Thankfulness is on our minds and in our hearts this month as November heralds the holiday season. We are grateful every day for the opportunity to share our Northwestern paradise with visitors. We invite you to come experience the Olympic Peninsula in its quieter season. This month is filled with many exciting events and activities. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and before you know it, holiday lights will be sparkling and twinkling to keep shorter days merry and bright.
Come enjoy the Olympic Peninsula’s late autumn beauty, fresh clean air, and our joyful holiday happenings. From all of us here on the Olympic Peninsula, we wish you and yours, peace, love and new discoveries in the months ahead.
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Photo submitted by Corinne Bennett, The Most Northwest Sweepstakes 2020 |
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- Cozy Lodges and Restful Resorts
- The Most Northwest Sweepstakes
- Celebrating Light on the Peninsula
- Upcoming Events
- Olympic National Park
- Olympic National Forest
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COZY LODGES AND RESTFUL RESORTS |
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Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest have several historic, majestic lodges with great rooms boasting warm, welcoming fireplaces and in-house dining rooms to celebrate the season. Lake Quinault Lodge is open year-round and seems to stand suspended in time. It’s a grand, rustic lodge built in 1926 along the shores of Lake Quinault offering access to an array of National Forest Service trails. Or experience the charm of turn-of-the-century Lake Crescent Lodge with its spectacular views of the lake (note that it closes for the season January 1, 2023, reopening in late April 2023). Kalaloch Lodge is open throughout the year and rests on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean surrounded by evergreen forests with individual cabins or lodge rooms. It’s the perfect place for walks on uncrowded beaches.
Enjoy some regenerative time away at one of our resorts. Discover the beauty and wonder of Quileute Oceanside Resort offering cozy cabins that stretch along the resort’s private beaches. Further south along the coastline, indulge in ocean views and warm hospitality at Ocean Crest Resort, complete with a renowned restaurant and indoor heated pool. Two hours southeast on scenic Hood Canal, experience the luxury of Alderbrook Resort and Spa with its waterfront dining room, heated saltwater pool and signature spa. An hour or so north, delight in the cozy boutique hotel at the Resort at Port Ludlow with its award-winning farm-to-table Fireside Restaurant, golf, kayaking and 30+ miles of trails for hiking and biking.
Whatever lodge, resort or holiday accommodations you’re looking for, we can help. Check out the “Book Your Stay” feature on our website to search for availability and rates then connect directly to the accommodation of your choice. We think you’ll find this to be a useful time-saver this season and beyond.
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THE MOST NORTHWEST SWEEPSTAKES |
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Fun fact: the most northwestern point of the contiguous United States is located at Cape Flattery on the Olympic Peninsula.
The Northwest is not just a place – it’s a way of life, and you can’t get any more Northwest than Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. When you’re ready to experience wild open spaces and tranquil places, we’re here to welcome you!
And from now until November 7, 2022, you can enter to win one of four trips to the Olympic Peninsula, including the Grand Prize of a four-night stay. For a chance to win, submit your favorite memory from past travels on the peninsula or if you’ve never been to the region, post your ultimate Olympic Peninsula dream trip! Winners are being selected weekly, with the Grand Prize selected on November 15, so don’t delay! READ MORE
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CELEBRATING LIGHT ON THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA
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Experience the Spectacular Light Display
Blyn
November – January
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Photo Courtesy Dominic Crowley |
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Every November, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe and 7 Cedars illuminate the area with the addition of over three million LED lights. You can view the breathtaking holiday lights throughout the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Properties, the 7 Cedars Hotel, Longhouse Market, and the Cedars at Dungeness Golf Course, They are all part of the perfect backdrop for your festive celebrations. 7 Cedars is very proud to contribute to the holiday spirit found around the Olympic Peninsula, it’s a nice way to say thank you, and Happy Holidays to all! LEARN MORE
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Tour the Winter Lights
Port Townsend
Mid-November – February
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Port Townsend is lighting up throughout downtown and uptown with sparkling white lights decorating the trees in the downtown historic district. Look for illuminated snowflakes in historic Uptown. LEARN MORE
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Wintertide Festival
Light Art Experience
Port Angeles
November 25 – December 28
Installations will be lit nightly, 4-8 pm
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Wintertide 2022 will bring in the next series of biannual outdoor exhibitions. The new installations will light the paths in Webster’s Woods for a month leading up to the holiday season. LEARN MORE
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Winter Ice Village and Ice-Skating
Port Angeles
November 18 – January 2
Glide through a Winter Ice Village at the outdoor ice-skating rink this holiday season. Strap on a pair of ice skates and pirouette your way across the Olympic Peninsula’s only outdoor covered ice-skating rink.
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Winter Glass Float Find
Seabrook
November 24 – January 1
Floats will be strategically hidden around Seabrook daily with clues to their location. If you find one of the beautifully crafted and colorful floats, it’s yours to keep! Daily clues will be available at Guest Services Check-in Office on Market Street, as well as on Facebook and Instagram. LEARN MORE
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Celebrate Hometown Holidays
Sequim
November 26
Everyone celebrates the holidays with a tractor parade, right? Join us as we kick off Hometown Holidays in Sequim with the arrival of Santa at 2 pm, tree lighting at 4:45 pm, followed by the Lighted Tractor Procession. Dedicated volunteers and downtown merchants work for weeks to light up downtown bringing cheer to all who visit. Live music, contests, and the start of Elk on the Shelf help us celebrate Small Business Saturday. Be sure to visit our unique shops and boutiques to find just the right holiday gift for someone special as you celebrate the season in Sequim, 1 – 5 pm. LEARN MORE
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21st Annual Twinkle Light Holiday Parade
Forks
December 3
Neither rain nor snow nor sleet will cancel this parade. Well, maybe an earthquake would cancel it, but just maybe... Come to downtown Forks at 6:30 pm to see the twinkle lights, and perhaps you might even catch a glimpse of Santa! LEARN MORE
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Christmastown
Shelton
All month in December
In December Christmastown (AKA Shelton, WA) comes alive with holiday spirit. Explore the 4th annual Guinness Tribute Illuminated Christmas Tree Maze (all December for free), ride the Cocoa Wagon (Dec. 4-11), enter the gingerbread contest (Dec. 1-16), shop, craft, visit with Santa and enjoy live music at the Market (Dec. 2-11), bring the family, check out the tree lighting and parade (Dec. 2-3) or just soak in the Christmas spirit at the 32’ Santa Claus in Outlook Park (up November through January 15). LEARN MORE
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Veterans Day, November 11, is a Fee Free Day for both Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park
The Quinault Office is closed for the winter season.
Why not deck your halls with a fresh Christmas tree from the Olympic Peninsula? The Olympic National Forest is excited to offer online Christmas Tree Permits this year. Permits are required in advance, and may be purchased at a U.S. Forest Service office, or online at www.Recreation.gov. Permits are $5 per tree and there is a 5-tree limit per household. Harvesting a tree from the forest can be a joyous tradition during the holiday season. It is important to review guidelines and maps before venturing into the forest. Information is available both online or at one of our offices.
Fall and winter weather conditions impact road and trail conditions quickly. Make sure you’re prepared before you head outdoors, pack layers, and always be aware of your surroundings. It’s ok to turn around if conditions are unsafe! LEARN MORE
Photo by Jana Miyazaki
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This month, Olympic National Park will partner with the North Olympic Library System to present the Perspectives Speaker Series. This speaker series features a variety of interesting topics from the national park and around the Olympic Peninsula. Presentations are virtual, open to the public, and free of charge. The first presentation will take place on Tuesday, November 8, at 7 pm. Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe wildlife biologist Kim Sager-Fradkin will discuss the Olympic Cougar Project, a collaboration of six Olympic Peninsula tribes and Panthera with the goal of understanding dispersal patterns of young cougars, cougar diets, cougar genetics, and habitat connectivity for all wildlife species on the Olympic Peninsula. LEARN MORE
Olympic National Park is looking forward to a fun and safe winter season at Hurricane Ridge and beyond! Hurricane Ridge offers a great place for visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy a day in the snow. Beginning in mid-November, the national park will share more information on winter recreation at www.NPS.gov/olym. As winter weather arrives, stay tuned to the national park’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts for up-to-date information on conditions at the park.
Photo by Sebastian Kennerknecht
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Plan your next trip to the Olympic Peninsula
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As we head into the holidays, we welcome you to come and explore everything the peninsula offers. Go for a late fall/early winter hike, bundle up and stroll along our spectacular beaches, check out the amazing holiday lights, and discover sensational Olympic National Park. While you’re here, be sure to #RecreateResponsibly.
If we can assist you with your travel planning, please contact us directly. We look forward to seeing you on the Olympic Peninsula soon!
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