The Olympic Peninsula is located in the northwest of the US state Washington. The main tourist attraction is that Olympic National Park. The park includes wild and romantic beaches, rainforests and subalpine mountains. The highest mountain, the heavily glaciated Mount Olympus, peaks at 2,428 m above sea level. Visitors to the park are most comfortable staying in Port Angeles - this is by far the largest town on the peninsula -, in Sequim or in Forks.
Also worth seeing are the port city, which is inspired by the flair of the 1970s Port Townsend and the many smaller state parks and nature reserves in the coastal area, such as the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge.
Also on the edge of the peninsula are some Indian reservations, some of which run small museums. In the north these are the reservations of the Lower Elwha Klallam, the Jamestown S’Klallam and the Nooksack, in the west those of the Makah, the Quileute, the Hoh and the Quinault.
The peninsula offers so much scenic beauty and diversity in a small space that you can easily spend a full week - or even more - for a visit.
Regions and places
Administratively, the Olympic Peninsula is divided into Clallam County (in the north) and Jefferson County (further south and in the far east).
In Clallam County:Bell Hill ‒ Blyn ‒ Carlsborg ‒ Forks ‒ Neah Bay ‒ Port Angeles ‒ Port Angeles East ‒ River Road ‒ Sequim
In Jefferson County:Brinnon ‒ Marrowstone ‒ Port Hadlock-Irondale ‒ Port Ludlow ‒ Port Townsend ‒ Quilcene
Other goals
background
language
getting there
The best way to fly from Europe is via the Seattle Airport a. Port Angeles can be reached from there by car in 2½ hours.
mobility
A rental car is practically indispensable, especially if you also want to visit the national park. The very beautiful Highway 101 leads around almost the entire peninsula.
Tourist Attractions
- Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, at Lotzgesell Rd, Sequim. Nature reserve on the coast just north of Sequim. You can walk over 8 km into the sea on a stony spit. There is a lighthouse just before the end of the strip of land. If you come early in the morning, for example to bridge the waiting time for the ferry to depart from Port Angeles, you have the beach almost to yourself.Open: daily from sunrise to sunset.Price: $ 3 per family entry.
- Port Townsend Marine Science Center, Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend. Small aquarium with a touch basin for children, a giant squid that can open screw-top jars, and an exhibition about the pollution of Puget Sound, which killed an orca in 2002. Right next door is a large beach where only the intrepid swim (even in midsummer the sea water in Washington is freezing), but where you can at least wade in the water.Open: Changing with the seasons.Price: Entry $ 5 (children 6-17 $ 3).
activities
kitchen
- Hanazono Asian Noodle, 225 Taylor St, Port Townsend. Very pleasant and not overly expensive Japanese restaurant in the center of Port Townsend. Wonderfully prepared soups and other small dishes.
