Family Travel to Port Angeles, Washington, USA

Vacation Activities for Kids and Adults in NW Olympic Peninsula

May 29, 2009

Port Angeles offers dynamic, affordable family day trips and getaways spring, summer or fall. Beachcombing, biking, hiking and kayaking are accessible by car and ferry.

Nestled between the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Angeles is the largest city on the North Olympic Peninsula. An easy day trip from Seattle via the Bainbridge ferry and Victoria, British Columbia, via ferry, this picturesque town holds a wealth of activities for kids and adults.

Port Angeles’ downtown waterfront area offers science centers, beaches, parks, kayaking, biking and boating. The town is also the gateway to Olympic National Park, with its alpine mountains, rain forest and coastal beaches. Area parks and beaches feature tide pools, beaches and paths for hiking and biking.

The Arthur Fiero Marine Science Center, at the foot of Lincoln Street on the city pier, is a first stop for many families. See and learn about the local marine environment with hundreds of inter-tidal creatures, like star fish and sea cucumbers, in the exhibits, touch tanks and dry displays. Climb the observation tower at the end of the pier to look across the strait to Canada or take in a summer concert.

Hollywood Beach offers easy beachcombing right next to the pier. Visit the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, located in the nearby Landing Mall, for interactive displays about the ocean’s underwater landscape, maritime history, marine wildlife, habitats and traditional cultures. The Dream Playground and Skate Park, close by between Race and Francis Streets, offers recreation for everyone. Or rent a kayak and paddle around the harbor.

Olympic National Park’s Alpine Mountains, Rain Forest, Coastline

A few miles from Port Angeles is the diverse Olympic National Park. Its three distinct areas include interior high country, lush rain forest in the western valleys and wilderness coastline.

Hurricane Ridge is only 19 miles from Port Angeles, affording spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains, glaciers and alpine wildlife. Stop at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center to learn about this unique ecosystem and get maps to hike nearby alpine trails.

The Hoh Rain Forest is one of the lushest in the world, where trees reach record size (300 feet tall and 23 feet wide) and the forest canopy is incredibly thick. Walk mossy paths between Sitka spruce and western red cedar. Hike along the Hoh, Quinalt or Queens rivers, with maps available at the visitor center.

The park’s coastline along the Pacific Ocean is dotted with sea stacks and arches. Shore birds, raccoons, deer, river otters and other creatures inhabit this ecosystem. Huge logs, sea shells and sand crabs are some of the treasures at Rialto Beach.

Salt Creek & Dungeness Spit for Beachcombing

Just 13 miles west of Port Angeles, the Salt Creek Recreation Area Country Park offers some of the best tide pools in the area. The 196-acre park also includes sandy beaches, access to Salt Creek River, upland forests, rocky bluffs and panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Crescent Bay and Victoria, British Columbia.

Hiking trails, beach access walkways, a playground, picnic areas, baseball field, horseshoe court, campgrounds and a marine-life sanctuary are features of this park. Explore the remnants of Fort Hayden with its World War II-era bunkers carved into a hillside.

Dungeness Recreation Area,15 miles east of Port Angeles, is prized for bird watching, and also offers hiking, beachcombing, shell fishing, picnicking and camping. The 216-acre park features a seven-mile sand spit, the longest in the nation. Watch for seals along the tide flats and see the oldest lighthouse north of the Columbia River at the end of the spit.

Olympic Discovery Trail for Biking

Rent bicycles at shops in Port Angeles to ride the Waterfront Trail near the ocean’s edge at the base of Lincoln and Railroad Avenue. The easy paved trail extends west to the end of Ediz Hook and east where it joins the Olympic Discovery Trail after a few miles.

The Olympic Discovery Trail climbs inland after the Waterfront Trail and crosses several bridges and creeks. As the trail wanders through the Sequim Dungeness Valley, it’s nearly flat. Stop at Railroad Bridge Park, west of the town of Sequim, for great views of the Dungeness River.

Port Angeles is a perfect Pacific Northwest family day trip, getaway or vacation spot that offers beachcombing, hiking, biking, kayaking and museum-going. Enjoy Port Angeles’ waterfront activities or explore nearby Olympic National Park. Beachcomb at Salt Creek and Dungeness Spit or bike the Olympic Discovery Trail.

The copyright of the article Family Travel to Port Angeles, Washington, USA in Kid-Friendly Travel Destinations is owned by Susan Lynne Hamilton. Permission to republish Family Travel to Port Angeles, Washington, USA in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.