Port Angeles, WA

We went to Port Angeles because we'd heard about Sol Duc Hot Springs in the Olympic National Forest about 45 minutes from Port Angeles - 2 hour vacation within a 2 hour vacation! Port Angeles is the gateway to Olympic National Forest and the road to Hurricane Ridge with all the outdoor recreation there. Port Angeles seems like a good stop for those who are going to continue on the road that goes around the Olympic Peninsula by Neah Bay, Lake Quinault, and the costal rain forest.

Sol Duc Hot Springs was a really nice side trip. We drove along Highway 101 - a 2 lane road that winds along the border of the Olympic National Forest. Just after Lake Crescent (image at the bottom of our Contact page) there's a turn off that goes into Olympic National Forest. There's a modest entrance fee to get in the Park and then a pleasant drive through the forest to Sol Duc. There is fee to enter the pool area and you can rent towels and bathing suits if you don't have any with you. The springs themselves are developed with 2 or 3 cement soaking pools and a really nice swimming pool for a cooling plunge. There were people from Japan, Russia, and Greece, and we heard a few other accents and dialects that reflected vistors from around the world.

Port Angeles is a thriving community with a nice downtown area. I was surprised that were no bakeries but there is a donut shop. We stayed at a motel about a mile away from the downtown area but next time I'd like to try The Downtown Hotel. It's right downtown and, from what I can see on their website, it reminds me of some of the hotels in which I stayed in Europe. There is a much greater variety of restaurants in Port Angeles than in Sequim and everything seems to be within walking distance - even from where we stayed.