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Looking for a quieter, dog-friendly Olympic National Park itinerary? This 4-day Olympic Peninsula itinerary focuses on the less-visited northwest corner near Sekiu and Neah Bay, with coastal hikes, cultural stops, and some of the most remote scenery in the park.
When most people plan a trip to Olympic National Park, they picture the rainforest near Forks, Kalaloch beaches, or the mountains near Port Angeles. While those areas are all beautiful (we’ve been there!), there’s a quieter corner that’s just as scenic: the far northwest tip of Washington. This is where the cliffs meet the Strait of Juan de Fuca and lots of fishing takes place.
We spent four days based in Sekiu (late July into early August, 2024), exploring nearby Neah Bay, Cape Flattery, and Shi Shi Beach. This less crowded, peaceful and jaw-droppingly beautiful area turned out to be one of our favorite parts of the entire Olympic Peninsula.
Here’s how we spent our 4-day laid back and dog-friendly stay in Sekiu and what we explored in the neighboring area!
✨ Planning Your Trip to the Olympic Peninsula? You’ll want a car to get there and a nearby place to stay — especially with dogs.
🏡 You’ll find lodging options in Sekiu on Expedia, many with free cancellation.
🚗 Booking.com makes it simple to compare rental deals so you can explore the northwest corner at your own pace and hit all the dog accessible locations.
Day 1 – Relax in Sekiu: A Peaceful Dog-Friendly Base
We didn’t plan much when we arrived in Sekiu. We had just spent 4 days along the western Olympic coastline by Forks and were excited for some quiet, relaxing time. And that’s exactly why we love Sekiu. This tiny fishing village (population 56) ended up being the perfect home base for exploring the northwestern corner of the Olympic Peninsula.
Sekiu WeatherWe stayed three nights at a cozy Airbnb right on the bay. Every morning we’d watch fishing boats pop in and out across the bay while enjoying a cup of coffee. The afternoons were mild, the evenings were cool, and it was easily the most relaxed we’d felt all trip.
Sekiu doesn’t have a ton of restaurants, but it does have By the Bay Café, a local favorite where we ended up basically every morning and night of our stay. We could never pin down their hours, but they seemed to bend around the needs of the town. And their food always hit the spot after exploring the surrounding area.
The staff’s easygoing attitude really captured Sekiu’s pace. One early morning, a small family was in a rush to make it to their next destination while waiting for their food. The waitress gently reminded them that there’s no need to rush and that “you’ve got the rest of the day”. And she was right!
The entire place just felt like home.
If you’re looking for a meal beyond Sekiu, we’d recommend driving 30 minutes to Neah Bay for Linda’s Woodfired Kitchen or Calvin’s Crab House.
Here are a few more practical things we did during our stay:
- Laundry: There’s no laundromat in Sekiu, but Mason’s Olson Resort lets travelers use their machines for $2 a load.
- Stargazing: Drive west toward Shipwreck Point on a clear night. The lack of light pollution makes for incredible stargazing; we even caught a faint glimpse of the aurora borealis towards Canada.
- Nearby Adventures: From Sekiu, you’re a short drive from Cape Flattery, Shi Shi Beach, and the Makah Museum in Neah Bay (all less than an hour away).
Visit Cape Flattery: The Northwestern Tip of the U.S.
From Sekiu, it’s about a 45-minute drive to the northwesternmost point in the contiguous U.S.: Cape Flattery. The drive itself is gorgeous, winding along cliffs with views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and, on a clear day, the Canadian coast.
Before hiking, stop in Neah Bay to pick up the required Makah Recreation Permit ($20 per vehicle, good for a year). You can grab one at the Makah Museum, Marina, Mini Mart, or Tribal Center. We’d recommend stopping at the museum to learn more about the Makah Tribe. The exhibits on the Ozette archaeological site, Makah whaling history, and traditional canoe culture gave us a much deeper appreciation for the land we were visiting.
The Cape Flattery hike is a short ¾-mile walk each way, yet the views along the trail easily make it one of the most scenic spots on the peninsula. The first stretch of the trail follows boardwalks through a Sitka spruce forest that opens to stunning coastal cliffs.
We brought binoculars and spotted baby gray whales swimming near the rocks below. Our dogs loved this hike too. Just make sure to keep them leashed and watch the boardwalk gaps if you have small pups like we do.
At the main overlook, you’ll see Tatoosh Island and its lighthouse standing sentinel just offshore.
Later that evening, we did our laundry at Mason’s Olson Resort ($2 a load) and, once it got dark, we drove out to Shipwreck Point for some astrophotography and to see if we could spot the aurora borealis.
Day 2 – Hike to Shi Shi Beach: Coastal Beauty & Tidepools
If Cape Flattery feels like the edge of the world, Shi Shi Beach feels completely untouched. It’s one of Olympic’s most stunning coastal hikes. However, dogs are not allowed on this trail, so ours stayed back at our Airbnb.
The trailhead is about an hour south of Cape Flattery, and since it’s on Makah land, you’ll need that same Makah Recreation Pass (plus your National Park Pass for the beach itself).
The hike is roughly 4-miles roundtrip, and even in summer, the mud can be intense. Our hiking poles sank deep (probably close to six inches in some spots). At the 2-mile mark, you start the descent towards the beach, and it’s gorgeous. You’ll see sea stacks rise, tidepools with loads of marine life, and the coastline stretches for miles.
If you’re heading all the way to Point of Arches (4.4 miles each way or 8.8 miles round trip from the trailhead), you’ll keep walking down the beach after reaching Shi Shi. It’s an out-and-back trail either way, so just make sure you’re up for the return trip.
We hiked in the morning, took our time exploring tidepools, and watched waves roll in against the sea stacks. If you’re planning to stay longer, Shi Shi is also a popular spot for backcountry camping (with the right wilderness permits).
Dogs aren’t allowed on this trail, so ours stayed back at the Airbnb, perfectly happy napping in the AC after a couple of big hiking days. But this did limit the amount of time we could spend at Shi Shi Beach. Since we didn’t want to leave our dogs alone for long, we decided to skip the hike out to Point of Arches.
Day 3 – Explore Neah Bay: Culture, History & Coastal Views
After two big hikes and a lot of driving, we spent our last morning taking it slow: grabbing breakfast at By the Bay Café one more time, watching the boats drift in, and walking along the quiet waterfront in Sekiu.
We drove into Neah Bay to explore and understand more of the Makah Tribe. So we visited the Makah Cultural & Research Center Museum. Inside is one of the most impressive small museums we’ve visited, highlighting the Makah people’s deep connection to the sea.
It was fascinating to learn about their whaling traditions and see everything from cedar craftsmanship to artifacts from the Ozette archaeological site, a village preserved by a mudslide over 300 years ago. It’s well worth setting aside at least an hour here.
Later that evening, we returned to Cape Flattery one last time to attempt sunset photos. It had been cloudy all day but we hoped that they would roll past before the sun set. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Instead, we were all bundled in blankets, listening to waves crash and whale calls. Even though we weren’t able to see the sunset, this was still the perfect ending to our day.
If you have extra time before heading out, Shipwreck Point makes a great stop for one more coastal walk or picnic. It’s a beautiful place to say goodbye to the far northwestern edge of the Olympic Peninsula.
Day 4: Final Morning in Sekiu
On our final morning in Sekiu, we drove into Neah Bay one last time to walk along the dock before heading east toward Port Angeles and Sequim.
Your 4-Day Itinerary at a Glance
| Day | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stay: Sekiu or Neah Bay Explore: Cape Flattery |
| 2 | Explore: Shi Shi Beach |
| 3 | Explore: Neah Bay’s Culture, History & Coastal Views |
| 4 | Final Morning in Sekiu |
Why Sekiu & Neah Bay Should Be on Your Olympic NP Itinerary
This corner of Olympic National Park can fly under the radar, but it’s easily one of the most peaceful, scenic parts of Washington. Sekiu and Neah Bay give you access to amazing coastal hikes, incredible stargazing, and moments of peace that are hard to find elsewhere.
Whether you’re here for the trails, the tidepools, or just a quiet getaway by the water, the Sekiu side of Olympic has a way of slowing life down, and that’s exactly why we can’t wait to go back.
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