This is the main Visitor Center and Wilderness Information Center for Olympic National Park. It's…read morestaffed daily except for Thanksgiving day and Christmas day. (I guess the rangers should have some guaranteed time off!) Part of the building is dedicated to exhibits and historical information. There's also a park film being shown (I did not watch this). The gift shop is well stocked with books, souvenirs, and the usual NPS offerings. I picked up a postcard to send home. As this is the wilderness information center, the desk also allows you to purchase or rent bear canisters if you are planning on going out into the wilderness. The ranger was pretty informative, although I already had a set itinerary and didn't need much assistance otherwise. This visitor centre is worth a quick stop at the very least.

Disappointing. Not…read morewell stocked with much of anything. The cashier didn't know very much about the Park or the inventory of her store. Two people answering questions were busy: the male Park employee, seated, was talking with an older couple about ??? The young woman talking with a male hiker was busy going over the map with him. Twenty-one minutes later, I left the building so that my partner (minding the an8mal-beast) could go in to the Visitor Center: she came out in less than 10 minutes. I went back inside: the seated male Park employee was still talking with the engaging older couple, and the standing female Park employee was still talking with the male visitor. Some thirty minutes had passed since our arrival at the Visitor Center and the two employees were talking with the same visitors. Hard to get a quick question in edgewise. The young woman at the register still only knew how to scan merchandise and sell cloth bags to hold merchandise. We drove up to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center after being told we could look for those things we were looking for. Only after we got up to Hurricane Ridge did we learn that the Visitor Center had burned down several years ago. Guess they forgot to tell us that. U.S. Government and their contractor employees...

Hurricane Ridge is one of the most visited areas in Olympic National Park. It has an elevation of…read moreover 5,000 ft and is about an 18 mile drive from Port Angeles. Hurricane Ridge is known for skiing, sledding, snowboarding and its many hiking trails. The mountain views from up here are just breathtaking. A lodge and visitor center stood here for 70 years. While preparing for renovation work, the building was completely destroyed by fire on May 7, 2023. Right now there is a temporary structure in its place that has working toilets. A ranger is on hand to give out paper maps and answer any questions for those that want to hike or explore the area. Sadly there is no food options or a gift shop here at Hurricane Ridge anymore. If you want to shop for gifts, you can visit the Olympic National Park Visitor Center in Port Angeles. They have set up a small table outside for those that want to stamp their National Park Passport books. The parking lot near the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center is really spacious. You can also hop on a shuttle from Port Angeles for a couple bucks if you don't want to do the drive yourself. There are many trail options that range from easy to difficult for those that like to hike.

Very good spot . Visitor center has a cafe which serves good food . We got few stuff to eat and it…read morewas good . Especially the potato fries . Loved it . Few seats to sit and eat . Wish they had more seats . Lovely views from visitor center . Clothing / merchandise is very expensive. A hoodie costs about 52$ here ! Insane .. not a very good place to shop souvenirs.. parking can be tricky . Overall a good experience.

This Visitors Centre is an all in one place for your travel needs. There's free brochures and maps,…read morebut this centre really stands out since you can also book hotels and tickets for local businesses, and make reservations for tours and transportation. It is very integrated and the staff are lovely. There's no pressure to buy anything either. You can just chit-chat about what you're interested and they'll recommend free and paid activities. The Centre is conveniently located steps from the Inner Harbour, and the clock tower makes it an easy landmark to navigate to especially if you've just stepped off a ferry or a seaplane. There's also pretty art and sculptures inside and outside of the building, so at least stop by and admire them for a quick second.

The Victoria Visitors Centre is centrally located Downtown, at the shore of the Inner Harbour, and…read morefrom the Fairmont Empress Hotel. It's a cool Art Deco building and was originally an Esso gas station. The tower vaguely looks like the Empire State Building. This is a good place to begin your explorations of Victoria and "Up Island". It's also within easy walking distance from the cruise ships and ferries and close to popular attractions (Royal BC Museum, Parliament Building, Beacon Hill Park, etc.) and shopping. The friendly folks at the Front Desk can give you good advice on places to see, tour packages, and dining options. There's also a large selection of brochures and posted information if you want something more self-directed.

Located right next to the Port Angeles Wharf, this squat brick building holds a lot of brochures…read moreand information. It's strategically located next to the Black Ball Ferry Line terminal, so people getting off the ferry don't have far to go if they need information or assistance. I wandered over after getting food at the Wharf to browse what they had. It wasn't particularly busy. Someone was getting helped at the information desk already - they seemed to be having a great time learning about all of the things to do in the area. I already knew what I wanted to do, so I didn't stick around for any more information. I didn't see any washrooms, but the Wharf has publicly available ones if needed. This is a pretty standard information center which meets all of your tourist needs.

John at the Port Angeles visitors center was exactly who we needed to speak to about our trip. He…read moregave us the best recommendations and essentially planned the entirety of our Olympic National Park trip. I highly recommend stopping by and if you're lucky enough to speak to John, know you're in good hands! He was very knowledgeable about the area and gave us step by step sections for the 3 or so days we would be in the area before moving on. Thanks, John!!! - Rachel and Hannah from NY and San Diego

The main Visitor Center and Wilderness Information Center is in Port Angeles, which is a great town…read morefor picking up any last minute supplies. Part of the building is dedicated to exhibits and historical information. There's also a park film being shown (I did not watch this). The gift shop is well stocked with books, souvenirs, and the usual NPS offerings. I made the walk (it's pretty flat, and less than 2 miles long) out to Sol Duc Falls and also spent some time at Lake Crescent. Wow, Lake Crescent is absolutely beautiful, with clear water and it wasn't crowded. You get a real sense of peace hanging out by the water. Up at Hurricane Ridge, I found Klahane Ridge trail to have amazing views. It was more crowded, but there was good camaraderie. I unfortunately didn't have enough time to check out Hoh Rain Forest, but I'll be sure to do some hikes there next time!

1. This review is for Marymere Falls Trail which was a ~1.8 miles round trip that took ~1 hour to…read morecomplete. This was short and easy hike with a spectacular rainforest and waterfall in Olympic National Park, Washington. Trail was mostly a flat dirt path that becomes an incline up the stairs towards the waterfall. If you're used to Oregon waterfalls, Marymere Falls would be considered somewhat dry. Make a detour to the Lake Crescent docks for some stunning views! Beware of yellowjackets; randomly got stung near the ankle in the forest. Limited parking area at the trailhead. Restroom available at the parking lot. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/FPgMOt1G5tk 2.This review is for Hurricane Hill via Hurricane Ridge which was a ~3.5 miles round trip that took ~2 hour to complete. Located 1 hour from Marymere Falls Trail, Hurricane Hill was a strenuous hike with stunning views of the surrounding mountains in Olympic National Park, Washington. Trail was mostly paved with steep inclines towards the top with little to no shade. Parking can be a nightmare. Small parking lot at the trailhead; additional small parking lot 0.25 miles away and larger parking lot 1+ miles away. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/0bxivXIqy4A

I called in to the visitor center, and they promptly replied. He was good at giving information,…read moreand answering questions I had about the place. The deception pass itsef was pretty awesome. We crossed the bridge, and found that there was parking on both sides of the bridge. One of the parking lots also had the restrooms. I went on a weekday, and the parking wasn't completely full, luckily found a spot :)

The visitor's center is now closed. The phone number rings at the location but don't bother…read morecalling- it's not a visitor's center anymore!

I hadn't planned to visit Lime Kiln Point State Park while staying on San Juan Island, but our BnB…read morehost INSISTED we include a visit to the park in our itinerary. Lesson learned; always trust the guidance of locals when visiting a new place. This park is a gem! Visitors will find this gorgeous park located on the west side of the Island, perfectly situated to offer stunning views of the Salish Sea. The park is named for its historic lime kiln used by settlers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. An interpretive center has displays and activities about orcas and the area's lime kiln industry once important to the region. The coastline is incomparable! A five to ten minute downhill walk from the parking lot reveals remarkable views of the Olympic Mountains and an expansive view of sparkling water stretching far into the distance. It's said this site is one of the best whale watching locations in the islands, where visitors will most likely be able to see orcas! We weren't fortunate enough to find any during our visit, but the scenery was rewarding enough. The trail continues along the rocky shoreline, passing several pristine coves and thickets of madrones with twisted, curling red bark. The trail soon reveals a beautiful lighthouse on a rocky bluff, and the lime kilns in the distance. There is a well-curated gift shop back at the parking lot, as well as picnic tables, information kiosks, and public restrooms. There's a whole lot of beauty packed into this 42 acre park... something you won't want to miss!

Truly a picturesque park with beautiful coastal hikes. We certainly enjoyed walking along the…read morecoastline while taking in the scenery. Walking to the lighthouse was a perfect adventure and not strenuous if you are looking for a pretty easy hike. Stop and look out for whales (we didn't see any) and also check out the tide pools!

This was such a fun spot to visit. I would recommend if you go to try to get there before 8am and…read moreeven before 7am if you can swing it. The parking lot is small and it fills up fast in the morning. This park is absolutely beautiful - a lush rainforest that is close to a river and has tons of flora to see. Very easy hikes overall, I think almost anyone could do these.

One of the most popular attraction of Olympic NP, Hoh rainforest is undoubtedly beautiful and…read moreunique, however it came with a crowd and traffic. Parking is extremely limited, if you don't arrive early in the morning, prepared to wait in line for an hour or two. We got there very early and hiked the Hall of Mosses, the Spruce Nature trail and a portion of the Hoh River trail all before 9 am. All the trails are well maintained, mostly flat, family friendly and has wooden railings in many sections. By the time we finished our hike, the trails have become noticeably more crowded and the waiting line for parking was already long. The lush greenery, the streams and moss covered trees are great, but there are other alternatives in the area offer similar experience that has a more natural feel, without the crowd or wait for parking.

What a wonderful way to learn about the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the issues they're…read moretackling. Everyone working there was so friendly and welcoming. The exhibits are interactive and fun for both adults and children. I attended one of their scheduled talks on the toilets and it was eye opening to learn about the issue and also the prototypes that have been built. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area! Pro tip: If you're making a quick-ish visit, you can park at the QFC a block away after you do your groceries ;)

Small visitor center that is free and open to the public. It is staffed by very knowledgeable…read morepersonnel (take the tour) and offers interesting insight into the history and efforts of the foundation. It is interesting to see what causes they have chosen to focus on, and the strides that they've been able to make. There is some debate as to whether a private citizen should be dictating global policy, but there's a lot worse things that the Gates could be doing with all their money. I enjoyed the visit and thought it was worth the education.