Mid-June to Early-July 2021

Astoria, Oregon sits on the Columbia River at the northwest tip of Oregon. We crossed into Washington state via the Astoria Bridge, and then turned west toward the Pacific for the short trip to our first stop, Cape Disappointment State Park.

We loved this park. Too bad that Captain John Meares gave it such an unfortunate name; for us, it was not disappointing at all. This is where the mighty Columbia River finally meets the Pacific Ocean. The state park is in a forested area right along the coast. We could walk to the beach from our campsite and we could hear the crashing of the ocean waves at night.

We visited the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which is within the park. The area around Cape Disappointment is where some of the members of the Corps of Discovery first saw the Pacific Ocean. It was the westernmost point in their expedition. The Center’s exhibits document their entire journey. It’s a vast amount of information, and it’s expertly displayed. It leaves you with a deeper understanding of the trip’s perils, and also a greater appreciation of the expedition’s importance to our young nation.

We walked out to the lighthouse and took in the view from the steep cliffs.

The Long Beach Peninsula extends northward from Cape Disappointment via Route 103. This narrow sliver of land is dotted with seaside retreats, including Seaview, Long Beach, and Surfside. Following up on the travel advice of our new camping friends Charlene and Kurt, we did a bit of exploring. One night, we had an early dinner in Long Beach at Lost Roo, a popular pub they had recommended.

Later, we stopped at The Shelburne Hotel for drinks in the garden.

The Shelburne is the oldest, continuously operating hotel in Washington. It’s now being restored and managed as a boutique hotel by enthusiastic entrepreneurs who appreciate the value of its charm.

At our friend French’s suggestion, we went further up the peninsula to the Oysterville Sea Farms. The store was in between oyster deliveries, so we got fresh clams and smoked oysters instead. All made for a delightful dinner for our last night at Cape Disappointment.

We’ve been fortunate to connect with folks who love their state and generously share tips on routes and sites to see. Charlene sent me an email with a full roster of their favorite spots to consider along our route. Later, we met Matt and Jenna, another couple who shared a list of “don’t miss” places. These suggestions have helped us zero in on fantastic places that we might otherwise have missed. Thanks, everyone!

The Olympic Peninsula

Back on Route 101, our clockwise journey to circle the Olympic Peninsula was a sunny surprise. We had expected cold, rainy weather in this area that gets 12 feet of rain each year, but luck and the dry season were on our side. Mornings were sometimes foggy, but the mist usually burned off by mid-morning.

We had great weather for side trips and hiking. We camped at a number of small parks. Near Forks, we stayed at Three Rivers Resort.

The word “resort” is used rather loosely in the RV world. This is a small, family-owned park with campsites, cabins, a general store, and small café. We liked our campsite that was shaded by giant spruce trees.

Forks’ recent claim to fame is that it’s featured in the Twilight series books. Lots of vampire signs around town, along with vampire tours, and a yearly festival.

For us, it was a good base camp for exploring the Hoh Rainforest within Olympic National Park.

This temperate rainforest is a rarity. It’s a mossy wonderland of giant trees, streams, ferns, and wildflowers.

Along the hiking trail, we saw a young elk grazing near a marshy stream.

The elk seemed unperturbed about humans on the trail, which is understandable, given the number of tourists who come by daily.

We hiked two trails. One was busy; the other we had almost to ourselves, which was a rare treat.

Park visitation is limited and parking lot capacities are reached early in the day. We’d been given the tip to arrive early, which we did, arriving just as the park opened for the day. On our way out, around noon, there was a line of more than a hundred cars waiting to get in. Good tip: arrive early!

We also visited Rialto Beach, just down the road from our campground. The Pacific beach here is different. It’s rocky and has dark, fine gravel instead of sand. The beaches are strewn with gnarled chunks of driftwood and washed ashore trees. If you’re lucky, you can find agates on the beach. Not sure that we found any, but searching is always fun.

Traveling on, we rounded the tip of the Peninsula, passed the stunningly beautiful Crescent Lake, and headed toward Port Angeles. We stayed a little further east in Sequim (pronounced Sqwim). Sequim is known for its lavender farms.

The promos say there are more than 25. We visited two: The Purple Haze Lavender Farm and the Jardin du Soleil Lavender Farm. It was such fun to see (and smell!) the fields full of lavender and poke around the lavender-themed gift shops.

From our campground, we made a day trip to Port Angeles to again go into Olympic National Park. This time, we were coming in on the mountainous side.

We drove the 17 miles up to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center, and then hiked the Hurricane Hill Trail.

What a change in park elevation, from several hundred feet in the Hoh Rainforest to more than 5,200 feet at Hurricane Ridge.

And what a change in view from the mountain top: a 360 degree panorama of snow-capped mountains, alpine wildflowers, and views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Port Angeles.

We left the park and continued on 101, now heading south along the Hood Canal. We stayed at several state parks along the way. Millersylvania, near Olympia was a favorite. Shady camping at this former CCC camp was a relief during an unexpected heat wave (100 degrees in the shade…). A lake for an afternoon dip and a beer garden tucked in a cabin in the woods made this a “we’ll come back” spot.

Our day trip into Olympia was brief. Just too hot to tromp around.

Except for air conditioned locations, the city was almost deserted. We retreated to our shady campsite and planned our next moves. North?

Next Up: North to Bellevue, Bothell, and Beyond