Washington Travel Guide: 3 Days in Olympic National Park

Seattle, one of the pillars of the Pacific Northwest, the home of hipsters, grey skies, and the dreaded Starbucks. Seattle holds a special place in our hearts, as it was the first trip that we took together as a couple! As young college students who didn’t have a lot of money, it was a fun but quick weekend trip. This time around, we decided to spend a little more money, rent a car, and go explore the Olympic Peninsula for a few days! There is so much to do in Washington outside of Seattle, so come take a journey with us!
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Day 1: Whale Watching & Lavender Fields

• Board a boat to watch whales surface and spout water through Puget Sound Express
• Walk around and shop in downtown Port Townsend
• Frolic in lavender fields and try lavender ice cream at Purple Haze Lavender Farm
• Stay at the Pear Tree Farm Treehouse where you are greeted with the sweetest farm animals, homemade cookies, and breakfast every morning

Puget Sound Express is a whale watching tour group that gives you money back guarantee if you don’t see a whale, which is pretty awesome! The crew were super knowledgeable, and use a collaborative system with other boats in Puget Sound to track whales and find areas where you can see lots of different sea creatures. The boat launches from Port Townsend, a lovely small town with a bustling downtown that makes for a great afternoon of casual shopping and eating and drinking. From there we headed deeper into the mountains, towards our Airbnb, but first a quick stop at the Lavender Farm!

Purple Haze Lavender Farm has a variety of treats for visitors to enjoy. From their Instagram-able fields, to their mouth watering lavender infused ice cream, this farm is a welcome retreat after a day of driving through winding mountain roads.

​The whole reason we drove out this direction was to stay at the Pear Tree Farm Treehouse. This Airbnb treehouse has been on our list to visit for a long time. The hosts are truly the kindest couple, they run a farm and bring you a hand cooked breakfast that you can enjoy from the balcony of your treehouse. The best part though? it has to be the adorable corgis who help to run the farm. They chase goats and llamas and will run up to you to share your breakfast, if you let them. I mean, just look at that cuties face!

Day 2: Mountain Hiking and Lake Canoeing

• Hike around Hurricane Ridge to see views of the mountains and wandering deer
• Brave the switchbacks of Mt. Storm King for an epic view of Lake Crescent
• Paddle a canoe by the shore of Lake Crescent
• Get happy hour at Kokopelli Grill for 20% off appetizers, including New Orleans style oysters and crab cakes, plus get their famous salmon clam chowder

When looking for hikes to take on the Olympic Peninsula, Mt. Storm King kept coming up. We saw some epic photos of the summit, looked up the trail and decided that would be the highlight of the trip! What we didn't know, was that it would be one of the most grueling hikes we have taken all year. Thousands of feet of elevation gain, dozens upon dozens of switchbacks, but that view is so worth it! 

Day 3: Mossy Forests + PNW Beaches

• ​​Transport back in time on the Moss Trail of the Hoh Rainforest
• See the misty PNW beaches of Second Beach and farther down the coast at Ruby Beach
• Stand under the mystical root cave of the Kalaloch Tree of Life 

The Moss Trail at the Hoh Rainforest is like a land locked in time. The whole trail looks like a scene out of Jurassic Park. While the crowds might seem intimidating, if you have patience, you can get the forest all to yourself.

Unlike our home of California, the beaches in Washington all require a short hike to get to the shore. We climbed over rocks and fallen trees to enjoy the views of Ruby Beach. What no one else on the internet told us, was that this beach is home to a varied amount of small sea creatures that will nibble and bite your feet! Wonder why I am picking Lynn up? I am running away from evil fishies!