Summer Fun on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula

The Olympic Peninsula is just a few hours from Oregon and can be a great place for fun and educational adventures. Travel North on Hwy 101 up into the Olympic Peninsula. Highway 101 makes a loop through the Olympic Peninsula and many of the adventurous areas are right along this major Highway.

The Olympic Peninsula is actually the only rainforest found in the United States. The Olympic Peninsula has more rain than any other forest found in the Pacific Northwest, with a yearly rainfall of twenty-five inches annually.

Planning a trip through the Olympic Peninsula can be a day trip or a trip encompassing several days. Lodging along the Olympic Peninsula can be found in many historical and beautiful settings such as Lake Crescent Lodge; www.LakeCrescentLodge.com, Lake Quinault Lodge; www.VisitLakeQuinault.com, Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort; www.visit SolDuc.com, Log Cabin Resort; www.LogCabinResort.net, and Kalaloch Lodge; www.VisitKalaloch.com just to mention a few. Along Hwy 101 loop there are several motels and hotels also. Visitors can visit www.hotels.com to find a room without reservations in many of these local motels/hotels.

While traveling along the Olympic Peninsula hiking, backpacking and a visit to the top of Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park is a must. With two geo-thermal hot springs in the Olympic National Park hot tubing and swimming are a couple of favorite activities for visitors. Along with the hot springs this area has food services and cabins visitors can rent.

Many visitors to the Olympic Peninsula will tell you that they had a great adventure in one of the world's most beautiful areas. A place where relaxation and a love of nature can come together and peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of city life is something you can't avoid when visiting the Olympic Peninsula.

Along with a nature filled visit to the Olympic Peninsula make your trip educational by visiting museums and gardens not found in any other area of the Pacific Northwest.

Quilcene Historical Museum
151 E. Columbia St.
Quilcene, Washington

Quilcene Historical Museum features exhibits from the community, which includes military, logging and mining memorabilia. This museum also features photos from past times, businesses and places in the Quilcene area.

Whitney Gardens & Nursery
306264 Hwy 1010
Brinnon, Washington

Home of the Rhododendron gardens known worldwide, Whitney Gardens & Nursery is one place to visit when traveling the Olympic Peninsula.

Hood Canal Ranger District
Quilcene, Washington

Visitors should make this one stop on their route through the Olympic Peninsula. Stopping at the Hood Canal Ranger Station/Visitors Center is a sure way that visitors can plan where the best areas and parks are located. With directions before heading for the Peninsula parks visitors can map their destinations making travel and time go farther giving them the ability to visit and see more of the Olympic Peninsula during their travels.

Some activities in the Olympic Peninsula area located around the Emerald Towns of Quilcene and Brinnon are the Quilcene Art Walk, this Art Walk is the first Saturday of each month throughout the entire summer. May is another exciting time on the Olympic Peninsula where visitors can enjoy the local Shrimp Festival in Brinnon. This has been a yearly festival in the Brinnon area since 1994. Visitors gather shellfish on public beaches (must have a license and parking permits) and along with experiencing the gathering and finding your own shellfish there are craft booths, food booths and several other activities during the weekend festival.