Awesome Olympic Peninsula

I really needed a break from work, and this vacation provided it. I wanted to spend time in the mountains, getting back to what was important. This vacation provided what I needed, and helped me to make a life changing decision.

Until this trip, I hadn't seen the Pacific Northwest. Upon arrival, I was concerned that they were in a drought in August 2006, and were experiencing warmer than average temperatures. Coming from hot and humid Ohio, I was looking forward to something cool and relaxing.

Enter the Olympic Peninsula in northwest Washington state. Focus in on the city of Port Angeles. Check into a hotel along the coast of the Strait of Juan deFuca. Now breathe...relax with the cooler air and tranquility of watching boats enter and leave the port. Instant gratification indeed.

After finding the relaxation I was looking for, I drove a half hour north of town to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. The views along the drive are great, but nothing compared to the end of the road at the visitor center. Glacier-capped mountains, alpine meadows, and those incredible views from many angles. There are several short hikes up here, including one that overlooks the Strait of Juan DeFuca. On this clear day, I could even see into Canada.

You want more water? Drive a little more than an hour to LaPush along the Pacific Coast. The most memorable hike of this trip was along the beach from LaPush to Hole-In-The-Wall. Rocks of different types create this beach, nothing soft and sandy here. Pretty tough on the ankles, but the experience is worth it. Looking into tidal pools with anemone, starfish, and other sea creatures is easy around Hole-In-The-Wall. You'll know you're there by the name alone. If you have kids, be sure not to miss this adventure!

A little farther inland is the Hoh Rain Forest. Try the Hall of Mosses Trail, it's interesting and full of mosses and ferns among the huge trees. A great place for meditation and relaxing too.

Back to the waterfront and Port Angeles, I relaxed sitting on a park bench watching the boats come and go. Hours came and went as well, because here I decided to make my life decision - spend more time with friends and family, and quit the job that was keeping from doing so. Happy ending time, I have a better job now with better benefits. And it works, spending more time with family and friends.

Looking for relaxation? Then look no further than the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. It just may change your life too.

Quick Tips:

I'm a guy on a budget, so spending around /night on a hotel room is unthinkable. But I splurged and stayed at a very nice hotel along the waterfront in Port Angeles. Was it worth it - YES! Because of the Red Lion's location, I didn't get into the rental car for two whole days. Shopping and a huge variety of food were within walking distance.

Make the most of your visit to Olympic National Park by visiting their park office located at the base of the drive to Hurricane Ridge, right there in Port Angeles. Park maps are available along with helpful park guides, and a pretty good gift shop. If you want information before you leave home, visit the park website at www.nps.gov - it's very helpful.

Even though it was in the 90 degree range around Mt. Rainier the August day before I drove to the Olympic Peninsula, the coast provided much cooler temps - around 60 degrees with a cool breeze. So, plan your attire accordingly.

The most important thing you can bring with you is a camera. You don't want to miss a shot, and you'll want to share the experience as much as you can with your friends and family. Shortly after I got back from vacation, someone accidentally erased all my video of the vacation. Glad I took still photos in addition to the video! Now I have a good reason to come back to the Olympic Peninsula.

Best Way To Get Around:

For me, rental car is the way to get there. But once you're there, park the car and walk around Port Angeles. There is a paved trail that goes entirely along the waterfront, a great place to greet the locals as they get their exercise.

If you do drive, watch the traffic signs carefully. The traffic flow through town is a little confusing at times, due to many one-way streets.

Also - take Hwy 101 to get there if you can. A very enjoyable, yet winding, road with many small towns along the Hood Canal. But plan for a lengthy drive since it is not a multi-lane highway. A quicker drive is via Rts. 104 and 16 from Tacoma.

On the way to the coast, there are many enjoyable views as well. Included is Crescent Lake with it's deep blue water and surrounded by wooded mountains.

A guy like me would never spend more than $100/night for a hotel room. But I splurged and spent $200/night at the Red Lion. Was it worth it, in a word - YES! The location was incredible, right on the waterfront. A bike trail crossed in front of my balcony and made easy access to the rest of town by foot. I didn't get in the rental car for two days!

The room was very spacious and included a comfortable chair to watch TV. The best part - the balcony. I could watch the boats go in and out of port, and enjoy a couple concerts from the pier while sitting on the balcony of my own room.

More advantages to the Red Lion's location is short walking distance to just about everything. Shopping, a wide variety of food options, and the ferries were within a 5-10 minute walk from the hotel.

A trip to Hurricane Ridge costs about $10 per car, and the views are priceless. On a clear day in August, you could easily see the Olympic Mountains, the Strait of Juan DeFuca, British Columbia, even Mt. Baker which is across Puget Sound in Bellingham, Washington.

There is a large parking area with a visitor center. It has food, restrooms, and a small gift shop. The area also offers short trails to make the most of the wonderful vistas. Be sure to dress appropriately, it can be much cooler on the ridge than it is along the coast.

Rialto Beach is not your typical beach, no soft sand here. What sand exists is dark and mingled with rocks and pebbles galore. Different types of rocks - red, green, gray, yellow - and they all were worn like river rock.

Strolling down this beach is tough on the ankles, because the rocks give way with each step. I hiked about an hour down to Hole-in-the-Wall, a huge rock with a hole bigger than an Hummer eroded in the center. Here you'll find lots of tidal pools full of different colored starfish, anemone, hermit crabs and more.

Along the way you'll notice a lot of downed timber lining the beach. The timber is finely-sanded by erosion and looks like giant driftwood in a huge fishtank.

If you have kids, they'll love the walk along Rialto beach. There are plenty of tidal pools to discover, and the sea stacks rising out of the water are enchanting.

There is no fee to accessing the beach, and there are restrooms available at the parking area.

The Hoh Rain Forest is along the western part of Olympic National Park. There may be a national park service fee of $10/vehicle to enter.

Several small trails and an interpretive center can be found at the parking area. My favorite trail was the Hall of Mosses, which included many tall and wide trees with moss dripping from their branches. Another attraction here is the large amount of ferns lining the soft ground.