The Pacific Northwest: 5 Days of Adventure

A Guide to The Pacific Northwest

One of my favorite places in the entire World is Washington State. How can anyone resist the misty mornings, the dark Evergreens, the snowy mountain views, and the glistening Pacific Ocean? I always loved the idea of living in the Pacific Northwest; my mornings starting with a cup of tea on my front porch, while I snuggle into my oversized knit sweater as the sun comes up. So, when my boyfriend suggested we go hiking at Olympic National Park, I jumped at the chance.

We knew we wanted to go to Oregon and Canada as well, and decided we’d try to fit it all into just five days. I know, I know. It sounds crazy, but we made it work! We called it our ORWACA trip.

• DAY #1: Portland, Oregon

Our first stop on the Pacific Northwest trip was Portland, Oregon! We took a six hour flight from the East Coast to the West Coast to start our adventure and landed at Portland International Airport. After picking up our rental car we headed to the city!

We were starving once in Portland, so we hit up the Food Cart Pods. The pods are a cluster of eclectic food trucks that range from Thai to Mexican, Hawaiian to German, and Italian to Indian; from drinks to brunch to just about anything your stomach desires.

We were here in late May and it was hot! I grabbed a refreshing Thai Iced Tea from the Bang Saen Thai Cuisine truck, while my boyfriend opted for a Hawaiian Sun Pineapple Orange drink. There were seriously too many options to choose from! We decided to go with the Island Grill Hawaiian Barbecue food truck and ordered the teriyaki chicken platter, which came with two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. Everything was relatively cheap – if I remember correctly, we kept it under $20.

After lunch, the next stop was the famous ‘Cullen House’ from the movie Twilight! If you didn’t already know the famous vampire movie was mainly filmed in Oregon, and not Washington like many believe. The glass house was just as stunning as it was in the movie. It is private property and a family does live there, so we were only allowed to take pictures at the end of the driveway. But as a “Twihard” like myself, it was super awesome to see and I had a great time just picturing the Cullens there.

The next stop was 30 minutes outside of Portland – the magnificent Multnomah Falls. This 611-foot-tall beauty is just off of I-84; it’s a five minute walk from the parking lot and relatively easy to find. According to a Native American tale, the falls were built to win the heart of a Princess who wanted to bathe in private. The two tiers of this waterfall were stunning! It just shows you how powerful nature can be. I bought a sweatshirt at the gift shop while we were here – I have a sweatshirt for just about every city and hike I’ve been to!

Our second to last stop in Portland was a restaurant called Grassa, known for their handcrafted pasta (we went to the 1506 NW 23rd Ave location). Grassa is a casual eatery with a very industrial-like interior. I was super excited to try the food here because we read some great reviews about it when we were doing our research before heading to Portland. I was way too excited to try their Squid Ink Mafaldine Pasta – it was excellent! It tasted extremely fresh and the bits of calamari took it to another level. (Side Note: this trip was in May 2018, so their menu might have changed since then). The next time I’m in Portland, I’m definitely heading here!

To conclude the first day of our trip we took a ten minute walk down to Salt & Straw, an ice cream shop that creates new flavors monthly based on the community of their locations; they use ingredients from local shops and farms. Like I stated earlier, we were there in May – just a few days before Memorial Day, so the line was long, but definitely worth it! The ice cream was delicious and refreshing! It cooled us down on that sticky summer night.

After enjoying our ice cream, we jumped in the car and started our three hour drive to Seattle, Washington!

DAY #2: Woodinville, Washington

Our second day was going to be laid back for the most part. We got ready and headed out around noon to grab some lunch. After a fast Google search we decided on the Salted Grape Cafe located in Bothell, Washington. It was this cute little place that had some great food! We enjoyed some paninis and then set out for Woodinville – a quaint, little water-tower town.

I’ve been to Woodinville quite a few times in my life; my dad’s entire family moved there many years ago! My favorite memory is waking up in my aunt’s house just before the sun comes up. I’ll head to the bathroom to open up the window there. The sky is usually foggy and the air is thick with a dewy mist; the mountains are just barely visible in the background with an array of dark evergreens, and everything seems so peaceful. Memories like that is why I was so happy that the next stop on our trip was my aunt’s house to see her and my grandma!

After a few hours of catching up with them, my aunt suggested we go down to Kirkland for dinner on the water; she gave us the name of a restaurant my cousin works at. It’s called Anthony’s HomePort Kirkland, and it’s gorgeous! My cousin seated us right next to the window facing Lake Washington, and we were able to watch the boats as we ate.

After dinner, we drove around Kirkland admiring the million dollar homes as the sun set over the water.

DAY #3: Olympic National Park, WA

On the third day of the Pacific Northwest trip, we started our journey that morning before the sun was even up. Olympic National Park was next on our list, and it was the main reason for this trip!

We were staying in an Airbnb in Lynnwood and had to make a super early ferry ride to get to the Olympic Peninsula. It was the Edmonds-Kingston ferry line, and it was about a thirty minute ride. Once in Kingston, we debarked and made our way to Olympic National Park.

The first stop was the Olympic National Park Visitor Center – which is where we grabbed a bunch of trail maps. The first trail we hit was Hurricane Hill at Hurricane Ridge; it’s a 3.1 mile out and back trail with a 700 ft elevation change. I would say the skill level is moderate, and around the time we went there was still a ton of snow on the ground, so keep that in mind depending on the month you choose to go. But the views were breathtaking and so worth it!

The next hike was stunning, and it was none other than Sol Duc Falls, which is located in Sol Duc Valley. This valley is home to many different trails. Sol Duc Falls is 1.6 miles roundtrip with a 200 ft elevation gain. The falls are surrounded by a lush rainforest landscape with super old trees.

My favorite part of the trail besides the actual falls was the cute little wooden bridge that you get to cross at one point. It’s very picturesque, and you can watch the water cascade over moss-covered rocks. If you’re feeling adventurous (like my bf apparently was this day), you can make your way across huge boulders that lay at the top of the falls. Have someone stand on the opposite side of the falls for a great photo-op!

After Sol Duc Falls, we headed to the Hoh Rainforest. To get to the rainforest we had to pass through Forks, which is the town made famous by the Twilight series. Even though the movies weren’t filmed in Forks, many fans flock to the tiny quintessential town to see the locations described in the books, and there are multiple Twilight tours you can take.

The Hoh Rainforest sees about 140 inches of rain during the winter season, which results in lush, green canopy of coniferous and deciduous tree species. This enchanting rainforest is one of five in the United States. When we visited, we took two short nature trails that are just off of the visitor center; The Hall of Mosses Trail is .8 miles, and the Spruce Nature Trail is 1.2 miles. My personal favorite was the Hall of Mosses!

The last stop for our Olympic National Park trip was Rialto Beach – one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to. Rialto Beach is located off of La Push Road, and about 75 miles from Port Angeles.

About 1.5 miles north of the beach is the sea carved arch, Hole-in-the-Wall. We walked for what felt like forever and never ended up making it to this arch; it was getting super late and we had to make the last ferry!

Near Rialto Beach is First Beach, which is part of the Quileute Reservation – another location for Twilight fans to visit! If you visit the Reservation, you’ll see a bunch of Twilight references around the area. Please be respectful of this beautiful Reservation and its residents!

DAY #4: Seattle, Washington

Our last day in Washington was bittersweet because I knew I had to leave my family, but we were also heading into Seattle! My cousin joined us and we were tourists for the day.

The first stop in Seattle was Pike Place Market, famous for the community of farmers, artists, craftspeople, and small businesses located there. While there, we bought apple cider donuts, honey sticks, and gelato. The market is also known for their open-air fish market that participates in fish throwing whenever someone makes a fish purchase.

We visited one of Seattle’s most quirky attractions – The Market Theater Gum Wall. The Gum Wall is a tiny alley where people from all over come to place a piece of chewed gum on the wall; the tradition started in 1993. If you’re wondering, we did participate in this tradition!

After the wall, we headed to The Seattle Great Wheel, a 175 ft ferris wheel located right next to the water. It’s located at Pier 57. I’ve been on this ferris wheel a few times in my life and it never gets old. The view is always breathtaking! It’s currently $17 for an adult admission ticket.

Of course we visited the Space Needle, but we didn’t go to the viewing deck. Instead, we went to the Sky View Observatory at Columbia Center. Here, you’ll experience 360° views of Seattle at 902 ft high – the tallest public viewing area in the Pacific Northwest. You’ll be able to see views of the Cascade Mountains, Mt. Rainier, Elliot Bay, Mt. Baker, and the Olympic Mountains.

We were starving after our day in Seattle, so we headed to Emerald City Fish & Chips. They had some great fish and chips, as well as a really good chowder. I recommend this place if you’re in search of some delicious seafood!

Once done with our lunch, we decided it was time to call it a day and headed back to my family’s house for a nice bbq dinner and some catching up. Around 11pm that night, my boyfriend and I said our goodbyes, and started our two and a half hour drive to British Columbia, Canada – where our next Airbnb (and a much needed rest) awaited.

DAY #5: Vancouver, British Columbia

This day was our last of the Pacific Northwest trip! We kept it pretty simple, hitting up some tourist spots and picturesque cafes. Our first stop was Golden Ears Provincial Park!

The Spirea Nature Trail at Golden Ears is one of the easiest, most relaxing hikes in the park. It’s a short loop trail, with virtually no elevation gain. The trail starts just a few feet from the parking lot and you’re automatically transported to an enchanted forest. The moss that covers the entire area from ground to tree-top is a vibrant green, and it’s so quiet that you wouldn’t even know you’re mere steps from civilization.

I recommend stepping off the trail a bit to take pictures in between the towering trees – you’ll look and feel so small next to them!

After the nature trail, we went straight to Alouette Lake and walked down the shore for a bit. The view was beautiful with the crystal clear lake in front of us and the Golden Ears Mountain Ranges surrounding us. People there were meeting up with friends and family, enjoying lunch, and swimming in the lake. You could rent a kayak as well, which I wish we did!

Following our stop at the lake was a cute bistro in Pitt Meadows – a quaint little town about 40 minutes away. It’s called Stomping Grounds Cafe & Bistro; I remember getting an iced coffee and a very satisfying panini! It’s located on a street right next to the water, so the views are nice as well.

The last place we visited on our last day was Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. This park offers thrill-seeking visitors a walk between the Evergreens – at 110 feet above the forest floor!

The suspension bridge is the first part of the park, but the fun doesn’t stop there. You can continue your adventure through the treetops once you make it across the bridge! It took us about an hour to get through it all and I would definitely recommend it. I’m terrified of heights, and I won’t lie…at times my stomach was in knots! But without a doubt I would do it again! Tickets are currently $54.95 CAD for adults. If you’re a student than you’re in luck as they do offer student discounts.

Unfortunately, that was the end of our Pacific Northwest trip. We flew back home the next morning, and like the end of any trip I was upset that we had to go.

I recommend to anyone wanting to visit the Pacific Northwest to do so! It’s so beautiful and relaxing no matter what you choose to do. The Pacific Northwest is my favorite place in the continental U.S.

That’s it for this blog post! Let me know in the comments below if this guide to the Pacific Northwest was helpful or if you’ve been to any of these places. Also, let me know if I should write a blog post listing Airbnbs I recommend that updates constantly.

If the Pacific Northwest isn’t for you, then click here to read my guide to Nashville, Tennessee! Or click here for places to visit in Pennsylvania!

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With love,

Karina