Ruby Beach at sunset

Sample Itineraries

Whether you stay close to Kalaloch or venture out, there are lots of things to do in and around Olympic National Park. Check out these adventure suggestions.

Things to do at Kalaloch Lodge:

  • Walk the Kalaloch Creek Nature Trail
  • Take your dog for a walk on Kalaloch Beach and a quick swim in the creek
  • Walk Kalaloch Beach three miles south to the burl trail at Beach 1
  • Play a spirited game of tether ball at the lodge
  • Build a beach fire and make s'mores
  • Relax on the lodge deck while enjoying a cold drink
  • Build a sand castle on the beach among the drift logs
  • Borrow a game or puzzle from the lodge game closet and enjoy the taste of competition
  • Fly a kite at low tide on the beach
  • Read a good book in the solitude of your cabin or room during stormy weather
  • Watch the migrating gray whales as they head north every April through June
  • Sit on a beach log at night and study the star-filled sky
  • Listen to the waves crashing on the shore as you gently fall asleep in your cozy cabin
  • Reconnect with your family or significant other
  • Enjoy a leisurely bike ride around the Lodge and Campground
  • Enjoy a delicious meal at the Creekside Restaurant while you gaze out at the creek and ocean
  • Look for bald eagles, kingfishers and river otters near the creek
  • Learn more about the history and nature of Kalaloch during a summertime ranger-led talk or walk
  • Shop at the gift shop or mercantile for that perfect memento of your Kalaloch vacation

Things to do within an hour's drive:

  • Explore the tide pools at Beach 6 and count the anemones and starfish
  • Fish the Queets river above the Clearwater bridge
  • Paint or photograph Destruction Island from the viewpoint at Beach 6
  • Walk through the woods in the Clearwater State Forest and look for mushrooms in the fall
  • Drive or bike to Yahoo Lake
  • Walk the world-famous Hall of Mosses trail in the Hoh Rainforest
  • Witness a glimpse of the past at the Forks Timber Museum
  • Drive the Quinault Loop road and keep an eye out for elk and waterfalls
  • Visit the wild and wonderful beaches at La Push and hike to the tide pools at Hole-in-the-Wall at Rialto Beach
  • Admire the world's largest Sitka spruce and Western red cedar in the Valley of the Rainforest Giants
  • Enjoy a peaceful sunset among the sea stacks at Ruby Beach
  • Horseback ride in the Hoh Valley

Things to do within a 2-hour drive:

  • Drive to Lake Ozette and walk the boardwalk to Cape Alava and nearby Wedding Rock
  • Kayak down the Sol Duc River
  • Visit the beautiful waterfalls at Sol Duc
  • Charter fish for halibut or salmon on the strait of Juan De Fuca near Sekui
  • Whitewater raft down the Hoh river
  • Explore the Westport Maritime Museum and tour the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chief in Aberdeen
  • Visit the world's largest dam removal project on the Elwha River
  • Journey to Hurricane Ridge and take in the amazing vistas of the central Olympic mountains
  • Journey to Shi Shi beach on the Makah reservation and stop at nearby Cape Flattery and the tribal museum in Neah Bay
  • Try your hand at razor clam digging near the beaches of Ocean Shores

Things to do with your dog

Olympic National Park allows dogs on specified trails, paved or dirt roads and in campgrounds and picnic areas. Get more details from NPS here.

  • Olympic National Forest (separate from the park) has more than 250 miles of pet-friendly trails to explore.
  • The beaches between the Hoh and Quinault Reservations (Kalaloch area) are pet-friendly and the perfect place to take a sunset walk on the beach with your fur baby.
  • The 433-acre Fort Worden State Park is a great spot to stretch your paws and take in some history.
  • The charming seaside town of Port Townsend has many patio-dining experiences to accommodate you and your pup.
  • Sequim Dog Park is a one-acre, fenced-in dog park perfect for getting some energy out.

Other things to do on the Olympic Peninsula:

  • Stop by the fish hatchery near Quilcene on Hood Canal
  • Drive to the viewpoint on Mt. Walker and check out its vistas of Puget Sound and Hood Canal
  • Visit historic Port Townsend with famous Fort Worden and its many beautiful Victorian homes
  • Travel by ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria, the provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
  • Admire Roosevelt Elk at the viewing platforms of Dosewallips State Park during the winter
  • Tour the Lavender farms near Sequim during the Lavender festival in July
  • Stop by the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge and count the different species of birds and mammals around you