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16 Must-Do Activities in St. Augustine, Florida

St. Augustine, Florida was founded in 1565 by Spanish settlers, making it the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental United States. Known as the nation’s Oldest City (as well as the Ancient City), this small town has more than enough to keep visitors occupied for an extended weekend, with charming cobblestone streets, historic buildings and landmarks, prime nature-viewing areas and gorgeous beaches.

I went to high school in St. Augustine and although I haven’t lived in the area in well over a decade, I go back for frequent visits, exploring local hotspots as well as the well-known tourist areas.

Here’s a list of my recommend activities in St. Augustine, ranging from the typical tourist sites to a few locals-only secrets.

Trolley tour through downtown St. Augustine: While I’ve never taken a trolley tour myself, I still recommend them to all first-time visitors to St. Augustine. The will give you a great overview of the downtown area and since it’s a hop-on, hop-off trolley, you can spend more time at any of the locations. The drivers will also share the history of St. Augustine while driving you around the city.

Additionally, if you opted not to rent a car, a free shuttle to the St. Augustine Lighthouse and beaches is included as part of the tour cost.

How to get there: Since street parking is challenging to find, you’ll want to park at the Visitor Information Center at downtown St. Augustine, which costs $15. Address: 1 Cordova Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084.

Cost: Approximately $25 per person for adults

Castillo de San Marco National Monument: Known as the “the fort” to locals, the Castillo de San Marcos was built by the Spanish in the late 1600s and it became a national monument in 1900. Park rangers offer tours, providing details of the fort’s long history as well as cannon-firing demonstrations. After visiting the fort, wander the outside on the part closest to the bay and keep your eye out for wild dolphins. This area is also fantastic for sunset photography.

How to get there: There’s a parking lot in front of the fort, which charges $2.50 per hour. The address is 1 South Castillo Drive, St. Augustine, FL 32084. If you’re going to visit other areas of downtown St. Augustine, I recommend parking at the Visitor Information Center parking garage.

Cost: Adults (age 16 and up) are $15 per person; kids 15 and under as well as America the Beautiful pass holders are free.

St. George Street: St. George Street is located in the heart of the colonial district, across from the Castillo de San Marco. You can spend hours eating and shopping on this street as well as visiting historic attractions, such as the Oldest Schoolhouse (more on that later). You’ll find everything from typical tourist shops selling salt-water taffy and t-shirts to antique shops.

Since I’m often visiting St. Augustine right before Christmas, I’ll often shop for stocking stuffers on this street since there are some unique gifts that I can’t find anywhere else, such as datil pepper sauce.

Make sure you bring a hearty appetite since there are numerous places to grab a snack (I counted no less than 8 ice cream shops on this street during my last visit) or a delicious meal. It’s also worth veering off the side streets and exploring some of the smaller alleyways.

If you want to avoid crowds, make sure to visit early in the morning. During peak times (like the holidays), the street can become very crowded.

How to get there: Since St. George Street is a pedestrian zone, there’s no parking available directly on the street. I recommend parking at the Visitor Information Center and walking a couple of blocks to get to the start of St. George Street.

Cost: None; walking the street is free. You’ll likely pick up some souvenirs along the way, however.

Aviles Street: Aviles Street is a hidden gem that a lot of tourists skip but it’s definitely worth a visit and reminds me of the streets in Spain, with cobblestone roads and coquina walls. There’s a wide range of restaurants on the street, ranging from Polish to Cuban, as well as some cute antique shops.

How to get there: Parking can be challenging so I recommend parking at the Visitor Information Center parking garage.

Cost: None

Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse: Located right on St. George Street, the Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse was built over 200 years ago, during the reign of the Spanish. Take a tour through the one-room schoolhouse to see what school like was back in the days before electricity and running water.

How to get there: 14 St George Street. I recommend parking at the Visitor Information Center parking garage

Cost: $5 for adults and $4 for kids 6-12

Mission Nombre de Dios: The grounds of the Mission Nombre de Dios are gorgeous, with moss-covered trees and wetlands. You’ll find a candle-lit chapel on the grounds, dating back to 1914, which pays tribute to Our Lady of La Leche. Make sure to keep your eye on the water since I almost always see wild dolphins playing in the little bay.

How to get there: 89 A1A, St. Augustine, FL 32084. Parking is free

Cost: None, although donations are accepted

Fountain of Youth: If you visit the Mission Nombre De Dios, it also makes sense to swing by the Fountain of Youth, a 15-acre historical attraction, where you can sample waters from the natural spring and take in the views of the water. You can also learn more about the Timucuan native Americans who lived in the area for over 3,000 years until the Spanish arrived in the 1500s.

How to get there: 11 Magnolia Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32084. Parking is free

Cost: Adults, $15; Children 6-12, $9 (children under 5 are free)

Lightner Museum: Located in the former Alcazar Hotel built by Henry Flagler, the Ligthner Museum contains a diverse collection of art from the 19th-century. Walking through the museum, you’ll find everything from stained glass to costumes and furnishings. I recommend spending at least a couple of hours wandering around this msueum.

How to get there: 75 King Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084. There is a metered parking lot just behind the museum.

Cost: Adults, $15, 12-17 year olds, $8, children under 11 are free

Flagler College: Flagler College is located just across the street from the Ligthner Museum and it’s well worth a visit. Like the Ligthner Museum, the college is a former hotel, known as the Ponce de Leon Hotel. Without a tour, you’re limited to seeing the courtyard, the lobby and the exterior. Tours are available twice a day and will give you access to a larger portion of the college.

How to get there: 59 St. George St, St. Augustine, FL 32084. I recommend parking at the Ligthner Museum and crossing the street to reach Flagler College.

Cost: Adults, $12; children under 10 are free

The Old Jail: Visit this historic jail to learn about some of the most interesting criminals that once occupied the jail cells. You’ll be taken on a guided tour of the jail to learn what life was like for inmates in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

How to get there: 167 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32084. I recommend parking in the Visitor Information Center parking garage.

Cost: Adults, $10; children $6

Memorial Presbyterian Church:Memorial Presbyterian Church holds a special place in my heart since my mother was a member and attended regularly before she passed away. Henry Flagler built this church for his daughter, who died in 1889. It’s worth walking by to view the church’s exterior, which was modeled on the Basilica of St. Mark in Venice. Tours are available if you want to learn more about the history of the church.

How to get there: 32 Sevilla St, St. Augustine, FL 32084. There’s a metered parking lot across the street.

Cost: None

Nights of Lights: Between November and early February, the historic district of St. Augustine gets completely decked out in white lights, know as Nights of Lights. National Geographic has included St. Augustine in their roundup of the best holiday light displays around the world. One of my favorite ways to experience Nights of Lights is to walk through the historic district on foot. If you’re visiting at peak times before Christmas, downtown is going to be incredibly crowded so plan accordingly if you plan on eating dinner.

St. Augustine Beaches: The St. Augustine area has so many beaches to choose from and on many of them, you can drive and park your car directly on the sand. If you’re looking with a more popular beach with amenities, head to the “A Street” access point. If you’re looking for a quieter destination, I recommend heading to Anastasia State Park, which consists of a protected bird sanctuary, three miles of beach and kayak/paddle board rentals.

Fort Matanzas National Monument: Fort Matanzas National Monument bears some similarities to the Castillo de San Marcos. It was also built by the Spanish for defense. Located 15 miles south of downtown St. Augustine, the fort is less well-known than the Castillo de San Marcos. If you visit, make sure to stop by the parking lot just south of the fort for Matanzas Inlet. This area is well-known by locals for dolphin-watching; I see them almost every time I visit this spot. It’s also a great spot to launch your kayak or paddle board. If you go for a swim, be careful because the tides are often strong.

How to get there: 8635 A1A South, St. Augustine, FL 32080

Cost: None; admission to the fort is free

St. Augustine Lighthouse: Visit the lighthouse and climb the 219 steps to the top for spectacular views of downtown St. Augustine and the beaches. In addition to climbing up the lighthouse, you’ll also want to spend time strolling through the gorgeous grounds, filled with ancient trees with Spanish moss.

How to get there: 81 Lighthouse Avenue, St. Augustine, FL 32084

Cost: Adults, $12.95, children, $10.95

Live Music: If you’re a fan of live music, make sure to visit downtown St. Augustine on Saturday. Some of my favorite spots in the historic district for catching some live music include: Mill Top Tavern, Tini Martini Bar, Mi Casa Cafe, Harry’s Seafood, White Lion and Prohibition Kitchen.

Disclaimer: There are affiliate links on this page, which means I get a small commission if you purchase some of the products or services I recommend. I would never, ever recommend any product or service that I wouldn’t personally use myself.

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Olympic National Park: A Weekend Road Trip

As I mentioned in a previous post, I spent last weekend hiking and photographing the wild, rugged beauty of Olympic National Park. If you want recommendations on what to see and where to stay, I highly recommend checking it out. In this post, I’m going to give you a general idea of how I spent my weekend.

You can spend several days exploring Olympic National Park and not get bored but since I’m a weekend warrior and I don’t live that far away, I decided to make a quick weekend visit.

I was thinking about heading to the park for a solo adventure but decided to invite along my friend, Robyn, since she’s also into hiking and photography. If I know in advance that I want to set aside dedicated amounts of time to shoot a particular scene, it can be a pain in the ass to travel with friends who aren’t into photography. I totally get it. There are only so many hours you can spend staring at the same damn tree. For the record, we spent at least an a hour and a half photographing a single tree (it was a really old, beautiful tree but still. Most people don’t want to deal with that).

As I go through this itinerary, keep in mind that a lot of time was spent at each destination looking for the best spot to set up our tripods, actually taking the photo, etc. If you just want to hike and take a couple of snaps with your camera phone, you can certainly move faster than this.

Friday: Day 1

We left the Seattle area around 2 pm on a Friday so naturally, we got stuck in hellish traffic. On a normal day without traffic, it takes around 3 hours to drive from Seattle to Kalaloch Lodge on the southwestern end of Olympic National Park. Since the Seattle area has major traffic jams almost all the time and it was raining (you’d think we would know how to drive in the rain by now), it took closer to 4 and a half hours to get there.

I recommend either leaving the Seattle area when it’s not rush hour. Or bring a friend with you so that you can at least use the carpool lane. Hmm, maybe that’s the real reason that I invited Robyn along after all.

Once you drive past Olympia and you turn off towards the 101, you’re pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There are still plenty of gas stations so you don’t need to worry about that.

We stopped for gas in a tiny town called McCleary, a town of around 1,600 residents and home to the famous McCleary Bear Festival. When we saw the sign about the festival, we were thinking that it would be a cute festival to celebrate bears. Who doesn’t like bears? Robyn decided to research the bear festival in more detail and sadly, it appears there is some bear-eating involved. A detail that we wish we didn’t know.

We finally arrived at the Kalaloch Lodge around 7pm and checked into our room. The dining room at Kalaloch closes at 8pm so we decided to eat dinner right away. I had a pretty tasty hamburger with french fries and Robyn had a chicken burger. If you’re into more upscale dishes, like scallops in a lemon cream sauce, they definitely have that too. If you don’t arrive before the dining room closes, you’re on your own since the lodge is remote and there aren’t any restaurants nearby.

The view from Kalaloch Lodge in Olympic National Park

We didn’t really do anything on Friday night since it was dark by the time we were done eating and still pouring outside.

One thing to note about Kalaloch Lodge is that Internet access is not available, nor are TVs. Cell phone coverage is also very limited so the hotel has payphones outside in case you need to call someone. Who the hell has coins nowadays to make a payphone call, anyway?

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Saturday: Day 3

On Saturday, we woke up to light rain, which was a huge improvement over the downpour from the previous night, especially since we would be spending the day outside with our camera gear.

As we headed towards the Hoh Rain Forest on 101-N, we came across a sign for a giant Sitka spruce so pulled off the road to check it out. The tree was located right next to the parking lot and for the next hour and a half, we spent our time taking photos of the impressive tree. If you’re not a photography nut, your visit will probably be no more than 10 minutes. I don’t have exact coordinates for the trip but there was a well-marked sign off 101-N heading towards Hoh Rain Forest.

After spending some quality time with the tree, we turned north again and headed to Ruby Beach.

One of the nicest features of Ruby Beach is that it’s a 1/2 mile of hiking roundtrip to get from the parking lot down to the beach, making it accessible for kids and those with mobility issues. The beaches in Olympic Park aren’t for sunbathing. Think tidepools filled with ocean critters, awesome sunsets and wildlife spotting (eagles, otters, whales).

We were thrilled to see the sun as we pulled into the parking lot, especially since the weather was in the low 40s. Once we got down to the beach, we set up our tripods and started taking pictures. The weather was insane, with a lot of wind and frequent hail showers, followed by sun, followed by more rain and hail showers. Not the most camera-friendly weather but we made it work.

Make sure you pay attention to the tide when you’re at Ruby Beach, especially if you’re interested in exploring the tide pools. We were there as the tide was coming in. I made the mistake of not paying close attention to the tide and ended up with boots full of freezing ocean water. Let’s just say that it’s not an experience that I wish to repeat.

If you’re a photographer, the ideal time to be at Ruby Beach is sunset but since we had limited time, we spent our sunset time at Lake Quinault.

Ruby Beach is also pretty close to Kalaloch Lodge (around 10 minutes) so I almost went back to grab a change of socks. I didn’t want to waste time driving back to the hotel so we proceeded to Hoh Rain Forest, wet socks and all.

Driving to the Hoh Rain Forest from Ruby Beach took around an hour. There’s a well-marked sign leading visitors to the Hoh Rain Forest Visitors Center. Once you turn off 101, you’ll drive for 12 miles before arriving at the Visitor’s Center. On the way, you’ll pass an adventure store, which sells hiking gear as well as a tiny coffee shop.

Once we arrived, we headed straight for the Hall of Mosses Trail, which is an easy hike at only 0.8 miles roundtrip. There are a couple of additional hiking trails in the area, such as the Hoh River Trail (17.3 miles) and the Spruce Nature Trail (1.2 miles). We stuck to the Hall of Mosses trail since there are plenty of gorgeous and moss-y areas to photograph.

And as the name implies, Hoh Rain Forest is pretty wet most of the year so you’ll need to wear appropriate rain gear. The area typically gets 12 to 14 feet of precipitation each year, resulting in a lush, green canopy of moss and trees. It was actually a little difficult to photograph this area due to the constantly changing weather conditions. Within a 10-minute span, we went from overcast to sunny to hail storm.

Hall of Moses, Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National park

After a couple of hours photographing the rain forest, we made our way back to the parking lot. My feet, while not entirely comfortable, were doing ok for the bulk of the hike, until a big hail storm came through at the end at the temperature dropped. My feet turned numb quickly and walking back to the car was a challenge. Thankfully, I was able to purchase new socks at the adventure store about 10 miles away.

On our way out of the park, we spotted a herd of Roosevelt Elk. The females didn’t mind the fact that we pulled up beside them to take pictures but the males ran away pretty fast.

It took us an hour and a half to drive from Hoh Rain Forest down to the Lake Quinault area. Our first stop in the area was to the Rain Forest Nature Trail, where we had a forest of giant trees to ourselves. Once we finished with this hike, we made our way over to the lodge and down to the lake to photograph sunset. It was my first time visiting Lake Quinauilt Loge and from the outside, it’s very quaint. The lodge was built in 1926 and was fashioned after Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone. President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the area in 1937 and supposedly liked it so much that he declared the area a national park.

We packed up our gear after sunset around 8pm, at which point the restaurants at both Lake Quinauilt Lodge and Kalaloch Lodge were closed. We figured that we might be eating funions and pop tarts for dinner but thankfully, there was a pizza joint in Amanda Park that was still open. After downing a very unhealthy meal of cheese pizza, french fries and a root beer, we made our way back to Kalaloch and discovered that the hotel was fully booked, which kind of surprised me since March is very much off-season.

Lake Quinault Sunset: Olympic National Park

Day 3: Sunday

As you can see from the map above, Friday involved a whole lot of driving. We ate breakfast at Kalaloch Lodge (the oatmeal is yummy, btw) and headed north towards Cape Flattery, which is the northwestern most point in the continental U.S. Cape Flattery is located on Makah land so make sure to buy a pass once you arrive in the town of Neah Bay. Once in the town of Neah Bay, you’ll continue on a windy road for another 8 miles to get to the parking lot.

The hike out to Cape Flattery is easy but be aware that it’s pretty muddy. I saw some ladies wearing nice shoes and scarves and I was wondering what they were thinking. There are also elevated boardwalks in portions of the trail and they’re very slippery. I know this because I tried to move over to the side to let some folks pass and I wiped out. I ended up with a bruised butt but my camera was ok. Once you arrive at the Cape Flattery lookout, there’s not much to do other than admire the views and wave hi to Canada, located just across the water.

Spent the weekend wandering around Olympic National Park with a friend. I’m standing at Cape Flattery which is the most northwestern point in the continental US and quite far from civilization. What did you do this weekend? . . . . #pnw #herpnwlife #pnwonderland #pnwlife #wanderlust #exploremore #passionpassport #worldplaces #livetravelchannel #discoverearth #travelgram #travelawesome #dametraveler #lonelyplanet #beautifuldestinations #staywild #fromwhereistand

A post shared by Rebecca (@awayfromtheoffice) on Mar 20, 2017 at 10:48am PDT

After finishing at Cape Flattery, we almost headed to Shi Shi beach, which I’ve heard is incredible but we opted out because it was already 1:30 by the time we finished our hike and we still had a long drive back to Seattle, with a stop at the waterfalls.

We had originally planned to stop at Sol Duc Falls but discovered it was closed once we got there. We didn’t sweat it too much since we had a backup waterfall in mind. We continued east on Highway 101, winding our way around Lake Crescent. You’ll want to take this drive slowly in order to enjoy it.

We finally reached the sign for Lake Crescent Lodge and parked in the lot designated for Marymere Falls, which is another easy, family-friendly hiking, clocking in at 1.8 miles roundtrip. While the falls are definitely the highlight, stop to spend time admiring the unique, moss-y trees and the wooden bridges. Oh, and prepared to get very wet.

I never knew how challenging shooting a raging waterfall was until I visited Marymere. Thankfully, Robyn had some tricks up her sleeve, which involved covering my camera with my rain jacket and turning it around on the tripod really fast to take the shot. I could only get a single shot off before my lens was covered in water droplets. And being near the water, it very cold and my hands quickly became numb. Next time, I need to bring thinner gloves so I can actually operate my camera while wearing them.

After visiting the waterfalls, we began the long drive back to Bainbridge Island, where we took the ferry back across to Seattle.

Here’s a roundup of the photography gear that I brought with me:

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Things You Need to Know Before You Visit Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. (if not the world) and I’m fortunate to live only a few hours away by car. From snow-capped mountains to rugged, wild beaches to lush rainforest, the park will take your breath away.

If you love the outdoors, you need to plan a trip to Olympic National Park immediately and I’ve included some tips to help you plan your trip.

When to Visit
Olympic National Park is a year-round destination and when to visit really depends on the type of experience you’re after.

July through September are by far the most popular months to visit, with 60% of all visits occurring in this timeframe. You’ll have less rain and sunnier weather, but you’ll need to book your accommodation well in advance. Another advantage of visiting in the summer is the amount of daylight. In June, the sun rises around 5am and sets around 9:30pm, giving you extra time to hike and explore the outdoors.

Tree near Lake Crescent Lodge in Olympic National Park

The summer also allows you to view mountain wildflowers, which can often reach their peak in late June or early July, depending on the whether. One downside to the summer, aside from the large amount of visitors, is that the waterfalls won’t be as full due to the lack of rainfall.

Temperatures range from the mid 40s in the evening to the upper 70s during the day. Even though precipitation is lowest in the summer, you should still be prepared with rain gear since the weather is so variable on the peninsula.

If you want to be surrounded by gorgeous golden and red foliage, visit in the fall. The fall is the start of the rainy season, which typically begins in mid October, with snow falling in the mountains around that time. Temperatures can range anywhere from the 30s to the upper 60s. If you plan on hiking in the high country, stay up to date on the weather forecasts so that you don’t get in a snowstorm unexpectedly.

Bridge near Marymere Falls, Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park

If you want peace and quiet and don’t mind chilly temperatures, the winter is a fantastic time to visit. Stay on the coast if you’d like to experience a raging winter storm with large swells. If you’re interested in snow activities, head up to Hurricane Ridge for snowshoeing, skiing and tubing. Hurricane Ridge Road is open Friday through Sunday in the winter but a sudden blizzard can close the road at any time so make sure to check out the current road conditions before you go. Some of the National Park lodges also completely or partially close in the winter so make sure you book lodging in advance.

Spring weather in the park is very unpredictable but I can safely say that you will get rained on. I was just in Olympic National Park over the weekend and I experienced rain, sunshine and hail, sometimes within the span of 15 minutes. Spring is quieter than summer and the rainforest is incredibly lush and the waterfalls are flowing this time of year.

What to See
Olympic National Park is huge. To give you some context, the park is 1,442 square miles in size, making it larger than Rhode Island and twice as large as Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

A single road (Highway 101) circumnavigates the entire park. Keep in mind that it may take a little longer to drive on 101 than what Google Maps estimates. Parts of 101 are incredibly windy and since it’s only one lane in each direction, you may get stuck behind other cars, especially in the summer.

Board walk at Cape Flattery, Neah Bay, WA

Here are some of my favorite parts of Olympic National Park:

Hurricane Ridge
Located 17 miles from Port Angeles, Hurricane Ridge features spectacular mountain vistas and can be visited year-round. This area was named for the 75-mile-an-hour winds that often blow here in winter. It’s also a spectacular area to spot wildlife (visiting in the morning increases your chances of spotting wild animals). If you’re into camping, the nearest campground is Heart O’ The Hills, located 12 miles away.

Hoh Rain Forest
As the name implies, Hoh Rain Forest receives over 134 inches of rain annually. All that precipitation makes the forest lush, with moss hanging from the trees. One of the best and easiest ways to experience the beauty of the rain forest is to visit the Hall of Mosses Trail near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center.

Sol Duc Falls
Sol Duc Falls is considered by some to be the prettiest waterfalls in Olympic National Park. Since the hike is only 0.8 miles longer, hikers of all abilities and ages can enjoy the view. Also located in the area are the Sol Duc Hot Springs, which I’ve heard are nice but I have not had a chance to personally visit.

The Beaches
Olympic National Park features over 73-miles of coastline so you have a lot of options to choose from, ranging from sandy beaches to cliff-side beaches. Almost of the beaches feature wave-beaten seastacks and tide pools teaming with wildlife (make sure to bring a tide chart!).

Sea stacks at Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park

At the southern end of the park’s coastline, you can visit Kalaloch, Beach 1-4 and Ruby Beach. You can stay overnight at Kalaloch Lodge, which features ocean-front cabins at a fairly inexpensive price point.

Further north, you’ll find beaches in the Ozette area, with trails leading to Sand Point and Cape Alva. Mora and Rialto beach are a little less remote, located an hour’s drive west of Port Angeles.

Quinault Rain Forest
Even if you’re planning stop visit Hoh Rain Forest, Quinault is still worth a visit to see some of the world’s largest trees, including a Sitka spruce, which is 191 feet tall and 1,000 years old. This area is also home to another national park lodge with stunning views over Lake Quinault (I also think it’s the cutest national park lodge). Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for Roosevelt elk.

Lake Quinault Lodge, Olympic National Park

Lake Crescent
Lake Crescent is a stunning area, featuring a glacially-carved lake and the nearby Marymere Falls. While the lake looks inviting, the water is approximately 45 degrees year-round.

Cape Flattery
While it’s not part of Olympic National Park, you should still make an effort to visit Cape Flattery, the northwestern most point in the continental United States. The Cape is located on Makah Native American land and once at the parking lot, you’ll hike for 0.75 to get to jaw-dropping views.

Cape Flattery, Neah Bay — My tripod setup at Cape Flattery

Where to Stay
The question of where to stay is a hard one because it depends on your interests, how many nights you’re planning to stay, whether you want to camp, etc.

I’ve personally stayed in Kalaloch Lodge, which is a fantastic place to stay if you want to stay on the coast and get away from it all. There’s no internet access or TV so you’ll be unplugged from daily life. There is an on-site restaurant, which you’ll want to eat at since dining options nearby are pretty limited. You can also camp at Kalaloch but you’ll need to reserve a campsite well in advance.

I’ve also stayed at Quileute Oceanside Resort, which is located on tribal land (not part of the national park), approximately 14 miles outside of Forks in La Push, WA. Like Kalaloch Lodge, Quileutae is rugged and remote, with an onsite restaurant. Lodging options here ranging from camping to luxury beach-front cabins with jacuzzis.

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While I haven’t stayed at Lake Crescent Lodge or Lake Quinault, both have absolutely amazing views and nice restaurants. Two additional national park lodging options include the Log Cabin Resort at Lake Crescent and Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort. You can read more about lodging options here.

The view from Quileutae Oceanside Resort in La Push, WA

If you want to stay outside of the national park, Port Angeles is located on the north side of the peninsula and convenient to the Hurricane Ridge and Lake Crescent areas. It’s the largest town you’ll find on the Olympic Peninsula.

On the west side of the peninsula, the towns are small and located far apart. The largest town is Forks, which is convenient to the coastal and rain forest areas.

What to Pack
My suggestions on what to pack include:

Camera: Whether you have a DSLR or take photos with your camera, make sure your device is fully-charged because you’re going to want to snap some Instagram-worthy photos
Battery packs: You’re most likely going to spend your entire day outside and it would be a bummer to run out of phone or camera battery. Bring along a spare battery pack so that you can charge your devices on the go.
Books and board games: Internet access and TVs are pretty limited within the park boundaries. Bring plenty of books and board games with you to keep yourself entertained during the evening hours.
Food: Bring your favorite snacks with you since you’ll be spending a lot of time driving around in your car and out on the trails. I often find that I skip lunch when I’m in Olympic National Park, preferring to eat food while I’m on the go. I’d also suggest packing some food with you in a cooler if you’re going to stay at a lodge for more than a couple of nights since you may get tired of the lodge food.
Rain jacket: It doesn’t matter what time of year you’re visiting, make sure you bring a rain jacket.
Warm clothing: Since the weather is so variable, dress in layers and bring a warm jacket, hat and gloves. I visited Olympic National Park in July a few years ago and needed the hat and gloves on a couple of rainy days. I also recommend either waterproof or water resistant hiking pants since you’ll probably get rained on at some point and you don’t want to spend your day walking around in soggy pants.
Waterproof hiking boots and an extra pair of socks: This is important. The peninsula is very muddy and you don’t want to worry about ruining your nice shoes. I also suggest keeping an extra pair of socks with you in case your feet get wet. My feet got soaking wet at Ruby Beach when I was photographing the rock stacks. I can tell you from experience that 40 degree ocean water in your hiking boots is not a pleasant experience.
Hiking poles: If you regularly use hiking poles, bring them along.
GPS or maps: Cell phone service is very spotty so don’t rely on your phone to point you in the right direction.
Tide chart: Having a tide chart on hand is a must if you want to see tide pools. It’s also an essential item for beach hikes because you do not want to get trapped by a rising tide.
Binoculars: Bring them along if you’d like to look for whales, bald eagles, seals and otters, all of which I’ve seen on my visits to the park.
Daypack: Bring a daypack with hiking essentials in it, like a flashlight, whistle, compass, pocket knife, first aid kit and extra snacks.
Star chart: If it’s a clear night, you may be able to see up to 15,000 stars in the night sky.
Bug spray: It’s the wilderness and bugs live in the wilderness. Bring along bug spray if you don’t want to get bitten

Other tips:
If you’re planning to arrive at Olympic National Park on a Friday from the Seattle area, leave before 2 pm or else you’ll get stuck in hellish traffic. Trust me on this.

You can arrive/leave Olympic National Park either from the south end by driving down to Olympia and out to the coast or by taking a ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island and driving to the north part of the peninsula from there. I recommend crossing via the ferry in at least one direction because it’s a unique Pacific Northwest experience and you’ll get some incredible views of downtown Seattle.

I’ve only camped once in Olympic National Park and it was at Deer Park, located at 5,400 feet and boasting the most stunning sunset and sunrise views you’ve ever seen. Deer Park is a small campground with 14 sites and operates on a first-come, first-serve basis. I almost regret telling you about this campsite since I sort of want to keep it a secret.

Deer Park campground at Olympic National Park

There are several gas stations located on the outskirts of the park. There’s a stretch between the Kalaloch area and Forks where you’ll travel around 40 miles with no service stations (there’s a sign warning you that this will happen).

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Help save Kauai’s shelter dogs

Before my recent trip to Kauai, I was browsing the Alaska Airlines Flyertalk forum and came across a post asking for volunteers to help transport pets from the Kauai Humane Society to one of the non-stop destinations Alaska Airlines serves from Lihue. I love supporting shelter animals in any way possible so I emailed the shelter manager and agreed to transport some puppies on my return flight on September 11th.

According to the shelter’s website, the Alaska Airlines Pet Transfer program has sent over 400 animals from Kauai to the mainland, where they get adopted much more quickly. If the dogs are accompanied by a passenger, the cost of the transfer is free. The volunteer only needs to meet a representative from the Kauai Humane Society at the Lihue airport and hand off the dogs to a volunteer on arrival at the mainland.

On my return flight, my husband and I helped transport 4 adorable puppies to the Seattle Humane Society in Bellevue, WA. The dogs generated a lot of attention from fellow passengers and I think a couple of them wanted to adopt the puppies right there. On arrival at Seattle, we met up with a volunteer from the Seattle Humane Society who took the puppies home before delivering them to the shelter the next morning.

If you’re flying to Kauai via Alaska Airlines, I highly recommend contacting the Kauai Humane Society to see if you can help transport some Kauai pets to the mainland.

Off-road adventures in central Washington

Last weekend, my husband and I took out the jeep (aka Zombklr) for some off-roading and camping fun in the central Cascades. Our destination was Gallagher Head Lake, part of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, just past Salmon La Sac, ending at the base of Hawkins Mountain.

The real adventure began as soon as we left the FR 4330 for trail 4W301, a rocky, one-lane off-road trail with some steep 1,000+ foot drops on the side. For 2 1/2 hours, we were bumped and shaken inside the Jeep as we made our way over rocks, through streams and wash outs. We had to pull over a couple of times since the transmission fluid in the Jeep kept overheating. Continue reading “Off-road adventures in central Washington”

51 hidden gems to visit in America

From the Grand Canyon to the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. boasts world-famous national parks, historical sites and landmarks. Beyond the well-known locations, there’s a wealth of undiscovered destinations stretching from coast to coast worth visiting. From scenic sand dunes to wild mountains, here’s 51 places within America that you’ve probably never heard of.

Continue reading “51 hidden gems to visit in America”

Quiet, peaceful hotels do exist in Las Vegas

When you think of Las Vegas, noisy casinos, clubs, smoking, crowds and loud music all come to mind. In the past few years, an increasing number of non-casino hotels have opened, catering to business travelers or leisure travelers seeking a peaceful retreat. According to the NY Times, tourists are coming to Las Vegas, but the amount they’re spending on gambling is down. Continue reading “Quiet, peaceful hotels do exist in Las Vegas”