Where to stay in Olympic National Park
 

Will be traveling to Olympic National Park in July. I have about 4 days to explore the park. Is it best to stay in more than one area, or can most of the park be visited from Port Angeles?

We have stayed at Lake Crescent Lodge and love the location. Our last trip was for three nights and we used this location as a base. We did a fair amount of driving as the park is rather far-flung, but it was very much worth it. Lake Crescent Lodge is a typical national park lodge. The rooms are motel-like rooms, nothing special and a bit outdated. Some might consider it overpriced, but here location is EVERYTHING and this lodge does have that. Sitting in the adirondack chairs on the lawn or out on the dock in the afternoon after touring all day or in the morning with a cup of a coffee viewing the lake is a real treat.

Most of the park can be visited from Port Angeles or Lake Crescent; however, it is a good experience to stay at Quinault Lake Lodge in the southern part of the park.

At Crescent Lake Lodge, we like to stay in the Marymere building, at at Quinault Lake Lodge we book a "fireplace" room.

In Port Angeles we like to stay at the Red Lion in a room with a balcony on the water or at Olympic Lodge in a room overlooking the golf course.

HTTY

I'm going there myself the last week of July. I have one night each in Crescent Lake Lodge, Sol Duc, and Kalaloch. I do plan on stopping at Lake Quinault and having one meal there and see that area as well.

We will also be there late July and since this is our first trip to Olympic NP we struggled with where to stay. Lake Crescent looks beautiful and I can picture myself there, but ultimately we decided against moving around every night and just base ourselves in Port Angeles at the Olympic Lodge. We will do a fair amount of driving but will check out where to stay for our next visit, because I know we will be back.

Here's what we decided. We have a total of 12 days. Will fly to Seattle. Next day drive to Port Angeles and stay there 4 nights. (I love small towns)After that we will stay for 3 nights in the Log Cabin resort. Then we move to the southern part of the park and will stay 3 nights at Lake Quinalt. Then back to reality driving to Seattle to take a flight the next day back to Baltimore. I'd love opinions. I feel like I got the number of days right for each place. Feel free to critique. I love suggestions! Thanks.

There is a reason that half of those who reviewed Log Cabin Resort on TripAdvisor rated it "poor" or "terrible." It is the worst place we stayed ever: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev...ashington.html

<i>I love small towns.</i>

Me too, but for four nights Port Angeles isn't one of them.

<i>I feel like I got the number of days right for each place.</i>

Then you won't be interested in having a better experience by including Mt. Rainier and the San Juan Islands in your itinerary.

HTTY

Agree completely with happytrailstoyou about splitting visit between Quinault Lake Lodge and Port Angeles.

Quinault Lake Lodge (pronounced KEE-noh) is in an amazing setting, by the lake and in the midst of a spectacular rainforest that's ideal for on-foot exploring. It's unforgettable.

Port Angeles is a decent-sized town from which it's easy to make day trips into the park and the nearby mountaintop. Or, if you're in the mood for foreign travel, a day trip (via ferry) to Victoria.

I second the day trip to Victoria. Not sure what I would do with 4 days in Pt. Angeles otherwise.

They also could spend a day walking on the Dungeness Spit or drive to Neah Bay.