Enjoy scenic mountain overlooks, roadside picnic areas, parks, antique dealers, excellent hiking and camping facilities, and Seattle’s monorail.
This route is a mountain-lovers dream with scenic overlooks, parks, roadside picnic areas, and even a car ferry. Make sure to pack your hiking boots, plenty of film, and some rain gear as it rains a lot! Your trip begins in Olympia and leads north on U.S. 101 for about 85 miles before heading east on Route 104 to Port Gamble. Here you will drive south to Route 305 to Bainbridge Island and ride the ferry across Puget Sound to Seattle. Olympia is the gateway to the Olympic National Forest and the Olympic Mountains. While in town, check out some of the many antique dealers or stroll around the State Capitol buildings.
Drive out of town on U.S. 101, and make a brief detour to Tumwater, where the Olympia Brewery is situated. Driving up to Shelton, you’ll skirt around the finger river streams as well as Totten Inlet. At Shelton, you’ll proceed north to the town of Hoodsport. Along the way, you’ll pass the Potlatch State Park and the Skokomish Indian Reservation. Just outside of Hoodsport is Hoodsport Trail State Park, which offers some excellent camping and hiking facilities. Back on old U.S. 101 north, you’ll run right along the bay as you drive deeper into the Olympic National Forest. There are a few more state parks on the way to Brinnon. From Hoodsport all the way past Quilcene, there are many spots to pull over, relax, and take memorable photos. The town of Quilcene (pop. 1,200) is a good place to eat up, gas up, and use the restrooms (hurry up!) before you continue. Once you go past Leland, keep your eyes wide open for Route 104. That brings you across the bridge (brief stint) to Route 303, then on into Bainbridge Island. Bainbridge is where you’ll drive onto the ferry, and you’re on your way to Seattle. In Bainbridge, you will be able to rent some bikes, tour a winery, or have a meal in an authentic diner, circa 1948. Expect to be on the ferry for approximately half-hour or so. Note the distinct tennis ball “seaweed” floating in the water.
On shore again, you’ll pick up I-5, and minutes later you’ll be in the center of Seattle. While in Seattle, take a monorail ride or venture down to the waterfront for a kayak trip of the harbor.
Starting Point:
Olympia, WA
Distance of Drive:
127 miles
Must Eat:
Ray’s Boathouse
6049 Seaview Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Phone: 206-789-3770
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Good Stop For: Salmon
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Spring and summer
Points of Interest on Drive:
Pacific Science Center
Space Needle
Experience Music Project–Seattle
Olympic Flight Museum
Pabst–Olympia Brewing
Tagged with: best time:yearround • mountains • Washington
Filed under: Best Road Trips