Sequim, WA

Sequim is a small city on the northern Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, situated in Clallam County just inland from the Strait of Juan de Fuca. With a population of roughly 7,000 residents, it has a quiet, agricultural character and a notably drier climate than the rest of the peninsula, thanks to the rain shadow cast by the Olympic Mountains. The town is best known as a hub for lavender cultivation—often promoted as the "Lavender Capital of North America"—and as a convenient eastern gateway to Olympic National Park. Sequim lies about 65 miles northwest of Seattle across Puget Sound, though the drive typically runs two to three hours by car via the Tacoma Narrows area or longer with a Washington State Ferry crossing from Edmonds or Kingston.

Just west of town, Olympic National Park draws the majority of visitors to the area, and Hurricane Ridge, one of the park's most accessible alpine viewpoints, is about a 30-minute drive from Sequim. The road climbs from sea level to meadows and rocky ridgelines with panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains, and it serves as a starting point for short hikes and ranger-led snowshoe walks in winter. For travelers who prefer to stay closer to sea level, the park's other famous ecosystems—Hoh Rain Forest and the Pacific coastline—are reached by a longer drive westward through Port Angeles and Forks, generally two to three hours depending on the destination.

Northwest of Sequim, the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge protects one of the longest natural sand spits in the United States. A roughly 5-mile round-trip hike leads to the historic New Dungeness Lighthouse at its tip, with sweeping views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca toward the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island. The refuge is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Sequim and is popular with birdwatchers, especially during spring and fall migrations.

Closer in, the Sequim Bay area offers gentler recreation at Sequim Bay State Park, a small waterfront park with camping, a boat launch, and crabbing and clamming opportunities. In town and on its outskirts, a cluster of working lavender farms—open seasonally from late spring through summer—lets visitors tour fields, browse handmade products, and take workshops, reinforcing the agricultural identity that gives the area its distinctive purple-tinted summers.

For short-term rental owners, Sequim offers a compelling mix of small-town calm and proximity to some of the Pacific Northwest's most iconic outdoor destinations. Its dry weather, scenic farmland, and easy access to Olympic National Park, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the surrounding trail network attract a steady flow of retirees, road-trippers, and outdoor travelers throughout the year, supporting a lodging market that benefits from both summer peak demand and quieter shoulder seasons anchored by storm-watching and fall foliage.