Day trips abound on Olympic Peninsula

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Surrounded by beaches, islands, mountains, rivers and unique small towns, Jefferson County makes a great base for day trips on the Olympic Peninsula and beyond.

Day trips include:

A day trip to the Olympic Peninsula's Pacific Coast offers opportunities for a walk on the beach. At Rialto Beach, rugged sea stacks soar above pounding surf at high tide. At low tide, beach walkers can peek into hundreds of tidepools to get an up-close look at tiny fish, scurrying crabs, creeping urchins and sea stars amid a crusty collection of clams, mussels and other sea life. Wild winter storm-watching gives way in summer to relaxing days spent wandering miles of quiet beaches under the watchful gaze of soaring bald eagles. For more information call 360-374-5460.

The rugged river valleys of the Olympic Peninsula are home to the largest temperate rain forest in the world, with a towering canopy of giant cedar, spruce, hemlock and fir trees above and a lush carpet of moss and ferns beneath. Rainfall of as much as 14 feet a year keeps this magnificent garden well-watered. Short day-hikes in the Hoh, Queets and Quinault river valleys offer visitors a chance to enjoy the beauty and grandeur of the forest. For more information call 360-374-6925.

At Sol Duc Hot Springs, natural mineral waters invite you to enjoy a relaxing soak while the kids splash in the adjacent swimming pool, all surrounded by the towering forest of Olympic National Park. The springs are open from mid-March to late September. For more information call 360-327-3534.

A day in the mountains at Hurricane Ridge offers visitors breathtaking views of the Olympic Mountains, Canada's Vancouver Island, the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and beyond. For more information call 360-565-3130.

The Garden City of Victoria, British Columbia, is a year-round tourism destination for leisure travel, outdoor adventure or romantic getaways. The city's landmark Empress Hotel, Parliament building, the British Royal Provincial Museum and blocks of great shopping and restaurants are all within easy walking distance of Victoria's scenic Inner Harbor. British Columbia's capital city can be reached by ferry from Port Angeles. U.S. citizens entering Canada must carry a passport or birth certificate and photo identification, such as a driver's license. For more information call 800-663-3883 or visit www.tourismvictoria.com.

Nestled in the beautiful Dungeness Valley rain shadow, the small town of Sequim offers gift shops, antique stores, galleries and fine restaurants, along with outdoor activities like golf and hiking. In July, the fields surrounding Sequim come alive with a sea of pink and purple blooms during the popular Lavender Festival. And year-round, the Dungeness Spit National Wildlife Refuge draws beach-walkers, birdwatchers and other nature lovers to ramble more than five miles of narrow beach to a picturesque lighthouse marking its tip. For more information call 800-737-8462 or visit www.cityofsequim.com.

A quick ferry trip from Port Townsend, Whidbey Island offers scenic parks and farmland, quaint, historic towns with eclectic shopping and dining, and lodging ranging from standard hotels to sumptuous bed-and-breakfast inns. The island is home to spectacular Deception Pass State Park, and the charming lighthouse at Fort Casey State Park near the Keystone ferry dock is also a popular destination. For more information call 888-747-7777 or visit www.whidbeycamanoislands.com.

From soaring mountains and towering rain forests to lush river valleys and rugged beaches, Olympic National Park has something for everyone. For more information visit www.nps.gov/olym.