The Pacific Northwest coast of the USA in the states of Washington, Oregon and Northern California is one of North America's hidden gems. The 2500 kilometres between Seattle and San Francisco, including the Olympic Peninsula, offer breathtaking views of the Pacific coast with its wide and beautiful sandy beaches, but also rugged cliffs. The two US national parks close to the coast, Olympic National Park in Washington and Redwood National Park in Oregon, are among the less visited but most beautiful parks in the USA.

There is a lot to do and see along this route, but what fascinates me most are the ancient coastal rainforests of Olympic NP and the rugged coastline of the peninsula. But Redwood National Park, with its towering trees reaching up to 120 metres into the sky, is also a must-see.

If you pass Ocean City or Long Beach, you can drive right along the beach by the water with your own car. For me, the most beautiful viewpoint is in Ecola State Park looking down to the southern Pacific coast. For people interested in bird watching, the Hubolt Bay National Wildlife Refuge is a rewarding place to look for migratory birds in spring and autumn.

Above: the wonderful Pacific Coast at the Ecola State Park. Canon EOS R5 + RF 24-105 L IS USM.

Below: looking into the ancient past 50 Mio years ago...Beach 4 in the Olympic National Park. Canon EOS R5 + EF 100-400 L IS II USM.