See full version: 11 Unusual Places to Stay on the Olympic Peninsula
Port Angeles is best known as the main gateway to Olympic National Park. Less known is the nearby replica of Mount Vernon (George Washington’s home) built on a lavender farm. The estate’s quirky exterior hints at the luxurious bed and breakfast inside. We’re not boasting – it was voted as the “Best B&B” in Best of the Peninsula in 2013-2016. here
At the south end of Hood Canal are cottages created by Don Beckman, a Hollywood movie-set designer for the original black-and-white Robin Hood film starring Errol Flynn. The high gables and pitched roofs of the Robin Hood Village Resort cabins are reminiscent of English cottages. Each is unique and ten cottages include private hot tubs. For fun, glide on the canal to watch wildlife including bald eagles using resort kayaks and go oyster picking and clamming along the beach. You can dine at nearby restaurants, grill a meal at several waterfront gazebos, or eat at the historic Robin Hood Restaurant and Pub.
Spend the night on a sailboat docked at Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands. The 60-foot Slow Season has been the only floating bed and breakfast in the San Juans since 1986. Below the deck, hang out in the living area’s antique furnishings and couch. There also are two spacious, private staterooms, and a sky-lit main salon next to the main galley. Wake up to a wonderful European-style breakfast with coffee on deck. more
For more information:
New Dungeness Light Station
360-683-6638
newdungenesslighthouse.com
The Quileute Oceanside Resort, completely surrounded by Olympic National Park, is in La Push right on First Beach. Get a deluxe cabin with a jetted tub next to a large window overlooking the beach. You can soak in a steamy bath while watching the drama during the winter storm-watching season, November through February. If you’re brave, don your wetsuit and venture just steps to the beach to experience the battering. here
Current weather conditions, webcams, trail and road conditions and campground status. here
Our Top 10 Tips for planning your visit to Olympic National Park
Spend a night in the park. Information on camping and lodging. more
Olympic has a little bit of everything - high mountain peaks, broad sandy beaches, lush rain forests, and so much more.
Planning to spend a night in the wilderness? Everything you need to know from permits to planning. here
National Forest lands belong to everyone. The Forest Service has zero tolerance for racism, harassment, or intimidation in any form. Public lands should be a place of peace and refuge and our highest priority is providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive experience for all visitors.
The Olympic National Forest recognizes our tribal partners and their original connection to the land now managed by the U.S. Forest Service. We are working with them to learn about the ways they have and still manage the land and resources. We thank them for working with us.
Surrounded on three sides by saltwater, with the Olympic Mountains nestled in the center, the Olympic National Forest offers the unique opporutnity to hike a mountain for great 360 degree views, explore the only temerate rainforest in the lower 48, and camp right along one of the many pristine bodies of water. Come, play, see and explore the many things do! here
All offices are currently closed to in-person business. Call or email an office before visiting.
The Olympic Peninsula is a recreation destination and Olympic National Forest is proud to offer a diversity of outdoor recreation opportunities. Not only is outdoor recreation fun but it provides wellness and vitality to individuals and communities. This year we're embarking on an assessment of all our developed recreation sites to ensure we can offer safe, accessible, and sustainable recreation today and into the future. [links]
If renting your own kayak and finding your own destination seems a bit intimidating, don’t fret. Out on the Hood Canal, one of the few fjords in America, the good people out at Blue Horizon Paddlesports have you covered. Less than 90 minutes from Olympia, Blue Horizon offers numerous trips on Hood Canal and on Lake Cushman, getting paddlers up close and personal with the majestic beauty of the region. [links]
Suggested Routes in and Around the Puget Sound more
As the temperature continues to increase and the days stay long and warm, why not treat yourself and your family to a day of fun and adventure on the waters around Olympia? The best part is that you don’t even need your own kayak!
An easier paddle from Boston Harbor is the always impressive Gull Harbor Inlet . Located between Priest Point and Burfoot Parks, and accessed by paddling through two sand bars, Gull Harbor is a calm and soothing area where eagles, blue heron, deer and seals are commonly seen. Those looking for a longer paddle with a bit more solitude from the motorboat and sail boats should head west from Boston Harbor and explore Eld Inlet. Access to Frye Cove Park is a few miles away, and makes for a great resting place before either heading back or continuing on your modern day expedition. more
There is nothing as fun on a summer day than paddling the waters around Olympia. Photo credit: Theodore Scott. here
From Tugboat Annies, trips around the marinas of Olympia make for a much easier paddling day for kayakers of all levels. While you can still access the aforementioned destinations from West Bay Marina, most who rent kayaks in the area tend to explore the reaches of Budd Inlet, taking in the spectacular views of both the Olympic Mountains and the city of Olympia. As the capitol stands tall above the city, the view from Budd Inlet is memorable and inspiring, as well as the perfect way to spend an afternoon. here