Best Northwest Lake Getaways: Find Rustic Comfort Less Than 3 Hours From Seattle
Deep in Olympic National Park, Lake Quinault has been drawing visitors for decades.
By Roddy Scheer August 15, 2017
This article originally appeared in the July 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
The Lochaerie Resort is one of our 26 Best Lakeside Getaways in the Northwest.
This classic resort, along the quiet north shore of jewel-like Lake Quinault, has been hosting guests since it was built in the 1920s as a “hostelry” for rusticators from Seattle looking to get away from it all. Not much has changed since then. Each lake-facing cabin is a private and self-contained unit with a fireplace, private bathroom with shower, and a kitchen stocked with utensils and cookware (bring in your own food or dine out at one of the eateries on the south side of Lake Quinault). Two of the cabins are for couples only, while the remaining four can accommodate families or small groups.
With no Wi-Fi or hot tub, your best form of entertainment might be to paddle one of the resort’s canoes or kayaks on the lake in search of otters and sleep off the excitement in a hammock on the shore. Or follow one of the hiking trails right from Lochaerie around Lake Quinault on the hunt for big trees. After all, you’re in the middle of the so-called “Valley of the Giants,” where some of the biggest Sitka spruce, western red cedar and Douglas fir trees known to humankind are still thriving to this day.
GETTING THERE: Less than a three-hour drive from Seattle, on the southern part of the Olympic Peninsula and accessible via Aberdeen and U.S. Highway 101.
The Coordinates
Lochaerie Resort, Amanda Park, 638 North Shore Road; 360.288.2215. $165–$215/night depending on cabin and season.
Follow Us
The Warmest Welcome: Why You Should Visit the Tri-Cities This Year
Just a few hours away from Seattle, this robust community offers great wine, a budding food scene, and more than 300 days of sun.
There is a point, when I’m traveling along Interstate 82 (I-82), somewhere around Exit 26, when I usually notice a shift in the light—especially in the wintertime. Coming out from the pass and heading south to leave the flat, cloud-shrouded gray of Western Washington behind, I feel a burst of happiness at the blue skies…
Paint Check: Select Alaska Airlines Planes Get a Fresh Look
The local aviation company debuts a bold Aurora Borealis-inspired livery as it expands internationally.
At the beginning of the year, Alaska Airlines unveiled its new global livery: a bold design inspired by the Aurora Borealis. Painted in a palette of deep blues and shimmering emerald greens, the sleek look is a nod to Alaska Airlines’ continued addition of international destinations, which will expand to London, Rome, and Reykjavik by…
Elevated Gaming, Now With a Luxury Stay
Debuting a new era in Pacific Northwest gaming, the opening of the now Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel, transforms a premier gaming destination into a full-scale getaway–pairing top-tier play with the convenience and comfort of an upscale luxurious overnight stay just 30 minutes from downtown Seattle. Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel offers one of the most expansive…
Washington’s Spring Festivals Go Way Beyond Tulips
From cherry blossoms in Seattle to shorebirds on the coast, these spring festivals celebrate the state’s natural abundance.
From our rivers flowing with snowmelt and salmon to valleys dotted with wildflowers and berries, to forests filled with mossy trees and mushrooms, nature is an inseparable part of Washington’s culture and ecosystem. It shapes what we eat and drink, what inspires our art and outdoor lifestyle, and even our cities. Nature is part of…