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Activities & Itineraries
The spectacular scenery of the Olympic Peninsula and the Olympic National Park offers something for everyone. The Olympic National Park is actually three parks in one: Mountain, Rain Forest and Coastal. Park attractions include the Hoh Rain Forest, Rialto Beach, Mount Olympus, Hurricane Ridge, and Lake Crescent. In fact, there are so many activities that you could easily stay for 5-nights and still wish you had stayed longer. Best of all, we are just 1.5 hours from Seattle and 2 hours from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Sequim (pronounced “skwim”) has less rainfall annually than Santa Barbara, California one reason it has become the Lavender Capital of America. More than 50 farms now grow the ancient herb and visitors can tour the fields, weave a lavender wand, or sip a glass of lavender ice tea. Dedicated to preserving the lovely wide-open spaces and the agricultural heritage of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley, organizations like Friends of the Fields and the Sequim-Dungeness Lavender Growers Association have been working to preserve farmlands, offer hands-on educational experiences, and create a vibrant, diverse economy.
Young chefs in Sequim have received national acclaim for their inventive and sustainable farm-to-table Olympic Coast Cuisine at charming restaurants that are 10 to 15-minutes by car from the Lodge. Don’t worry -- we’ll help you find these places and avoid the tourist traps. You’ll also discover wonderful Artisanal bakeries, organic creameries producing the most incredible cheese, and dozens of organic farms and U-Pick berry patches. When you add line-caught halibut, wild King salmon, Quilcene oysters, Penn Cove mussels and Dungeness crab to this cornucopia of riches, you have a food-lover’s paradise.
Once you have made your reservation, we can send recommendations and details on any of the following Sample Itineraries. Or use the helpful Links below to research and create your own trip.
Travel Itineraries
Victoria & San Juan Islands Loop
Our secret is taking this trip counterclockwise. Because of ferry schedules and wait times, we really recommend a minimum of 5-nights, preferably 7-days. Start at Seattle-Tacoma International and come straight to Lost Mountain Lodge for 2 or 3 nights exploring the Olympic National Park. Then take the MV Coho to Victoria (you can make a reservation on this ferry) and spend 1 or 2-nights in Victoria. Stop by the Butchart Gardens on your way to the Sidney BC to Anacortes ferry the only Washington State ferry to the San Juan Islands that takes reservations. You can spend 1-night on Orcas or San Juan Island we have great lodging and dining recommendations for either option. Finally, take the morning boat to Anacortes and back to Seattle for 2 nights (since we lived there for several decades, we can make lots of great suggestions on where to stay and what not to miss in the city).
Olympic Peninsula & Whidbey Island Loop
For those who enjoy a more leisurely pace and prefer small towns to big cities, we recommend this trip which again travels counterclockwise to avoid traffic and long ferry lines. Start at Seattle-Tacoma International and come straight to Lost Mountain Lodge for 2 or 3-nights exploring the Olympic National Park. Enjoy breakfast before checking out, drive 45-minutes to Port Townsend and spend the morning exploring this Victorian seaport, a National Historical District that was once larger than Seattle. Make a reservation in advance for an afternoon sailing of the Port Townsend to Keystone ferry (best kept secret this is the only other Washington State Ferry that accepts reservations). Spend 1-night on Whidbey Island in the charming village of Langley (we have several favorites here). The next morning, drive north across the breathtaking Deception Pass Bridge and meander through the tulip fields to La Conner, a Norwegian fishing village now full of art galleries, antique shops and great restaurants. Spend the night in LaConner at one of our favorite places where you can sip a glass of wine on your balcony while watching sailboats and yachts on their way to the San Juan Islands.
Mt. Rainier to Mt. St. Helens to Mt. Olympus A Loop to 3 National Parks!
This trip starts in Seattle. Take scenic Route 7 to Hwy 706 to Longmire and Paradise. It’s definitely worth staying on the mountain at the Paradise Inn, a majestic lodge built by the WPR in the 1930s and recently restored. We recommend exiting the Park via Packwood and picking up Hwy 12 which takes you back to Interstate 5. Head south a short distance to Hwy 504, the Mt. St. Helens scenic highway. There are several visitor centers along this route starting with one just off I-5 at Silver Lake to the inspiring Johnston Ridge Volcanic Observatory where you are only a few miles from the crater. At this point, we recommend shooting back up I-5 and spending the night in Tacoma. The next morning, you can visit The International Glass Museum which features the Bridge of Glass by world-famous artist Dale Chihully and its fascinating Hot Shop where artists blow amazing glass sculptures while you watch. Then you’ll take I-5 to Hwy 16 across the jaw-dropping Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Hwy 16 merges with Hwy 3 which takes you across the Hood Canal Bridge the longest floating bridge across tidal saltwater in the world. Once you cross the Hood Canal, you are just 35-minutes to the Lost Mountain Lodge. While both Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens are active volcanoes, the Olympic Mountains are not volcanic. They are the youngest and most rugged mountain range in the continental United States formed by constant friction between the Pacific and San Juan tectonic plates.
Leavenworth to Lost Mountain Scenic Route
You could also call this the Ponderosa Pine to Rain Forest loop and it’s especially scenic in the Fall. This one starts in Seattle and travels East on Interstate 90. Be sure to stop at Snoqualmie Falls twice as high as Niagara Falls. If you’re looking for a place to spend the night after a long flight, we have several options for you one on the “wet” side of Snoqualmie Pass and one on the “dry” side. Just past Cle Elum, you are going to take Hwy 97 North something you definitely want to drive in daylight hours. This is one of the most beautiful mountain pass roads 4102 feet at the summit but it’s often closed in winter. Then head West on Hwy 2 one of the most scenic drives in the state that skirts along the Icicle River and Tumwater Canyon. We recommend staying 1 or 2-nights in the Bavarian village of Leavenworth. When you’ve had your fill of bratwurst, continue West on Hwy 2 across Stevens Pass. If you love antiques, then you’ll love the town of Snohomish. Just past Snohomish, Hwy 2 connects with Interstate 5 you’ll head south to Hwy 104 to the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry. Lost Mountain Lodge is just 1-hour from the Kingston ferry dock.
Please click on the links below for more information.
Local Attractions
Activities within 10-15 minutes
Activities within 20-25 minutes
Activities within 30-35 minutes
Activities within 40-45 minutes
Activities within one-hour
- Olympic Music Festival
- Forks, Home of the Twilight Books & Movies
- Quilcene Oyster Company
- Port Ludlow Resort & Golf Course
- The Heron Beach Inn & Restaurant
- Port Hadlock
- The Port Hadlock Bakery
- Historic Port Gamble
- Port Gamble Museum & General Store
- Historic Poulsbo
- Liberty Bay
- Washington State Ferry to Seattle (Kingston-Edmonds route)
Activities within 1-2 hours
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