Sequim Summer Travel Guide 2016
Dungeness Valley Adventures Await You in Sequim!
Your guide to all things blooming in Clallam County
Organic Farms, Wildlife, Nature Hikes, Parks, Local Art
Mark your calendars!
Enjoy Beautiful Botanical Wonders!
Delight the senses by celebrating the largest lavender event in North America!
Visit any of the fifteen beautiful lavender farms on tour!
Enjoy FREE Farm Tours & a fabulous Street Fair in downtown Sequim! A photographer’s dream that guarantees FUN for EVERYONE!
Photo Courtesy © Roma Emilio
Jardin du Soleil - Source
Open daily through the summer months, enchanting Jardin du Soleil is located on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula four miles north of “sunny” Sequim, Wa. You will find this lavender farm picturesque even after the blooming season has ended! Beautifully packaged gift items can be found inside the shop filled with amazing scents. Check out their live music schedule on Friday nights, and stop in during the month of July to experience the air flourishing with fragrant Lavender. Because Lavender is such a versatile herb for cooking, culinary products and treats can be found. Treat yourself to some lavender/raspberry gelato and try out one of their recipes below:
MASHED SWEET POTATOES WITH LAVENDER AND LIME FROM the LAVENDER COOKBOOK by Sharon Shipley
2 lbs sweet potatoes 1/4 lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1/4 c. fresh lime juice 1/2 tsp crushed Certified Organic Jardin du Soleil Culinary Lavender* Sea salt and freshly ground pepper Chopped fresh cilantro leaves Grated zest of one lime
This may be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat in a microwave for 1 minute before serving.
1)Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2)Prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until very soft. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 3)Scoop the flesh into a bowl; discard the skins. 4)Using a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. 5)Stir in butter, lime juice, and lavender. 6)Season with salt and pepper to taste. 7)Top with cilantro and lime zest, and serve.
*Lavender can be finely ground in a spice grinder or in a thoroughly cleaned coffee grinder.
Photos Courtesy © Jardin du Soleil
Photo Courtesy ©Purple Haze Lavender Farm
Purple Haze Lavender Farm – Source
Purple Haze Lavender Farm is open during the Lavender Festival. The barn includes a wonderful shop featuring unique and charming gift ideas. You’ll find delicious garden treats served such as lavender salmon, lavender lemonade and lavender ice cream seasonally! Enjoy the music, food, lavender and grand photo opportunities! They have a nice selection of lavender, poppies, sunflowers as well as peacocks.
PURPLE HAZE DAZE!! July 15, 16, & 17, 2016
Join us for our 20th Anniversary Celebration with 3 days of music, food, lavender & love! Advanced tickets $10.00 plus receive a $5.00 off coupon! Click Here for more info!
Photos Courtesy ©Purple Haze Lavender Farm
“Olson Family” Photo Courtesy ©Lavender Connection
The Lavender Connection - Source
Visit the Farm July 4th - Labor Day! Admission to the Farm is FREE all summer long!
Located in the lowlands of the north end of the Dungeness Valley on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, The Lavender Connection is situated on a 5 ½ acre farm complete with a rustic, old barn in the background. The delightful owners pride themselves with showcasing more than 2,500 lavender plants which includes more than 20 varieties available for U-Cut. Visit the Corner Store to explore the selection of lovely handmade lavender products. You will even find lavender products for pets! Experiment with different essential oils to make your own lavender room spray and stop by and watch the distilling process of lavender essential oil. The Lavender Connection is pet friendly - just make sure your dog is well behaved and leashed.
Photos Courtesy ©Lavender Connection
Photo Courtesy ©Graysmarsh Berry Farm
Graysmarsh Berry Farm - Source
Bursting with sweet, juicy berries of every flavor, Graysmarsh Farm resides on the luscious soil of the Sequim Prairie below the Olympic Mountains, next to the Strait of Juan de Fuca. On this 1000 acre farm you will find blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, loganberries, thornless blackberries and lavender. Bring your kids and their buckets out to enjoy a fun place to spend the day and enjoy the stunning views and photo ops of this beautiful U-Pick berry farm.
U-Pick open during the Summer
Monday through Saturday 8 to 4 • Sunday 10 to 4
Call (360)683-5563 during the summer for the latest recorded U-Pick information.
They provide picking boxes. U-pick or purchase pre-picked ripe berries in season. This is a pet-free farm. Your pets will have to stay in the car if you care to still bring them.
Be sure to pick up some of the delicious preserves during your visit.
Photo Courtesy ©Dungeness Valley Creamery
Dungeness Valley Creamery - Source
The Dungeness Valley Creamery is an outstanding family owned and operated raw milk dairy farm, located in Sequim, WA. Priding themselves with painstakingly clean and sanitary conditions that customers can find, they provide the highest quality wholesome and pure natural food choices throughout Western Washington.
Mission Statement:
"The Dungeness Valley Creamery, a family owned and operated business, exists to honor God through preserving good stewardship of land and cattle. We strive to offer wholesome raw dairy products and a nostalgic ambiance to enhance our community’s health, well-being and life."
Please visit the website to learn more about the farm, thier wonderful products, and about the many benefits of raw milk.
Products include Raw Milk, Raw Cream, Raw Skim-Milk, Fresh Eggs, Farm Raised Beef, Cookies, Raw Cheeses, Gluten Free Goodies, Homemade Breads, Chocolatier's creations, Local Art & Craft products.
Photos Courtesty ©Dungeness Valley Creamery
The Dungeness Valley Creameryand they partner with one of our largest farmers here:
Nash’s Organic Produce
Photo Courtesty ©Nash’s Organic Produce
Nash’s Organic Produce - Source
Nash’s Organic Produce is located in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley on the rich delta soil of the Dungeness River on the North Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.
Why Organic? As a trained chemist, Nash understands exactly what the adverse effects of agricultural chemicals do to our health and the environment. He and his crew choose to farm organically because it is the healthiest alternative. When he returned to farming, the decision was easy, to go back to the time long traditions he learned from his grandparents, even though back in the day they never labeled it "organic."
Nash's Farm Store features a beautiful array of the freshest organic fruits and vegetables, local meats, dairy, bulk items & snacks. Bring the kids to enjoy the play area, and a lending library.
95% of all products at Nash's are local and/or organic and GMO-free. Open Daily in Dungeness, 10 am to 7 pm.
4681 Sequim-Dungeness Way Sequim, WA 98382
360-683-4642
Photos courtesy ©Nash’s Organic Produce
Photo Courtesy © Sue Henry
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge - Source
The Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge is a fabulous exploration getaway for the whole family. Located near the town of Sequim in Clallam County in the U.S. state of Washington, on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, enjoy observing wildlife in a natural setting. The 631 acres of the refuge includes the Dungeness Spit, Graveyard Spit, and portions of Dungeness Bay and Harbor. Dungeness Spit is 5 ½ miles long and very narrow. The narrowest portions measure only 50 feet wide during high tides and sometimes breaches occur.
Photo Courtesy ©Olympic Game Farm
Olympic Game Farm - Source
For over 40 years, the Olympic Game Farm has been offering drive tours that take you through 84 acres of terrain, offering close up and personal interaction with such wildlife as buffalo, Kodiak bear and a rare white Siberian tiger from the safely of your vehicle. (Drive tours are RV and pet friendly.)
Address: 1423 Ward Rd, Sequim, WA 98382
Phone:(360) 683-4295
Photo Courtesy ©Dungeness River Audubon Center
Dungeness River Audubon Center - Source
The Dungeness River Audubon Center at Railroad Bridge Park is located along the Dungeness River, the ancestral watershed of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. The Center is the only U.S. Audubon Center with a tribal partner and the only rural center in Washington State.
“Railroad Bridge”, Photo Courtesy © Roma Emilio
Mission Statement
"The Dungeness River Audubon Center's mission is to inspire understanding, enjoyment and stewardship of the Olympic Peninsula's unique natural and cultural resources, with emphasis on birds, rivers, fish, and people."
Railroad Bridge Park 2151 West Hendrickson Road PO Box 2450 Sequim, WA 98382 360-681-4076
Summer Hours, Apr. - Oct: Tues. - Sat. 10am - 4pm, Sunday noon - 4, Closed Mon.
Winter Hours, Nov - March: Tues. - Fri. 10am - 4pm, Saturday noon-4, Closed Sun. & Mon
“Dungeness River Flooding”, Photo Courtesy © Roma Emilio
Discover this intriguing destination where you will find a wonderful display of birds inside the Audubon Center. Bike along the Olympic Discovery Trail and enjoy the lovely Railroad Bridge which celebrated its 100th birthday in September. Visitors can seasonally find salmon spawning in the river, which is constantly changing in flow.
"Johnson Creek Trestle in the Fall", Photo Courtesy © Roma Emilio
Johnson Creek Trestle - Source
Johnson Creek Trestle is the longest railroad trestle on the Olympic Peninsula offering visitors lush views and a pleasurable excursion, perfect for cyclists, runners, and hikers.
New Dungeness Lighthouse - Source
The New Dungeness Lighthouse is located near Sequim on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula between Port Townsend and Port Angeles. It is situated in the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge at the end of the Dungeness Spit extending 5 miles into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Hiking to the Lighthouse
The lighthouse is reached by a 5.5 mile hike from the Refuge parking lot along the North side of the Dungeness Spit. There is a $3 Refuge permit fee for a party of four adults payable at the Kiosk. Bring exact change. Children under 16 are free.
Be sure to check tidal charts pre-hike because you want to avoid high tides any time during your trek. At low tide there is plenty of beach to walk on – but at high tide, it can almost disappear!
To reach the Dungeness Spit from US 101 west of Sequim, turn north on Kitchen-Dick Road (4.7 miles west of the Sequim Avenue exit in Sequim or 12 miles east from downtown Port Angeles). Continue 3 miles on Kitchen-Dick Road to the Dungeness Recreation Area. Go through the recreation area to the Refuge parking lot. The Lighthouse is also accessible by water.
It is the largest natural "spit" (sand bar) in the U.S. Amazingly, it is growing by 13 feet every year. It is 5.5 miles long so if you hike out to the lighthouse at the tip and then back you're looking at an 11 mile trip. The first half mile of the spit is loaded with tourists, but if you journey on and keep trekking a bit further, you will wind up on a remote, private beach.
Photo © Sue Henry
Sequim Bay State Park - Source
Clear your mind as you breathe in the fresh,salty air of this relaxing wondrous getaway. Located near Sequim, Hurricane Ridge and the Dungeness Spit, families will enjoy hiking down to watch the waves and spot gorgeous views of the bay.
Sequim Bay State Park is a year-round, 92-acre marine camping park with 4,909 feet of saltwater coast in the Sequim "rainshadow," just inside Puget Sound on the Olympic Peninsula. The combination of the dry air and calm by make this a popular marine park with boaters. Other amenities include a tennis court, baseball field, horseshoe pits, beach combing, and the paved Olympic Discovery Trail.
Discover Pass: A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to state parks for day use.
Photo © Sue Henry
John Wayne Marina - Source
Soak up the nauticalviews and loose yourself as you wander through this lovely marina filled with several amazing restaurants. The marina is adjacent to a fabulously maintained nearby park.
2577 W Sequim Bay Rd, Sequim, WA 98382
Phone:(360) 417-3440
Photo Courtesy © Sue Henry
Photo Courtesy ©Northwest Native Expressions Art Gallery
Northwest Native Expressions Art Gallery - Source
Enjoy the extraordinary craftsmanship of the local Salish Indians. These beautiful works of art are available for purchase. Watch helpful and friendly tribal members use traditional tools to design and carve large totem poles in the Carving Shed.
Photos © Northwest Native Expressions Art Gallery
1033 Old Blyn Hwy, Sequim, WA 98382
Phone:(360) 681-4640
Take a look at these websites to get familiarized with all of the events related to what is now called Sequim Lavender Weekend!
For more great resources you can check out regarding the other recreational things to do in the Sequim area visit here:
Clear Image Photography - Source
Stop by and visit our Sequim Clear Image Custom Frame shop, and share with us your beautiful pictures of the Dungeness area. We would love to see your artwork! We offers full service custom framing, specialized printing and photo restoration services. Have a special event planned in the picturesque locations of Sequim or in the Greater Seattle area? With three locations to serve you, we also have a robust photography program offering in studio family portraits as well as on location photo shoots.
About the Author:
Photo by ©Amy Fulton
