Washington Part One: The Olympic Peninsula
Port Orchard, Washington
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to visit the Pacific Northwest. In June, Zach and I traveled to The Olympic Peninsula to photograph a wedding and I have to say – it did not disappoint! Landing at dusk, most of the stunning views that Seattle (or the SEA-TAC airport anyway) has to offer were hidden by the night sky. So we drove straight through to our Port Orchard, Washington Airbnb and settled in for the night. The next morning we woke up to the most incredible view! Our Airbnb sat right on the water – score! We ate breakfast while watching ferries from Seattle pass by before heading down to the rocky beach.
One thing I love about Zach is his love for nature. From climbing trees to inspecting plants and insects – he is totally in his element outdoors. So it didn’t surprise me at all to look over and see Zach combing the rocks on the beach to see what he could find. To our surprise and delight, tiny little crabs call the beaches of Port Orchard home! And speaking of homes, we loved our little Airbnb! It was darling and even came with two judgemental cats. What could be better?
Picking Fresh Lavender in Sequim, Washington
After we finished exploring, we loaded up our rental car and headed north west! (We even drove on Highway 101, which has been on my bucket list for awhile too!) We drove through some of the cutest little towns I have ever seen! As I mentioned before, we were in Washington to photograph a wedding, so we met up with brides Caitlin and Abby (read about their beautiful wedding day here) and headed to Bnb Lavender Farm which is located just outside of Sequim, Washington. Their families joined us and we spent the afternoon learning about lavender and picking fresh bundles for the wedding the next day. What a dream! The smell of the fresh lavender is something I will never forget!
Port Angles, Washington
The next morning Zach and I headed into town to pick up dessert for the wedding and we decided to explore a little bit while we waited for the bakery (ok, so it was actually an Italian restaurant, our options were a tad limited) to open. We stopped for a delicious breakfast at New Day Eatery and then explored the Port Angeles City Pier. Massive ships dotted the horizon and the blue sky blended almost seamlessly with the beautiful Strait of Juan de Fuca waters. Between the calm feeling of the water and the beautiful mountain views, Zach and I fell head over heels for this place. So if we just up and move someday, you know where to find us! The Olympic Peninsula has our hearts!
Hurricane Ridge | Olympic National Park
One of the best parts of this entire trip was that we got to experience so much of it with Caitlin and Abby, who have become dear friends in the year(ish) that we have been working with them. One of our adventures was heading up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park located in The Olympic Peninsula. The views on the drive up were amazing, but the view from the top was out of this world! Snowflakes began to fall on our cheeks as we took it all in. It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been! And the cherry on top? The rainbow that formed while we were there. It was like a beautiful sign from the universe that we were exactly where we were supposed to be in that moment. It was perfect!