Travel plans have been put on pause for everyone due to the spread of COVID-19. Now that the vaccines are out and tourist areas are opening up, my high school best friend Jordan and I decided to road trip 26 hours from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Sequim, Washington. Though sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots and drinking ungodly amounts of caffeine was fun, there were places around Sequim I would recommend everyone to visit. These are my top five recommendations if anyone visits Sequim or anywhere near it.
5. Sol Duc Falls
Sol Duc Falls was the first trail that Jordan and I hiked when getting to Washington. This is a 0.8-mile hike that took us to a huge waterfall. The roaring of water as we crossed the bridge was something out of a documentary. We were then able to go down to the shore of the river and feel the cool water on our feet.
4. Lavender Field
There are many different lavender fields within a 5-mile radius of Sequim. At these lavender fields, we could pick our own lavender and walk around the fields. The smell was not as overpowering as people would think, though the sound is a different story. There was the constant buzzing of bees in the background. For people with a fear of bees or allergic to them, this could be nerve-wracking but I felt calm with the continuous noise. The bees are there to help pollinate but they also make lavender honey which is sold at the gift shop. When going to the gift shop, make sure to grab lavender ice cream. It will change your perspective on ice cream!
3. Marymere Falls Trail
Going to see the Marymere Waterfall was one of the most tiring trails we hiked. Even though this trail is 0.9 miles, walking uphill for half of the trail can get to anyone. With aching muscles, Jordan and I made it to the top of the stairs to reach the Falls. There are multiple points at the waterfall to stop and take pictures. Luckily for us, all of these spots had huge trees to shade us from the beaming sun.
2. The Hoh Rainforest
The Hoh Rainforest is one of the most beautiful forests I’ve laid my eyes on. Jordan and I went on two hikes during our time in the rainforest. Our first hike was on the Spruce Nature Trail. It is a 1.2-mile trail that circles around a small creek and goes toward the edge of the forest. At the edge, the forest opens up to a river and a view of the mountains covered in fog. The scene is mystical and alluring. While walking back, the trail goes along the creek. The water in the creek was clear enough to distinctly see the plants growing at the bottom. The second trail was the Hall of Mosses. This is a 0.8-mile loop to show off the different species of moss that grows on the trees. Walking through this mossy maze kept us on our toes as it felt like a velociraptor would come and eat us at any time.
1. The Second Beach
The Second Beach was hands down my favorite place we visited while on our trip. There are three beaches altogether that you can choose from. After parking on the side of the road, there is a 0.7-mile hike downhill to get to the sandy beach. While walking along the shore, you can explore tidepools to observe various creatures. The ocean was cold to the touch and not a great place for swimming.