Olympic Peninsula

The Olympic Peninsula is a region of Washington state in the far northwestern corner of the contiguous United States. The central Olympic Mountains are framed by the Hood Canal, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Pacific Ocean, and the Chehalis River.

Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 igo.

Photo: Lumpytrout, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Essential Destinations

Top destinations include Aberdeen and Olympic National Park.

Aberdeen

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Aberdeen is a city in the Olympic Peninsula region of Washington. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis. The population was about 17,000 in 2019.

Olympic National Park

Photo: Lumpytrout, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Olympic National Park is a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Washington State. The park interior encompasses one of the largest remaining blocks of old-growth forest and temperate rain forest in the lower 48 states, and the park's coastline protects 73 mi of rocky headlands, beaches, and tidepools.

Port Angeles

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Port Angeles is the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, and the county seat of Clallam County. It's a great place to start for a trip to Hurricane Ridge and the rest of Olympic National Park.

Destinations to Discover

Explore places such as Shelton and Montesano.

Shelton

Photo: Lumpytrout, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Shelton is a city in the Olympic Peninsula region of Washington. Shelton is the largest and only incorporated city within Mason County, Washington. The county seat, Shelton served as one of the nation's premier log exporting centers for the decades from 1855 through 1975.

Montesano

Photo: Jmabel, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Montesano is a city in and the county seat of Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,138 at the 2020 census.

Forks

Photo: Lumpytrout, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Forks is a city in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. This little charming town of 3,300 people serves primarily as a hub for visitors exploring the beaches and mountains of Olympic National Park.

Port Townsend

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Port Townsend is a city at the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, in Washington, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Puget Sound. In addition to its natural scenery, it is known for its Victorian architecture and thriving arts scene.

Hoquiam

Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. It borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street, with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting, but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity.

Westport

Photo: Lumpytrout, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Westport is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. It had a population of 2,213 at the 2020 census. Westport is located on the Point Chehalis Peninsula, right on the entrance to Grays Harbor from the Pacific Ocean.

Sequim

Photo: Lumpytrout, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Sequim is a small city on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Sequim is the sunniest place in Western Washington, because of the rain shadow created by the Olympic Mountains to the south, receiving much less rain than even nearby Port Angeles.

Ocean Shores

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Ocean Shores is a city in the Olympic Peninsula region of Washington state, between Grays Harbor and the Pacific Ocean. The ocean shores are spectacular with a first-class resorts that offer the finest family vacation lodging anywhere on the Washington coast.

Elma

Elma is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,438 at the 2020 census.

Neah Bay

Photo: John Fowler, CC BY 2.0.

Neah Bay is a town of about 900 people on the northwest corner of Washington state's Olympic Peninsula. It's the most northwestern town of the contiguous United States. The whole town and its surrounding areas are part of the Makah Indian Reservation.