Seattle: Olympic Peninsula Day Trip with Ferry & Hurricane Ridge

The ferry ride alone is worth the early start, then the real landscape begins.

You get picked up from Seattle, ferried across Puget Sound, then driven through old-growth forest, past tide pools, and up to a mile-high ridge with mountain views in every direction. Transport, water, and a guide who times the stops around tide schedules and weather are all handled. You're back in the city by evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Olympic Peninsula highlights

• Pickup and ferry ride to Olympic Peninsula
• View Seattle waterfront and Mt. Rainier
• Pass longest floating bridge in saltwater
• Stop for breakfast in Sequim
• Visit Salmon Cascades and old growth forest
• Optional hike to Sol Duc Falls
• Explore sea-stack rock formations and tide pools
• Enjoy views and hiking at Hurricane Ridge
• Pass through Port Angeles city
• Visit Crescent Lake and forest trails

The experience

Most people don't realize the drive to Olympic National Park from Seattle starts with a boat. You'll board a ferry after pickup, watching the Seattle waterfront shrink behind you and Mt. Rainier rise on the horizon. The kind of view that makes you put your phone down. The ferry itself is the longest floating bridge in saltwater anywhere, 7,869 feet of it, and the crossing takes you across Puget Sound toward the Olympic Peninsula, where the landscape shifts from city to something older and wilder.

Once you're on the peninsula, the day spreads across four main stops. You'll pass through Sequim, where lavender farms line the roads and there's time for breakfast at a local diner if you want it (your own cost). Then comes Sol Duc Valley with its old-growth forest and optional hike to Sol Duc Falls. The Salmon Cascades are right there, and the trees are tall enough that you forget how much sky exists. The tide pools come next, depending on timing and the water schedule that day. Sea-stack rock formations and sandy beach where you can actually crouch down and see starfish and anemones if the tide cooperates. Your guide will know the schedule and work around it.

Hurricane Ridge is the finale: a mile-high viewpoint where the Olympic Mountains spread out in every direction, and on a clear day you can see forever. There's a gift shop, a place to eat, and trails if you want to walk further, but mostly people just stand there. The drive back to Seattle takes hours, and the ferry ride home is quieter than the morning one. Plan for a full day out. The tour duration includes all the travel time, which is part of what makes fitting this much landscape into one trip possible.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel or meeting point pickup in Seattle, the ferry crossing over Puget Sound, private transportation throughout the Olympic Peninsula, bottled water and WiFi on board, and visits to Crescent Lake, Sol Duc Valley with its old-growth forest, tide pools along the coastal beaches (tide dependent), and Hurricane Ridge at 7,869 feet with views of the Olympic Mountains.
• An optional hike to Sol Duc Falls is available.
• Breakfast and lunch are not included, though there are dining options in Sequim and at Hurricane Ridge.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 05:30Last departure this season: 15 Nov

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Wild Goose Tours

Is this one for you?A good fit if you want to see the Olympic Peninsula's main landscapes (forest, coast, and mountains) in one day without arranging your own transport or timing around tide schedules. Plan for a full day out, which is what makes fitting the ferry, multiple stops, and a mile-high ridge into a single trip possible.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and German.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

How long is the ferry ride?

The ferry crossing itself is the longest floating bridge in saltwater at 7,869 feet. It's part of the overall journey and included in the tour duration.

What's included in the price?

Private transportation, bottled water, WiFi on board, and an air-conditioned vehicle. Breakfast and meals at Hurricane Ridge are not included.

Can I do the Sol Duc Falls hike?

Yes, it's optional. The hike is available depending on your fitness level and the day's schedule.

What if the weather is bad?

Season, tide schedules, and weather determine which stops happen and in what order. Your guide adjusts the itinerary to work with conditions.

Is this tour good for someone with limited fitness?

You should have at least moderate physical fitness. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health due to the length and terrain.

Do we stop for meals?

There's a breakfast stop in Sequim where you can eat at a local diner (your cost). Hurricane Ridge has food options as well.

How long is the whole tour?

The tour duration includes travel time and spans a full day from Seattle and back.

What if the tide pools aren't accessible?

Tide schedules vary. Your guide plans the stop timing around low tide, but if conditions don't work, the itinerary adjusts to other stops.