few clear days, but the view is incredible on a sunny day.
Doing a loop of the peninsula in a single day is a lot of time in the car. I’d recommend a visit to Port Gamble for a taste of New England logging towns in the NW, then dinner in Port Townsend.
Overnight near Port Angeles. Hurricane Ridge in the AM, then out to Ruby Beach (watch out for logs!) & Hoh and back to Seattle.
Perhaps by ferry rather than the loop south - or take the ferry to Victoria, BC and back through the San Juans or Vancouver.
BC museum is great, BC ferries are a nice ride - IMO, nicer than through the San Juans.
In Seattle, the Museum of Flight is better than Museum of Science & Industry.
Hurricane Ridge is pretty free of snow that time of year, though there might be on occasional patch. Rainier of course will have snow, so you’ll at least be able to see it. (You could drive to it if you really wanted to, but it’s at least two hours one-way).
Though I haven’t been there recently, the Seattle Center/Pacific Science Center (where the Space Needle is) should be a good stop, especially with kids, but take them to the Museum of Flight if they have any interest in planes; it is pretty cool.
The Omnidome is at the waterfront, and very close to the Pike Place Market; unless you’re staying near there, you might as well do all that in one day.
I’m assuming that Ca3799 meant the Science Center (which may as well be done on the same day as the market. Take the monorail from one to the other) and that you mean the Museum of History and Industry.
Which of the three is better depends on what you’re into.
Another “not too well known” tour is right in downtown Seattle, its called “underground Seattle”. I have been there several times when family comes to visit, it has always been a fav for kids. Its not too long, but gives some really cool history of Seattle and how it was built on sawdust, and the problems they had with their toilets when the tides came in (up flush!)
There was a fire, and alot of the town burned down, and was rebuilt, but during the process of building (on top of the old buildings and filling in to ease the tide problems) people literally had to climb a ladder from the shops on one side of the street, cross the street, go down another ladder to get to another shop.
Very interesting and entertaining!
Meant to say that Port Gamble is tiny, just allocate an hour or two at the most - just a wide spot in the road on the way to Port Townsend & Port Angeles. Scenic, cute, interesting history but nothing too special.
Just be be obvious, use Google to check things out.
Whatever you do, please do not miss The Hall of Mosses in the Ho River Rain Forest. It is the only rain forest in the continental United States. Imagine a moss draped forest where a crew of Japanese gardeners have just gone off shift. There are dozens of different mosses festooning the trees and fallen logs. A short one mile loop takes you through the heart of it. It is not to be missed.
Ruby beach is nice, but La Push has even more spectacular scenery. Try hitting it in time for sunset.
Port Townsend is really pretty with its old Victorian Buildings.
You must, you must, you must, go to the Chimacum Cafe.
Four words; twenty kinds of pie and the best American style comfort food you’re ever going to find. Whenever I’m on the peninsula, it is a mandatory stop for me. Their chicken fried steak is so good you’ll forget your name. It is informal and kid friendly. Miss this and chalk up the trip as a complete loss. Do a search on my food threads if you need reassurance about this subject.
If you like oysters, hit Shelton for some Olympic oysters. They are some of the finest eats there are.
Hurricane Ridge is a must as others have already mentioned.
My wife and I went out there a couple of years ago in July and had a great time.
We spent the first couple of days in Seattle. The Space Needle and the rock music place nearby were fun. The music place was a little spendy but it was interesting and had some hands-on stuff. That whole area would be fun for the kids, I would imagine. Pike St. Market was interesting. The bathroom was a horror show, though.
We took a weekend day and took a ferry to Victoria, BC. That was a real treat. Nautical Nellie’s provided some good eatin’. There was some kind of festival on the waterfront with food and music and dancing and all that good stuff. From Victoria we took a bus out to Butchart(?) Gardens. We came back to Seattle that evening.
We then entered road warrior mode and drove north, then east through the Northern Cascades, then down to Mt. Rainier (June might be early for Mt. Rainier, I’m not sure). Mt. St. Helens was next. That was incredible, too. From St. Helens we drove out to the coast, Visited some beaches, went to the Hoh, Went up to Hurricane Ridge (another vote for Hurricane Ridge), the back to Seattle. I can’t remember exactly, I think it took us 6 days to do all that.
Like others have intimated, one day on the OP might be possible, but you’d really be doing yourself a favor if you took a little more time. Hurricane ridge would be doable, I would imagine, but going out to the coast and especially the Hoh and back in one day would be really pushing your luck driving-wise.
How about the Woodland Park Zoo and the Seattle Aquarium?
If I had to pick just one, I’d go with the aquarium. It’s beautiful, and they’ve got a ton of creatures to see. It’s right in downtown, not far from Pike Place Marketplace. And they let you take (nonflash) pictures!