<i>Any thoughts on where to stay in the OIympic National Park? I tried looking for some Airbnbs but they were either too expensive or just on one end of the park or the other.</i>

The core of ONP is kept as a roadless wilderness; all the access points are on the periphery of the park, requiring you to drive around outside the boundary. There are basically three areas with accommodation - around Port Angeles, around Forks, and farther south along the coast, including Kalaloch and the Lake Quinault area.

Port Angeles to, say, Kalaloch, is around two hours' drive, most of it not very scenic, so basing in PA when your interests might be the coastal beaches or the Hoh or Quinault valley rain forests, means you're going to be spending a lot of time driving.

The best solution is two or three different areas - PA for Hurricane Ridge, Forks for the La Push beaches or Hoh rain forest, or around Lake Quinault (or Kalaloch if you can get in) for the southern coast and Quinault Valley. Out in the west, accommodations are scarce, so make it a priority.

If you're looking for rooms under $150 on the Olympic Peninsula, you will find them in Forks and Port Angeles.

The Pacific Inn Motel in Forks has rooms in the $109 range, and the Royal Victorian in Port Angeles has rooms for about $100. Now is the time to book rooms on the Olympic Peninsula.

Forks in convenient for visiting Ruby Beach, the Hoh Rain Forest, Rialto Beach, and La Push, and Port Angeles is a good place to stay for Lake Crescent and Hurricane Ridge.

On the road between Forks and Port Angeles are Sol Duc Hot Springs, Lake Crescent, and the Elwha River recreation area. From Lake Crescent there is a pleasant hike to Marymere Falls.

HTtY