Parking
Parking lot at the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center
Admission
$30 per car for up to 15 people for 7 days. If you purchase the interagency annual pass for $80, you can get unlimited access to all National Parks and Federal Recreational sites within the US. https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/fees.htm
When to Go
May to Oct (the park is partially open in winter also, but may be a difficult trip with young kids)
Things to Do
Ferry ride, trails, playing in the snow (snowball fight, making a snowman, etc.), watching deer and other wildlife
Tips
1) The ferry departs every hour but weekends can get crowded and you may have to wait more than an hour so it is best to go early.
2) If the kiddos need a short break, stop at Port Gamble (which is a good place to take a break slightly past Kingston) and visit the General Store & Cafe and stroll through the little town.
3) If your family is not used to spending long hours in the car, spending a night in Port Angeles is a good option.
4) The Pacific Coast and Rain Forestsis a bit too far away for a day trip so plan on several days if you want to explore the whole park.
5) Kids preschool age and up may enjoy participating in the Junior Ranger program to earn a Junior Ranger badge. Ask for a junior ranger activity book at the visitor center.
6) At the Olympic National Park Visitor Center (located in Port Angeles a couple miles before the entrance booth of the park) the kids will enjoy seeing exhibits and learning about the natural history of the area. You can also watch a short film about the park. On weekends or crowded days, it may be better to head up to Hurricane Ridge first and visit the Olympic National Park Visitor Center on the way out in order to avoid the crowd up on the mountain.
