Olympic Peninsula Lodging

Are you planning to take a trip to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula this summer? We recommend that you stay at least two days – not only is there plenty to see, but we are somewhat rural and it will take you time to reach us and get around.

Here are some of our favorite places to stay on the Peninsula, along with the wineries closest to them.

The Sol Duc hot springs

The Sol Duc hot springs

Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort: 12076 Sol Duc Hot Springs Road, Port Angeles. Stay in a cabin adjacent to the hot springs and enjoy a rustic setting with the beauty of the valley surrounding you. A great way to really soak up the hot springs (pun intended!) Nightly rates start at $119. Nearby wineries: Black Diamond, Harbinger & Camaraderie.

The Inn at Port Ludlow: One Heron Road, Port Ludlow. Among acres of majestic forests, woodland trails and saltwater beaches, The Resort at Port Ludlow is a quintessentially Northwest destination. Located on the pristine shores of tranquil Ludlow Bay, the resort provides views of the majestic Olympic Mountains at every turn. Room rates start at $209 in the summer. Nearby wineries: Finnriver Farm & Cidery, Eaglemount Wine & Cider.

Sunset Marine Resort: 40 Buzzard Ridge Road, Sequim. This place has rooms, cabins and group lodging for family reunions and the like. Rent kayaks and view bald eagles, seals and herons, just outside your room. Prices start at (approximate): $240. Nearby wineries: Fairwinds Winery.

These three locations are only examples. If they are booked, or you simply want to do additional browsing, see a full list of our recommended Olympic Peninsula lodging on our website.

Day Trip from Seattle: Wine Tour on the Olympic Peninsula

Are you visiting Seattle soon? Do yourself a favor and spend a day on the stunningly beautiful Olympic Peninsula, a scenic ferry ride and one hour drive from downtown Seattle.

A great way to see the peninsula and view the scenery is by taking a wine tour. We have eight member wineries on the peninsula. You can see them all during one full day of touring the Peninsula! Note: Make sure to check winery listings for when you can stop by or make an appointment for a tasting!

First Stop: FinnRiver Farm and Cidery in Chimacum

Once you’ve crossed the Hood Canal Bridge, head about 10 miles further until you see Center-Sr 104 loop and take a right. Take an immediate right into Center Rd. Four miles later, turn on Country Meadow Rd. About a quarter mile down, take a right on Barn Swallow Rd. This brings you to Finnriver Farm and Cidery, at 62 Barn Swallow Road in Chimacum.

Second Stop: FairWinds Winery in Port Townsend

This is a fun route through the back roads to the adorable town of Port Townsend.

Eaglemount Wine and Cider in Port Townsend

Head south on Barn Swallow Rd., back the way you came in. Take a left on Country Meadow Rd and then take a right to get back on Center Rd. Head about two and a half miles and take a left on Rhody Dr. Three miles later continue onto Airport Cutoff Rd. This will bring you to Rte. 20 E. Drive about two miles down and take a left on S. Jacob Miller Rd. Two more miles and take a right on Hastings Ave West. FairWinds Winery will be on the left, at 1984 Hastings Ave W.

Third Stop: Eaglemount Winery in Port Townsend

If you leave Seattle around 9 a.m. it will probably be about lunch time when you leave FairWinds. Head into Port Townsend to get a bite before getting back on the road.

Get back on Rte. 20 heading West. Six miles down, take a left on Eaglemount Rd. Eaglemount Wine and Cider will be about two miles down, at 2530 Eaglemount Rd. Cider is a nice, light way to start a day of tastings!

Check back soon to see the rest of our Olympic Peninsula Wine Tour Routes!

Visit Olympic Peninsula Wineries during Labor Day Weekend 2012

Olympic Peninsula Wineries Map

As you drive along Hwy 101 during your Olympic Peninsula Labor Day weekend, the wineries in Port Townsend, Sequim and Port Angeles are right along your route.

The Olympic Peninsula is a great place to vacation any time of the year, but Labor Day is the traditional last hurrah for summer vacationers. There’s a big surge of travelers to our area, seeking that last taste of summer. What better way to taste it than to spend your Olympic Peninsula Labor Day weekend visiting our local wineries! All the wineries of the Olympic Peninsula will be open that weekend.

For quick reference, below are the Olympic Peninsula Wineries’ hours during Labor Day weekend. For full information on hours throughout the year, please visit each winery’s page on this site or their respective websites.

Wind Rose Cellars: Friday 1-7 pm ~ Saturday & Sunday 1-5 pm  ~ Monday 1-4 pm
Olympic Cellars: Open Daily 11 am – 6 pm
Harbinger Winery: Friday-Saturday 11 am-6 pm ~ Sunday 11 am-5 pm ~ Monday 11 am-6 pm
Finnriver Farm & Cidery: Open Thursday-Monday, 12 to 5 pm
FairWinds Winery: Friday-Monday 12 to 5 pm
Eaglemount Wine & Cider: Friday-Monday 12 to 5 pm
Camaraderie Cellars: Friday-Sunday 11 am-5 pm ~ Monday 11 am-3 pm
Black Diamond: Friday-Sunday 11am -4pm ~ Monday closed

In addition to the fun of touring our wineries, pick up some local wines for your Olympic Peninsula camping trips or hiking, kayaking and biking excursions. There are so many ways to enjoy the natural beauty of our waters and mountains. A bottle of award-winning Olympic Peninsula wine adds just the right touch when you’re looking out over the Strait Juan de Fuca, or walking among the stately old growth trees of the Hoh Rainforest.

Keep a few extra bottles to take back home or join the wine clubs to keep the Olympic Peninsula wines and fond memories flowing all year long.

From all of us at the Olympic Peninsula Wineries, we wish everyone a fun and safe Labor Day Weekend.

Olympic Peninsula Home To “Coolest Small Town”

Old Boat and Point Wilson Lighthouse

Fort Worden, one of Port Townsend's many perks.

Each year, Budget Travel asks its readers to nominate an American small town for the title Coolest Small Town. The choices are then whittled down to the top 10, and those are put to a vote. To our delight, Port Townsend, Washington, has made the 2012 short list for America’s Coolest Small Towns.

There are a few parameters. Each town must have a population under 10,000. It must be “on the upswing,” thanks to a vibrant arts scene, good restaurants, or its proximity to nature. The town must also eschew quaint and embrace edginess.

Given theses parameters, Port Townsend should be a shoe-in.

  • It’s hip, with edgy artists and a sizable number of residents who live there precisely because it isn’t like every where else.
  • It has astoundingly strong arts and culture for a town of its size, with an impressive list of festivals such as the Film Festival and the Wooden Boat Festival.
  • It has Centrum: Centrum is responsible for the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, a Chamber Music Festival, a Jazz Festival, a Blues Festival, and a host of other artistic programs.
Hastings Building, Port Townsend, WA

Port Townsend also has beautiful, historic buildings.

  • It’s home to Fort Worden.

Port Townsend can go neck and neck with just about any town in the country for natural beauty. It sits on the tip of the Quimper Peninsula, which is located on the Olympic Peninsula. Two volcanic peaks stand in the east, Mount Baker to the north and Mount Rainier to the south. The Cascade Mountain Range rises in the distance behind the white cliffs of Whidbey Island to the east, and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains lie to the west. It impossible to remain indifferent to the view. And opportunities for outdoor recreation are abundant.

In addition, three of our member Washington State Wineries are located in and near Port Townsend: FairWinds Winery, Eaglemount Wine & Cider, and FinnRiver Farm & Cidery.

If you’ve been to Port Townsend, you’ve probably already cast your vote. If you haven’t been there, or if it’s been a while, go take a look. Have a glass of Washington State Wine or Cider made on the Olympic Peninsula. Stay in a Bed and Breakfast or Boutique Hotel. Then cast your vote for Port Townsend as America’s Coolest Small Town. Votes accepted through January 31, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year from the Olympic Peninsula

We’d like to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited our Washington State Wineries and Cideries in 2011. Thanks for journeying to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. Thanks for taking the time to visit us, taste our wine and cider, and chat with us about what we do and why we do it. We all love what we do, but the work wouldn’t be nearly so fun if we couldn’t share our wine and cider with you.

We hope to see you again in 2012.

Happy New Year from Olympic Peninsula Wineries!

Happy New Year!

The New Dungeness Lighthouse

IMG_0039

Walk to the New Dungeness Lighthouse, on the tip of Dungeness Spit in Sequim.

Perched on the end of the Dungeness Spit in Sequim, the New Dungeness Lighthouse is far from new. Yet today it is as remote and beautiful as it was more than 150 years ago. It’s worth a look the next time you’re visiting the Olympic Peninsula. Since the weather is supposed to be great during the next couple of weeks (at last!), plan a trip soon.

Dungeness Spit is the world’s longest natural sand spit, extending five miles into the Strait of Juan de Fuca (and growing every year). There is no quick way to get to the lighthouse at the end of the Spit – visitors must walk five miles to the end of the Spit and five miles back. Those who do are rewarded with stunning scenery, wonderful wildlife, fresh air, and peace.

A walk out to the New Dungeness Lighthouse is a fantastic way to celebrate a special occasion. It’s an incredible experience, even on the most blustery days. Once at the lighthouse, visitors are rewarded with amazing views from the top of the Lighthouse tower. On clear days, the Olympics, the North Cascades, and Mount Baker will knock your socks right off your feet.

Several picnic tables are located out by the lighthouse, and driftwood chairs are abundant on the beach. Picnics should include a bottle of Washington State Wine from the Olympic Peninsula – to celebrate your surroundings.

Celebrate the return trip with a stop at one of the nearby Olympic Peninsula, Washington State Wineries. Olympic Cellars, Harbinger Winery, Camaraderie Cellars, and Black Diamond Winery are all located in Port Angeles. All offer wine tasting.

It is possible to travel by boat to the New Dungeness Lighthouse. Advance notice must be given to the National Wildlife Refuge at 360.457.8451.

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer lighthouse Keeper, please visit New Dungeness Lighthouse.

Fine Dining and Fine Wine on the Olympic Peninsula

Travelers to the Olympic Peninsula have long gone there to find stunning scenery, rain forests, and unparalleled outdoor activities. Back in the day few travelers expected to find great food or wine. That has changed.

A young apple presser examines a batch of apples that will soon be turned into cider at Finnriver Farm & Cidery

These days, people exploring the Olympic Peninsula come across restaurants that have been written up in the New York Times (Fins, in Port Townsend). They find hand-crafted pizza made in wood-fired stoves at Sequim’s Alderwood Bistro. They find elegant garden dining at the Cafe Garden in Port Angeles. They also find award winning Washington State Wine and cider.

When next you head to the Olympic Peninsula, be it to hike, admire views from Hurricane Ridge, or spend time in a historic seacoast town, be sure to bring your appetite. Allow time to stop by one of the Washington State wineries in Port Angeles and Port Townsend, where you may taste hand crafted Washington wine. Visit a picturesque cidery in the Chimacum Valley, and taste cider made from Washington apples. You’ll be happy you did.

The Gift of Port Townsend Washington Wines

Visit the lighthouse at Fort Worden while in Port Townsend.

Port Townsend, Washington, Wines make delightful gifts. In addition, a trip to Port Townsend wineries makes a delightful getaway. Enjoy a few days in this historic port town over the holidays, and bring back Washington wine for friends and family.

FairWinds Winery Port O’Call recently received a bronze medal at the Tri-City Wine Festival; in attendance were more than 100 wineries and over 400 wines. It was a true honor for FairWinds’ Port O’Call to be singled out among such fine competition.  The Port O’Call is a mellow port and an excellent choice for after dinner. (more…)

Gray Skies? Drink Washington Wine.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, or indeed anywhere on the west coast, you may be feeling a bit down. We live through months of gray skies secure in the knowledge that come summer, our skies will be blue. “Sure it can be rainy”, we tell friends who live elsewhere, “but when the sun comes out, no place on earth can match its beauty.” So where are you sun?

Denuded mountains in Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, and Victoria B.C. way in the distance

View of Victoria from the Olympic National Park, outside of Port Angeles.

Well, those of us who make Washington State Wines can’t make the sun shine in Washington State, but we can help to cheer you. Head to the Sequim area – if it will be sunny anywhere in western Washington, it will be sunny here in the Olympic Rainshadow. Stay awhile, and taste Washington wines and ciders at our seven wineries from Port Angeles to Port Townsend.

A little time on the Olympic Peninsula can make anyone feel better. A walk out to the lighthouse at the tip of Dungeness Spit, in Sequim, is magnificent no matter the weather. A drive up to Hurricane Ridge, outside of Port Angeles, is sure to raise your spirits. Dinner in historic Port Townsend tastes good, rain or shine.

It is imperative to include wine tasting in your Olympic Peninsula holiday. After a drive up to Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park, stop by Harbinger Winery, Camaraderie Cellars, and Black Diamond Winery. After a walk on the Dungeness Spit, visit Olympic Cellars. On your way to Port Townsend, enjoy a cider at FinnRiver Farm and Cidery, in Chimacum, and once in Port Townsend, stop by Sorenson Cellars and FairWinds Winery.

To keep your spirits raised, pick up a few bottles of your favorite Olympic Peninsula Washington Wines and take them home. That way, no matter what the weather does, you can find solace in a glass of good wine.

Wine and Birds Go Well Together

If you are heading to Sequim April 9 -11, 2010, for the Olympic Peninsula Bird Festival, be sure to leave room in your schedule for tasting Washington State wines.

Don't miss the Olympic Peninsula Birdfest, April 9 - 11, 2010

Don't miss the Olympic Peninsula Birdfest, April 9 - 11, 2010

The Olympic Peninsula Bird Festival is chock full of interesting events. Participants may chose from several morning and afternoon field trips, photography workshops, or Northwest Raptor Center tours. Rise at dawn to listen to the Chorus of bird calls by the Dungeness River, and take the Owl Prowl once darkness falls. Cruise to Protection Island, and bid for unique items at the Silent Auction.

All this sounds like great fun for birding enthusiasts, but also exhausting.

When you feel ready for a bit of a rest, consider a trip to one of the Washington State Wineries near Sequim. A visit to a tasting room will restore your spirits and prepare you for the next activity at the Bird Festival. In addition, you are likely to find a Washington State wine that you would like to enjoy at home. Olympic Peninsula Wineries produce a limited number of cases each year, enabling us to focus on quality. The best chance you have of sampling our wines is in our delightful tasting rooms from Port Angeles to Port Townsend.

Bring your binoculars to the Olympic Peninsula Bird Festival, and leave with Olympic Peninsula wine.

Holiday Sips and Tips

The holidays are a time when we often worry about selecting the “right” wines to accompany the delicious assortment of foods that will adorn our festive tables — and the abundance of advice that exists can sometimes feel overwhelming. Following are a few tips designed to eliminate the stress of making the “right” decision, so that you can relax and enjoy the day!

First, for big holiday meals don’t overcomplicate the wine selection. It can be as easy as simply opening a few different types of wine and letting people choose their favorites.

If you have a special, prized bottle of wine in your cellar, bring it up for the holidays and open it before dinner. Let your guests enjoy all of its delicate flavors. This might be a perfect time to offer a toast to those most special in your life.

At the table, food takes center stage. So serve several bottles of food-friendly, less expensive wines that blend well with the wide variety of dishes that you are serving. Then, sit back and enjoy your gathering.

Several Olympic Peninsula Wineries are offering “holiday” wines, perfect for sipping or for pairing with a variety of foods.

Port Townsend’s Sorensen Cellars recently released a 2007 Malbec from Two Coyote Vineyard near Zillah. Beautifully dark and inky in color, with a nose of Mountain Huckleberries that carries over onto the palate. A terrific wine to go with hearty winter stews and cassoulet. $20.00 per bottle. Place orders at the winery at 360.379.6416.

In Port Angeles, Olympic Cellars’ new La Galopine, a Roussanne and Viognier blend, is perfect for sipping before your holiday meal. This white Rhone blend offers up luscious aromas of fresh stone fruit, dry yet vibrant with dancing acidity. Barrel fermented and aged “sur lies” for 12 months. The wine is made with grapes from Ciel du Cheval, considered Red Mountain’s top vineyard. These grapes are sold only to 20 Washington wineries. NEW RELEASE: $23.99

Perfect for the table, Olympic Cellars’ Cranberry Jubilee holiday wine is medium-bodied with a fruit-filled cranberry finish. Crisp, and just a little bit sweet, the wine is decadent with leftovers from your turkey dinner. $15.99.

Harbinger Winery, also in Port Angeles, just released its 2008 Cranberry Bliss, an off-dry blend of Barrel-fermented Rose, Chardonnay, and Cranberrry wine. The cranberries are harvested from a bog in Grayland, Washington. The wine is a great match for just about any holiday “gastronimical situation,”  be it salmon, sushi, or ham. About 50 cases are available to the public, and they will be gone by the New Year. Pick up your bottle today!

More Olympic Peninsula “Fun Facts”

1. Which Olympic Peninsula location was a runner up for the filming of Disney’s second film in the series, “The Chronicles of Narnia?”
Answer: Quinault Valley

2. How did Port Townsend get its name?
Answer: Captain George Vancouver originally named the city “Port Townshend” in 1792 for his friend the Marquis of Townshend.

3. Which Native American tribes were located in what is now Jefferson County in the mid-19th century?
Answer: Chemakum (or Chimacum), Hoh (a group of the Quileute), Klallam (or Clallam), Quinault and Twana (Kilcid band-Anglicized: Quilcene).

4. Which towns on the Olympic Peninsula’s east side are known as, “The Emerald Towns?”
Answer: Quilcene & Brinnon

5. What are the 7 stocks of fish found in the Dungeness River?
Answer: Chinook; Chum; Coho; Pink; Steelhead; Cutthroat and Char.