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Curious how to fit a trip to the Olympic Peninsula in just 4 days?
When people think of visiting the Olympic Peninsula in the state of Washington, they probably think of Olympic National Park. However, the entire peninsula is worth seeing. It’s a lush, green place with beautiful coastal views, rain forests, and gorgeous waterfalls.
There is a lot to see and do in just 4 days, so here’s my 4 day itinerary to help you make the most of your time in the Olympic Peninsula.
Why Follow This Itinerary?
Go beyond the national park. This 4 day Olympic Peninsula itinerary doesn’t spend all its time in Olympic National Park. Yes, the national park is beautiful, but there’s so much more to see. This itinerary also visits Bainbridge Island, Port Angeles, Forks, La Push, and Cape Flattery, which I enjoyed more than the highlights of Olympic National Park.
Discover small towns. You’ll land in Seattle but won’t even have to set foot in the city, driving immediately to the smaller, more scenic towns in the Olympic Peninsula. There you’ll find less crowds and more charm.
Be efficient. This itinerary makes the most of time by ordering activities according to distance. You’ll start at the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and make your way around the peninsula in a counter-clockwise direction. And I know this route is efficient because I tested it myself.
How Many Days to Spend in the Olympic Peninsula
I recommend spending at least 4 days in the Olympic Peninsula, if not more.
There is so much to see in the Olympic Peninsula. Even spending 4 days there, we were stretched thin.
With more time, you can see and do a lot more, but I was happy with what we were able to accomplish in four days.
Overview of This 4 Day Itinerary
Day 1: Visit Bainbridge Island, wander downtown Winslow, see Pia the Peacekeeper
Day 2: Stop in Port Angeles, hike to Sol Duc Falls
Day 3: Hike Cape Flattery, tour the Twilight attractions in Forks, visit La Push
Day 4: Visit the Hoh Rain Forest, hike the Hall of Mosses, visit Ruby Beach, see the Tree of Life
Map of 4 Day Olympic Peninsula Itinerary
Day 1 in the Olympic Peninsula
Arrive in Seattle
The first day is a travel day, so I expect you’ll want to take it easy.
After arriving in the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, grab your rental car then head out over to Silverdale, where I recommend staying the first night.
Where to stay? I highly recommend staying at the Oxford Suites Silverdale for the first night. Oxford Suites is my favorite hotel chain in the western U.S. because of its free buffet breakfast and updated accommodations for a fair price. This specific hotel is next to the bay with beautiful coastal views.
I recommend eating at Spiro’s Pizza and Pasta for lunch, which is next to the Oxford Suites Silverdale.
Visit Bainbridge Island on Kitsap Peninsula
Silverdale and Bainbridge Island are mid-points between the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport and Port Angeles (tomorrow’s stop). So take advantage of being so close!
After checking into your hotel in Silverdale, drive a few minutes across the bridge to Bainbridge Island.
Bainbridge Island is on the Kitsap Peninsula, not Olympic Peninsula, but you can’t just drive by it without stopping. It’s one of the few islands off Washington that you can actually drive to via a bridge. You’ll be missing out if you miss this place.
Here are some things to do on Bainbridge Island:
Explore downtown Winslow. I loved exploring downtown Winslow on Bainbridge Island, which is a quaint, picturesque town. We browsed the books at Eagle Harbor Book Co, ordered a cup of tea at Bainbridge Apothecary and Tea Shop, and looked into a few other shops such as Celtic Crossroads NW.
Take a photo with Pia. You also must stop to see Pia the Peacekeeper, an 18-foot-tall troll, created out of recycled wood by recycle artist Thomas Dambo. Finished in 2023, it’s one of six troll art installations in the Pacific Northwest, meant to stand and age naturally for several years yet. It’s a remarkable piece of artwork to see in person, so I highly recommend visiting if given a chance.
Pick dahlias. If you visit in the summer, you also must stop at the U-pick dahlia farms. These farms will have other crops in other seasons, such as pumpkins in fall and pine trees in winter. We stopped at Suyematsu Farms (there were signs leading the way) and I thought it was a beautiful places (lots of lovely dahlias).
Visit the Bloedel Reserve. If you have more time and energy, visit the Bloedel Reserve, a famous and beautiful garden.
Stop at Poulsbo. Poulsbo is the town you drive through before arriving to Bainbridge Island via bridge, and it’s said to be just as charming. If you are able to stop and walk around Poulsbo, definitely do so. For us, we were too tired after such a long day, but I’m a little sad to have missed it.
Day 2 in the Olympic Peninsula
Stop in Port Angeles
On day 2, wake up bright and early to head to the first stop of the day, Port Angeles.
On the way, consider stopping at Jamestown S’Klallam Art Gallery and checking out the beautiful totem poles.
Once in Port Angeles, find some free street parking and take your time strolling around downtown.
I recommend visiting the bookstores and coffee shops and checking out the city pier.
Here are some things to do in Port Angeles:
- Browse Odyssey Bookshop
- Check out Port Books and News
- Get a London fog (or Tokyo fog) from Easy Street Coffee and Tea
- Visit the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles
- Walk along the Port Angeles City Pier
Hike to Sol Duc Falls or Marymere Falls
You’ll have time for a hike to a waterfall, either Sol Duc Falls or Marymere Falls, which one you choose is up to you. You could potentially hike to both, as they’re both on the way from Port Angeles to Forks (our next stop). Keep your hiking ability and energy level in mind as you decide.
For me, I hiked to Sol Duc Falls, as I read it was a nicer hike. We were pleased with it. It was a little crowded because we hiked it in the afternoon, but nothing too crazy.
One big difference between the two waterfalls is that Sol Duc Falls is viewed from the top whereas Marymere Falls is viewed from the bottom.
Marymere Falls
Distance: 1.8 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 314 feet
Waterfall height: 90 feet
Sol Duc Falls
Distance: 1.6 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 259 feet
Waterfall height: 48 feet
Drive to Forks
After the hike, it’s time to head to the next hotel, which will be in Forks. You will have some time to look around the city and settle in, but if you don’t get to everything, don’t worry. There will be more time to explore Forks tomorrow.
Why stay in Forks?
It’s central. I recommend staying in Forks because it’s central to several areas that you’ll visit in the next few days, including Cape Flattery and the Hoh Rain Forest.
It has amenities. Forks has lodgings, restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, and everything else you could need on your trip.
It’s fun for Twilighters. Forks recently became famous for being the hometown of Bella and the Cullens in the Twilight series. Unfortunately, none of the movies were shot in Forks (most scenes were either shot in Oregon or Canada), but it’s still the setting of the books, and you can see how the whole town has embraced it. Many Twilighters still visit Forks, even years after the last film was released, and there’s lots to do and see related to the famous series.
Recommended Restaurants in Forks
- The In Place (great breakfast)
- Sully’s Drive-In (good veggie burger and fries)
- Mocha Motion (yummy chai lattes)
- Forks Outfitters / Outfitters Grind / Thriftway (delicious pre-made sandwiches and salads)
Day 3 in the Olympic Peninsula
Wake up early to have breakfast at The In Place, which is across from Forks Motel. The In Place opens at 6 a.m. and I recommend going early to get there before the morning rush. Their breakfast is really good!
Hike Cape Flattery
Your first activity of the day is a hike to Cape Flattery. After breakfast, start your drive; it’s about an hour from Forks.
Cape Flattery is located within the Makah Reservation and you’ll need a recreation permit to park and hike there. (Details below on how to get one.) Be respectful while visiting, abide by the speed limits, don’t hike off trail, and only go to the designated visitor areas. Remember you’re a guest for the day.
Distance: 1.5 miles roundtrip
Elevation loss: 200 feet
About the hike: The hike to Cape Flattery is stunning. You’ll walk through a beautiful forest and on boardwalks, and then be treated to several viewpoints of the coast at the end.
I honestly liked this hike more than any of the hikes I did in Olympic National Park, so it’s not to be missed.
About parking: Parking starts to get full by late morning. For example, we arrived at 9:45 a.m. and there was plenty of parking, but when we finished the hike at 11:30 a.m., the parking lot was full.
How to Get a Makah Recreation Permit
You need a recreation permit to park and hike at Cape Flattery.
The permit costs $20 and is valid for one year.
Here are some ways to get your recreation permit:
Buy permit online. Buying your permit online may be the easiest option for you if you are driving your own car to visit Cape Flattery. However, if you plan to rent a car, don’t purchase a permit online as you will need to know your car’s license plate number at the time of purchase (for rentals, you can’t know this in advance). You’ll also need to print out the permit and remember to bring it with you on your trip.
Buy permit from the Makah Mini-Mart or other in-person vender. You can purchase your recreation permit from the Makah Mini-Mart, which is on the way to Cape Flattery. This is what we did, and it was very easy. We requested the permit at the counter, and the friendly attendant gave us a map, instructions, and the permit all in one go. There are other venders selling these permits in person, listed on the Makah website.
Buy permit at the trailhead during summer. In summer months, you can also buy your permit at the trailhead. At the parking lot entrance, there will be someone stopping cars to make sure they have a permit displayed. If they don’t, they can buy one right then and there. For this option, be sure to have cash on you.
Lunch at Breakwater Restaurant and Bar
After the hike, it will be lunch time, and you’ll probably have worked up an appetite. On your drive back to Forks, I recommend stopping at the Breakwater Restaurant and Bar. The food is good, the service is friendly, and there are some great views of the ocean out the window.
Explore More of Forks
Once back in Forks, I hope you’ll take some time to explore all the Twilight sites. If you’re not so interested in Twilight, you can just skip to the next activity, visiting La Push Beach. No hard feelings!
I wouldn’t consider myself a die-hard Twilight fan, but I read the first book and watched all the films and found it an interesting story. As a writer myself, I appreciate the talent and work that goes into creating a series that becomes as popular as Twilight.
Did you know over 160 million copies of the Twilight books have been sold worldwide?
How has Twilight affected tourism in Forks?
Forks is a small town of about 3,400 people, and yet it’s been receiving sometimes over 20x as many visitors in recent years.
Number of tourists in Forks:
2000: 10,128 visitors (pre-Twilight)
2005: 5,575 visitors (first Twilight book released)
2010: 72,885 visitors
2015: 37,615 visitors
2024: 76,000 visitors
Pre-Twilight, Forks received between 5,000-10,000 visitors a year, on average. It is, after all, a prime location for nearby hiking trails and beaches.
But once the first Twilight book was released in 2005, tourism soared. It’s fluctuated from 20,000 to over 76,000 each year since, with 2024 seeing its peak number of visitors so far.
Twilight things to do in Forks:
Peruse the Forever Twilight in Forks Collection. This is a small, one-room museum of various Twilight movie props (such as original costumes and the Chuckesmee doll) and special editions of the books. The movie props were donated to the city of Forks for public display, and this is a popular attraction, especially in summer.
How to see the collection? They only allow groups of 10 people in at a time. It’s free, but you need to book a time slot. Time slots are only booked in person on the day of the tour (not by phone or email). It’s recommended to come early as they get booked quickly. We arrived at 1:30 p.m. and got one of the last slots of the day during the summer. Learn more about entry policies on the Forks website.
Location: Rainforest Arts Center (RAC) Alcove, 11 N. Forks Avenue.
Shop for Twilight souvenirs. The two best shops to look for souvenirs are:
- Native to Twilight
- Leppell’s Flowers & Gifts
I especially recommend Leppell’s because they provide maps of Twilight locations around town (see copy below), which is convenient to have on hand. The employee there was also kind enough to give us all the info about town, what to do, where to go, and even where to park at La Push.
Take a self-guided tour of Twilight landmarks. The town of Forks is not very big, so you can easily drive to all the Twilight landmarks in less than a half hour. It’s fun to try to spot Bella’s house, Dr. Cullen’s parking spot at the hospital, Bella’s truck, and more.
- Bella Swan’s house: 775 K St, Forks. (This is an Airbnb, so it’s okay to quickly take photos of the exterior, but don’t block the road.)
- Edward Cullen’s house: Miller Tree Inn, 654 E Division St., Forks.
- Dr. Cullen’s hospital parking spot: 550 5th Ave, Forks.
- Bella’s trucks: Forks Chamber of Commerce, 1411 S Forks Ave, Forks.
- Forks welcome sign: There are two signs. One at Forks Chamber of Commerce, 1411 S Forks Ave, Forks. And one at the city entrance, HWY 101 N Forks Ave, Forks.
- Bella’s workplace: Forks Outfitters, 950 S Forks Ave, Forks.
- Treaty line sign: By the Three Rivers Resort Restaurant and Convenience Store, 7764 La Push Rd, Forks.
- Forks High School: 261 Spartan Ave, Forks.
Visit La Push’s First Beach
Twilight fans will recognize the name of La Push (“La Push, baby, La Push”), but even if you’ve never seen Twilight, a visit to La Push is a must.
The beaches here are gorgeous.
La Push is on the Quileute Reservation, and there are three beaches, aptly named First Beach, Second Beach, and Third Beach.
You’ll drive by Third Beach first, and you’ll find both Third Beach and Second Beach to be much more crowded, and their parking lots full.
Both Third Beach (1.4 miles, one way) and Second Beach (0.7 miles, one way) also require hiking a trail to reach them.
Which beach to go to? Just keep driving until you get to First Beach, which is by the Lonesome Creek Store and Quileute Oceanside Resort.
There are pathways that lead to the beach. You can also keep driving to get to the James Island View Point.
Once on First Beach, you’ll see lots of driftwood and pretty views of James Island. Be sure to take a long walk to soak in the beauty.
Day 4 in the Olympic Peninsula
Wake Up Early and Drive to the Hoh Rain Forest
Day 4 requires another early day, and I do mean early.
Make the Hoh Rain Forest your first stop, and try to get there as early as you can.
The small parking lot uses a metered traffic system. We arrived at 9 a.m. and had to wait 45 minutes to enter. The parking lot was full by then, so cars were only let in as cars left. The line grows as the morning wears on, so the wait can be even longer — even 2 hours!
What time to arrive? I asked the rangers what time they’d recommend arriving at the Hoh Rain Forest. They said before 8:30 a.m. or else after 6 p.m. to avoid a wait. I’d suggest even earlier, before 8 a.m. or even before 7:30 a.m. if you can.
Visit the Hoh Rain Forest
The Hoh Rain Forest is worth the wait.
Once here, there are two main, short hikes you can do, and I do recommend doing both.
Despite the area being so crowded, it was easy to space ourselves away from other hikers while on the trails. We got to take some good photos and enjoy the beautiful rain forest at our own pace.
Hall of Mosses Trail
Distance: 0.8 mile loop
Elevation gain: 50 feet
In the Hall of Mosses Trail, you’ll walk through old-growth forests, with trees covered in moss. It’s truly amazing.
Spruce Nature Trail
Distance: 1.2 mile loop
Elevation gain: 10 feet
In the Spruce Nature Trail, you’ll walk by the Hoh River and be treated to incredible views of the river and forest beyond. There were also a few instances of trees growing out of trees, which was interesting.
Have a Picnic Lunch at the Hoh Rain Forest
There are some picnic tables near the parking lot by the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center for you to enjoy your packed lunch.
Lunch tip: I’d recommend preparing the night before by buying lunch stuff at Thriftway / Forks Outfitters. We bought pre-made macaroni salad and sandwiches there, which were delicious, and a perfect lunch after visiting the Rain Forest.
Visit Ruby Beach
Ruby Beach was the most delightfully surprising place I visited in the Olympic Peninsula. I honestly didn’t think much of it and almost skipped it altogether. But as we were passing by, I thought, why not just stop and see what it looks like?
I was immediately awe-struck. Ruby Beach is stunningly beautiful and such a unique beach, something I’m so glad we didn’t miss.
It has driftwood, a river, and islands to discover.
To get to the beach, you’ll have to walk on a quarter-mile, paved path that slopes down from the parking lot.
See the Tree of Life
The Tree of Life is a living Sitka spruce tree that seems to be growing in mid-air. Its roots are spread out over the opening of bluffs, eroded by high tides, creating a cave underneath. It’s said to be several hundred years old.
Inside, people leave rocks with names on them and photos and memorials, dedicated to loved ones.
It’s an impressive, albeit odd, work of nature. It seems to defy gravity, laws of nature, and even life, so it’s become a tourist attraction, making rounds on social media.
Where to park: The Tree of Life is located on the beach near the Kalaloch Campground. You can park at the campground during daylight hours for free (see sign in parking lot).
How to find the tree: There’s a marked trail that goes down to the beach, and you’ll see the tree a few feet down, on the right. You’ll know where it is by the group of people surrounding it, taking photos.
Drive Back to Seattle
It will be pretty late in the day by the time you’ve finished with all the activities.
You can either stay another night in Forks or keep driving around to stay closer to the airport in Seattle-Tacoma.
Where we stayed: We stayed the fourth night in Yelm at the Prairie Hotel to try to see Mt. Rainier before driving to the airport. Unfortunately for us, we had bad weather (on day 5) and didn’t get to see Mt. Rainier, but we enjoyed our stay in Yelm otherwise. The Prairie Hotel is a new, large hotel, so everything is updated, and not many people were here during our stay (it’s similar to the Holiday Inn Express type hotels).
Recommended eateries in Yelm:
- Pizzeria La Gitana
- The Shiplap Shop & Coffee House
Where to Stay While Visiting the Olympic Peninsula
Night 1: Silverdale
For your first night, I recommend staying in Silverdale at the Oxford Suites Silverdale.
Oxford Suites is my favorite hotel chain in the western U.S. because of its free buffet breakfast and updated accommodations for a fair price. This specific hotel is next to the bay with beautiful coastal views. I loved our stay here.
Nights 2-3: Forks
For your second and third nights, I recommend staying in Forks.
The two biggest hotels in Forks are actually motels:
About the Forks Motel: We stayed in the Forks Motel, but I wouldn’t strongly recommend it because our room had an odd smell. It was otherwise okay and in a good location. A bit overpriced, but I understand it’s only because of the amount of tourists coming through.
About the Pacific Inn Motel: I can’t comment on Pacific Inn Motel, but it has more positive reviews, so it could be better.
Where I recommend staying: If you’re able to get a reservation, I’d recommend staying at the Miller Tree Inn Bed and Breakfast, which is also known as the Cullens house in Forks. We drove by to see it, and it had such a nice energy to it, almost magical. And the photos online makes this place seem pretty nice. If I were to revisit Forks, I’d love to stay here.
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