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4-Day Road Trip through the Olympic Peninsula {Pacific Northwest Travel}

August 19, 2018 / 57 Comments

Beaches, forests, lakes, mountains… The Olympic Peninsula has it all and is arguably one of the most beautiful and diverse areas in Washington State, and is a perfect family getaway close to Seattle. Our family did this quick road trip a couple years ago but I wanted to share the trip with you today to help you plan your trip through the Olympic Peninsula. Some of the trip highlights include Hurricane Ridge, Crescent Lake, the Twilight town of Forks, 1st and 2nd Beach at La Push, and the Lavender farms in Sequim. This trip is an easy 4 day road trip and is both budget-friendly and family-friendly.

Map of the road trip

  • A: Sequim
  • B: Olympic Cellars Winery
  • C: Hurricane Ridge
  • D: Crescent Lake & Marymere Falls
  • E: Forks
  • F: La Push

Day 1: Ferry from Edmonds to Kingston, Lavender Farms in Sequim, & Olympic Cellars Winery

Take the ferry from Seattle by catching the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry. The kids love the ferry trip and its something special we don’t always do. Once in Kingston, drive to Sequim where you’ll find dozens of beautiful lavender farms- this area has long been known for their quality lavender products it produces since this area is in the ideal climate for growing lavender. Check out this site for more info.

Head into Port Angeles, explore the town, and check out Olympic Cellars Winery for some delicious Washington wine.

At the end of a long day, catch dinner in town and check into your hotel. Check out the Olympic Lodge ($$$), Port Angeles Inn ($$), or Heart O’ the Hills Campground ($).

Day 2: Hurricane Ridge, Marymere Falls & Crescent Lake

Eat a hearty breakfast, pack up, and then head out for a day of exploring some of the beautiful sights around the Olympic National Forest. Hurricane Ridge is the most easily accessed mountain area within the Olympic National Park.

It is just a short drive to the top where you can park and view the mountains and fields and spot tons of wildlife. There are some short walking paths as well. This is very easy for families, and a must see!

After a couple hours taking in the scenery and walking the mountainside, head to Crescent Lake for some hiking and a picnic at the lake.

There are tons of old growth trees and hiking trails, many that lead to waterfalls.

Marymere Falls is perfect for families with littles; it is so easy to access from Crescent Lake with just a 0.75-mile trail walk. You’ll see falls drop nearly 90 feet into a small pool. In the summer, the national park rangers offers nature tours to this waterfall and others in the area.

Lake Crescent is stunning, and there are plenty of picnic friendly spots with tables (or bring your blanket!) If you enjoy water sports, you can rent rowboats from the Lake Crescent Lodge or launch your own at one of the two boat launches.

After a long day of exploring, hiking, and playing in the water, check into your hotel or campground for the night. Check out the Lake Crescent Lodge ($$$), Log Cabin Resort ($$), or Fairholme campground ($). You can also continue on a short drive and stay in a hotel in neighboring towns on your way to the coast or stay another night in Port Angeles.

Day 3: Forks & La Push

Pack up and head towards the coast. Make a quick stop in the town of Forks to tour the hometown of the popular Twilight series. You can’t go inside the home, but it is fun to stop by and look at the home of Bella, and stop into the visitor center for some fun fan info.

You’ll be in and out of town fast, so you can spend the day at the pristine beaches of La Push. When you arrive in La Push, the Twilight adventure continues as you see a “treaty sign” once you are on the reservation.

Once you reach La Push, you can visit First, Second, and Third Beach. We visited First beach since we only spent one day here, but with added time it’s worth visiting them all! First Beach is a mile-long crescent known for surfing-size waves and whale watching, and is part of the 57 miles of wild coastline on the Olympic Peninsula, the longest such stretch outside of Alaska. Second Beach is just east of LaPush and can be reached by a short .7 mile trail that leads to a 2-mile long sandy stretch of beach. Third Beach is a fairly level 1.5 mile trail through natural second growth forest.

The driftwood on First Beach at La Push is amazing- there is so much of it- and you can catch a great view of the stone island.

The beach is perfect for a family photo!

After a long day at the beaches, check into your hotel or campground. Check out Quileute Oceanside Resort ($$$), Pacific Inn Hotel, ($$) or Bogachiel State Park ($).

Day 4: Drive home

After 3 long, adventurous days, drive home and enjoy the scenery along the way. You can take the long way home and continue around the Olympic National Forest on the scenic 101 (you may want to add another night stay along and visit the Hoh Rainforest since its on the way), or just drive back the way you came. The Olympic Peninsula is such a breathtaking trip, we really enjoyed the scenery along the way and the kids loved seeing the animals and playing at the beach. I satisfied my inner vampire by visiting Forks, and of course wine tasting is one of my favorite things to do on any trip. This trip is one of our favorite road trips and we plan to be back again soon!

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