Is Forks, Washington Worth Visiting? Our Honest Thoughts After Spending a Week There
At a Glance
Best for: Olympic National Park’s beaches, the Hoh Rain Forest, and Cape Flattery
How long to stay: 3–5 days (or longer if you’re exploring the entire Olympic Peninsula)
Where we stayed: RW Services RV Park
Don’t miss: Rialto Beach at low tide
Biggest surprise: The number of great little drive-up coffee stands!
Why We Chose Forks
When most people hear Forks, Washington, they immediately think of Twilight.
And yes…there’s definitely plenty of Twilight.
You’ll find themed gift shops, murals, signs, and plenty of fun nods to the books and movies throughout town. If you’re a fan, you could easily spend an afternoon exploring all of it.
But here’s what surprised us.
Even if you’ve never watched a single Twilight movie, Forks is absolutely worth visiting.
We spent a full week here while exploring the western side of Olympic National Park, and it quickly became one of our favorite home bases of the trip.
Not because the town itself is packed with attractions.
But because it puts you within easy driving distance of some of the most beautiful places in Washington.
If your priority is rugged beaches, towering sea stacks, moss-covered forests, and slowing down for a few days, I don’t think you can do much better than Forks.
Should You Stay in Forks?
If someone asked me whether to stay in Forks or Port Angeles to see Olympic National Park, my answer would be simple:
It depends on what you want your trip to look like.
Forks is the better choice if your priority is exploring the Olympic beaches (including Rialto Beach), the Hoh Rain Forest, Cape Flattery, and the western side of Olympic National Park.
It’s a small logging town with a handful of restaurants, a grocery store, gas stations, and everything you need for a comfortable stay—but don’t expect a bustling downtown filled with shopping or nightlife.
That’s actually part of what we loved about it.
Life slows down here.
If you’re looking for convenience and more amenities, Port Angeles is probably a better fit.
If you’re looking for scenery, I’d choose Forks every time.
Where We Stayed
We spent the week at RW Services RV Park, a small, family-owned campground just outside of Forks.
This isn’t a luxury RV resort with pools, activities, and rows of identical campsites.
Instead, it feels like you’re staying on someone’s property—which, in the best way possible, you are.
The campground has just a handful of full-hookup sites, a clean bathroom available, and incredibly kind owners who made us feel genuinely welcome.
It was quiet, peaceful, and exactly what we wanted after long days of hiking and exploring.
Would I stay here again? Absolutely.
If you’re looking for more details about the campground, we’ll have a full campground review linked here soon.
Our Favorite Things to Do Around Forks
Rialto Beach
If I could only recommend one thing near Forks…
It would be Rialto Beach.
But here’s the catch.
Plan your visit around low tide.
We arrived early in the morning, and it ended up being one of our favorite experiences from the entire Olympic Peninsula.
The hike to Hole-in-the-Wall is about 3.5 miles round trip. Most of the walk follows packed sand and rounded beach rocks, making it manageable for most families willing to take their time. It definitely didn’t feel like 3.5 miles due to the gorgeous scenery everywhere you looked. It was well worth it.
As the tide dropped, colorful sea stars, anemones, and tide pools began appearing everywhere.
It honestly felt like every few minutes we were stopping to admire something new.
One thing I’d tell a friend is not to rush toward Hole-in-the-Wall just because it’s the famous destination.
Some of our favorite moments happened before we ever got there.
The kids climbed enormous driftwood logs.
We wandered through tide pools.
We watched waves crash against the sea stacks.
And we simply slowed down enough to enjoy the beach instead of racing to the finish.
Sometimes the destination isn’t the best part of the hike. The journey is.
Hoh Rain Forest
The Hoh Rain Forest was one of the places I had looked forward to most before this trip.
We started at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, where the girls picked up their Junior Ranger books before we headed out on the trails.
If you’re visiting with kids, I highly recommend doing the same. It gave them something fun to look for while we explored.
Our first stop was the Hall of Mosses Trail, an easy 0.8-mile loop that’s perfect for families.
Afterward, we continued onto the Spruce Nature Trail, another easy 1.2-mile loop that winds through the rainforest before reaching the beautiful Hoh River.
Neither hike is difficult, but both are packed with incredible scenery.
The biggest surprise? The weather. I had imagined cool temperatures, fog drifting through the trees, and that classic rainforest atmosphere.
Instead, we hiked under bright blue skies on one of the warmest days of our trip.
It was still beautiful.
Towering moss-covered trees. Giant ferns. Massive maples.
It just had a completely different personality than I expected.
After finishing the hikes, we found a quiet pullout along the Hoh River.
Before I could even comment on how freezing the water looked, Eli and the kids were already taking off their shoes.
If you’ve followed Rolling Williams for very long, that probably doesn’t surprise you.
Any chance to jump into a river, and they’re in.
Watching them splash around in crystal-clear glacial water while elk grazed nearby ended up being one of those memories we’ll probably remember longer than the hikes themselves.
Cape Flattery
Even though it’s about a 90-minute drive from Forks, I’d absolutely recommend making time for Cape Flattery.
Before arriving, you’ll need to purchase a Makah Recreation Pass, since the trail is located on Makah tribal land.
The hike itself is only about 1.5 miles round trip, following a mostly boardwalk trail through the forest before opening up to dramatic cliffside viewpoints.
Sea caves.
Towering cliffs.
Powerful waves.
Tatoosh Island.
It’s one of those places where every overlook somehow feels better than the last.
It reminded us a little of California’s Big Sur coastline, while still feeling completely unique to the Pacific Northwest.
Another bonus… Willie was able to come with us, and we saw lots of other dogs enjoying the trail too!
Another weather fail: the trail was much cooler than it was back in Forks and VERY windy so definitely bring layers!
..and a word of caution: there were some steep clift sides that had no railing so always watch your littles and pets around the edges.
Coffee, Twilight & Small-Town Charm
Forks isn’t a town filled with big attractions.
It’s the little things that make it memorable.
The local coffee stands quickly became our favorite. Trying to spot all the interesting little shops was so fun, there were tons of them!
If you’re a Twilight fan, you’ll also have plenty to explore throughout town, from themed shops to photo opportunities and local landmarks inspired by the series.
Even though neither of those things was the reason we came, they added to the personality of the town and made it feel uniquely Forks.
Training
Our family usually tries to find a jiu-jitsu or wrestling gym everywhere we travel. During our week in Forks, we weren’t able to find any training nearby. The slower pace gave us more time to enjoy the beaches, rainforest, and evenings together around the campground.
Groceries
Forks has everything you need for a week’s stay, including grocery stores, gas stations, and basic supplies. If you’re looking for larger stores or more shopping options, you’ll find those in Port Angeles.
Is Forks Worth Staying In?
Without question.
Not because the town itself is packed with attractions.
Not because of Twilight.
And not because it’s full of fancy restaurants or shopping.
I’d stay here again because it puts you close to some of the most incredible scenery on the Olympic Peninsula.
It’s the kind of place where mornings begin with a local coffee stand, afternoons are spent exploring beaches or rainforests, and evenings end around the campground talking about where you’ll explore tomorrow.
For us, Forks wasn’t just a place to sleep.
It became part of the experience.
Continue Exploring
Planning a trip to the Olympic Peninsula? These guides pair perfectly with this one.
➡️ Olympic National Park Itinerary – Exactly how we’d plan our first visit.
➡️ Staying in Port Angeles – Why we split our stay and everything we explored on the north side of the peninsula.
➡️ RV @ Olympic Campground Review
