Despite living in the Northwest for over a decade, I didn’t take my first trip into and around the Olympic Peninsula until 2020: the coast, the towering evergreens, the unspoiled lakes, and—at least for the first half—clear skies.
The National Park/lack-of-airport thing got in the way before, but after pivoting to different forms of travel during COVID, I’m so appreciative of the week-long vacation I’d planned around Washington’s Olympic Peninsula.
The Olympic Peninsula has a little of everything: sandy beaches (with cold ocean water, FYI), rainforest, rocky peaks, freshwater lakes, and the smells and sounds of briny ocean waves crashing ashore. I hadn’t planned the Labor Day-week trip too far in advance, so our itinerary was largely dictated by what could still be reserved on shorter notice. My main criteria were: a) finding camping spots that ensured we progressed in a consistent direction, b) making sure we could stay at least two nights in each location, and c) keeping our drives between campsites to no more than about two to three hours.
Starting out from Portland on the Friday before Labor Day, we spent the first two nights at Sou’wester Lodge in Seaview (pictured below) after a stop en route at Buoy Brewing in Astoria, Oregon. We’d stayed at Sou’wester in their converted Bluebird bus about a year ago, which was fun if not fancy. Their campsites aren’t fancy either, but the location is an easy stroll to the beach as well as North Jetty Brewing.
Sunday took us past the Wilapia Wildlife Refuge (with a nice hike through their park) to Ocean City State Park near Ocean Shores, where we spent the next three nights, venturing into Ocean Shores during the day for a few games of pickle ball at Damon Park, followed by beers at Ocean Pours taproom. On the recommendation of some fellow beer-drinkers at Ocean Pours, we grabbed a few meals at the Porthole Tavern as well (pro tip: their chicken and jo jos are better than their biscuits and gravy).
Come Wednesday, we packed up camp again and made our way north around the peninsula, past Lake Quinault (pictured above). I’m told the sunset views at the lake are unparalleled, but even mid-morning, it was serene and beautiful. After relaxing by the lake for a while (and an ice cream sandwich from the general store), we continued up the coast into Olympic National Park for our next campsite, Sol Duc Campground. From Sol Duc, we ventured out during the day to hike Mt. Storm King (beautiful, but grueling–and the final summit is not for the faint of heart), followed by an awesome swim in Lake Crescent, where I’d love to come back and kayak …
The week wrapped up driving through smoky Port Angeles en route to Potlatch State Park. I imagine the views of the strait from Port Angeles and the park are beautiful at other times, but with wildfires burning up and down the coast, visibility was crap and got worse as the days wore on. We’re wrapping up the trip two nights at Potlatch State Park, which is pretty and wooded, although the campsites are not particularly private and traffic is surprisingly constant on adjacent Highway 101. Across the road is a cute park and Hood Canal, where shellfish can be harvested (in season).
My top takeaways:
- I wish Kalaloch Campground had been available when I’d wanted on this trip. OMG. Such a beautiful place perched right above the Pacific Ocean (photo 1 above is nearby).
- Sol Duc Campground (photo 2, above) in Olympic National Park is beautifully idyllic. I wish we’d been able to use the hot springs (damn COVID). But skip the RV park which is basically a gravel parking lot and opt for the campground. You’ll be happy you did. The lodge looked nice too, but we didn’t explore (note: Kaloloch has a lodge too).
- Oceanfront does not mean “on the beach.” At Ocean Shores State Park, the dunes are beautiful, but the campsites are separated from the beach by 1/4+ mile. And at Potlatch State Park, the beach is on the other side of US 101… (an easy walk if there’s little traffic, but the beach isn’t visible from the campsites)
- Pick a spot to stay near the activities you want to do, or pick activities near where you want to stay. With winding roads, potential traffic, and the fact that you’re rarely traveling in a straight line from Point A to B, it’s not unusual for a 30-mile trek to be an hour drive each way.
- Savor the vistas. Whether camping, hiking, picnicking, or just taking an extended rest stop, the Olympic Peninsula is full of stellar views.
I’m excited for future outings: California wine country, the Southern Oregon coast, or something altogether different.
Upper Left Traveler 