Weekend getaway · Washington

Olympic Peninsula weekend

Olympic Peninsula Weekend

A two-night loop through Olympic National Park from Seattle. Take the Edmonds–Kingston ferry on Friday and sleep in Port Angeles. Saturday climbs to Hurricane Ridge for the Hurricane Hill trail, then drops to Lake Crescent for Marymere Falls and the lodge lawn before an evening drive to Forks. Sunday is the wild coast at Rialto Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall, then the long drive home with the Bainbridge ferry into downtown Seattle.

Time: 2-night weekend
Driving: About 8–9 hours of driving in all, roughly 330 miles, plus two ferry crossings of about 30–35 minutes each
Best time: All year; best July to mid-September
Updated: October 15, 2026 at 3:27 AM Pacific

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Clouds and forested ridges reflected in the still, clear water of Lake Crescent — Adbar · CC BY-SA 3.0. April 2013 photograph; resized and displayed with crop.

Suggested times, not bookings

Your weekend at a glance

Fri 1:00 pmEdmonds–Kingston ferry
Fri 4:15 pmOlympic National Park Visitor Center
Fri 5:30 pmPort Angeles waterfront and dinner
Sat 7:00 amBreakfast and the day bag
Sat 7:30 amHurricane Ridge
Sat 8:45 amHurricane Hill trail
Sat 12:00 pmLunch in Port Angeles
Sat 1:45 pmMarymere Falls
Sat 3:30 pmLake Crescent Lodge shore
Sat 5:00 pmForks: check in and dinner
Sun 7:30 amRialto Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall
Sun 11:00 amEast on US 101, lunch on the way
Sun 3:30 pmBainbridge Island–Seattle ferry

Highlights

Worth the trip

Hurricane Hill's paved climb above the Olympic Mountains
Marymere Falls and the blue water of Lake Crescent
Sea stacks and the arch at Hole-in-the-Wall on Rialto Beach

What’s in the guide

Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →

Plan for the conditions

Expected seasonal weather

July to mid-September is usually the driest, mildest stretch of the year on the peninsula. Port Angeles sits in the rain shadow of the Olympics and stays mild, but Hurricane Ridge, at over 5,000 feet, is often cooler and windier, and clouds can sit on it while the town is sunny, or the reverse. On the coast, summer mornings are often foggy and cool even on warm days. From October, rain and wind increase, and from late November the ridge gets snow and winter storms; the NPS says the coast and rain forest get most of their heavy rain from November to April. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast.

Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.