Exploring our Own Backyard...Mt. Rainier National Park and Olympic Peninsula
As much as I love traveling to other states and countries, there is something about exploring your own "backyard" so to speak. Living in the PNW, our "backyard" is stunning with so much to offer. From the ocean, to cities, mountains to high desert. You get a bit of everything if you want it.
Back in April, Kevin and I took a 5 day trip to a few areas in Washington we had never been, even though we both have grown up here. In this post you'll find our airbnb links, places we stopped and ate at, what we did, and of course, plenty of photos.
On thing I've always done when we go on road trips is hit the grocery store before we go to pick up snacks, and possibly a few meal items. Snacks that are easy to pack in the car are a must; fruit, nuts, etc.
I also wasn't sure what type of weather we'd run into (April in the PNW can be iffy) so I tried to be well prepared with what I packed. Snow boots, gloves, heavy coat, etc.
Our first stop was Mt. Rainier National Park. We live about an hour and 45 minutes from here, but living in the SW region of Washington, we tend to go south into Oregon for trips so we haven't been up to that area. I may have visited when I was younger, but I really don't remember.
Mt. Rainier National Park
If you are visiting Washington State, this is a must see. Be aware however, that in the summer months you will often need reservations so check ahead. Go to this link.
You will also need a National Park Pass. Since we were doing two National Parks on our trip we decided the best option would be to get the interagency pass. HOWEVER, we didn't realize that the person who signs this pass has to always be present and show ID when entering a park. It's good for a year, which is great, gets you in everywhere, but only if that person is with you. I should have signed the card.
Interesting Information: Mt. Rainier N.P. is 369.3 square miles, 236,380...89 acres. Here is a link to a fun fact sheet. On the other side of the mountain is a popular ski area. The side we were on is more known for snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sledding etc.
Quite a bit of the area and roads are closed during winter months, opening mid-May. There were two spots open for us to go into, however, the Paradise visitor center wasn't open yet even though we could drive up to it. Depending on what your goals are, you should definitely check out the conditions. I really wanted to see one location, but it wasn't open yet. I'll have to try and go back sometime. Also, there weren't any wildflowers coming through as much of the area was still under snow.
Where we stayed: We stayed in Ashford, Wa in an airbnb that was only 1.2 mile walk (according to their description) from the park entrance. This airbnb was a small tiny house of sorts, and actually there are two right next to each other, labeled A & B. We stayed in B. They are separated by a laundry area. It was a great space to stay but while it could sleep 4, maybe 5, I didn't feel like it was big enough for that unless you spent most of your time outside. It was less than a 5 minute drive to the N.P. entrance. There are many other airbnbs and lodging in Ashford.
Where we ate: I brought snacks, drinks, and food for one meal. We ate one dinner at The Copper Creek Inn. It was good, but just seemed like normal cafe food, probably frozen and dropped in the deep fryer. They do have a really cute gift area that sells local items. I purchased a candle and two bookmarks. The inside was cute and rustic and the staff very friendly.
Again, things are open seasonally. There were several places we had wanted to eat at but they weren't open yet or were just open on weekends, and we were leaving on Friday.
We also stopped at the Whittaker's Bunkhouse, which is an Inn, but also has a small restaurant with coffee, light food, ice cream. I had a great coffee there. The Whittaker family has been in this area for many years, with two of the brothers being very well known for Mountaineering. Find more info here. My hubby read a book written by one of their sons called My Old Man and the Mountain: A Memoir. The family still owns a guide service all attached to the same property.
What we did: There are some beautiful viewpoints you can pull off and enjoy. Depending on the weather, the road to Paradise might be closed late afternoon. I believe Longmire is always open. Again, keep in mind, many things aren't open during the weekdays until mid May, so when we hit Paradise, the visitor center was closed and there wasn't much to do (we didn't have proper gear to walk up into the snow).
We entered the park off Hwy 7 which I believe is the main entrance on that side of the mountain, but I could be wrong. Longmire is well worth the stop. The museum is small, but they have a lot of great information and packed a lot of information into a small space. There is also a restaurant where you could eat, or just get a coffee. It is also an Inn so you could obviously stay there. The gift shop is large and had a lot of neat things to look at and purchase souvenirs.
Tips: As I've mentioned above, check the parks websites regularly for hours, reservations, what is open, etc. Don't make the drive only to be surprised. Many of the popular tourist areas are requiring reservations now because they are so busy. It's best to check ahead of time.
Pack snacks. Once in the N.P. you are often driving 15-30+ minutes to get to a "destination", and if you're stopping along the way, even longer. Have snacks, water, etc.
Hit the bathrooms whenever you see them. Ha! Trust me, there aren't a lot of spots to stop and go.
There's a neat trail right across from Longmire Lodge that is pretty quick and easy with a lot of history along the way. I love when trails offer information plaques along the way.
Photos:
Christine Falls is right off the roadway. Take a short walk and you can view it easily.
We were only in this area for about a day and a half. There is a lot more you can do and see with more time and after May. There were some galleries in Ashford I would have enjoyed visiting, but they were closed. We left Friday morning.
Olympic Peninsula area
Where we stayed: We booked an airbnb in Sequim, WA. If we were doing this again we probably would've stayed closer to Port Angeles. Again, many of the areas you want to see are quite a drive, since much of it is 2 lane roads and in the N.P. However, this airbnb was great and I would totally stay here again. It had an open floor plan that was comfortable with plenty of room. I loved hearing the frogs at night and watching the deer come through the yard. The owners thought of everything. It could sleep and handle 5-6 people fairly easily.
Where we ate: When we arrived in the area, we were early so we drove around aimlessly (something my husband does NOT like doing), before we headed to Port Angeles to walk around for a bit. We stopped at Country Aire Natural Foods. OH MY GOODNESS...this store is a dream, and the building itself is so neat. You can read about them here. they have been a family owned business since 1975. Everything you can imagine is in this store. It is beautifully done. We grabbed a few snack items and then I got a coffee.
On our drives throughout the few days we were there, we stopped at The Coffee Cottage along US-101 outside of Port Angeles. They have great coffee and really good breakfast burritos that are made locally, along with bagels and other pastries that are from local bakeries, etc. We stopped here twice.
We at out at Tedesco's Italian Restaurant in Sequim and I highly recommend them. I had Spaghetti Carbonara with soft shelled crab. Wow! So good. We also had fried calamari as an appetizer. The staff was amazing
We also got coffee at Hurricane Coffee Co. I couldn't find a website for them but linked their FB page. They are worth the stop. Such a cute spot to sit and visit, grab some food or ice cream. They even have a spot where you can "leave a card/take a card"..the idea being you can leave a card for someone to take like "for any new parents", and it's for $20. Or if you find one that applies to you, you can take a card. So cool! We did one, but I can't remember what my husband wrote on it.
What we did: We had a few goals in this area. We had a bit of miscommunication about what we were going to do but ironed it out and saw most of what we both wanted. Let's get on with it. We had to pack a lot into the two full days we gave ourselves. We had 1/2 a day (not quite) Friday, a full day Saturday, and then on Sunday, we decided to drive the "long way home" in order to see a few of the other things on my list.
Friday when we arrived, we walked around Port Angeles for awhile. We hit 1st St, which seemed to have smaller boutique type shops. I think Front St, had some as well. Like I mentioned above, Country Aire Food Market has everything and was fun to browse through...from housewares, to naturally made clothing and the buildings architecture was amazing. Grab a coffee or smoothie and shop around. They also have a HUGE selection of loose bulk teas and herbs.
We also visited the Railroad Bridge Park, which is located in the Dungeness River Nature Center and is part of the Olympic Discovery Trail. This was an old railroad track and bridge that has been turned into a paved walking path. We arrived just as they closed the nature center so we couldn't go in, BUT the path itself is worth walking on. Apparently you can walk the ODT from Port Townsend all the way to La Push. It is 135 miles long.
Saturday we headed out a bit early, grabbed a coffee and burrito from The Coffee Cottage I mentioned above and headed to Hurricane Ridge. In 2023, the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center was destroyed in a fire. Always check the park site to see weather, road and park conditions and opening. This is an amazing drive to the top. There are multiple pull outs to take in the views, and there are also a number of hiking trails at the top. We spent a little time walking around, taking photos, and just enjoying the scenery. It was VERY cold and windy though so we just didn't stay that long. Heading back down, we stopped at the ranger station/visitor center at the bottom. I got a stamp and also bought a N.P. passport book on a whim.
From there we traveled further west on 101, stopping at a few pullouts to enjoy Lake Crescent. This is a beautiful lake. There are a few stops that would have been worth going to, but we were on another mission. We were heading to Sol Duc Falls. Another must see. Once you hit the trailhead the hike in is beautiful and fairly easy.
Heading back toward Sequim, we stopped back in Port Angeles and visited the wharf. We enjoyed an ice cream from Welly's, walked through a local artisan shop and headed back to Sequim. We ate at the airbnb and got ready to head out the next morning.
Sunday, we packed up, headed out with a plan to drive 101 all the around until we hit Aberdeen where we would jump on hwy 12 to I-5.
First stop on the way was the Hoh Rainforest. It was a drizzly day, but not too bad. We got there early enough, but it was still a pretty full parking lot. It was beautiful. I was torn between the Hoh forest or the Quinalt. We really only had time for one of them. I think I just had it in my head that we had to go to the Hoh, but I'm kind of wishing we did Quinalt. It was beautiful, but also remember that peoples photos are often altered, or well curated. We took two of the popular trails. There's another one that is longer but we didn't hit that one. There are many signs warning of sightings of bear, cougar and elk and what to do if you encounter any of these. A little unnerving, but we didn't see anything. I really would have loved to see some elk but I don't think we were there early enough.
From there we headed to Ruby Beach and Kalaloch beach. We were going to go to Rialto Beach, but passed it and forgot till we were further down the road and didn't want to back track. Ruby Beach and Kalaloch Beach are worth stopping at and spending some time. We pulled in at the Kalaloch Campground because my goal here was to see the Tree of Life which is a Cultural Landmark in the area. In it's glory days, it sat, roots stretching and hanging between an expanse in the landscape. It has been dropping lower over the years and I really wanted to see it.
From there we headed home.
Tips: Give yourself a lot of time. A destination may say 12 miles, but it may take 45+ minutes to get there. Depending on what you want to see, plan a few extra days. I think ideally, I would have liked to have had 3 full days in the area.
This area is popular in the summer, so make reservations ahead of time, and check to see if reservations or special permits are needed.
Ask locals what they think you should see and do. Our waiter at the Italian restaurant was very helpful.
I am always utilizing google, Yelp, and other apps/sites to find the best rated restaurants, sites, coffee shops (because we all need a good coffee).
I keep a list of things we might want to do and see.
Photos:
Get out and explore where you live, your own backyards. There is so much to be seen.
Kirstin
Ah, I do miss the Seattle area. I lived there for 15 years. Beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteYour photos are just lovely! I'm reading a series of books right now (well book #2 & 3 since I read book #1 years ago) called Dear Bob and Sue and the husband/wife visit all of these places that you've mentioned so it's nice to see photos to go along with what I'm reading about. They are avid campers and hikers (especially by book 3!) and while I can't imagine doing and seeing even 1/2 of what they do it's still a lot of fun to read. They live out in the west coast area and I am always so jealous of all the national parks that are within driving distance!
ReplyDeleteWe visited Newfoundland in April before tourist season and so learned the same lesson. Many things might not be open. It's always a toss up which item to tick off the list isn't it? One simply can't see it all.and decisions need to be made. Wowsers you got some magnificent mountain shots! Love the beach one as well and that tree is cool.
ReplyDeleteBernie