Ocean Shores or Humptulips? (Seattle, Redmond: home, safest, beach)

[jenlion]

On our 3-day Peninsula trip, we're staying at Lake Quinault our second night. We're heading home to Redmond on day 3.

Question is: should we drive back through Moclips and Ocean Shores before going east on 109 to Hoquiam? Or should we take 101 straight through Humptulips to Hoquiam?

We've got older folks and a 16-month-old with us, so we'll stop frequently. I was thinking of the coast drive because we could stop at parks along the beach and let him play if he got tired of the car (and thinking that a coastal drive is always nice, if you can see the ocean?). But most of the day's drive is through the interior anyway.

Worth it to go through Ocean Shores or, as some have recommended, should we skip it and stay on 101?

[allforcats]

If you've got the time, I'd head over to Ocean Shores from Hoquiam. The "coast" road is a poor road; I wouldn't drive it if I were you. 101 is much safer and smoother, and even that is just a 2-lane full of winds and turns. You can pull over to the shoulder almost anywhere and stop to look at the scenery; your son can collect stones.

You can drive right onto the beach and park a short distance from the water. While everyone else will probably gaze in delight at the water, your son will start up a conversation with the resident Seagulls, who are many, imperial and very talkative (be careful to steer clear of them while you park). They're large enough to carry your son away so hold his hand. He'll love the experience.

BTW, there's nothing at all at either Moclips or Humptulips. And the Quinault Rain Forest is more magical and quieter than the Hoh.

[jenlion]

OK, too late for me to edit the poll, looks like. But Streets & Trips is telling me it's about 20 minutes from Hoquiam to Ocean Shores, which probably makes it worthwhile for one last trip to the ocean. (Especially since that's the closest place to us when family flies in and wants to see the pacific. They don't realize that Seattle isn't smack on the ocean! It's either Ocean Shores or Westport, and we've seen Westport already).

So, add a write-in vote for "Take 101 to Hoquiam, drive over to Ocean Shores, then drive back to Hoquiam." --Just skip traveling on BIA-26 through the reservation and skip 109".

[allforcats]

Agree. The drive between Hoquiam and Ocean Shores will go quickly. And it's the best road, and I think the safest road, to take. THE VIEW AT OCEAN SHORES ROCKS!!!
Don't yell at the Seagulls but just don't let them fly away with Junior

[Ira500]

No opinion on this, but don't you love the name Humptulips? Washington State has some great place names, like Humptulips and Pysht.

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by Ira500

No opinion on this, but don't you love the name Humptulips? Washington State has some great place names, like Humptulips and Pysht.

You're just being a pest tonight, aren't you? Pysht indeed.

[jenlion]

Yeah, I'm trying to figure out where the name HumpTulips came from. I don't know how I'm going to say, to my grandparents, with a straight face, "We're going to Hump-two-lips".

Wikipedia says, "The name Humptulips may have come from a local Native American language, meaning 'hard to pole', referring to the difficulty local Native Americans had poling their canoes along the Humptulips River. According to other sources the word means 'chilly region'.[4] Another possibility is that Humptulips was the name of a band of the Chehalis tribe. Noted is the obvious double entendre to oral sex." ... no kidding.

We ran into some serious seagulls in Westport and at Deception Pass. We have the bubble wrap for the stroller to keep them out of his cheerios. (and him out of that insane wind) :-)