Travel Itinerary – MLE Travel Diary

Olympic National Park: The Best 3 Day Itinerary

MLE Travel Diary — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Thinking of visiting Olympic National Park? This park is on the Western coast of Washington, and has one of the only rainforests in the United States!

Because of this, the park is so lush and pretty well shaded, so we never got too hot or sunburnt. However, we totally didn’t realize how much driving was involved in visiting this park…

All of the major hikes and sights look close to each other on a map, but require driving through separate entrances to access, so we spent a lot of time in the car.

Because of this, I would recommend going for at least 3 days if you are able to so you can spend a day in the rainforest, a day at the beach, and a day in the mountains. This ultimate 3-day weekend itinerary will help you plan out your trip to maximize all of your time there.

And if you’re wondering what to pack, don’t miss my Ultimate Hiking Packing Guide to make sure you’re fully prepared.

If you’re thinking about combining this visit with a road trip along the west coast, check out my post: Complete Itinerary For A Stunning West Coast Road Trip.

This Olympic National Park blog post will tell you everything you need to know before visiting the park, what to pack, and the best hikes!

To easily save all of these spots to your Google Maps, drop your email below and I’ll send my FREE list straight to your inbox!💌

This post may contain affiliate links which may earn a commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you. I make sure to only link products and retailers that I use myself and recommend. Thank you for your support! Learn more.

What You Should Know Before Visiting Olympic National Park

1. Weather is unpredictable and often gloomy and overcast

Because you’re right by the water and in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll find that it is often gloomy in Olympic National Park. Now, this is great for visiting the Hoh Rainforest and really adding to that ~spooky vibe~ but it’s not so great for hiking or visiting the beach.

If you’re looking for maximum sun, I would recommend booking your trip mid-July through mid-September. I visited in early July and it was overcast about half the time we were there, and the beaches were cloudy the entire time.

2. Check the Webcams before venturing out

The National Park website has webcams specifically for popular places in Olympic National Park including Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, and a few of the beaches.

Definitely check these before heading out to make sure weather is okay where you’re headed!

3. Parking is readily available, except at Hoh Rainforest

We didn’t have any issues with parking, except for at Hoh Rainforest. We visited the park mid-week and found that most parking lots always had spots available, or you would maybe have to wait 5-10 minutes for someone to leave.

However, at Hoh Rainforest, the line often gets up to a 2+ hour wait, and I can’t even imagine what it looks like on weekends. I would recommend arriving to Hoh Rainforest before 8 am to ensure a parking spot without having to wait.

4. There is decent cell reception in Olympic National Park

I actually found there to be pretty good cell coverage throughout the park – especially near visitor centers and along the hikes.

However, I’d still recommend downloading Offline Google Maps for the entire area of Olympic National Park before your trip. You can also download a self-guided audio driving tour to learn more about the park – it’s like having a super affordable personal tour guide the whole time.

Also make sure to download any road reservations, park passes, etc before you enter the park.

5. Olympic National Park is ~3-4 hours from Seattle

This is something we didn’t realize when flying into Seattle; the park is actually quite far from the city. I’d recommend planning to land early to give yourself ample time to drive to your lodging before it gets dark.

6. Stay near the park

Like I’ve said, everything is pretty spread out within the park, so I recommend trying to stay as close as you can to what you want to see the most.

We stayed in Forks, a little town that was made famous by the Twilight vampire series if you’re familiar. This was really nice, because we were pretty much in the middle of everything and close to Rialto Beach and Second Beach.

I would alternatively recommend staying in Port Angeles; this is in the Northern part and is close to Hurricane Hill, Lake Crescent and Mount Storm King.

If you want to know our exact Airbnb, send me a message and I’ll send you the link!

Day 1: Hoh Rainforest & Hurricane Ridge

I’ve split up the itinerary to make sure you see the best of the 3 different parts of the park: the Hoh Rainforest, the mountains, and the beaches. You can definitely mix and match spots and hikes from each category, but this is a way to organize your itinerary most efficiently!

8:30 AM: Hall of Mosses

To maximize your day, and minimize the amount of time waiting in line to enter the Hoh Rainforest, I suggest arriving by 8 AM. This might sound insane, but we got here at 9:30 AM and still had to wait 45 minutes to enter.

They say the busiest times are between 10 AM – 3 PM, so alternatively you could also come here later in the afternoon and wait only an hour or so.

Start your day with the simple Hall of Mosses trail, which is a 1.1 mile loop trail through the center of the rainforest.

You’ll get these amazing views of the mosses, ferns and these huge trees! This is a relatively flat trail that we spent about an hour walking through and really taking in the scenery.

9:30 AM: Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls

Once you finish the Hall of Mosses trail, start the hike on Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls. The trailheads are right by each other, so it’s easy to go from one to the next.

This is a 5.5 mile out-and-back trail, also with minimal elevation, that will take you to the Mineral Creek Falls.

This took us about 2.5 hours, including spending some time by the creek falls. You can also get close to the Hoh River on this trail, and take a quick dip if you’re feeling up for it!

3:00 PM: Hurricane Hill

Once you’ve wrapped up in the Hoh Rainforest, this is the perfect time to begin the drive to Hurricane Ridge. It will take you about 3 hours, and in the meantime you can eat your packed lunch, or stop in Forks to grab a quick bite.

Make sure you check the webcam before heading out; this hike starts pretty high up in the mountains so even if it’s sunny in the rainforest and towns, it can be cloudy up in the mountains. This was unfortunately the case for us, but here is what the hike should look like on a clear day:

This is a 3.4 mile out-and-back, moderately challenging hike that should take you about 2 hours. Given your body will probably want to rest after all this hiking and walking around, I suggest driving back to your lodging afterwards and stopping for dinner along the way!

Then, make sure to get a good nights rest for tomorrow’s hike, which will be the most challenging of the whole trip.

Day 2: Mt. Storm King & Devil's Punchbowl

Please make sure you have a ton of water and snacks before setting out for the day. The Mt. Storm King hike is no joke and you will need to be properly fueled for this one!

8:00 AM: Devil's Punchbowl via Spruce Railroad Trail

To kick things off for day two, I would start with this easy, 2.4 mile out-and-back trail to Devil’s Punchbowl! You’ll get to see these stunning views of Lake Crescent and get your legs warmed up for the day.

This will take you about an hour, including any extra time you spend at Devil’s Punchbowl swimming or taking photos! The water is sooo cold but we did see a lot of people going for a dip.

9:30 AM: Mount Storm King

Then, you’ll drive around the lake quickly to get to the trailhead for Marymere Falls. This is the same starting point for Mount Storm King; you’ll walk on a relatively flat trail for 0.5 miles until you get to the Storm King Trailhead.

Now all in all, this is about a 4 mile out-and-back trail and will take you anywhere from 3-5 hours to complete. You will be rewarded with these stunning views at the very top:

HOWEVER!! This has to be one of the hardest (if not THE hardest) trails I have ever done. It is straight up hill for 2 miles, which took us about 2 hours.

And not to mention I think my quads are still sore…over a week later haha!

Also, the very last part of the hike is not maintained and is a series of 6 ropes along a steep rocky trail on the side of a cliff. Sorry to be dramatic, but for some reason once I got to this section just was not feeling comfortable enough attempting it and so I sat on the rocks and waited for my sister to get back down.

Definitely do not push yourself if you are feeling tired, scared, uncomfortable, etc at the end of the hike. It is not worth it and Search and Rescue operations are not uncommon on the Mount Storm King Trail.

Here’s a picture of my sister sliding back down haha this is how most people were getting back down:

While I was there I didn’t see anyone having issues going up or coming back down, but definitely good to be prepared.

2:30 PM: Marymere Falls

When you finally make it back down, you can continue along the Marymere Falls trail. This is 1.8 miles out-and-back and is an easy trail to see the waterfall.

It is flat for the most part, except at the end to actually view the waterfall so if your legs are totally dead, maybe skip it.

This will take you less than an hour, and then you’ll be back at your car!

4:00 PM: Sol Duc Falls

If you still have a bit of energy left, stop by Sol Duc Falls on your way back. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Mount Storm King and there are also ~hot springs~ here where you can finally relax and rest your feet!

Sol Duc Falls trail is a 1.8 mile out-and-back, easy trail that will take you only about an hour.

5:00 PM: Sol Duc Hot Springs

Then (finally) head to the hot springs to relax!! You can get a nice dinner and a soak in the hot springs at Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort.

They have a few different pools at different temperatures, and admission is pretty affordable. I’d recommend booking in advance because they can fill up, especially during busier seasons.

Day 3: Beaches

Ahh finally a relaxing day where you can sleep in a bit and chill more, and beach hop! Again, make sure you check the webcams before heading out for the day to make sure the weather is cooperating.

For the Olympic National Park beach itinerary, I’m going to leave time stamps off and you can just pick and choose, or explore them all at your leisure. They’re listed in order of Northernmost beach to Southernmost beach.

You really can’t go wrong!

Shi-Shi Beach

This one takes some effort to get to, but is so worth it! You’ll get views of the rugged coastline, really cool sea stacks, and the most insane sunset views.

Just be prepared for a longer hike and muddy trail. I would recommend bringing waterproof shoes!

Hole-in-the-Wall From Rialto Beach

This beach walk is super cool; it’s a 3.3 mile out-and-back walk along the coast that will take you about an hour.

It’s not technically a “trail” so you will follow the shore past massive driftwood and crashing waves until you reach the Hole in the Wall rock formation.

Go at low tide so you can explore the tide pools and walk all the way through!

Second Beach

This is the closest beach to Forks and one of the prettiest beaches there. There’s a short forest hike down and then boom, you’re on this wide open beach with crazy rock formations.

Ruby Beach

Easy access and gorgeous views – we actually tried to come here but it was cloudy. But still the combo of sea stacks, black sand, and driftwood everywhere is insane.

It’s one of the more popular spots, but totally worth a stop (especially for photos).

Kalaloch Beach

I would recommend stopping here to see the famous Tree of Life. Apparently it looks like it’s defying gravity!

It’s an easy one to swing by if you’re driving along the coast.

What To Pack For Olympic National Park

Here’s my list of things you might not usually think to pack that you will definitely need on your trip to Olympic National Park:

Comfortable hiking boots: prepare for lots of walking.
Cooler: use this to pack lunch, snacks and lots of extra water – remember to fill it with ice packs!
Portable charger: especially if you’re using for phone for directions, it can lose battery quickly and you’ll need a way to keep your phone charged. This one is my favorite!
Sunscreen: hopefully you’re packing this on all of your trips, but wanted to call it out specifically since you’ll be out all day in the sun.
Paper maps: this is optional, but can come in super handy if you lose cell service.
Layers: temperatures can start out cool in the morning, and progressively get warmer throughout the day. You’ll want to wear light layers that you can put on / take off as needed.
Water bottle: again, something you should always have but definitely when you are out hiking all day. The most dangerous thing would be to be dehydrated.

Any questions? Drop them in the comments and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

If you’re planning a trip to Olympic National Park, feel free to send me an email or DM on Instagram with any questions or for personalized travel tips!

mariss

The post Olympic National Park: The Best 3 Day Itinerary first appeared on MLE Travel Diary.

Glacier National Park: The Best 2 Day Weekend Itinerary

MLE Travel Diary — Thu, 22 May 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful national parks I have ever visited! The stunning glacial waters are just out of this world – I’ve never seen anything like them.

You must add Glacier National Park to your bucket list if it isn’t there already! I promise you one visit won’t be enough – you’ll leave wanting to come back.

I would recommend going for at least 3 days if you are able to, but this ultimate 2-day weekend itinerary will help you plan out your trip to maximize all of your time there. Since hiking is a must in Glacier, make sure you’re prepared with the right gear.

This Glacier National Park blog post will tell you everything you need to know before visiting the park, what to pack, and the best hikes!

If you’re thinking about combining this visit with a road trip along the west coast, check out my post: Complete Itinerary For A Stunning West Coast Road Trip.

To easily save all of these spots to your Google Maps, drop your email below and I’ll send you my FREE Google Maps list straight to your inbox!💌

What You Should Know Before Visiting Glacier National Park

1. Make your reservations online in advance

Starting in 2025, you will need a timed entry vehicle reservation for the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and North Fork. These can only be secured at Recreation.gov, or using their mobile app.

Tickets are released 4 months in advance and sell out REALLY fast. They will also release some additional reservations the day before, if you aren’t able to secure a reservation.

2. If you don't score a reservation, don't worry

Not all roads require a timed entry vehicle reservation. And the ones that do, you are able to freely enter the road after 3 PM.

3. Be sure to also buy your Glacier National Park Pass before your visit

While there’s an infinite number of the National Park passes, it’s helpful to get your pass before your visit. This will help you to maximize your time in the park, instead of waiting on a long line to buy your pass when you arrive.

4. Parking lots fill up quickly but cars are always leaving

We got up early each morning to get to the park by 7 AM to really maximize our time there. We didn’t have issues with parking, except at Logan Pass since we went there later in the day.

However, this is the largest parking lot, so we were able to snag a spot after only about 10 minutes of circling around the lot.

Be prepared to be aggressive with grabbing the first spot you can find!

5. There is not reliable cell reception in Glacier National Park

While you may get lucky and find a pocket of cell reception, or be able to use a hotel’s WiFi, plan as if you won’t have any cell service at all in the park.

I recommend downloading Offline Google Maps for the entire area of Glacier National Park before your trip. Feel free to DM me on Instagram if you aren’t sure how to do this and I can help you!

Also make sure to download any road reservations, park passes, etc before you enter the park.

6. Stay nearby the park entrance

My sister and I stayed in an Airbnb just 15 minutes away from the park entrance, and it was the best idea ever.

This means you can be one of the first to get into the park each morning. It is especially crucial if you weren’t able to get a road reservation, since you can enter the park without one before 7 AM.

If you want to know our exact Airbnb, send me a message and I’ll send you the link!

Day 1

For Day 1, you will need a Going-To-The-Sun Road reservation to access these trails between 7 AM and 3 PM.

This link will take you to the official Recreation.gov website to make your reservation.

8:00 AM : Trail of the Cedars & Avalanche Lake

Start your trip strong with an easy-to-moderate walk through the Trail of the Cedars, and continue on to Avalanche Lake.

It’s about a 5.9 mile out-and-back trail, and estimated to take 2 1/2 hours to complete, according to AllTrails.

However Avalanche Lake is about 2/3 of the way into the hike so if you want an easier hike, you can stop once you get to the lake and turn back!

The water is actually so insane – it’s this perfectly blue/green emerald color, and the backdrop with the mountains and the trees makes it the most scenic trail.

12:00 PM : Logan Pass & Hidden Lake Overlook

Once you finish the Avalanche Lake hike, drive up to Logan Pass to hike the Hidden Lake Overlook!

This is a 2.7 mile out-and-back trail with a pretty steep elevation gain, so prepare accordingly! Once you reach the top though, you’ll be met with incredible views like this:

You can also see a ton of mountain goats on this hike! We saw a whole little family just passing through the mountains, it was really cool.

This is a pretty popular trail, so prepare for it to be busy – which unfortunately includes the parking lot.

3:30 PM : Red Rock Point

Red Rock Point is a little overlook we stumbled upon on our drive out of Glacier National Park! It’s absolutely worth adding to your itinerary and stopping by.

It’s an easy 5-10 minute walk out from the road to see these cascading waterfalls with super light blue water.

6:00 PM : Great Bear Cafe

After all of this hiking and sightseeing, I imagine you’ve got to be pretty hungry! So, we’re going to exit Glacier National Park and head into the little nearby town for some dinner.

I recommend going to the Great Bear Cafe; they’ve got Montana classics like biscuits and gravy, and elk and buffalo burgers! This was the perfect stop after a long day.

7:30 PM : Eddie’s Cafe

Once you’re filled up on dinner, head back into Glacier National Park for some huckleberry ice cream at Eddie’s Cafe!

You’ll notice that huckleberry is a really popular ingredient in a lot of dishes in Montana, especially around Glacier National Park. It’s a wild berry, primarily harvested in the Rocky Mountains and is so delicious!

While you’re here, you can also walk down to the water at Lake McDonald, where you’ll be able to see the iconic rainbow rocks:

Seeing these was on my bucket list for such a long time, and was well worth the visit!

If you have more than 2 days in Glacier National Park, I recommend spending a day driving up to Bowman Lake. To access this lake, you will need to make a timed entry vehicle reservation on Recreation.gov at 8 AM on the Saturday before.

This is separate from the other road reservations, and the Glacier National Park Pass.

Day 2

For Day 2, you will need a Going-To-The-Sun Road reservation and a Many Glacier hiker shuttle service ticket to access these trails between 7 AM and 3 PM.

This link will take you to the official Recreation.gov website to make your reservation.

Please note that the Many Glacier hiker shuttle service is new as of 2025 due to construction.

8:00 AM : Logan Creek

This is not an official “stop,” but we spontaneously pulled over on the side of the road here to take these INCREDIBLE photos. I mean, just look at this view!

If there’s a lot of traffic, I wouldn’t recommend doing this. However, if you’re here right when the park opens you will probably get lucky too and there will barely be any cars around!

9:00 AM : Grinnell Glacier Trail

Continue on to the trailhead for Grinnell Glacier Trail. This is the NUMBER ONE rated hike in Glacier National Park and it is actually so unbelievable.

According to AllTrails, it’s a 10 mile out-and-back trail that’s estimated to take you about 5 hours. However, since there was some construction going on, we actually ended up taking 7 hours and hiking 14 miles roundtrip, starting at the Many Glacier Hotel.

There is a boat tour that starts at the Many Glacier Hotel, that will cut out about 1.5 – 2 miles each leg of the hike. Tickets for this sell out really quickly, so make sure to check out the Many Glacier Hotel’s official website for tickets and the most up-to-date information.

This hike will take you past 4 lakes, with the trail starting at the Swiftcurrent Lake. Then you’ll hike along Lake Josephine, which is so stunning.

As you keep climbing higher, the water gets lighter and more shocking. You’ll then pass Grinnell Lake, which is at the bottom of a steep drop-off and has its own hiking trail, if you’re looking for something more moderate.

The trail ends at Upper Grinnell Lake, which will feel like it is SO far away. But I promise it is worth it to hike all the way to the end.

Just look how insane it is:

Photos don’t even do it justice, so you’ll just have to come and see it for yourself!

5:00 PM : Swiss Lounge @ Many Glacier Hotel

When you FINALLY make it to the end of the trail, I suggest heading into the Many Glacier Hotel and grabbing dinner at the Swiss Lounge.

We didn’t have to wait too long for a table, and the food was delicious. Not sure if that’s just because we were starving, but they have lots of great options and it’s amazing how convenient it is.

7:30 PM : Lake McDonald

If you still have a bit of energy left, stop by Lake McDonald on your way home to watch the sunset! We pulled off into one of the many little parking lots along the Going-To-The-Sun road, and sat on some rocks here.

The colors are absolutely magnificent; every part of Glacier National Park is truly so stunning.

If you’re in the mood for another sweet treat, you can stop by Eddie’s Cafe again for some ice cream!

Otherwise, head back home to get what will probably be an amazing night of sleep due to the exhaustion.

What To Pack For Glacier National Park

Here’s my list of things you might not usually think to pack that you will definitely need on your trip to Glacier National Park:

Bear Spray: our Airbnb hosts had some they let us use, but if your accommodations don’t provide any, make sure to pick some up!
Comfortable hiking boots: some of the trails were longer than we expected, so prepare for lots of walking.
Cooler: use this to pack lunch, snacks and lots of extra water – remember to fill it with ice packs!
Portable charger: especially if you’re using for phone for directions, it can lose battery quickly and you’ll need a way to keep your phone charged. This one is my favorite!
Sunscreen: hopefully you’re packing this on all of your trips, but wanted to call it out specifically since you’ll be out all day in the sun.
Paper maps: this is optional, but can come in super handy since there is no cell service in Glacier National Park.
Layers: temperatures can start out cool in the morning, and progressively get warmer throughout the day. You’ll want to wear light layers that you can put on / take off as needed.
Water bottle: again, something you should always have but definitely when you are out hiking all day. The most dangerous thing would be to be dehydrated.

Any questions? Drop them in the comments and I’ll get back to you ASAP!

If you’re planning a trip to Glacier National Park, feel free to send me an email or DM on Instagram with any questions or for personalized travel tips!

mariss

The post Glacier National Park: The Best 2 Day Weekend Itinerary first appeared on MLE Travel Diary.