Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula

Everyone knows about Pike Place Market and the Seattle waterfront. But even if you only have a couple days in Seattle, try to make it over to the Olympic peninsula. The ferry ride itself is a treat, and the national park offers something for everybody. The road around the park is long and scenic, and there are several trailheads with hikes of all difficulties. Don't miss the sunset at Rialto Beach; it's absolutely stunning!

Quick Tips:

Check out World Merchants, a little spice and tea shop on Western Avenue, below Pike Place Market. It's a bit off the beaten path, but we found some terrific tea and spice blends there.

Best Way To Get Around:

Most of the sights of downtown Seattle are within walking distance of each other. If the weather cooperates, that's the best way to do things- you'll get a much better feel for the city. A car is a must on the Olympic peninsula, though. In fact, if you're renting a car, try to get unlimited miles- we went way over our limit. The ferry across Puget Sound is an event in itself.

This was a perfectly respectable hotel at a very reasonable rate. There weren't a lot of frills, but we didn't visit Seattle to see a hotel. It's located right on Lake Union, about two miles from downtown. That shouldn't worry anyone though, because the hotel offers a courtesy shuttle to and from local attractions. We were dropped off at the entrace to Pike Place Market and called the hotel when we were ready to be picked up at the end of the day.

Instead of just being a boat that took us where we wanted to go, the ferry across Puget Sound became one of many fond memories from our trip to Washington. We wanted to see the Olympic peninsula, so we rented a car a drove down to Pier 52. Although the ferry to Bainbridge Island was a much shorter ride, we chose to go to Bremerton instead, only $10 round trip for the car and driver, plus another $5 per passenger. As we cruised away from the city, we had a spectacular view of the skyline, from the Space Needle to Safeco Field. The boat was virtually empty, probably since it was a weekday morning, and we were going against the commute. Whatever the reason, after a day in the crowded downtown area, it was nice to be by ourselves on deck with a crisp cool breeze and birds flying overhead. As we neared Bremerton, the boat wound along the coastline with one gorgeous waterfront home after another, separated by dense forest. We hadn't even set foot on land and already I was ready to move there. The rest of the day did nothing to change my mind.

Pike Place Market is a touristy spot, but not to the degree you might expect. While many of the shops are clearly aiming for the visitor's dollar, there are many fruit and vegetable stands that cater almost entirely to the locals. We bought some organic blackberries as we entered the market, and they were delicious. Many of the produce and seafood stands are immaculately arranged- I stood and admired many layouts even though I had no intention of making a purchase. Be sure to check out the seafood market with the flying fish and some of the shops underground.

What a wonderful way to end a trip to the Olympic peninsula! Rialto Beach wasn't really on our to-do list, but it ended up being our favorite part of the park. We arived about a half hour before the sunset. The rocky islands just off of the coast caught my eye immediately--it's a familiar sight from many nature calendars. After a short walk over the beautiful colored stones, we sat on one of the many huge pieces of driftwood that lined the beach. It was quite cool and windy, especially for a sunny day in late summer. There were a few photographers setting up cameras to catch the sunset, but the beach was by no means crowded. As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, the gulls became little black dots against the blazing orange sky. Breathtaking.

We only had a day to spend at Olympic National Park, which meant a lot of driving and not so much hiking. The ranger at the visitor's center was very helpful though and recommended the short hike to Solduc Falls. This proved to be a lovely walk, very easy. The air was cool along the river, and very humid. There were quite a few people at the bridge by the falls, about an even split between backpackers starting out and day hikers like us.

When we visited the Hoh Rain Forest was a disappointment. It was near the end of the dry season so the moss was brown and the ponds were almost empty. Comparing what we saw to many other pictures, we clearly went at the wrong time.