Olympic Peninsula
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5 Fun European-Style Washington Towns
It’s fair for the kids to get a little confused about geography, if you’re visiting certain Washington towns. You drive a few miles, then tour a burg with a Norwegian flag flying overhead. A clue that you’re NOT in Norway? Everything’s in English, you pay in dollars and you won’t find nude sunbathing on Poulsbo’s cold, rocky beach. Welcome to a European-style Washington town. Next time you’re feeling Europe-sick (and don’t have the funds for a flight), check out these five Washington towns. Okay, some or most may not be “authentic” but more designed to draw the eye and dollar of tourists—but that doesn’t really detract from their charms. Poulsbo:…
- Beach Trips, Central Washington & Mountains, Get Outdoors! Camping & Hiking Trips, Olympic Peninsula, Washington State
Western Washington State Campgrounds with Playgrounds
Campgrounds offer many natural playthings to entertain kids: sticks, stones, spiders (OK, maybe not spiders). But one of my favorite childhood memories featured a Washington campground decked out with swings, slides and other fun play equipment. Here’s a quick list of Western Washington kid-friendly campgrounds that roll out the green carpet. Northwest Washington Kid-Friendly Campgrounds Belfair State Park. Belfair, Washington. Sleep in one of 120 campsites and let the kids play at the nearby beach or on the simple playground, which has swings, toddler-ready slides and a small climbing structure. Blake Island Marine State Park. Blake Island, Washington. Only reachable by boat (no roads!), this kid-friendly campground features 44 campsites and…
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Whale Watching in Washington State with Kids: Seattle, San Juan Islands & Beyond
Three resident orca whale pods (family groups of whales) circle our waters  June through September — along with visiting orcas in April, May, and late September and early October. Minkes, humpbacks and gray whales also pop up here and there, along with smaller whales such as white-sided dolphins. Whale-watching trips are fun for creature-crazy kids — the tours’ naturalists also point out the wild variety of birds, deer and other island or sea residents. Here’s a quick rundown of whale-watching trips in Puget Sound (Washington only), including prices and ages welcome aboard. With young children, look into the short trips; older kids and teens can (probably) handle the longer cruises.…
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A Weekend Trip with Kids to the Olympic Peninsula
This summer, Mariah Voutilainen went on a whirlwind weekend trip through the Olympic Peninsula with her husband and two children (ages 3 and 5). In just three days and two nights, the intrepid Seattle-based family visited Sequim, Dungeness Spit, Port Angeles, Joyce, Makah Indian Reservation, Cape Flattery, Elwah Dam and Hurricane Ridge. That’s a total of 339 miles — but who’s counting? Let’s find out more about Mariah’s trip through the Olympic Peninsula. Q: What was your favorite town or destination in the Olympic Peninsula? What did you like about it? My favorite part of the trip was the drive from Sequim all the way to Cape Flattery. I really liked the small…
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Peak Experience: Port Angeles with kids
I’d never given much thought to the area around Port Angeles, Washington. I thought of it as a working town, without much for kids. Just a stop en-route to and from Victoria, BC. But our recent trip enlightened me. I now think the Olympic Peninsula’s outdoors options are among the Pacific Northwest’s best bets. Adventure comes in all sizes here, whether you let a inch-long crab pinch your  finger or you’re willing to summit a 5,200-foot-tall, wildflower-draped mountain. If you’re going on a family trip to the kid-friendly Port Townsend, make time to explore the Olympic Peninsula’s natural wonderland. Port Angeles makes for an easy day-trip from Victoria, BC, just a…
