For the longest time, Jam and I had been discussing our dreams of living the #vanlife. The thought of going places without being limited by lodging inspired us… The thought of freedom excited us! Although by the same token, it frightened us and we knew that the theory had to be tested before big decisions were made. With stars in our eyes, our craving for the unknown led us to the jaw-dropping beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Thanks to Roadtrip Oregon, the dream of living on the road, even for a short period of time, became our reality. After multiple phone calls and e-mails (mostly from my amateur self looking for reassurance), we reserved a camper van even before we bought our flights. From the Portland International Airport, we Uber-ed our way to their doorstep and were greeted with the same wonderful customer service that we experienced over the phone. Our van was waiting for us and within the hour we started our 6-day trip around the Olympic Peninsula.
Before crossing state lines, we stopped by the infamous Cannon Beach. It’s no surprise how popular the location is. With its laid back vibes and awe-inspiring views, it was the perfect way to kickstart our trip. I think it is, by far, still one of my favorite places to visit and photograph.
Heading north, crossing the Astoria-Megler Bridge that connects Oregon and Washington, lies one of the many sites we camped at, Cape Disappointment. Far from its name, Cape Disappointment was such a delight and provided us with a serene place to stay the night. One of the reasons we stayed there was to take a morning hike to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse and to see the Dead Man’s Cove. The hike down to the cove can get quite steep and slippery but the beautiful light rays peaking from the overcast and highlighting the cove is totally worth it.
Of course, you can’t drive through Washington without stopping by Forks and La Push in hopes of seeing one of the Cullens or the werewolves (shoutout to Twilight fans!). On top of experiencing life in Forks first-hand and seeing how much the locals have embraced Twilight, driving to Forks and La Push also means passing by some of the most beautiful beaches on the coast. The northwest beaches are home to some of the most unique rock formations I’ve seen and each one you visit is just as distinctive as the next. Among the beaches we visited are Ruby Beach and Rialto Beach.
If it’s endless forests and greenery you seek then look no further than the Olympic National Park. With it’s vast 1,442 square miles of landscape, it is home to all kinds of ecosystems including the hauntingly beautiful Hoh Rainforest and the relaxing stillness of the Sol Duc Falls.
If it’s mountains and crisp snow that you’re looking for, the Olympic National Park is also home to Hurricane Ridge. With elevation comes the varying sceneries and snow-capped mountains. The drive up to Hurricane Ridge was a little nerve-racking but the camper van had no issues and it was definitely one for the books. To save you from trying to beat tourist traffic, there is a clean and cozy campsite conveniently located before heading up to the peak.
There is so much to see around the Olympic Peninsula and I wish I can share it all but alas, my babbling will never end if I do so to end this, I want to share our most favorite stopover – Cape Flattery. Our drive there was quite rough and consisted of winding roads by the sea and heavy rains. Consequently, we decided to wait out the storm parked by the beach at Neah Bay. By morning, we were blessed with sunnier weather and made the hike to see the northwesternmost point of the country, Cape Flattery. I have never seen anything like it in my life and it truly felt like I was in Pandora (Nerd Alert: it’s an Avatar reference). Pictures don’t do it justice so if you live in Washington or headed there, I beg of you, make the drive and see it for yourself! It’s unreal…
Driving around the Washington coast for six days straight was definitely an eye-opener. It was a great reminder of how great life is unplugged and detached from the modern world. This trip also stood as a lesson that living on the road is not as easy as it seems and it takes as much responsibility as settling down. Be that as it may, It’s definitely still in the books for us and we can’t wait to do more of it in the future. As usual, I’m open for future trip suggestions if you have any!
Ciao for now!
xx
-Ghil.
