Washington Hostels

I wouldn't recommend hitchhiking. There are two prisons in the area, one being an honor camp, meaning there is not much preventing an inmate from breaking out, but his honor. There are escapees quite frequently. Some years ago, when the police were looking for an escapee, all the hitchhikers between Port Angeles and Aberdeen were stopped. Each and every one of them, about 15+ men, had a warrant out for his arrest. Scary. A young man hitchhiking from Port Angeles was picked up by a recently released prisoner on his way to Forks from Monroe. The young hitchhiker ended up stabbing the man who picked him up to death to save his own life when the man tried to rape him.

I must say, if you are visiting Olympia, watch out for their drivers. This city has the worst drivers I have ever encountered in any other city, or state for that matter. They have no concept of the word "merge" and do speeds of 40 to 55 on I-5, which posts a speed limit of 60. If you have a perfect driving record, you just may lose it here.

There are buses to both LaPush and Neah Bay from Forks. Also, one to Kalaloch and Lake Quinalt. Cheap transportation. The transit center is on hwy 101 and you can catch one there for all those destinations.

Olympia is weird! Downtown has a mixture of Indian, Vietnamese, Chinese, and American restaurants intermingled with an alternative music and theatre scene. The people are kinda wacky. It reminds me of Canada without the snow. Overall, it's a great place to visit. Make sure you get the intercity transit map as you can travel large distances for next to nothing and the drivers help you out as well. Not your typical American city -- it's kind of Canadian!

Forks … Be sure to see Ruby beach - one of the most beautiful places I've seen in my life.

Forks … I don't usually recommend hichhiking, but I did it all over the penninsula - incredibly safe and I'm a single girl. Buses are useful but infrequent.

Olympia … There's a place in town that has a running spring water tap in some parking lot behind a building downtown somewhere. For musicians I heard that you can play on the street. And the transit can take you with transfers to Port Angelos in about a day for about $3.

Olympia … It rocked my world upside down and back over again.

Rainforest Hostel in Forks … When I arrived at the Rain Forest Hostel I was the only one there except for the manager/owner. Soon others arrived and I helped him set up the bunks for the new arrivals. The hostel smelled a little bit like mildew, but that is understandable seeing as they receive 10 feet (yes, I said TEN FEET) of rain each year! Luckily, it wasn't raining the day I arrived. The manager does expect the hostellers to do "a chore" which I didn't mind at all. I'm grateful for the inexpensive accommodations that hostels provide so I don't mind chipping in and helping out. The hostel is located close to the HOH Rain Forest on the Olympic Peninsula -- a must see!!

Birch Bay Hostel in Blaine … I've stayed at this hostel twice, in 2000 and 2001, and found it to be clean, safe, quiet, and conveniently located. The manager was polite, friendly, and helpful. Hurray Birch Bay!!

HI - Olympic Hostel, Port Townsend in Port Townsend … It was fun going to this hostel. It was right next to the bunkers. Our girl scout troop stayed here for a night and really enjoyed the experience. The man in charge was very pleasent.

Whittaker's Bunkhouse in Ashford … This hostel used to be a dive, but in the late 1990s it was restored into a very nice facility with a comfy two story bunkhouse that has about a dozen beds, plus a small hotel with private rooms. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is great. As this is a jumping off point for many mountaineers attempting to climb Mt. Rainier (or having just attempted it), there's much lore surrounding the entire area, and guests with dreams to share and stories to tell. I am not giving the hostel five stars for two simple reasons. First is that the level of hostels in North America has grown over the last decade (a trip to Alberta anyone?). And due to increased popularity most likely, the price at the Bunkhouse increased about 20 percent in the last few years, making it too rich for most people's pockets. Otherwise, it's a great place to stay, and visit.

Bingen School Inn in Bingen … I stayed in a two-bed private room. This place is grrrrreat! (The bathrooms could use a little help.) But the rooms were excellent, and the old school house stuff is excellent. The room has a full wall chalkboard to scribble on, if that takes your fancy.

Thor Town International Hostel in Port Angeles … I had a good time. The bed and the house were comfortable. There is free Internet, and it's a good deal for $12.

Wayfarer's Rest in Friday Harbor … I fell in love with Friday Harbor. The people were very kind and helpful to the solo traveler. I found this hostel to be an ideal retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The owners, having stayed in hostels themselves, know how to run one perfectly! They took advantage of my single status and shuffled me around a bit but I didn't mind. I was able to stay in one of their private cabins (I see they now have two, I stayed here a few years ago. Back when they had grand plans for the sailboat in the backyard. I'm not sure what happened with that project!) I also stayed in one of the dorm rooms. The last night there, I stayed in a friend's RV at a nearby beach (I would NOT recommend that to anyone!!!) The hostel, was wonderful - clean and comfortable. The showers do require quarters to operate but that's not because the owners are cheap. There are water restrictions on the island. The house is yours to roam at will. The owners live in a larger cabin in the…

HI - Seattle, Vashon Island Hostel in Vashon Island … The hostel and the location is perhaps the best I've experienced in my hostelling adventures. It's just that the manager and the owner are terrible. Actually, they are totalitarian dictators. When they (Tom and Judy) are at the hostel at the same time, you might as well lay low, I mean very low. They are quite known to talk down to, and even openly confront the very people that are paying good green cash to stay at a location fabled for rest and relaxation. Instead, it's not uncommon for their holidays to be cut abruptly short because of this fact. Thanx, just had to put my 2 bits in.

Grays Harbor Hostel in Elma … There's nothing too bad about this hostel, and nothing too great. It's a clean, decent place to stay. The manager was polite; but there was nothing too interesting nearby. Also, I think they raised their rates. $12 or $14 would be about right; $16 or $18 wouldn't be worth it.

Chez Cascadia in Olympia … I stayed here in the spring of 2006. There's still some growing pains with Chez Cascadia. The space was nice, the location great (in West Olympia not too far from downtown), and the staff was friendly. However, the staff was not around that much (and difficult to reach on the phone when making a reservation), so you're pretty much on your own. This didn't lend itself to cleanliness -- the bathroom was pretty dirty (especially the tub) and the kitchen in disarray. Rather than look at the piles of dirty dishes, I just dove in and did them. It would help if the staff implemented some sort of "do a chore" system if they're not able to take care of it themselves. And there were a few "extended stay" people there that brought the atmosphere of the hostel down. I don't think that this place is terrible, and it has the potential to be something great. All it needs is for the staff/owners to actually get behind the idea of running a hostel. Hostels take work and dedication, not a minimal…