And we are onto another location! This here is Olympic National Park, found on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State! The area is situated from Seattle across Puget Sound and borders the Pacific Ocean. You can find mountains, beaches, hiking trails, wildlife, rivers, waterfalls, ski slopes, and so much more. The possibilities are essentially endless for things to do here, so let’s dive right in!
Right off the bat, there are a few things I have in mind that I want to do here, the first being to visit some sandy beaches. Overall, my road trip will likely consist of a lot of mountains and wilderness, so taking some time to take in the coast would be a nice change of scenery. A little side note about me is that I have a collection of beach glass at home and I absolutely love searching for these small treasures while walking along the shoreline, so if I ever have the chance to do that, I certainly cannot pass it up! Kalaloch Beach is just one of the beaches here, and it is known for having great bird watching and beach combing experiences. Just make sure to watch the tide! The image below is the entrance to Kalaloch Beach.
Another thing I would like to do here would be to take a few days and go backpacking in the mountains! According to nps.gov “[t]he views of ocean, cliffs, headlands, islands and seastacks, coupled with the dramatic changing sea, provide a unique wilderness experience” which are all things I wouldn’t want to miss. Majority of this National Park is only accessible by foot with very few roads that go through it, so it is important to plan your backpacking trip and day hikes wisely. As for where you can stay at night, there are many campgrounds available on a first come first serve basis, but there are also the Kalaloch, Mora, and Sol Duc campgrounds available by reservation. Plus, there are plenty of lodging and resort options as well for those who aren’t keen on sleeping in the wilderness.
The Olympic Peninsula itself is also overflowing with life and new experiences, too! With three major art museums within the area that are filled with cultural, wildlife, and community pieces, there’s no doubt you will be able to find a deeper connection with this area than before. There are also quite a few historical sites that dive into the past of the peninsula, including quite a bit of military history which I always find to be interesting to learn about. If history and art, aren’t your thing, however, you can still find lots of good food and casinos to pass the time with!
I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into Olympic National Park and the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state!
Information Sources
I was able to go Berkeley, California last spring and go on a rocky beach I got take some of the pebbles. So, I love to collect sand, rocks, or shells on the beaches. This seems like a good place to explore and collect new things. I’d love to visit the Olympic National Park & the Olympic Peninsula.
This place looks amazing! I will definitely add it to my bucketlist.
I think it’s so crazy the amount of landscape that can fit into such a relatively small area! Insane that those mountains are in the same area as the sandy beach!