Olympic National Park: The Search for a Banana Slug
Leaving Seattle behind, we boarded the Bainbridge Ferry (the girls' first ferry ride) and watched the city skyline slowly fade into the distance. On the other side of the water, a completely different kind of adventure was waiting.
Olympic National Park sits on Washington's Olympic Peninsula and manages to pack three completely different ecosystems into one park: temperate rainforest, rugged Pacific coastline, and snow-capped mountains. We were about to get a taste of all of it.
After the ferry docked, we made our way toward Forks with one stop in between. After about 2 hours we arrived in Port Angeles. It sits right on the water along the northern edge of the peninsula, and we pulled in for dinner at Hook & Line Pub. The seafood basket was the move: cod, halibut, and shrimp. Simple, fresh, and exactly what you want during a long day of travel. Fueled up and back on the road, we pushed west toward Forks.
Pro tip: If you're headed to Forks, eat in Port Angeles first. Once you head west, the views are incredible, but your dining options get very limited, very fast. It is over an hour from Port Angeles to Forks.
Before we get into our trip, a little context helps. Olympic National Park is MASSIVE, covering nearly 923,000 acres, making it almost twice the size of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But here's the thing that makes it unlike the Smokies: there's no road through it. Instead, a ring road wraps around the outside, with spurs that dip into the distinct areas. For example, the mountains above Port Angeles to the north, the Hoh Rainforest and rugged Pacific coastline around Forks to the west, and the quieter, rainier Quinault region to the south. Each of these feels like a completely different park. Unless you're comfortable with a lot of driving, splitting your stay between two bases makes a lot more sense than trying to cover it all from one spot. We used Forks as our home base for the coast and rainforest, then finished at Lake Quinault Lodge to the south. We covered a lot of ground, but we barely scratched the surface at this park. That's not a complaint. That's an invitation for us to go back.
Yes, That Forks
Our home base for the first stretch of the trip was Forks, Washington. And yes, before you ask, that Forks. Home of Bella Swan, sparkling vampires, and a deeply rainy, moody atmosphere that is absolutely on brand. We tracked down a few of the Twilight landmarks (ie. Bella's truck), though if you're a hardcore fan, fair warning: most of the actual movies were filmed in Oregon. The town itself leans into the Twilight identity, which is kind of charming.
Day 1: Beaches, Hot Springs, and Getting a Little Wet
We started the morning at Mocha Motion, a local drive-through coffee spot in Forks that immediately earned a return visit. If you're staying in Forks, this is your morning stop.
First, we went to Second Beach, and it immediately became one of the most stunning places we've ever walked as a family. The trail winds through mossy, cathedral-like forest before spilling out onto a driftwood-strewn beach with massive sea stacks rising out of the mist. We stayed close to shore, exploring the tide pools: sea stars, anemones, crabs going about their day completely unbothered by us. After the Seattle Aquarium earlier in the trip, the girls had a whole new vocabulary for what they were looking at, which made it even better. The tide, however, was not as unbothered. It started coming in while we were out there, and we got a little wet. Worth it.
Second, we went to First Beach (I feel like this is an Abbott and Costello bit). After enjoying the views, we grabbed lunch at the Salty Heifer. Quirky name, solid food, exactly what you want after a morning on the coast.
From there, we headed toward Sol Duc, which, unfortunately, had the falls closed due to an incident that occurred a few days before we arrived. We still made it to the Sol Duc Hot Springs, and after a morning of hiking and tide pooling, soaking in warm mineral water surrounded by old-growth forest was exactly the right call. One thing worth noting for families: kids can absolutely do the hot springs. They just can't get in the hottest pools, but there are cooler options that work great for little ones. Nobody felt left out.
Then we drove past Lake Crescent, one of those impossibly blue mountain lakes that makes you slow down and stare. We took in the views from a few outlooks, but honestly, you could spend an entire trip around this lake. There are hiking trails, kayaking, and lodge options along the shore. We filed it away for next time.
A quick stop at Madison Falls on the way back: an easy short walk to a lovely 40-foot waterfall tucked into the green. Low effort, high reward. Dinner was at Granny's Café, classic roadside charm with a solid menu, then back to Forks for the night.
Day 2: The Hoh, the Badges, and the Passport Situation
Packed up and left the VRBO. Back to Mocha Motion for breakfast. Obviously.
Then we headed out to the Hoh Rainforest, and we were really glad we made it out there. The road had recently been repaired after a major washout. Pro Tip: Visit the Hoh Rainforest early in the day (before 10:00 am). The parking lot fills up fast (there are only 120 to 150 parking spots), and once the lot is full, the Park uses a meter system. This means that cars have to wait at the gate until someone eventually leaves. By the time we were leaving the rainforest, there was a massive line of cars backed up waiting an hour to get in.
When we got to the Hoh ranger station, we arrived just in time for a ranger talk with Ranger Todd. He made mosses and slugs sound like national treasures. The girls were completely locked in after the talk on trying to find a banana slug. Then we hit the Hall of Mosses trail. There's no way to fully prepare you for what it looks like. Giant trees draped in thick curtains of green moss, the light peeking through, everything ancient and quiet. It's the kind of place that makes you slow down without even realizing it. It feels like you could be on Kashyyyk, the home world of the Wookiees.
The girls completed their Junior Ranger badges and Ocean Steward patches at the Hoh. Great activities for the kids completed, solemn oath sworn, and a cool souvenir to take home.
And then there was the park passport predicament.
Paige was lobbying to get a National Parks Passport at the gift shop, and I was hesitant. She wasn’t keen on having one family passport. I knew exactly where that road would go: four passports. So I tried to thread the needle. I bought Paige one and quietly told her to keep it between us. She agreed. This was never going to work, and I should have known that before I said it out loud.
One by one at the Hoh, Jillian noticed. Then Abby. Then Reagan. And one by one, I bought another passport. By the time we left the visitor center, all four girls had their own National Parks Passport, each one already stamped with Olympic plus the Hoh Rainforest unique stamp, a banana slug!
Here's the thing, though: it became one of the best decisions of the trip. Each kid now has their own book, their own collection, their own record of every park we visit together. It turned into a tradition instantly. I regret nothing. Except maybe thinking that my kids have chill and can keep a secret.
Lunch was at the Hard Rain Cafe near the Hoh. There's not much else out there, but it's a solid stop, and it absolutely feels like the right name for a restaurant in a temperate rainforest.
Our next stretch of coastline took us to Ruby Beach. Towering driftwood piles, ocean spray, and the kind of raw, unmanicured Pacific coastline that makes you feel very small in the best way. As we watched the waves coming ashore, we spotted a seal out in the ocean!
The Tree of Life at Kalaloch is something you have to see in person. A massive tree growing over an eroded cliff with roots somehow suspended in midair, clinging to the bank by sheer stubbornness. It has no business still being there. If you go to see it, please DO NOT climb on the tree. The tree is already sinking due to soil erosion. It will eventually collapse, but people climbing all over it will rapidly increase the likelihood of a collapse.
And on the path from the parking lot down to Kalaloch Beach, we found it. A banana slug! The ranger at the Hoh had mentioned them, and the girls had been on high alert ever since. The reaction when we spotted one was immediate, loud, and completely disproportionate to the size of the animal. 10/10 wildlife encounter.
From Kalaloch, we made our way south to Lake Quinault Lodge for the night. Built in 1926, it sits on the edge of the Quinault rainforest and feels like the setting for every nostalgic summer camp movie you've ever seen: dark wood, stone fireplace, the smell of coffee and pine. We ordered pizza from the lodge dining room, which was great, and we devoured it in the lobby of the lodge.
Day 3: Sitka Spruce, Merriman Falls, and the Long Drive Home
The next morning, we had breakfast in the Roosevelt Dining Room, named for FDR, who actually sat in the alcove where we ate. He visited in 1937 and was so moved by the ancient trees here that it accelerated his signing of the bill creating Olympic National Park. If you don’t get seated in the FDR alcove, try to sit by the windows looking out over the lake; they had a bunch of hummingbird feeders, and hummingbirds were regularly buzzing by during breakfast. The Lodge is the kind of place that makes you want to stay another week. We did not stay another week. Unfortunately, we had a flight to catch.
Before hitting the road, we explored the area around the lodge a bit more, including a stop to see the World’s Largest Sitka Spruce with a circumference of 58 feet, 11 inches, a diameter of 18 feet, 9 inches, and 191 feet tall. The last stop was at Merriman Falls, a quick pull-off with a beautiful 40-foot cascade tucked into the green. Low effort, high reward. A running theme for this family trip to Olympic.
Then it was back in the car for the long drive to SeaTac, a flight home, and the slow realization that we'd just spent a week in one of the most remarkable places any of us had ever been.
