One of the great joys of traveling for my daughter’s cross-country meets is the discovery of trails and local food joints throughout Western Washington. Today, I’d like to talk about one of my favorite local seafood joints – Salty Girls Seafood in Sequin and cycling on the Olympic Discovery Trail.
Sequim Bay State Park to Dungeness Bay via Sequim
A fun and safe way to cycle through the Olympic Peninsula is the yet-to-be-completed Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT). Once completed, you can cycle from La Push on the Pacific Ocean to Seattle through the Hood Canal Bridge / Kingston Ferries. If I had the time, I would have cycled from Port Townsend to Port Angeles via Sequin. But as I only had three hours, this shortened route is Sequim Bay State Park to Dungeness Bay via Sequim. While shorter, this route allows you to enjoy ODT, the expansive views of Dungeness Bay, and enjoy the relaxing town of Sequin.
Sequim Bay State Park to Dungeness Bay
Nestled in the bay of Sequin Bay, the ODT cuts through Sequin Bay State Park and is a great starting point for beach exploration to camping. Don’t forget your Discover Pass so you can park there. The park also offers rest rooms and showers if you are cycling in more muddy conditions.
Even during the rainy autumn season, the paths were relatively clear of debris. It made for easy ride to the town of Sequim.
Dungeness Bay
Deviating from ODT allowed me to traverse through towns next to the Salish Sea including Jamestown, Dungeness, and Old Town. While it was a rainy and cloud day, the views of Dungeness Natural Wildlife Reserve were worth it. Make sure to cycle along Marine Drive towards Cays Rd to get the best views. But remember that Marine Drive is on top of a bluff so don’t get too close to the edge (the road is perfectly safe)!
Salty Girls Seafood
If you are a regular reader of this blog or my Strava, you will notice a recurring theme around cycling and food. And of course this post is no different! After a solid few hours of cycling on the Olympic Discovery Trail, nothing beats some amazing seafood. And one of my favorite joints in the Pacific Northwest is Salty Girls Seafood in the heart of Sequim. They have an amazingly thick clam chowder filled to the brim with clams. It was so good (and I was so hungry) that I forgot to take a picture of it. (I’ll make sure to add some pictures the next time I head back). But the chef’s kiss was their 1-pound salty steamers with mussels and clams steamed in white wine and lemon with garlic, onions and tomatoes.
After this wonderfully delicate and decadent seafood, a coffee is needed! And a fun place is Rainshadow Cafe which is only a couple of blocks away.
Note, many restaurants on the Olympic Peninsula are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So make sure to check ahead as this changes depending on the season.
The Ferry Ride Home
After a fun day cycling and great food, the most beautiful way to return to the Seattle-area is riding a Washington State ferry. It is the largest ferry system in the US with 21 ferries that travel around the Puget Sound and Salish Sea.
While this is a short trip log, it was packed with wonderful views, great cycling, and amazing food. My biggest regret is not being able to stay longer to enjoy the town Sequim more. Hopefully I’ll rectify this soon!
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