Seattle is famous for its rain, which can make the city feel gloomy outside the summer months. However, the rain has at least one amazing side benefit: from the rain, we get one of the most beautiful areas of the world: Olympic National Park.
Situated on the Olympic Peninsula, just a few hours outside Seattle, the rainforest offers an otherworldly vista of endless, cascading life; a neverending vision of green as far as the eye can see. The forest feels primordial, as if mankind had never despoiled our planet, and yet is as accessible as your rental car can get you. If you love hiking, there are hundreds of miles of amazing trails which will tickle your nose, eyes and feet with experiences available nowhere else in the country. If you have more limited mobility, there are many accessible trails which will still give you the true spectrum of the rainforest.
Close to the forest is the wild Washington Coast. Our rugged Wilderness Coast is better known for its rugged beauty than its beaches—although we do have some lovely beaches—and places like Shi Shi Beach, Ruby Beach, and Kalaloch offer very different experiences from those in Oregon or California.
And what life you will see! Of course deer, marmots, and Roosevelt Elk—and slugs and snails—live in the forest, as well as a wide spectrum of birds. Oceanside tide pools deliver fascinating mini-ecosystems. At times you can even spot gray or orca whales off the ocean.
Grab a rental car and hop a ferry out of downtown to Bainbridge Island, then drive around to Port Angeles, the portal to Olympic National Park. From there, it’s a short and beautiful drive to Hurricane Ridge, a must-see view down into the forest with astonishing views of our beautiful mountains. The Hoh Rain Forest is a National Forest with two well-maintained unmissable short trails—the Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trails are 0.8 and 1.2 mile loops with only 10 and 50 feet of elevation gain, respectively—as well as a campground and longer hiking opportunities. Apart from these, there are entrances to the Olympia National Park proper and a wide array of beaches, vistas, and small towns—your choices are almost unlimited.