Port Angeles, WA Outdoor Activities

Home to the state's largest freestanding bouldering island, New Jersey Rock Gym houses 12,000 square feet of vertical terrain to climb as well as 41 top roping stations. Armed with either day passes or membership, guests scamper up the gym's synthetic summits, hoping to ask questions of the learned ceiling light sequestered at the top of the mountain. While gear is included with some membership options, guests can opt to bring their own materials or rent the individual shoes ($5), harnesses ($4), or chalk bags ($2) they need from the pro shop. New Jersey Rock Gym offers a collection of educational course work in the vertical arts, teaching belay technique to beginners or advanced skills to adults. Children can also take advantage of youth climbing programs, mini camps, and birthday parties before retiring to private refreshment chambers to absorb bottles of electrolyte-infused refreshment. The nearby pro shop outfits climbers with name-brand gear for purchase, while a WiFi lounge transmits terabytes of data into nearby electronic devices or unsecured cyborg brains.

After a trek down the Panama Canal, visitors stop for a brief sojourn under the Matterhorn before journeying on to the Eiffel Tower. This trip around the world comes courtesy of All Fun Recreation Park's miniature-golf course, whose 18 globally themed greens are littered with water traps and austerely dressed customs officials. Elsewhere, eight cages hurtle baseballs and softballs toward batters at 40–75 mph, and drivers accelerate across a 1,400-foot go-kart track's over and under bridge or hug the turns of a smaller oval track designed for parents and youngsters.

For more racing action, patrons can head over to Western Speedway each Saturday night in May–September for stock-car competitions on an oval track or drag strip. Westshore Motocross rents entry-level dirt bikes to riding and racing novices, and 75 RV and tenting sites give guests opportunities to yodel freely in nature. Guests can then practice licking techniques on the flower-filled patio at Mr. Tubbs Ice Cream Parlour and Family Fun Zone, or explore the Swap & Shop each Sunday, where vendors dispense copious household goods and collectibles.

1961 was the year Ham the Chimp rocketed into space aboard the Mercury-Redstone 2. Down on the track at Western Speedway, Eldon Rasmussen blew past the competition at the Western Canada stock-car championship, cementing a trajectory that led him to the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame. The 4/10-mile oval has now seen more than a half-century of motorcars screech across its pavement, which currently hosts races for approximately 12 classes, including hornets, mini figure-eight tough trucks, stock cars, and rebellious shopping carts.

The eight-month season opens in April and hosts traditional races on Saturday nights that are occasionally bookended on Friday or Sunday by drag racing. Under an open sky filled with drivers ejected from their seats, up to 3,000 fans can watch themed races, demolition derbies, and other special events from the bleachers or head underneath for a slice of Ali Baba Pizza from the concessions counter.

As golfers line up tricky, round-deciding rolls on the green of the signature 17th hole at Olympic View Golf Club, they might have to block out an unusual sound. Just behind the green, water crashes earthward for more than 60 feet over one of the course’s two waterfalls. The dramatic feature generates a roaring din as well as a beautiful backdrop for players as they near the end of their scenic golfing excursions.

Such tranquil scenes are common on the 6,600-yard course framed by the dense forest of south Vancouver Island and the looming profiles of Olympic Mountains peaks. But the calm can be deceptive, as the Bill Robinson–designed layout aims to challenge. Twelve lakes are interspersed throughout the site, and numerous bunkers intimidate golfers with their depth and walls etched with tally marks. This signature mix of beauty and difficulty earned the club a four-star rating from Golf Digest in 2008, as well as a ranking of 10th Best Public Golf Course in British Columbia by Score Golf in 2011.

The GBC Golf Academy at Olympic View Golf Club aims to prepare golfers mentally and physically for playing the most enjoyable golf of their lives. Located on 14 acres, the academy features nine large grass driving areas with target greens as far as 330 yards. In three short-game areas, players practice putts, pitches, and fake surprise at finding the ball in the cup. The amply appointed grounds complement a teaching philosophy that encourages development of a repeatable swing tailored to the individual’s physical capabilities.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,600 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 72.7 from the back tees
• Course slope of 133 from the back tees
• Four sets of tees per hole

In 1987, indoor climbing was as unpopular in the Seattle area as breeding labradoodles. But Vertical World––a pioneer indoor climbing gym––introduced the city to the up-and-coming sport of rock climbing in a controlled environment. Since its inception, the gym has expanded to three other locations in Everett, Tacoma, and Redmond, the latter hosting eastside climbers for more than 20 years.

A team of experienced route creators challenges climbers with more than 200 bouldering, lead, or top-rope routes in a wide variety of difficulty levels. The gym hosts competitive youth teams that have gone on to national or world tournaments. The gym's staff of climbers and guides also leads outdoor excursions that build confidence and teach novices how to identify a rock wall in the wild.

On scenic Salt Spring Island, the Raw on the Rawk Festival invites visitors to partake in fresh morsels from a variety of raw-food vendors, attend intriguing lectures, and learn from experts during interactive workshops. Influential speakers include Preet Marwaha, owner of Organic Lives and instructor at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition¬¬; co-creator of Raw Vegan Frederic Patenaude; raw-food chefs; and the Jolly Green Giant’s first cousin. Between lectures, festival-goers can participate in yoga sessions, taste-test plant-based foods from a plethora of raw vendors, and gather tips and techniques on sustaining raw-food diets. The festival concludes on Sunday morning with a vegan brunch, during which guests enjoy plant-based foods while mingling with newfound friends.