Olympic Peninsula loop from Seattle
6 days · June to September · road, scenic
- Pacific Northwest
- Loop
- National parks
- Coast
- Small towns
- Scenic drives
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A summer loop from Seattle by ferry through Whidbey Island and Port Townsend to Port Angeles and Olympic National Park, then home by Tacoma.
Ferries are part of this trip. From Seattle you drive north, cross to Whidbey Island by ferry, and cross again to Port Townsend, a Victorian seaport on the Olympic Peninsula. Reserve ferry space where you can on summer weekends, since the lines grow long, and arrive early when reservations are not available. The crossings are short and good for stretching your legs.
Port Angeles is the gateway to Olympic National Park, where a single park holds mountains, lakes and rain forest. Give the park a full day. The road to the high ridge can close for snow or fog, so ask at the visitor center before you drive up. A ferry also runs from Port Angeles to Victoria, if you have your passport.
The way home follows Hood Canal and the south end of Puget Sound to Tacoma, where the Museum of Glass and the waterfront make an easy last stop. Seattle is a short drive beyond. The loop leaves the city behind for a few days and returns you in time for dinner on the last night.
Stops
- Seattle Washington, United States1 night · Day 1
Spend a night in the city and leave early the next morning for the ferry north.
- Langley Washington, United States1 night · Day 2 · How to get there from Seattle
A small village on Whidbey Island with galleries, restaurants and a view across the water.
- Port Townsend Washington, United States1 night · Day 3 · How to get there from Langley
A Victorian seaport with a historic downtown, a waterfront and a music tradition.
- Port Angeles Washington, United States2 nights · Day 4 to 5 · How to get there from Port Townsend
A harbor town and the gateway to Olympic National Park. Take a day in the park for lakes, forest and mountain views.
- Tacoma Washington, United States1 night · Day 6 · How to get there from Port Angeles
The Museum of Glass and the waterfront. Seattle is a short drive beyond.