Suggestions for Tour of Olympic Peninsula

[SLG1]

We will be spending 4 days in Seattle at the Warwick Hotel prior to Celebrity Cruise end of Sept. Any suggestions on best way to see this area? Rent Car? Tour Guides? Thanks

[Splinter]

You will have VERY long drives if you hope to see much of the Olympic peninsula while staying in Seattle. I would recommend staying there only your first and last night, renting a car, and planning to stay someplace on the peninsula the other two nights. Check the driving times, and remember that weather (esp. rain) can slow you down considerably. In addition, in order to really see the area, you don't just want to drive, but actually get out of the car, do a little hiking, walk on some beaches, stop to see the views, take side roads, etc.

[Costest]

Agree with OP

 

Olympic Penninsula is hard to do in a day (3 hrs there and 3 hrs back) and then Hurricane Ridge, Hoh Rainforest and Ocean are hours apart from each other.

 

If you don't overnite there, some alternative - day trips might include:

 

Mt St Helens - (this can be a very long day trip)

Mt Rainier

Snoqualmie Falls (shorter 1/2 day trip)

Ferry to Whidbey Is - drive Island North thru Deception Pass to Anacortes and back So on I5 (long day)

Stevens Pass and back (lunch in Leavenworth)- (thinking fall colors if not too late in October)

 

There are some bus tours for some of these but rental car is best IMHO. Have a great time in our beautiful area.

[Cruisin Kay D]

Just returned from that area. Prior to boarding Sun Princess Sunday, Aug 26 we spent a week visiting Portland area, Seattle area, Anacortes & SJ Isl. Didn't exactly do whole Olympic Peninsula....but enjoyed what we could fit in!!!

 

Sat. Aug 18 -- flew to SEA & used hotel shuttle -- 1 night at Fairfield by Marriott near airport

Sun Aug 19 -- noon picked up rental car, drove around in rain thru downtown Seattle & around Lake Union, then headed south down I-5 to Portland.

3 nights at Spring Hill Suites by Marriott near Portland airport (Sun, Mon, Tues) -- excellent hotel!!

Mon Aug 20 -- Rainy so rode hotel shuttle to airport & boarded MAX Rail system to sightsee downtown & other suburbs, also rode on streetcar system. Ate GREAT lunch at Jake's Grill

Tues Aug 21 -- Sunny day: drove through Columbia River Gorge on scenic route 30 to Cascade Locks -- drove back to Portl on interstate highway. Shopped at outlets; toured floating homes neighborhood on Columbia River & had dinner at a waterfront restaurant.

Wed. Aug 22 -- Drove I-5 to Olympia & cutoff to very scenic Rt 101 to Port Townsend -- took ferry to Keystone & scenic Whidbey Island -- drove across Deception Pass into Anacortes -- sunny day.

2 nights at The Majestic Inn (v. historic) in Anacortes -- (Wed.Thurs) superb hotel!!! Ate 2 dinners in their charming dining room.

Thurs Aug 23 -- Drove onto Ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island -- sunny day -- drove to San Juan Vineyards, Roche Harbor & English Camp -- took ferry back to Anacortes

Fri. Aug 24 -- Drove scenic highways to Kirkland (suburb of Sea) to Kirkland hotel -- rode City Bus #255 to downtown, rode monorail to Space Needle -- walked around downtown & market place -- rode bus back to hotel

2 nights at Courtyard by Marriott in Kirkland on 124th St. near I-405 -- (Fri. Sat.) -- excellent hotel!!!

Sat. Aug 25 -- Drove through Kirkland; then drove downtown to check out how to find rental car return location at pier, and then drove around Lake Union where we ate at McCormicks and took LAKES boat tour by Argosy.

Sun. Aug 26 -- Drove downtown (30 min) to return rental car & get shuttle to cruise ship.

 

Talked to several people on our ship that did different Argosy boat trips in Seattle and all of us RAVED about it. Argosy offers Harbour cruise, Locks cruise & 2 Lakes cruises -- all reasonably priced -- check out their website http://www.argosycruises.com/publiccruises/default.cfm

Gray Line tours are always good in whatever city!

Space Needle: There is a fee to go up to Observation area -- BUT there is not a fee to go up to restaurant -- this is not explained anywhere & we didn't understand this -- but if you time it so you're doing late lunch or early dinner you could have wonderful 360 degr views around Seattle. Check out restaurant hours.

[SLG1]

Thank you all for the feedback!!

[Splinter]

Those are all great things to see in northern Washington, but they are not on the Olympic penisula (neither is Seattle). If you want to see that area, it will take a lot more time.