Olympic Peninsula

When I first visited the Olympic Peninsula I thought "what's so great about it?" After a few hours of seeing deer running through the woods, snow-capped mountains and interacting with friendly locals I understood the appeal.

Quick Tips:

Decide what you want to focus on. I went horseback riding on the beach and visited several local historic sites. My next time I hiked up in the mountains, and had a nice picnic by a waterfall. There are rainforests, seaports and native villages throughout the region. It's a great way to spend a day, a weekend or a week and you never have to do the same thing twice!

Best Way To Get Around:

I'd bring a car to get from location to location, but definitely get out and walk around. The locals are very friendly and quick to offer suggestions that will make your trip memorable.

The former military base is right on the water. A great view (for watching submarines and whales going buy). The fort was converted into motel style housing.

The resturant is a small hole in the wall, with a great view of the water. The food is seafood and Italian, but they don't mind making "specials" meals (given some advanced warning). Friendly, knowledgeable service.

The area is a bit out of the way (about 5 miles from town), but well worth the detour. If you look around you'll realize you're walking through history. The architecture, the military bunks and knowledgeable locals make for an enjoyable afternoon.