Is Port Angeles the Best Place to Stay When Visiting Olympic National Park? Our Honest Thoughts After Spending a Week Here
At a Glance
Best for: Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Salt Creek Recreation Area, Victoria Ferry & Olympic National Park’s north side
How long to stay: 3–5 days
Where we stayed: RV @ Olympic
Why We Chose Port Angeles
After spending a week in Forks exploring the beaches and rainforest, we packed up the RV and moved to Port Angeles for our second week on the Olympic Peninsula.
Looking back…
I’d absolutely split the trip this way again.
While Forks gave us quick access to the rugged coastline, Port Angeles made exploring the northern side of Olympic National Park much easier.
It also gave us something we hadn’t realized we’d appreciate so much after a week in a smaller town.
Options. More grocery stores. More restaurants. More services.
It still felt like a small Pacific Northwest town, but one that had everything we needed to comfortably settle in for another week.
Should You Stay in Port Angeles?
If your priorities include Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, Sol Duc, the Victoria ferry, or simply having more conveniences nearby, Port Angeles is an excellent home base.
It’s larger than Forks without feeling crowded.
You’ll find plenty of restaurants, several grocery stores, outdoor outfitters, coffee shops, and just about anything you might need during your stay.
If you’re only choosing one place to stay for your Olympic trip, I think the decision comes down to this:
Choose Forks if scenery is your highest priority.
Choose Port Angeles if convenience is.
There isn’t a wrong answer.
They’re simply two completely different experiences.
Where We Stayed
We spent the week at RV at Olympic, and it ended up being one of our favorite RV parks on the trip.
The campground is newer and well maintained, with full-hookup sites, clean bathrooms, laundry facilities, and one of the nicest playgrounds we’ve seen at an RV park.
Our kids spent hours there.
There was also a large fenced dog park, which Willie appreciated after long days riding in the truck.
One thing we especially appreciated was being able to catch up on laundry. After several weeks of traveling, washing bedding and towels somehow felt just as exciting as another hike.
Would we stay here again? Without hesitation.
Our Favorite Things to Do Around Port Angeles
Hurricane Ridge
Hurricane Ridge was completely different than anything we’d experienced earlier in the week.
The week before, we were hiking through warm rainforest trails and swimming in the Hoh river.
Now we were extra layers out of the truck while the kids ran straight toward the snow.
That pretty much sums up Olympic National Park.
The drive up to Hurricane Ridge is beautiful on its own, and once you reach the visitor area, you’re rewarded with sweeping mountain views in every direction.
Unfortunately, Hurricane Hill Road was closed during our visit, which meant hiking all the way to Hurricane Hill was farther than we wanted to tackle with the kids.
Instead, we explored the Big Meadow Loop and portions of the High Ridge Trail.
Both were easy enough for our family and still offered incredible views.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Hurricane Hill is at the top of our list for next time.
Salt Creek Recreation Area
Salt Creek ended up being one of the biggest surprises of our week.
We had already explored Rialto Beach, but we were still expecting amazing tide pooling from other reviews we had read.
We weren’t wrong.
At low tide, the rocky shoreline comes alive.
We found colorful sea stars, tiny crabs, gooseneck barnacles, sea anemones, and countless little tide pools that kept the kids entertained for hours.
If you’re traveling with children, I’d absolutely recommend adding Salt Creek to your itinerary.
Just like Rialto Beach… Check the tide charts before you go. Low tide makes all the difference.
We parked at the campground area entrance and then walked down some stairs to a beautiful rocky beach. As we walked around the corner, over some rock scrambles, we found another gorgeous sandy beach with a huge island boulder in the water. It looked so surreal.
Highly recommend checking this area out if you’re staying in Port Angeles.
A Day Trip to Victoria
One of the unique things about staying in Port Angeles is how easy it is to visit Victoria, British Columbia.
The Black Ball Ferry leaves directly from downtown Port Angeles and makes for a fun international day trip.
Victoria ended up being one of our favorite experiences of the entire Olympic Peninsula.
Rather than trying to squeeze everything into this guide, we’ve put together a dedicated article covering exactly how we’d spend a day there, what we’d prioritize, and whether we think it’s worth adding to your itinerary.
Sequim
On the first afternoon we arrived, we wandered over to nearby Sequim and unexpectedly stumbled across a local logging show and tractor pull.
It wasn’t something we’d planned.
Honestly, those are often the best days.
Watching locals compete, seeing the community come together, and experiencing something we never would have found on a typical “Top 10 Things to Do” list ended up being one of the highlights of our week. It was so fun. The kids got to go down slides, sit in tractors, watch wood sculptures come to life. It was something really unique to the area and I love getting to really feel the culture in each area we go.
Sometimes travel is less about famous attractions and more about saying yes to whatever you happen to discover.
Training
We were able to train while we were in Port Angeles, but unfortunately it wasn’t a positive experience for our family. Because we don’t believe one visit is enough to fairly judge a small business, we’ve chosen not to publish a review.
If training is an important part of your travels, I’d recommend doing a little research ahead of time to see what options best fit your family’s goals.
Groceries
Port Angeles has several grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and everything you’d expect from a larger town. If you’re staying for several days, it’s an easy place to stock up before exploring the park.
Is Port Angeles Worth Staying In?
Absolutely.
Port Angeles gave us something completely different than Forks.
After long days exploring Olympic National Park, it was nice coming back to a town where we could grab groceries, do laundry, let the kids burn off energy at the campground playground, and enjoy a slower evening.
Would I choose Port Angeles over Forks?
Not necessarily.
I’d choose both.
Together, they gave us two completely different perspectives of the Olympic Peninsula, and I genuinely think our trip was better because we experienced each one.
Continue Exploring
Planning a trip to the Olympic Peninsula? These guides will help you make the most of your visit.
➡️ Olympic National Park Itinerary – Exactly how we’d plan our first visit.
➡️ Staying in Forks – Beaches, rainforest, Cape Flattery, coffee stops, and more.
➡️ RV @ Olympic Campground Review
