Port Angeles has many things to do.
1. Olympic National Park →
3002 Mt Angeles Rd, Port Angeles, WA 98362, map
Olympic National Park has a variety of features, including the PNW Coast, mountains, lakes and rainforests. The park is open all year and takes you to a different world. I didn’t know that rainforests exist in the US before visiting.
Olympic Hiking Co The driver picked us up at the hotel we stayed in (Red Lion Hotel) and created our own itinerary. Betsy our guide was very knowledgeable on birds, animal prints, and plants. It gave us a new perspective of the park. Do we need to become birders right now?
- Visitor Center – I always like to pick up a Junior Ranger book and stamp my national park passport.
- Hoh Rain Forest (Hall of Mosses) – If this is your first trip, you can’t miss the Hoh Rainforest. You won’t find anything like it in America. The lush green moss looks like it’s from another planet. In the summer you will have to wait in line if your visit is not made early enough.
- Sol Duc Falls – Easy 1.8 mile round trip hike to a beautiful 50 ft waterfall. This is one of our favorite waterfalls (we’ve done a lot waterfall chasing) in the Pacific Northwest. You’ll want it in your camera if you are a photographer. We continued our hike up Lovers Lane which was much quieter.
- Lake Crescent – A remnant of the last ice age and the second largest lake in Washington. We enjoyed a picnic at Lake Crescent Lodge. Olympic Hiking Co brought us delicious lunches, which they purchased from Country Aire Market. The sourdough was also very tasty. You can get a stamp on your National Park Passport at the Lodge if you have one.
- Salt Creek Recreation Area – We love the rocky PNW coast, and tide pooling was a nice way to slow down and appreciate nature. We saw crabs anenomes sea urchins and more. Sometimes you can see nudibranchs, but this time we didn’t.
- Hurricane Ridge – A scenic drive that takes you to 5242 ft elevation with panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains. It was unfortunately closed due to rockfall. But maybe the third time is the charm? Next time, we’ll be sure to keep our fingers crossed.
Pro Tip: Pack a lightweight raincoat Even if the weather forecast does not show rain, it is still a good idea to prepare. Rainfall is common in a rainforest. This is a great place to visit Patagonia one It is very compact and fits in its pocket. This is a cheaper alternative.
See More: 15 Things to Do in Olympic National Park
