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Port Angeles
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Port Angeles is the Gateway to Olympic National Park.
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Port Angeles shorefront on the 4th of July.
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Port Angeles: Gateway to Olympic National Park
(Includes Olympic N.P. Visitor Center, Ferry to Victoria)
Port Angeles is the main gateway community to Olympic National Park and is a convenient place to begin exploring the northern side of the park. Located along the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the north side of the Olympic Peninsula, Port Angeles sits just a few miles from the park entrance road leading toward Hurricane Ridge. Because of this location, many Olympic National Park visitors pass through Port Angeles during their vacation.
Port Angeles has a wide variety of lodging, campgrounds, restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and other services that are helpful when exploring Olympic National Park. There are hotels, motels, vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, RV parks and campgrounds throughout the area, making Port Angeles one of the main service centers on the Olympic Peninsula. Downtown Port Angeles also has numerous restaurants, shops and businesses along the waterfront.
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City of Port Angeles welcome sign... "Where The Mountains Meet The Sea."
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The main Olympic National Park Visitor Center is located right in Port Angeles at 3002 Mount Angeles Road. This is a good place to stop for park information, maps, current conditions and help planning your time in Olympic National Park. From here, Hurricane Ridge Road continues south toward the Heart O’ the Hills area and Hurricane Ridge.
Heart O’ the Hills is located about five miles south of Port Angeles and is one of the closest developed areas inside Olympic National Park. The Heart O’ the Hills Campground sits among towering Douglas fir, western hemlock and western redcedar trees and provides convenient access to the Hurricane Ridge corridor.
For anyone exploring Olympic National Park, Port Angeles is an important hub for supplies, food, lodging and park information before heading deeper into the mountains, rain forests and coastal areas of the Olympic Peninsula.
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We found this guy at Port Angeles.
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Olympic National Park Visitor Center
The Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles is the main visitor center for Olympic National Park and a good place to stop before exploring the park. Located at 3002 Mount Angeles Road, the center provides park information, maps, exhibits and helpful guidance on current conditions. Visitors can learn more about Olympic National Park’s mountains, rainforests, wildlife and rugged Pacific coastline through the interpretive displays. The center also includes the Wilderness Information Center for backcountry permits and trip planning. Its convenient location near Port Angeles makes it an excellent starting point for visiting Hurricane Ridge and other areas of Olympic National Park.
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Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles
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Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles.
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Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles.
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The Olympic National Park Visitor at Port Angeles is the entrance to Hurricane Ridge.
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Ferry to Victoria, B.C., Canada
One of the unique things about visiting Olympic National Park is just how close you are to Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. From downtown Port Angeles, the M.V. Coho ferry crosses the Strait of Juan de Fuca directly to Victoria, making a day trip to Canada an easy addition to an Olympic National Park vacation. The crossing takes about 90 minutes, and the ferry carries both passengers and vehicles.
Many visitors to Olympic National Park take advantage of this opportunity and spend a day exploring Victoria before returning to Port Angeles. The ferry arrives right in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, within easy walking distance of downtown shops, restaurants, the waterfront and many of the city’s main attractions. The ferry operates between downtown Port Angeles and downtown Victoria, which makes the trip especially convenient.
If your Olympic National Park vacation allows an extra day, a ferry ride to Vancouver Island can be a fun change of pace. You can spend the morning crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca, enjoy several hours exploring Victoria, and then return to Port Angeles. Just remember that you are entering Canada, so be sure to have the proper travel documents and check the current ferry schedule before making your plans.
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Heading onto the ferry at Port Angeles, and heading for Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island.
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Our ferry just left Port Angeles, and is heading for Vancouver Island.
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Orca in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with the Olympic Range in the background.
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Enjoying our ride on the M.V. Coho!
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The M.V. Coho ferry as viewed from the pier at Victoria.
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Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island.
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Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island.
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M.V. Coho ferry returning to Port Angeles after a day exploring Victoria, B.C. on Vancouver Island.
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Port Angeles Area Map, Olympic National Park.
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