Olympic Park Day Trip: Ferry, Hurricane Ridge & Lake Crescent

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/15

Duration11h

GroupUp to 13

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Seattle to Olympic Park by ferry with wild ridge views and lakes

You’ll cross Puget Sound by ferry before exploring Olympic’s forests and mountains with a local guide—expect snow-dusted ridges, glassy lakes, simple lunch breaks, and plenty of fresh air. It’s a day full of big landscapes but also those tiny moments—like cold toes in lake water or laughing at your own bad Mandarin—that stick with you long after.

11h

Step-by-step itinerary

Olympic National Park full-day tour

Depart Seattle for Puget Sound
Ferry ride across Puget Sound
Cross Hood Canal Floating Bridge
Enter Olympic National Park
Visit Hurricane Ridge viewpoint
Relax at Lake Crescent shore
Return to Bainbridge Island
Ferry ride back to Seattle

The Experience

We left Seattle early, still half-asleep, and suddenly we were gliding across Puget Sound on the ferry. The skyline faded behind us and I caught this salty breeze that kind of woke me up better than coffee. Our guide, Mark, handed out snacks and pointed out the snowy peaks in the distance—he called them “the real locals.” I tried to take a photo but mostly just ended up watching the water for a while. The Olympic National Park day trip from Seattle really starts before you even get there.

After crossing that floating bridge (which honestly looks like it shouldn’t work but somehow does), we drove into thick forests where everything smelled damp and green. Mark told us about how the park is basically three ecosystems smashed together—mountains, rainforest, coast. At Hurricane Ridge, we stepped out into this wild wind and I swear my ears popped from the change in altitude. There was still snow on the ground in June. I tried to skip a rock at Lake Crescent later but it just plopped—Li laughed and said I had “city hands.” That lake is so clear you can see all the way down to these weirdly pale stones.

Lunch was simple—a sandwich and granola bar—but after hiking around it tasted great. We sat on some driftwood by the shore, shoes off, toes numb from cold water. If Hurricane Ridge is closed (which apparently happens more than you’d think), they take you out to Ediz Hook instead—Mark said sometimes you see seals there, though we didn’t get lucky this time. Still, that stretch of land into the Strait feels like standing at the edge of something big.

The drive back felt quieter. Everyone sort of dozed or stared out at trees blurring by. On the last ferry home to Seattle, I stood outside again just to feel that wind one more time—I still think about that view sometimes when I’m stuck in traffic now.

What’s included

Your day includes roundtrip transportation from Seattle via scenic Washington State ferry crossings (or by road if ferries are closed), all Olympic Park entry fees covered, a simple sandwich lunch with snacks and bottled water provided along the way. A professional driver-guide leads hikes or snowshoeing depending on season before returning you to Seattle in the evening.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Jupiter Legend Corporation