The 42 best things to do with kids in Olympic National Park (2024)

I only utilize the hot springs when I go to visit. The cabins look enticing however there right next to the springs and you're going to smell sulfur most of your time there.The hot springs are always amazing however the pool is currently closed for maintenance.It would be nice if they were to offer locks for the Lockers in the restroom.They do have food available at a small Cafe however it has a limited schedule and menu.There are snacks and drinks available in the gift shop.Personally I think it's worth the cost and it's a wonderful experience.

The drive into Sol Duc Hot Springs is pretty, but nothing extraordinary. I was a little disappointed in the hot springs. It was just a giant swimming pool. I guess I was hoping for a more natural hit spring setting. Lol. But it looked fun if you're into that. The trail to Sol Duc falls was very nice and more enjoyable. The falls had lots of water coming down, making it really impressive. If you have the America the Beautiful pass like we did, then go see it. Otherwise, I don't personally feel it's worth the admission price.

My recent stay at the Sol Duc Hot Spring Resort had its ups and downs. The convenience of being steps away from hot springs and trails was wonderful. However, the high price didn't match the small studio cabin for four, and the kitchenette was poorly stocked – trying to serve four with minimal plates, silverware, one dull knife and broken cooking tools was a challenge. When we asked for more, we were turned away initially, eventually getting paper cups and plasticware. Would be nice to know ahead about the complimentary bag of ice before adding it to our extra expense. The lack of advance notice about the closure of the large pool was also a letdown. While the location is great, improvements are much needed for a more enjoyable stay.

Very popular place for people of all ages. We did this twice in our visit. Once at 4pm and then at 10am slot. The afternoon slot was very busy but doable. But the morning slot was peaceful. It was quite clean both the times we went. This was so worth it after lot of hiking and car rides.

Had a great time! I feel the amenities could be a little better for the price (we stayed in the cabins without a kitchen). Unlimited soaking is great, but I feel like this place is missing a sauna. The tubs are nice but can get filled up pretty quick even before they “sell out”. We found ourselves “cold plunging” in the pool just to get some space at times. The restaurant is not worth writing home about. if you’re starving, sure - but I would skip for a nice picnic or even better, a meal at crescent lake lodge. The adjacent hiking trails are awesome! They feel like an adventure even if you don’t go up in elevation. The forest is unmatched in beauty around here. If you have gas, this place is great! You can let it rip and blame It on the sulfur smell. Giving it an extra star just for that. Otherwise, I’d come for a soak, and stay/camp elsewhere if I did it again.

My friends and I camped and got passes to the resort. While we enjoyed the facilities, they still need to work on cleanliness, fully preparing the staff, and customer logistics.Some information; they do not sell day passes, instead they sell hour and a half passes and towels cost extra.Additionally (this did not factor into my rating as it’s the way the world works) remember hot springs smell like sulphur.The lockers were consistently extremely wet and I did not see a drain system in place for water from the swimsuit dryer and wet guests to go. Additionally, the hot tub area felt slimy in the afternoon but fine in the morning.The staff was overall nice but many expressed that they were new. Wet at at the restaurant Saturday evening and Sunday morning. They were struggling with keeping waters filled and checking on people but we’re trying their best. The food was ok but at a price point higher than the quality. They had a small selection of adult beverages, I would’ve liked a non canned co*cktail menu in addition to the beers, wine, and cider. Additionally, it would’ve been nice if some more of the breakfast foods came with sides; paying ~$15 for French toast seemed a little much.They let a significant amount of people into the hot tub at once to the point I felt elbow to elbow with strangers, I would’ve preferred to be denied entry than pay for a substandard experience; maybe an online system to schedule times and limit guests would work well and ensure consistent revenue.Overall, Sol Duc meets but does not exceed expectations. I believe as the busy season starts the staff and facilities may have trouble keeping up with a high volume of tourists

We arrived for a day trip to Sol Duc Hot Springs. In previous visits we arrived before noon and enjoyed the day using the hot springs. Unfortunately, after verifying online that they were open, we drove 2.5 hours to get to the resort, only to be told the rules had changed and we could pick a time to use the hot pools for 1.5 hours per session. There was no notification of this online. I understand the reason for the change but to be fair a notification on the website would be extremely helpful. To be honest we would not have made the trip for 1.5 hours, as this was the purpose of our trip.When i asked about the reason it was not advertised properly, I was told that the resort could not add this information and it was up to the Parks to do this.

First of all, I want to clarify that we went to this place but didn't use the hot springs. Since I'm required to give it a star rating, I'm going with 4 stars.The hot springs are not natural. It's more like a pool, or rather a large hot tub. The water however is thermal water from the ground, and they mix it with some water from a spring, I think, so they can control the temperature. They also treat the water a little from what I understand, so the water is quite clean. The two "hot tubs" have controlled temperatures of 105 degrees and 90 degrees, if my memory serves me right. And their prices are $18 per session per adult, with discounts kids and seniors. Each session is an hour and a half, with the last session being 7:30-9, or so (I don't remember the exact times). It feels like early morning or late in the evening, when it's cooler outside would be the best time to go. They do not take reservations, and it's on a first-come, first-serve basis. It was hot and sunny outside when we went in the evening, so we opted not to go in.

Review is only for the spring, not the cabins. Hot springs are always nice and I would recommend coming. However, don't expect the experience to mirror those in the Canadian Rockies or the Alps.There are three hot spring tubs and a cold pool. We assumed the design was for different tub temperatures, but all of them were similar temperatures. People are allowed in hour long shifts with thirty minute breaks for cleaning, but they clearly just put a rope up and then didn't clean anything. Locker rooms and showers were clean, but inexplicably there were no locks. Considering every session is the same price as a simple padlock, it's baffling why this "amenity" can't be provided.Hot springs were $15/adult for an hour long session which is a multiple of every other hot spring I've been to. Make sure you bring your own towels because they were charging $4 each for the people ahead of us.

Bring shower shoesBring soap be advised there is no place to put the soap so you’ll have to juggle that.Don’t forget your towel as they do not have them or they are out. Towel rental was 5$.You may want to bring a hook for your towel in the shower.Be prepared for wet and dirty showers and changing rooms.We were there July 2-3. We came to the hot springs at the 6:00-7:30 time each day. The showers were not draining due to an accumulation of body hair. The same body hair and debris was on the shower the next day. Leading me to think they did not regularly clean and sanitize the wet shower and changing room floors.Sunday was crowded. When I say crowded there was no to find a slot or move around on the pools. Monday the pool was far less crowded but we left early to beat the shower rush. One lady kept trying to put her baby in the fountain despite the life guard yelling at her to stop. Now the life guard just stayed in their chair yelling. Vs just getting up and walking over.There literally was no soap for people to use to wash their hands including the family restrooms.Staff were great but you could sense they were a shoestring crew.I would go back and recommend early a.m. and come prepared.

I have been coming to these hot spring for over 20 years, and it’s a shame to see what’s happening. Campground was great!Hot spring and pool side not so much. Big pool was closed the entire week, yet the price was the same no discount. Staff wasn’t checking or cleaning bathroom at any time. Restaurant ran out of fish and had no chicken options.Sign said t shirts on the table 2 for $30 but that wasn’t the case when we were paying for them, had to be the exact t shirt even though it was on the same table. We were there for 5 days and on the 4th day we found out there was a fire ban only because we needed to buy wood. There were no signs saying there is a fire ban. It’s just sad to see what’s happening to this camp/hot spring.

Review is for hot spring only:Went to the hot spring with a group of five while camping at the nearby camp site. Soaking times are split off into hour and a half chunks, and we went at 11am. Timing your soak before check in time seems like the best idea, the pools were not crowded and the shower space was clean.I loved the experience, the hot pool has a strong sulfur smell, but that’s easy to get over.Going between the hot and cold pool was so refreshing, and the surrounding trees make for beautiful sceneryIt was $17 a person for the session which I had no issue with.

Very nice resort. We stayed in the camp ground and had a good time. Fair warning, the ground is all graveled and some what uneven so make sure to lay a tarp out under your tent. Bathrooms are clean and warm, no showers. Camp is in a great location for exploring the local area. The resort had good breakfast, kinda spendy. They also have basics in their store. The campground also does not get great sunlight with such heavy canopy so make sure to dress warm. We went early April and it never got over 55 at the grounds, in Sequim it was 68.

Arrived at the hot springs at 4pm on a weekend and it was very crowded. I would recommend going in the early morning to avoid crowds. It did not seem like they are limiting the number of people per session. We were able to walk in without making any reservation.The hot spring itself has a few bugs in the water but otherwise clean. There is one big hot spring pool, and two smaller ones. We only stayed in the biggest pool for 20 minutes since it was getting too crowded and we had to head to our campsite to set up.The bathroom has locker cabinets but no locks provided, if you bring your own lock you can secure your valuables in there. The floor is kind of gross after a full day of visitors walking in and out so bring some shower sandals. The showers have hot water. Bring your own soap, shampoo, towels etc. The bathroom is small so maybe leave the hot spring early if you’re planning to use the showers, otherwise you might have to wait in a long line.

I love the idea of this place, it's the reality that was just...not worth it.They have people come in every two hour for a 1.5 hour session. You'd think they'd spend the half hour between sessions to clean, but clearly they don't. There were wrappers and toilet paper on the floor of the bathrooms, along with backed up drains and puddles.In the pool area, the trash cans were overflowing.But it's the hot pools you come for, right? Those were overflowing and dirty, too. Way too many people - at least 150 folks in the session we were in, all in the two hot pools. The third small one was lukewarm and the big lap pool was cold.And unlike other developed hot springs, there's no adults-only pool or area. We were in the hot pool and it was filled to the brim with little kids and adults. Not what I'd call relaxing. We stayed for a half hour and left. With one towel rental and 2 entries, it was $50. Not worth it at all.

We loved this place. We had no issues with getting tickets or with the staff, everyone was very nice. We really enjoyed how they had 3 different pools with 3 different temperatures. The kids liked the regular pool they had in the back cause more kids were there. This made it more enjoyable with everyone.. lol. If we are in the area again we will be sure to stop by again.

This review is for the hot springs pools not the lodging. The pools were NASTY. Lots of hair, debris, and bandaids floating around. They ask that you shower before and after, but they don’t provide soap nor do they sell any, so people basically just do a quick rinse. There also aren’t hooks on the shower walls for towels. The locker room is too small and gets very crowded.Also, there are two small hot pools and one large cold one. The hot pools get very crowded- they overbook this place beyond the capacity of the pools and locker room- and then they don’t clean it.FYI They also don’t provide towels so bring your own.There are many beautiful places on the peninsula- save your money and try lake crescent instead.

There was no network, so it is good to take walkie talkie if you are going in group and also download offline map.Location was very good. We enjoyed too much.Rooms were clean and very well maintained. They had restaurant and they had vegetarian options as well such as Margarita Pizza, french fries etc.They had snacks and drink options(cold drink and beer) too. It was not expensive. They were also selling clothes and souvenir.They had 4 swimming pool with different temperature. You can go there and enjoy hot swimming pool. It was in open.They also had electric charging station as well for electric car. There was sitting seat available outside each room.

A group of us cycled from Port Angeles to Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort on the Olympic Discovery Trail and it was a spectacular experience. Because the stellar staff of this Resort helped us, we then tour from Sol Duc Hot Springs to Forks. From the individual working the desk, to the staff person who helped moved bags, to the manager who accommodated us, the staff went beyond their jobs to make sure we we supported and we had a wonderful time there. Also, the Sol Duc National Park is not-to-be-missed. Beautiful!

We stayed at the RV site, which felt more like a crowded parking lot. The proximity of the cars left little room to move around. On the plus side, there are fire pits at the back, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the hot spring didn't meet our expectations. The pools were too crowded and not very clean. The so-called locker room was both cold and unclean, and it's not even a proper locker room since you can't lock your belongings. There was also no shampoo, and we didn't receive any towels, despite being told we would.In summary, I won't return to this place, and I wouldn't recommend it to others either.

What a terrible place! The pools were overcrowded. The changing rooms had muddy floors. The restaurant was bleak and the food was bad, expensive, and limited in options. The cabins were dark, dingy, cramped and uncomfortable. No fridge so you either drive 45 minutes or eat in the restaurant. Despite being in the wilderness, we were situated right next to a busy road. I can't believe we drove 5 hours to be stuck in this awful "cabin" that felt more like a Motel 6 with dirty screens, no service, no space to do anything, nothing. Once the pools close at 7:30 there is nothing to do but sit in your room with bad lighting. We all wished we had stayed at Lake Crescent Lodge instead.

Very thick old forest growth wilderness with a very heavy forest smell and where you feel like you left civilization behind. Newer school tapped into hot spring pools with a dining restaurant inside and rustic cozy cabins, camp sites, or RV parking spots available. The area has multiple different parking lots, a variety of different hiking trails at different difficulty levels, and if you don't have a national parking pass it'll cost you about $30 to visit the national park for the day!

Cabins were way overpriced and very cold even when the heat was turned all the way up and they let kids in all of the hot springs which was not relaxing. The resort shop has good alcoholic drinks (wine, beer cider) and even a few other good random snacks like Seattle Chocolate. The restaurant is super overpriced and mostly serving heated frozen food. I would bring your own food and use your picnic table to cook camping style and also bring your own pillows.Sol duc area is gorgeous and the hot springs are hot but kids should not be allowed in all of the pools.

Living 25 years in the PNW you hear many people talk about Sol Duc Hot Springs and how amazing it is. After many years of trying to plan a trip, we finally made it. Much to our disappointment it did not live up to the hype. Maybe there was a time when it was amazing, but now it's a run-down lodge with poor service and the most disgusting pool water I've ever been in. This is not an exaggeration. If you are even the slightest bit of a germaphobe, and I'm not, I think this water would induce vomiting. The hair, dirt, and chunks of various other things I cannot identify or describe were thick throughout the pools. The shower and locker room were not any better. We were very thankful that we were only there for one day, and only spent 30 min in a pool. We felt bad for those who were staying for an extended stay at the resort itself and didn't realize what they were in for. We were in an RV and booked a night at the Sol Duc RV park. It was a muddy parking lot with RV hookups around the outside. Also far below expectations. We ended up driving up the road a little further and found a very beautiful campground, which is also run by the Sol Duc resort, but much nicer. We were able to cancel our stay in the parking lot and pay for one night at the campground. I'm not one to write bad reviews but this needed to be said.

We stayed one night. It was pretty expensive for the experience; I think I'd recommend getting a one-session pass for the hot springs rather than staying there.Pros: it's in a gorgeous location in a small valley with beautiful hikes all around. The hot springs are clean; the facilities to use the hot springs were generally clean & definitely up to date. The little cabin we stayed in was clean.Cons: the cabin we were in was LITTLE. Barely enough room for the 2 queen beds the four of us were sharing. It is not disclosed anywhere that there's no wifi or even a 5G signal. Maybe some people prefer that, but I have a disabled spouse I need to check on every night & all they could offer - rather rudely - was a payphone.There's a restaurant there but it has ridiculously limited hours. The last session in the hot springs ends at 7:30; the restaurant stops seating at EXACTLY 8pm. We walked in at 8:01 & they wouldn't seat us.The "grab-and-go" section was woefully stocked. We had ramen, yogurt, & chips for dinner. There's no warning on the site that *maybe* you should bring your own goods.For $329 a night, it wasn't worth it. We could have done the 1 session with the springs for $25 each & stayed in Forks & been happier.

Over price for what you get, I paided over 300 for a shared cabin which was not my understanding. Had kitchen and was to be fully equipped, it was not and when I asked front desk they asked for our room 104 and that they would have someone bring Like a basic cookie sheet...did not happen. Floor was sloped, Walls were spackle, the Cabinet was dirty,the Bed cover was dirty. Check in was difficult in that one doesn't talk to the other. They need to go to customer service school especially the night manager. Saving the best for last, my car would not start And I went to front desk to ask for a jump which they quickly said we can not help. My sister and I are seniors wanting to have a relaxing trip and instead they left us out in the woods with no wifi not caring about there customers that dropped over 500 dollars at the end.

I have never reviewed a place until now. This is my shortened version- hot water in shower ran out after 2 min- late check in and room “might not be available” because of no housekeeping staff- 1 baseboard heater that turns off after 5 min and filled the room with the smell of smoke (and visible smoke to the point of needing to open the window)- “scheduled” power outage from 11pm-6am we were not notified (had to bring our sleeping bags in)- piss and blood stained sheets, when asked for new sheets (to put on myself) there wasn't any, and we were offered a small comforter- charged full price in the off season- sink leaking and left a puddle in the bottom of the bathroomAbsolutely disgusting environment, and contemplated leaving as soon as we got there. Nothing to take home from this experience other than a laugh

6 of us reserved the suite together and it was perfect for a quiet get together, lots of living space and a large dining table (~550/night). there was absolutely 0 cell signal here so it was a nice digital detox but we were worried about others not being able to reach us and getting concerned about us. The maintenance of the suite could be improved and the walls are very thin and floorboards creaky, but the location makes it worthwhile. We did the 20mile 7 lakes trail which is about a 5 minute drive from here and is a perfect day trip. The hot spring after the hike was the cherry on top. Highly recommend. Make sure you bring flip flops!!