On Hood Canal, you can enjoy all the benefits of a world class tourist destination, without all the other tourists. It’s a quiet place: visitors heading to the Pacific Coast drive around the south end of the Olympics to Aberdeen and Ocean Shores, while tourists heading towards the rainforests go north through Port Angeles and Forks. The two-lane stretch of Hwy 101 between these two routes feels quieter, less built up, and more authentic. Here woodsmen still hang out in the bars after work, clam diggers adjust their schedules to fit the tide’s, and families cut firewood together for fun. The very best way to appreciate the Canal is to get as close to nature as possible, whether it’s sitting on the beach enjoying a summertime noon high tide or walking among centuries-old trees at Staircase in Olympic National Park. And while we hesitate to use the word “urban,” there are indoor activites also, such as wine tasting, gambling at the Lucky Dog Casino, listening to chamber music in Union, or shopping in Hoodsport’s boutiques. Below we’ve put together some ideas for how to entertain yourselves on the Canal, both indoors and out.
Spring
- Catch an Open Farm Day at the Hama Hama Seafood Company to learn how to identify clam species and other intertidal life and enjoy a beachfront oyster barbecue.
- Enter the Hood Canal Salmon Derby
- Go to the Hood Canal Kiwanis Spring Fling to catch the best of Hood Canal Cuisine & support a local charity organization
Summer (or whenever the weather’s nice):
- Hike in the high country Olympic National Park.
- Go on a waterfall hunt.
- Harvest your own oysters and clams, or shrimp and crab if they’re in season.
- Rent kayaks from Hood Canal Kayak in Union and explore the Skokomish estuary.
- Golf at Lake Cushman or Alderbrook Golf Courses.
- Visit Alderbrook Resort to relax on their back lawn, listen to live music, and enjoy the sunset over the Olympics
Fall:
- Visit Hunter Farms in Union to pick out a pumpkin, take a hay ride, and get lost in their corn maze
- Stop by the Hama Hama Seafood store in Lilliwaup to celebrate the return of raw oyster season with an oyster shooter
- Drive up the Hamma Hamma Recreational Road to view the maple trees in their autumnal glory, and while you’re up there, take a day hike up to Lena Lake.
- Pick chanterelle mushrooms in the Olympic National Forest, or stop by Eldon Store, the IGA in Hoodsport, or the Hama Hama Seafood Store to buy mushrooms in season.
- Fish for salmon in Hoodsport or up the Skokomish River
- Have breakfast at the Lucky Dog Casino
Winter:
- Pick out a Christmas tree from Hunter Farms, or drive up to the Hama Hama Company’s u-pick lot.
- Stop by the Hoodsport Winery to sample their port and other holiday drinks
- Check out the Hoodsport boutiques for great Christmas gifts
- Strap on your showshoes and take a winter hike
- Play Bingo at the Eagle Creek Saloon on TK nights
- Stay at Glen Ayr and warm yourself up in a hot tub with a waterfront view.
- Scuba dive to take advantage of the crystal-clear Canal winter waters
- Catch an Annas Bay Music Festival performance in Union.