Michigan Family Travel

Teen Traveller

Starting summer somewhere like no other.

By Ella Hanner

The breeze sifted through the grass. The sun glistened on the mountains all around me. It was truly something out of a book. The Hurricane Ridge trail was more scenic than strenuous, allowing hikers like my family and me to enjoy the view from the bottom all the way to the top.

For two weeks, my family and I adventured through Washington and Oregon together, escaping the Michigan heat in exchange for rainforests, rocky beaches and unimaginable viewpoints. Our journey started in Seattle before we made our way through many parts of Olympic National Park. We continued down along the Oregon Coast before eventually ending back in Seattle.

I quickly learned that this trip meant spending a lot of time in the car together, planning the entire day the night before, and some early-morning wake-ups, but every alarm was worth it!

HEADING OUT

Detroit (DTW) → Seattle (SEA)

We flew out of Detroit Metro Airport and landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on a nonstop flight. It was a smooth takeoff and landing, with only nearly five hours in the air despite some delays.

As we flew nearly 2,000 miles away from our home state, the view outside the plane started to look different. As we inched closer to Washington, I could see mountains topped with bright white snow through the window as we glided above them.

WASHINGTON

On day one, my family and I flew out to Seattle to explore some unknown territory. As someone who’s seen some of the most talked-about cities, I figured this one would be a similar experience, but I was pleasantly surprised. On arrival, we were greeted by Pike Place Market, which has a variety of food options and vendors, so there’s a lot to choose from.

The arts and cultural scene was just as interesting, with Seattle offering places like an aquarium right on the waterfront and the Museum of Pop Culture next to the Space Needle.

You can never truly get bored in a place like Seattle. And to top all of that off, as long as you aren’t afraid of heights, the Space Needle is a must-do!

PORT ANGELES

The drive up to Port Angeles took about three hours but was surprisingly easy. We went over the Ship Canal Bridge, which gave us a good look at the University of Washington and its athletic district, along with a pretty view of the water.

For the most part, the views consisted of endless highways, but as we got closer to Port Angeles, the changing terrain ahead got me excited for what was to come over the next two weeks.

PRESENTED BY Showers Pass

For Advertising INquiries: writer@steffymccourt.com

HURRICANE RIDGE

For day one in Olympic National Park, we set out to hike Hurricane Ridge. It is a relatively short paved path, about 3.4 miles round trip.

Along the pathway, there were wildflowers leading us toward the top as well as deer nearby. As we started to reach the top, I had great views of the mountaintops and roadways below.

We even saw black bears in the distance traveling through the trees with their mom.

OBSTRUCTION ROAD

From Hurricane Ridge, we continued onto Obstruction Road. Many tourists like to label it the “scariest road in Washington.”

The narrow gravel road is nearly eight miles long, with no guardrails, and has you climbing about 1,000 feet along the way.

If you are afraid of heights, I would not recommend this. But if you can handle the drive and views, the adventure is incredible.

When we finished the curvy and treacherous trip to the top, I had an even better view of Mount Olympus.

At 6,135 feet elevation, we were upon the snowy tops of the mountains and had some of the best views of the park.

LAKE CRESCENT

Lake Crescent had glistening blue water that reflected the sun. While we traveled throughout the park, many of the locations we visited required us to drive around Lake Crescent, which meant a constant view of the water that I never got tired of.

We also hiked some trails around the lake instead of just enjoying the views through a car window.

One of the most popular places to stay is Lake Crescent Lodge, which comes highly recommended because of its incredible waterfront view. We didn’t get the chance to stay there on our trip, but if we had, I know I would have enjoyed it!

SOL DUC FALLS

My family and I hiked a little under two miles to reach Sol Duc Falls. We were met with a rocky and bubbly waterfall that crashed down below a wooden bridge we walked over. The sound of the water mixed with the birds singing created a peaceful environment that let me appreciate how calm nature was around me.

MARYMERE FALLS

Once we finished at Sol Duc Falls, we traveled to Marymere Falls.

To get to the next waterfall, we hiked 1.8 miles round trip through a wet and ferny forest, taking many pictures along the way. The hike ended when we reached the 90-foot waterfall crashing against the mossy mountain.

Compared to Sol Duc Falls, Marymere is hidden away and doesn’t have much light peeking through the trees above, so it feels like a hidden sanctuary.

While I hiked up the side of the falls, I got to take in the crisp air and feel the cold water bouncing off the side of the mountain and onto my shoulders. It was truly remarkable.

CAPE FLATTERY

We woke up on the third day of our trip to take a 2½-hour drive consisting of sharp curves along State Route 112.

With a name like Cape Flattery and its distinction as the northwesternmost point of the contiguous United States, I expected something stunning, and it didn’t disappoint.

We took a hike out to a viewpoint of the water, and across the way sat a rusty-looking lighthouse on Tatoosh Island. The water surrounding it is the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On my left and right were cave-like rock formations and even some boats shooting across the rough water. When we went to see Cape Flattery, it was a little gloomy because it had sprinkled earlier, but the fog made the scenery feel even more dramatic.

MAKAH TRIBAL LAND

To access the area, we needed a special recreation pass for Makah Tribal lands.

My family and I didn’t get the chance to visit it, but tourists heading back into Neah Bay can visit the Makah Cultural & Research Center. It has exhibits explaining the history of the Tribe as well as artifacts on display to help visitors better understand its culture.

SHI SHI BEACH

In addition to visiting Cape Flattery we aimed to go visit Shi Shi Beach. The trail to the beach was four miles round trip so we decided against it and drove about two miles back from the trailhead.

Instead, we found an opening about two miles back from the trailhead that let us down to another beach that had a pretty view of the Pacific Ocean and walked to the water.

I found some shells along the coast and enjoyed the cool breeze from the ocean behind me while I took pictures with my brother. Although we didn’t do the original hike that we had planned, I’m still glad I got to walk in the nippy, rough Pacific Ocean water and enjoy the view of the sea stacks.

NEAH BAY

On the way out, we stopped back in Neah Bay to have lunch. For much of the trip so far, we had been eating bagel sandwiches in the car while adventuring to our next destination, so this time was no different.

While I was building my lunch, I got to enjoy the crisp, cold air while watching the boats at the docks along the water. It was one of the most peaceful and simple parts of the trip and helped me slow down and appreciate everything we had seen over the last few days.

HOH RAIN FOREST

The next morning, we woke up and saw lots of rain in the forecast, so we were a bit worried about how our day would go. Instead, the rain ended up making the day even more special.

First, we did the 0.8-mile loop to see towering moss-covered trees and lush green ferns outlining the hiking trail. While in the forest, the trees blocked most of the rain, but some seeped through, which helped meet the stereotypical rainforest expectation.

I had no complaints. The hike was short and sweet to start our morning, but it was definitely a sight to see and a must-do.

The second hike was the Spruce Nature Trail, which was 1.2 miles round trip. I continued strolling through the forest as the trail took me around heavily draped moss on gorgeous Sitka spruce trees.

The trail also runs alongside the Hoh River. We chose to veer off with other hikers to touch the pale blue water and play in the rain a bit. We saw slugs inching around on the mossy path, and we could hear birds singing to each other. The entire setting felt ethereal and almost unreal.

SECOND BEACH

After hiking around the rainforest we settled on going to Second Beach. We wanted to do some tide pooling while the water was still low enough to see little creatures.

The hike was relatively short being 1.four miles round trip which was nice after traveling around the opposite ecological setting that we adventured in earlier. It may not have been perfect timing but we still got to see some starfish cozied up next to each other along sea stacks and rocks.

RIALTO BEACH

Before calling it a day, we headed to Rialto Beach. Unfortunately, the tide was too high and the hike too long to make it out to Hole-in-the-Wall, a popular rock formation you can walk under during low tide. We still wanted to visit the beach, though, so that’s exactly what we did.

We enjoyed a few minutes by the water and got some fresh air as the waves rushed higher and higher up the beach. It was a calming and grounding way to end the day, which was nice since we had been in the car and visited so many destinations earlier.

THREE RIVERS RESORT

After finishing up among the ferny forest, crawling critters and sandy shores, we all needed something to eat besides our same old sandwiches.

As my family drove away from the beach, we stumbled upon a small place tucked away in the lush forest of Sitka spruce trees. The sign on the wooden lodge said Three Rivers Resort, and that was enough to convince us to pull in and park. We quickly learned that it was a Twilight-themed resort and small restaurant with loads of different burger and milkshake options.

It was compact but homey, and the workers were super friendly. I got chicken fingers and fries, which were crispy and crunchy. It was just what I needed to top off my day after all our adventures. My parents and brother all chose different burger variations from the unique menu and were just as happy with their choices.

After visiting the restaurant, I decided to look a little more into its Twilight theme. Even though Forks and La Push weren’t the primary filming locations for the movies, the towns still embrace the Twilight theme because that’s where the story is set.

In reality, many of the filming locations were elsewhere, including some in Oregon. Even though it was only a quick stop, it added another special memory to the trip, and I’m glad we took the time to check it out.

QUINAULT RAINFOREST

First we did the Quinault Rainforest Nature Loop which is around the lake. The difference between this rainforest and the Hoh rainforest was that this one was a bit more open and was busier with more tourists.

We didn’t spot much of the wildlife that normally lives in the area where we were hiking but there were still birds all around us and the waterfalls and streams made up for it.

VALLEY OF THE GIANTS

Before leaving the rainforest, we went to see the Valley of the Giants. It holds many records including the world’s tallest Sitka spruce tree. It stands at 191 feet tall and is over 1,000 years old. The hike to the massive tree was simple and short but totally worth it. I was starstruck when I first laid my eyes on the massive tree. It definitely lived up to the label.

KALALOCH BEACH

After traveling around the rainforest, we went to the Tree of Life on Kalaloch Beach. It’s a Sitka spruce tree whose roots are suspended in the air. Visitors can even go under the tree and write on rocks and set them inside.

My family and I signed our own rock and left it with the hundreds of others. The tree is at least 100 years old and has withheld erosion and rough high tides that are harming it daily. It is a must-see on my list and I’m glad I got to experience it for myself.

RUBY BEACH

After finishing up at Kalaloch Beach, we went to Ruby Beach. After a very short walk, my eyes landed on huge sea stacks unlike any I had seen at the other beaches we visited. The air was refreshing as the wind gusted against my face.

We went when the tide was pretty low, so some of the sea stacks were exposed enough that my brother and I could climb around the rocks and get an even better view of the beach. We walked the entire beach, and I enjoyed listening to the water rushing in and out as my feet froze in the water. It was gloomy because it had sprinkled earlier, but the fog over the water created an even more dreamlike atmosphere.

BEACH 4

To end our day, we went to Beach 4. It’s popular because of the sea life visitors can find when the tide is low. Our timing couldn’t have been better because starfish were appearing everywhere. In every nook and cranny, starfish of all colors were hiding.

Nearby, we could see sea anemones and sea urchins, while rocks were covered with barnacles and mussels. We had water shoes on, so climbing on the rocks wasn’t painful, which also meant we got to explore more of the area.

We even got lucky enough to see a sea otter swimming through and jumping out of the water. The water may have been cold and my clothes may have gotten splashed when the waves broke against the rocks, but the experience was a thousand percent worth it!

THE OREGON COAST

After a long but enjoyable five days in Washington we made our way to Seaside, Oregon. We stayed the night and woke up to the ocean breeze from our balcony. Our first stop on the agenda that day was Cannon Beach so we headed there pretty early.

CANNON BEACH AND HAYSTACK ROCK

We all woke up ready to head out to our next beach. Since we were right off the water it was extremely windy and foggy due to the sprinkling throughout the night.

There were storm clouds circling above but we were all in water-repellent gear just in case. As we strolled down the shore I could see how high the tide was only a few hours ago compared to where it was now.

Again since it was low tide starfish were tucked up in crevices on almost all the rocks that I was walking by. The hope was to see puffins sitting on the large sea stacks, but we weren’t lucky enough to spot any.

We did see some species of birds I had never heard of before like Pigeon Guillemots and Black Oystercatchers. A few people were claiming to see puffins flying above with the swarm of diverse birds but I didn’t see any with my binoculars.

On another note, the water was pretty calm compared to the other beaches we traveled to before that. It wasn’t super windy either which was nice unlike Ruby Beach or Shi Shi back in Washington. With the time spent there I was able to take some pictures of the sea life because they were so close and the tide was so far back.

As we finished up and were making our way back up on the wooden staircase we walked down originally, I reached the road and turned to see three ginormous elk. They were just walking in someone’s backyard, and I couldn’t help but stare.

My family and I stayed our distance but were stunned at how large they were in person. As the elk slowly started to make their way towards us, we quietly rushed back to the rental car, trying not to disturb them, which ultimately led us to call it a day.

After several early mornings, we were exhausted and decided to skip a few of our planned activities. Seaside was the first actual town we had been in for almost a week, so we jumped at the opportunity to explore it. We went back to our hotel, cleaned up and took a nap before heading out for lunch.

My family put me on food duty, and I came across Fultano’s Pizza Seaside. My family has some severe allergies, and this place pleasantly surprised us with how kind and understanding they were. The staff really went above and beyond to make sure everything was safe, and for that we were so grateful.

Our pizzas came out soon after we ordered, which was a good thing because we were famished. I took a bite, and it was probably the best pizza I have ever had. We all finished so fast but tried to enjoy our time together because most of this trip entailed eating sandwiches on long car rides, so sitting down for a real lunch was nice for a change.

We then drove around town, trying to enjoy the last few days of the trip before it was back to reality in Michigan. I had my window down and enjoyed the cool breeze.

We came across a woman creating huge bubbles while little kids ran through them. The whole scene felt magical, and right behind her were the sandy beach and water. We parked and watched for a little while, trying to take everything in.

After a full day of exploring, we needed some dinner, so I chose Twisted Fish Steakhouse and Sports Lounge. The menu had a good variety of options, including several types of fish and steaks. I ordered the ribeye with mashed potatoes and asparagus, and it was fabulous. I ate every bit of food on my plate, and so did the rest of my family.

Before calling it a night, my mom and I stopped at Zinger’s Homemade Ice Cream for a waffle cone and a few scoops of ice cream. It was delicious, super rich, and the perfect way to finish the night.

MULTNOMAH FALLS

Our last day in Oregon was dedicated to going to Multnomah Falls. We drove from Seaside to the Portland area, and after about two hours, we made it. Right as we arrived and started to walk up to the underground walkway, a man made sure we had booked a time to explore the falls. Thankfully, my mom had done so before our arrival.

We walked up to the trailhead and noticed there were lots of options. We first started with the easy 0.2-mile hike to Benson Bridge, took some family photos and then started our trek to the very top of the falls.

The hike is about 2.4 miles round trip and a bit steep at some points, but the views on the way up were incredible. After some elevation gain and water breaks, we made it to the top and got to take in the scenery.

The water started by trickling through rocks and then crashing down the tallest waterfall in Oregon, standing at 620 feet. At the viewpoint, tourists like my family and me got the chance to look straight down and see how high the drop was.

It was nice taking a few minutes to look out and admire the mountains, listen to the water splash around and let the breeze cool me off after the sweaty hike. It was definitely one of my favorite activities we did the entire vacation.

EDMONDS

A little later, we decided to make our way to Edmonds. It was a little over three hours of riding the same highway surrounded by greenery, but no one minded because, by that point in the trip, it was what we were used to.

As the time passed, I got more and more excited to see what Edmonds was like.

When we finally arrived, I immediately loved how close everything was to the water, with shops and restaurants everywhere we drove.

After being in the car for so long, we wanted food as soon as possible, so I searched online for something simple and quick. Rory’s of Edmonds seemed like the perfect place.

Right after swallowing my first bite, I knew I made a good decision. While we were eating, the FIFA World Cup was playing, and it seemed like the entire restaurant was invested in the game.

I felt like I was right where I was meant to be. I loved the sense of community and how friendly everyone seemed, from the other customers to the locals we met.

Edmonds completely caught me by surprise and I’m grateful I got to experience a small bit of it on my vacation. Once everyone finished their meals, we headed to our nearby hotel and called it a night.

WHALE WATCHING

For the last day of our trip, we started off bright and early with whale watching. The hotel was five minutes away from Puget Sound Express’s docking station. We got there 30 minutes before our departure and just enjoyed the cool breeze and swishing water in front of us.

Once it was time to board, the staff was extremely welcoming and made the experience enjoyable from the start. Our four-hour tour took us out onto the Salish Sea, where the calm water made for a relaxing ride.

I had been whale watching before in Maine, where I remember feeling frozen from the heavy gusts of wind, so I came prepared for similar conditions.

To my surprise, it wasn’t nearly as cold or windy as I expected. The boat also wasn’t at full capacity, which gave me and the rest of the passengers opportunities to find good spots to take in the scenery.

But to no one’s surprise, the best part was the wildlife. Throughout the tour, we spotted several whales, including humpbacks, along with plenty of sea lions.

At one point, we passed a buoy covered in sea lions cuddled up next to each other. Even when we weren’t watching wildlife, there was always something to look at. Between boats cruising by, the surrounding islands, and sparkling water, the entire ride was incredibly scenic.

BACK TO SEATTLE

After getting off the boat, we hopped in the rental car and drove to Seattle, where our hotel was waiting for us. We arrived and checked in right away. My family and I quickly cleaned up and were back on the move. The next stop for the night was the Mariners game in T-Mobile Park.

A MARINERS GAME

Instead of worrying about traffic and parking, we walked from our hotel to the nearest Link light rail station. The ride took around 30 minutes, giving us an easy and simple way to get to the stadium.

Once we arrived at T-Mobile Park, I was immediately impressed. One of the coolest features of the stadium is its massive retractable roof. Instead of having a permanently closed top, this ballpark features three large panels that can cover the stadium from unpredictable weather.

After walking around for a while, we found our seats. They were pretty high up along the first baseline, giving us an insane view of the field. T-Mobile Park was easily one of the prettiest baseball stadiums I had ever been to. The grass was unbelievably green, the field looked perfectly maintained and the energy from Mariners fans made the atmosphere even better.

There was also so much to explore throughout the stadium. Each level had tons of food options, ranging from classic ballpark food to pizza, burgers and plenty of other choices. There were also merchandise stands filled with jerseys, hats and other trinkets. Everywhere I turned there was something new to look at.

To top the night off, the Mariners ended up dominating the Angels 8-3. After the game, we hopped back on the Link light rail for a ride back to our hotel. It was the perfect way to spend our last night in Seattle.

Unfortunately, after getting back so late, there wasn’t much time to sleep. Just a few hours later, our alarms went off around 3 a.m. so we could catch our flight back home. After beaches, rainforests, wildlife, long car rides and countless new experiences, our Pacific Northwest adventure had officially come to an end.

Meet the Young Voice Behind the Adventure

Ella Hanner is a high school student and aspiring journalist who lives just outside Ann Arbor with her parents, brother and pet rabbit, Shadow. Family vacations are especially important to Ella, and she loves discovering new places and sharing those experiences through writing. She hopes her stories inspire other families to explore the Pacific Northwest and adventures closer to home.