Sample journey · 10–12 days
The Pacific Northwest: volcano, rainforest and orca islands
Seattle, Mount Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend & the San Juan Islands
Photo: Brianna Parks / Unsplash
Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.
When people think of American nature, they usually picture red-rock canyons or Yellowstone. Washington State is a different world: damp, green and cool. A few hours from Seattle rises Mount Rainier, a volcano more than four kilometres high whose slopes turn bright with wildflowers in summer. To the west lies the Olympic Peninsula, where a single national park holds snow-covered peaks, one of the wettest temperate rainforests on earth and a wild Pacific coast strewn with drift logs.
The journey ends in the Salish Sea, among the San Juan Islands, where ferries glide slowly between wooded islands and, from a boat or a rocky shore, orcas, seals and porpoises are often seen. The route suits active couples and nature lovers who like to walk every day but return in the evening to a cosy cabin by a lake or a hotel overlooking the water. Drives run from two to four hours, and on some days the ferries become part of the journey.
The route
The journey
- Seattle
- Mount Rainier
- Lake Quinault
- Hoh Rainforest & Ruby Beach
- Lake Crescent & Hurricane Ridge
- Port Townsend
- The San Juan Islands
- Seattle
01Days 1–3 · Seattle
Harbour, market and a mountain on the horizon
Two nights in Seattle to recover from the flight. A morning at Pike Place Market, where the old neon sign glows above stalls of fish, berries and flowers, with the new waterfront and the Seattle Art Museum nearby. In the afternoon, the ferry across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island and back: a short crossing from which, on a clear day, Mount Rainier rises above the city. The next day, the Burke Museum, with its focus on the art and history of Northwest Coast Native peoples, or Pioneer Square and the underground foundations of the old city. In the evening, oysters, salmon and crab, which matter here as much as coffee.
02Days 3–5 · Mount Rainier
Meadows beneath the glaciers
About two and a half hours south-east to Mount Rainier National Park and two nights in a cabin in the forest near the park entrance. Native peoples of the region know the mountain as Tahoma. The heart of it is Paradise: from late July into August, if the snow melts on time, lupins and other wildflowers colour the slopes and trails climb towards the glaciers. The Skyline Trail, a loop of about 9 km with around 500 metres of ascent, suits strong walkers; for something gentler, short trails to waterfalls or through the old forest at Ohanapecosh, where some firs and cedars are centuries old. Early and late in the day, deer often graze the meadows and marmots whistle among the rocks.
03Days 5–7 · Quinault, the Hoh & Ruby Beach
A forest that rains moss
The longest day of the journey: about four hours west to Lake Quinault and two nights in a historic lodge or cabin by the water. The western slopes of the Olympic Peninsula receive so much rain that a temperate rainforest has grown here: giant Sitka spruce and western hemlock hung with curtains of moss. The next day, the Hoh Rainforest and the Hall of Mosses trail, short but so quiet you can hear the drips; herds of Roosevelt elk often graze here. In the afternoon, Ruby Beach and the other coastal beaches, where at low tide pools of sea stars and anemones open among the rocks and the great drift logs show what the winter storms are like.
04Days 7–9 · Hurricane Ridge & Port Townsend
From mountain ridge to Victorian port
About two hours north lies Lake Crescent, deep blue and ringed by wooded mountains, and one night on its shore; in the evening, a kayak or the short trail to Marymere Falls. The next morning, if the road is open, the drive up to Hurricane Ridge, at almost 1,600 metres: the whole snowy Olympic range is laid out in front of you, and deer often graze the meadows. In the afternoon, about an hour to Port Townsend, a seaport of late nineteenth-century brick buildings on the water and Victorian villas on the bluff. One night here: an evening on the waterfront, a morning in Fort Worden park with its lighthouse and old gun batteries.
05Days 9–12 · The San Juan Islands & Seattle
Islands where the orcas swim
Two ferries, across Puget Sound and then from Anacortes, carry you to the San Juan Islands, and two nights here, perhaps in a house on the shore or a farm among meadows. The main aim is a guided boat trip to watch marine life: orcas, humpback whales, seals and porpoises are often seen in these waters, though wildlife is never guaranteed, and boats keep to strict distance rules. A quieter way is to wait on the shore at Lime Kiln Point, where orcas sometimes pass close to the rocks. The next day, kayaks, bikes, a lavender farm or the climb up Mount Constitution on Orcas Island. On the last day, the ferry and about an hour and a half's drive, or a short seaplane flight, back to Seattle and a final night by the water.
Experience highlights
- 01
The Paradise meadows
Wildflowers beneath Rainier's glaciers in late summer.
- 02
The Hoh Rainforest
Curtains of moss, giant spruce and Roosevelt elk.
- 03
The wild coast
Ruby Beach's sea stacks, drift logs and tide pools.
- 04
The Salish Sea
Ferries between the islands and a boat trip when orcas or whales are often seen.
First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.
Make it your own
At a gentler pace
Short trails instead of long hikes, more time by the lakes and an extra night at Quinault to break the longest day.
With Vancouver & Victoria
From Port Angeles a ferry crosses to Victoria in Canada, and from there it's on to Vancouver and the Great Bear Rainforest: a three-week route across two countries.
By season
Late July and August bring the flowers and the driest weather; September is quieter, and in autumn the misty coast has its own mood, though mountain roads begin to close.
With Native culture
In the peninsula's far north-west you can visit the Makah Museum at Neah Bay and Cape Flattery, with local guides and on their terms.
Practical considerations
- The best time is roughly July to September, when the mountain roads are open and the weather is usually driest; in June there's often still snow up high, and on the coast rain or fog can come in any season.
- In recent summers some areas of Mount Rainier have required a timed-entry reservation, and the road and services at Hurricane Ridge have changed since the 2023 fire, so we check both before you travel.
- The journey is planned as a self-drive; vehicle space on the San Juan ferries needs booking ahead in summer, and the longest day is from Rainier to Quinault.
- Orcas and whales are wild animals and no one can guarantee seeing them; we choose experienced guides who keep to the distance rules.
General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.
Keep exploring
Destinations
Ways to travel
Related articles
More journey inspiration
12–14 days
California's coast, slowly: San Francisco to Los Angeles
San Francisco, Sonoma, Monterey & Carmel, Big Sur, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara & Los Angeles
Exceptional stays & escapes · Honeymoons & special journeys
8–10 days
The Great Bear Rainforest: spirit bears on the First Nations coast
Vancouver, Bella Bella or Klemtu & a remote lodge on the British Columbia coast
Wildlife & nature · Exceptional stays & escapes
Plan your journey
Shape a journey like this
Would you like to explore America's north-west on foot and by ferry? Tell us how much you like to walk and which wildlife draws you, and we'll shape the route together.
This journey becomes the starting point of your enquiry — you can change or remove it.
All journey inspiration