Seattle/ONP schedule
 

Hello,

We will be traveling to Seattle the last week in August for 6 days (2 adults and 2 boys ages 8 and 6). We will stay in Seattle Saturday and Sunday and will be staying at Lake Crescent Lodge Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. WE are flying out of Seattle Friday morning........

I think I know what we will be doing the day and half in Seattle but I wasn't quite sure of the time at ONP. Here is what I was thinking so far:

Monday: from Seattle go to Hurricane Ridge, hike, check in a Lake Crescent.

TUesday: Rainforest hike & beach hike

Wednesday:falls hike & ??

Thursday: big question....we need to be heading back to Seattle for the Friday morning flight. Would stopping by Dungeness area be worth it?

We live in Virginia where today's temperature is 99 degrees (115 heat index) so we are very excited about getting into some cool weather and being outside!

If you have never been to Mt. Rainier, that would be a good place to head on Thursday. Or, you might enjoy a day on the beach at Ocean Shores.

Just returned from area a week ago, and when the NJ heat hit us in the face at the airport we were ready to go right back. It was GREAT having it cool enough for a fire several nights!

You mentioned "falls hike &" for one day. We hiked Marymere and Sole Duc falls the same rainy day. Both are quite short, but you can extend either if the weather is good or you don't mind being in the rain.

We spent 2 nights in Sequim( Dungeness) and would eliminate it on a future trip. I agree with happy trails about going to Mt Rainier if you haven't been there.

Have a great time.

To elaborate: The Dungeness Spit--at six miles--is one of the longest sandspits in the world.

Fascinating fact? Yes.

Fascinating to walk when you have two or three days and there are mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, lakes, to enjoy? No.

The spit is a long, narrow finger of land that is flat, sandy, rocky, and loaded with driftwood. There are not trees to protect you from the sun.

Thanks for the help.....I think we will try to do that on Thursday.

It looks like it would be around 4+ hour drive from Lake Crescent to Mount Rainier. Does that sound right? We would try to leave early but would we be hitting Seattle traffic?

This trip is about 250 miles and 6 hours. Going east on 101 is the more scenic route. If you spend Wednesday at Quinault Lake Lodge (which would be a great idea if you can get a room there), you would go via Hoquiam (and the drive would be a little shorter).

Good places for lunch are Falls Terrace Restaurant in Tumwater (if you go via Hoquiam) and Budd Bay Cafe or Anthony's in Olympia.

If you go out to Dungeness and are loking for a good place for lunch, stop in at the restaurant there, The Three Crabs, I think is the name.