To celebrate my birthday as Corona free as possible and enjoy a much needed scenery change, we headed to Port Angeles and the Olympic Peninsula for a long weekend! The Olympic Peninsula is one of my absolute favorite locations in Washington, with beautiful nature surrounding you in every direction. Plus if you’re looking for a day trip to Vancouver, just hop onto the ferry located on the pier!
NATURE EXCURSIONS
The Olympic Peninsula is perfect for any nature lover! In every direction you look, especially in Port Angeles it’s a nature lovers paradise from coastal views to mountain ranges there is something for everyone!
Please keep in mind, with the current virus many locations may still be closed, particularly tribal lands, or open to the public during specific times. All locations do require face masks so please be prepared if you do want to go to a restaurant or bar.
Here are just some of the amazing scenic locations to check out:
Hoh Rain Forest
Quinault Rain Forest and Lake Quinault
Olympic National Park
Hurricane Ridge
Klahhane Ridge Trail
Sol Duc Falls Trail
Rialto and Mora Beach
La Push Beach
Lake Crescent
Cape Flattery
FOOD
If you’re a foodie like me, Port Angeles offers plenty of hidden gems! I’m never disappointed and I won’t lie when I say literally everything we had wasn’t only specialty but downright delicious!
Breakfast and Coffee:
New Day Eatery: Everything is made in house and fresh to order from their sausage croissant breakfast sandwich to the biscuits and gravy. Chef’s kiss!
Num Num Donuts: Run don’t walk to snag one of these specialty doughnuts before they sell out! The maple cinnamon toast crunch is perfection.
The Great Northwest Coffee Bar: The cutest coffee bar shop that provides local ingredients from their roasted coffee to their brewed beers.
Lunch and Dinner:
Tendy’s Garden: I had Tendy’s Garden 6 years ago and it’s still the best Chinese food I’ve had! It’s no wonder as they’ve been voted #1 in the Olympic Peninsula for 15 years.
Coyote BBQ Grill: I’m not a big BBQ fan but Coyote’s BBQ Grill was downright memorable. I’ll take some more coleslaw and brisket please.
Strait Slice Pizza Co: There are not enough words to describe their amazing pizza! Give the mac and cheese (my favorite), the pesto pepperoni or the Strait Margherita (pictured) a try!
Dessert:
Northwest Fudge & Confections: Fun merchandise candy like Harry Potter or Hello Kitty, specialty fresh made fudge and amazing ice cream! Grab yourself a cup of the cookie dough, you won’t regret it!
TWILIGHT LOCATIONS
Don’t think I forgot about you fellow Twilight fans! While you won’t find any film locations in Port Angeles, Forks or La Push respectively, all these towns have had fun creating a vibe for touring fans.
Port Angeles:
Bella Italia: This Italian restaurant in Port Angeles was the literal inspiration for Bella and Edward’s first date in Twilight. You can also find a couple book stores close by and several clothing boutiques to spark imagination.
Forks:
The tiny town of Forks may not match much of the books descriptions or fan imagination but throughout the town you’ll find Bella’s red Chevy, Forks High School, and homes throughout the town marked as the Cullen’s or Swan’s residence and more!
La Push/Quileute Tribal Lands:
While Quileute tribal lands are currently closed to visitors due to the Corona Virus on your way from Forks to La Push you’ll see a sign marking the treaty line, the Black residence, the corner store mentioned in New Moon and more! While I’ve only been to First Beach, La Push is just magical. It’s a massive beach with starfish and anemone that can be found in the tide pools and beautiful often foggy scenery to cast the perfect mood.
