he Olympic Peninsula, home to Camp Beausite Northwest, is a diverse area consisting of temperate rain forest, rugged glacier-capped mountains, numerous lakes, rivers and waterfalls – all surrounded on three sides by saltwater and dotted with many diverse beaches.

A small section of the northern peninsula, including the location of the camp, is graced with a more temperate climate because of the Olympic Rain Shadow created by the tall Olympic Mountains. The weather comes in off the Pacific Ocean from the south and west, hits the mountains and is pushed upwards where the moisture condenses, cools and rains out creating warmer dryer air on the north and east sides. For comparison, Mt. Olympus gets 220″ per year but Camp Beausite registers 24″, as compared to Quilcene’s 55″ which is only 18 miles to the south. The least rainfall is in Sequim, to the east, which has only 16″ a year, and Port Townsend comes in close at 19″. For more information, go here.

The Peninsula offers an extensive list of things to see and do. We’ve divided our Explore page into two categories – those close to Camp Beausite and others that are further away. In the local section you’ll find information about restaurants, parks, marinas, museums and points of interest, as well as links to other activities not listed here. The broader peninsula is covered in the second section with plenty of links to get you started. Whatever you choose to do we’re sure you’ll find lots of things to please the adventurous spirit.

There are four visitor centers in our local area.
The Olympic Peninsula Gateway Visitor’s Center, located on SR19 at SR104
The Port Townsend Visitor Center, 2409 Jefferson St., Port Townsend, WA
North Hood Canal Visitor Center – Quilcene, 295142 Hwy. 101, Quilcene, WA
North Hood Canal Visitor Center – Brinnon, 306144 Hwy. 101, Brinnon, WA

There are walking and hiking trails all over the Quimper Peninsula. A good list of the trails in Port Townsend can be found at AllTrails.

RESTAURANTS

This list is all the restaurants close to Camp Beausite Northwest. There are a lot more located 13 miles to the north in Port Townsend and 11 miles to the south in Port Ludlow, see the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce website.

Ajax Cafe – (360) 385-1965
Local American eats dished in historic digs where diners are prompted to don provided playful garb
Burger’s Landing – (360) 379-8388
Classic burger, fries, milkshake kind of place (take-out only)
Chimacum Cafe – (360) 732-4631
Ample portions of country cooking at reasonable prices, great pie selection
Crazy Otter – (360) 385-1147
Sports bar with pool table and darts, serving burgers and fries
Farm & Sea Grill – (360) 344-8335
Delicious seafood and farm-fresh ingredients
Farm’s Reach Cafe – (360) 732-4200
Delicious dishes using locally-sourced organic foods, decadent desserts
Fat Smitty’s – (360) 385-4099
Known for the gigantic Paul Bunyan-sized Smitty Burger
Ferino’s Pizzeria – (360) 385-0840
Be sure to check out their Pizza of the Month
Fiesta Jalisco Mexican Restaurant – (360) 385-5285
Large selection of good Mexican food, beer, wine, margaritas
Joy Luck Restaurant – (360) 379-1009
Chinese cuisine, Mandarin style, take-out only
Metro Bagels –  (360) 643-9171
Nine great bagel varieties baked fresh every day! Coffee/espresso, and bagel sandwiches
San Juan Taqueria – (360) 344-2891
Great Mexican selection, serving beer, wine and margaritas
Spirits Bar & Grill – (360) 302-6348
Located in the Old Alcohol Plant Inn, serving dinners of seafood, steaks, burgers, Italian
Spruce Goose Cafe – (360) 385-3185
Located at the local airport, serving great breakfasts and lunches
Valley Tavern – (360) 385-0388
A biker friendly, country bar with the best burgers in the PNW!

Farmer’s Markets

Jefferson County has three Farmers Markets, three days a week in three locations, where you can buy from local farms and producers, from produce to flowers to baked goods and beverages. Here’s an opportunity to support growers and artisans. For more information and location maps see www.jcfmarkets.org.

Uptown Port Townsend on Saturdays – Farms, Food, Arts and Music (April–Dec., 9am–2pm)
Port Townsend at Haines Place Park & Ride on Wednesdays – (June–Sept., 11am–3pm)
Chimacum on Sundays – In the heart of our farming community (Jun–Oct., 10am–2pm)

PARKS

CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND PARKS

For the full list of city parks see Parks, Trails & Facilities

Chetzemoka Park – A hidden gem, with lawn, trellised walkway, playground, beach access, kitchen shelter, picnic tables and a gazebo
Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park – Community park featuring wetlands & a lagoon with ducks, plus walking trails & picnic areas
Pope Marine Park – Scenic waterfront park in downtown Port Townsend with grass lawn area, picnic tables, play equipment, the Pope Marine Building, Jackson Wave Viewing Gallery, and City Dock

JEFFERSON COUNTY PARKS

For the full list of county parks see Jefferson County Parks and Recreation, also Parks and Recreation Areas

Gibbs Lake County Park
HJ Carrol County Park
Irondale Beach County Park
Lake Leland Park Campground
Larry Scott Trail Regional Multiple Purpose Trail
North Beach County Park

WASHINGTON STATE PARKS

For the full list of state parks see Parks and Recreation Areas

Anderson Lake State Park – A 496-acre day-use park in Chimacum, with 8,250 feet of freshwater shoreline on the 70-acre lake, which abounds with birds and wildlife
Fort Flagler State Park – A 1,451-acre, marine camping park on the north tip of Marrowstone Island, surrounded on three sides by 19,100 feet of saltwater shoreline
Fort Townsend State Park – A 413-acre, marine camping park with 3,960 feet of saltwater shoreline on Port Townsend Bay
Fort Worden State Park – A 432-acre multi-use park on the north tip of the Quimper Peninsula, with more than 2 miles of saltwater shoreline and a wide variety of services and facilities

MUSEUMS / MARINE SCIENCE CENTER

Jefferson Museum of Art & History – (360) 385-1003
History exhibitions,1892 City Jail and The Museum Shop, a place to find locally-made unique gifts
Kelly Art Deco Light Museum – (360) 379-9030
Producer of historic home hardware and classic lighting
Port Townsend Aero Museum – (360) 379-5244
Historic aviation museum, collection includes a variety of antique and classic aircraft
Port Townsend Marine Science Center– (360) 385-5582
Educational and scientific organization devoted to understanding and conserving our marine and shoreline environment – aquarium, museum and gift shop
Rothschild House – Step back in time to the 1800’s, the house is a surprisingly accurate reflection of our culture 100 years ago, tours every Sunday June through September

BOATS & MARINAS

Point Hudson Marina –  Home to the Northwest Maritime Center, and the organization’s annual Wooden Boat Festival, and within easy walking distance of the many fine dining, lodging and shopping opportunities in Port Townsend
Port Hadlock Marina – The marina is modern, well maintained, and has all the amenities to accommodate year-round boaters
Port Ludlow Marina – Part of The Resort at Port Ludlow where guests and residents enjoy the best of waterfront resort activities and living
Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven – The largest marina in the area and home to the many marine trades businesses that hold a wealth of special expertise in the maintenance and restoration of all types of wooden boats and ships

FURTHER AFIELD – THE MAGNIFICENT OLYMPIC PENINSULA

The majestic Olympic Mountains fill most of the interior of the Olympic Peninsula, surrounded by large bodies of water on three sides. On a clear day the Olympic Mountains are in full view, as well as the Cascade Mountains to the north and east, and the endless bodies of water sparkle in the sunshine.

There are few destinations that do not lead to spectacular vistas of the mountains, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Pacific Ocean, and more. We are fortunate in that several organizations have already charted our area with all the recreational opportunities this paradise has to offer. A few recommendations are: Hurricane Ridge, Dungeness Spit, Olympic Game Farm, Olympic National Park, Olympic National Forest, and the Hoh Rain Forest.

To learn more details about our location visit Jefferson Co. Washington – Tourism Coordinating Council. Here you’ll find detailed information and maps to help you decide what your next adventure will be. Another good source of information is the Olympic Peninsula Tourism Commission’s website Olympic Peninsula Washington State.