lindy

Planning to go to Port Townsend, WA in September. Will spend three nights there. I want to drive there from Sea-Tac. What town inbetween Sea-Tac and PT would be good to stay in (assume that I'll be tired when I arrive Seattle so don't want to drive too far that day). Then, after PT, would like to loop around the Olympic Peninsula, spending a night or two along the way. I like bed and breakfasts, or small hotels, comfy, maybe with fireplace. Suggestions, anyone, for where to spend my other nights? Thanks,

Lee A/T

Hi Lindy, Hope you are planning on at least a week for you to really enjoy the Oly Penn. Look into the ferries to get you to PT. Eat at the 3 Crabs for the best Dungeness crab in the world! Go up to Hurricane Ridge out of Port Angeles. There is a nice place to stay at Lake Cresent, can't remember name. Go to Neah Bay and then to Cape Flattery, the farthest NW point of continental US. It is really worth the hike!! Along the west coast are many beautiful beachs, #3 is our fave. The Quinalt Lodge looked like a nice place, ate there and looked around and decided we would stay there sometime. There is a funky place to stay in Moclips called the High Tide Resort. Inquire about the upstairs room on the corner with the sauna.NICE!!!!! Have a great trip. Lee in Austin,Tejas

wintertraveler

Lindy,

I don't know where you are flying from but the trip from Sea-Tac to PT is not bad at all. We arrived in Seattle around 11:30 am and had plenty of time to drive to the ferry to Bainbridge, eat a great meal at the Harbor Public House there, then drove to PT in about an hour.

If you've seen mountains before I'm not sure I'd recommend Hurricane Ridge at all. Port Angeles isn't really that special of a town. Now the drive down to Lake Cresent is worthwhile and the lodge there would probably be great though we didn't stay there.

While in PT you may want to try Khu Larb Thai, the Rose Theatre for a movie (very nicely renovated old theatre), the Landfall restaurant, The Wild Coho restaurant and uptown area to walk in nice neighborhood.

Another ferry trip to Whidbey Island is nice (and short enough for a day trip).

Be sure to drive down to the coast and visit Ruby Beach.

Have fun!

Marian

Oh I disagree about Hurricane Ridge. It's spectacular! More beautiful than most of the places I've even seen in the Alps and it beats Colorado mountains by a mile. No one said you have to do anthing but drive through a part of Port Angeles to get on the road to the park and the ridge. You'll regret it if you don't see Hurricane Ridge!!

Don

I like Hurricane Ridge, but I'd qualify Marian's recommendation--see it if the weather's clear, or at least mostly clear. If it's overcast (and September can be iffy, weather-wise), IMHO it's not worth it.

I went with some East-coast friends this past Labor Day weekend, and we had a pretty good day for viewing--partly cloudy, with some of the clouds moving through the mountaintops and obscuring the views. While we enjoyed it, we would've liked it better if the sky had been more clear.

Lisa

I completely agree with Lee's review on the '3 Crabs Restaurant' in Sequim (pronounced squim) - as long as you have the fresh dungeness crab and their fabulous cole slaw. Most of the rest of the menu is deep fried fare, and not that great.

Port Townsend has some decent B & B's and great restaurants as well.

Howard

I totally agree with Don about Hurricane Ridge. Definitely go ONLY IF the weather is clear. We lucked on a day the ranger called "one of year's 10 best by far," and it was spectacular!

wintertraveler

Okay, so many of you really like mountaintop viewing more than I do I guess. To each his own. Did I mention Morgan Hill Guest Cottage? This is where we stayed and it was very nicely done, comfy, spectactular view and had a gas woodstove style fireplace. They have a web site with photos. They don't do a "formal" breakfast but will stock up the kitchenette area with breakfast goods and coffee.

travellyn

We went to Hurricane Ridge one very clear day in June and it was spectacular.