The Place We’ll Always Come Back To
How Olympic National Park changed the way we travel forever.
Some trips give you photographs and memories. Others change something in you. Washington did both.
I went to Washington because I was a huge Twilight fan who had fallen in love with pictures of impossibly green forests. I came home knowing that Bryant and I had found a place we’d return to for the rest of our lives.
Learning to Slow Down
We are usually the people who want to see everything, do everything, and squeeze every possible stop into a trip. But in Olympic National Park, the best moments weren’t always the ones we planned.
We drove winding roads, pulled over whenever something caught our eye, and spent an unreasonable amount of time saying “ooo” and “ahh” around every corner.
The air, the mountains, the moss, the water. It all felt like another world.
Seattle wasn’t really our favorite part of the trip. The peninsula, though? That was the magic. It taught us that sometimes the best itinerary is one with room to wander.
Hurricane Ridge
Hurricane Ridge was our first stop in Olympic National Park, and what an introduction. Even the drive up was an experience.
We kept finding reasons to pull over because the scenery was too beautiful to just drive past. Every overlook seemed to reveal something new.
Pregnancy Pit Stops
One of the things that makes this trip so special to me is that I was nine weeks pregnant with Oliver.
I remember taking photographs while holding my belly because I wanted him to see them someday. I wanted him to know he was there with us.
He may not remember the mountains or the forests, but I always will.
And yes, being pregnant also meant a ridiculous number of bathroom stops. Let’s just say I got very familiar with finding privacy in tall grass along our drives.
Forks, Washington
As a lifelong Twilight fan, getting to Forks was a dream. Of course we made time for the Twilight stops and museum.
But what surprised me was how much we genuinely loved the town itself.
We stayed at the Pacific Inn Motel, which was clean, had beautiful grounds, and made a convenient home base right in town.
Places We Still Talk About
Mocha Motion: Breakfast sandwiches and protein coffee so good that I convinced Bryant to extend our drive by an hour just to go back one more time.
Pacific Pizza: The South of the Border pizza and Godiva cheesecake were memorable favorites.
Forks Outfitters: Yes, even the grocery-store donuts earned a spot in our trip memories.
Lake Crescent
The first time we passed Lake Crescent, fog kept much of it hidden. When the skies finally cleared, we understood what we’d almost missed.
We spent time sitting near the shore, taking it all in.
It was one of those moments when you don’t need to be doing anything at all. You just want to be there.
Someday, I want to come back and kayak on that water with Oliver. It’s one of the images of our future that I keep tucked away.
The Hoh Rain Forest
Nothing quite prepares you for the green of Olympic’s rain forests. Moss drapes from branches, ferns seem to grow everywhere, and the whole landscape feels wonderfully alive.
Somewhere in all that beauty, a deer ran out right in front of Bryant. Naturally, I missed the whole thing because I was off on yet another pregnancy bathroom break. That’s about right for this trip.
DREAM
♡
The Place We Dreamed of Saying “I Do”
There is a photograph of Bryant at Maple Glade that means more to me than almost any other picture from this trip.
He’s standing beneath the moss-covered trees with the sweetest smile on his face, in a place that felt like it had been pulled straight out of a fairytale.
At the time, we were planning our elopement for 2026, and Washington was quickly becoming the place where we wanted to say our vows. Between the enchanting greenery of Maple Glade and the beauty of Merriman Falls, it felt like we’d found exactly what we were looking for.
But life had other plans.
After returning home, we decided to postpone our original elopement plans. Then, in January 2026, we got married at the courthouse.
We got dressed up, signed the papers, and headed to the beach for our first dance as husband and wife.
And because I was very, very pregnant, we finished our wedding day at The Cheesecake Factory, where we happily chowed down.
It wasn’t the moss-covered Washington elopement we’d originally imagined, but it was our wedding day, and I love that we made it our own.
The dream of returning to Washington never went away. Now I imagine us coming back in a few years with Oliver, perhaps exchanging vows beneath those trees or renewing the promises we’ve already made.
Either way, I can’t imagine a more meaningful place to celebrate our little family.
A Museum, Lemon Cake, and Jigger
Not every favorite memory happens at a famous overlook.
One of ours happened at the Lake Quinault museum, where we met a memorable woman named Jigger.
There was conversation, personality, and the best lemon cake.
It’s exactly the kind of unexpected encounter that reminds me why leaving room in a trip matters.
We also explored the wild coast, including Ruby Beach. Its dramatic driftwood and rugged shoreline were beautiful, even if hiking back up while pregnant was not my favorite physical challenge.
If You’re Planning a Trip to Olympic National Park
We had only a few days and left wishing we had more. If you’re dreaming about this corner of Washington, here’s what I’d do differently and what I’d absolutely repeat.
Give Yourself Time
I’d aim for five to seven days if possible. The park is spread out, drives can be long, and the spontaneous stops are half the fun.
Choose a Home Base
We loved staying in Forks for exploring the western side of the peninsula. It’s not equally convenient for every park area, so plan longer drives or an additional base for the eastern side.
Don’t Overplan
Pick a few must-sees, then leave space for fog to lift, a beautiful overlook, a small-town café, or a trail that catches your eye.
Still on Our Return-Trip Wish List
Cape Flattery, Rialto Beach, Second Beach, Sol Duc Falls, the Tree of Life, Shi Shi Beach, and Mount Storm King.
We already know one visit was never going to be enough.
Travel note: Check official park conditions, road closures, trail access, and required permits before visiting. Some destinations are outside Olympic National Park or require separate planning.
A Few More Moments from Washington
There are far too many beautiful photographs from this trip to choose just a handful. Here are more of the places, little moments, and views that made us fall in love with Washington.
Our adventure begins
Mountain air
Views worth stopping for
Coastal wandering
Wild Pacific shores
Looking up
By the water
Into the green
Enchanted woods
Among the giants
Where forest meets ocean
A waterfall in the woods
Forest wanderings
Another beautiful view
Lake days
Until next time
Select a photograph to open the larger image.
We’ll Be Back
When I think about our Washington trip, I don’t just think about the things we saw.
I think about how we felt. Curious. Happy. Completely in awe. More present than we’d been in a long time.
In September 2025, we were two people dreaming about our wedding and the little boy who was already growing inside me.
A few months later, we were married. And now we have an entirely new adventure ahead of us: showing Oliver the places that meant so much to us before he was born.
One day we’ll come back together. We’ll show him the lake, the forests, the town that first brought me here, and the place where we once imagined saying our wedding vows.
Maybe we’ll finally have that moss-covered ceremony. Maybe we’ll kayak on Lake Crescent. Maybe we’ll spend an entire afternoon doing absolutely nothing but enjoying the view.
Whatever we do, I hope we never lose what this trip taught us.
Dreaming of Your Own Washington Adventure?
From wild coastlines to enchanted forests, I’d love to help you create a trip with room for the moments you never saw coming.
Explore Oliver’s Big Adventure Travel Co.