BCAA

Sequim • • Long Beach • Cannon Beach • Florence • Mendocino San Francisco • • Humboldt Redwoods State Park • Tillamook • Bandon 12 BCA A .COM SUMMER 2018 iStock, Nourish Sequim (far right) Stretch road-weary legs at Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site in Cannon Beach and explore the tidal pools at Haystack Rock (inset), the most accessible of the region's sea-stack rock formations; (below) a dish of halibut with nameko mushrooms entices at Sequim's Nourish restaurant. MEMBERS SAVE Need medical attention while you're on the road? BCAA Travel Insurance covers visits to doctors' offices, so you don't need to spend time in a hospital emergency room during your vacation. Plus, Members save ••• and Kids Go Free. bcaa.com/travel The road begins as US Highway 101 in Washington State, with a big westward sweep on the Olympic Peninsula, before skirting Oregon's shores and crossing into coastal California, where it becomes part of State Route 1. All in, the Pacific Coast Highway ( PCH) stretches roughly 2,500 kilometres from the Canadian border to San Diego. But tracing it from the northern tip to the Golden City of San Francisco is journey aplenty. So skip the fast-flowing Interstate and take the long road, allowing plenty of time to slow down, breathe and explore along the way. Wild Washington The Olympic Peninsula is a thumbprint of land jutting away from the Seattle metropolis. Here in the rain shadow between Vancouver Island and the whitecapped Olympic Mountains, it's dry enough for lavender to grow. In Sequim, stop in at any of 14 fragrant local farms, take in the purple-fringed fields and shop for aromatherapy, bath and kitchen goodies (the local lavender festival runs July 20–22). Just offshore, the Strait of Juan de Fuca teems with marine life. Coastal areas here are protected as part of the Dungeness Wildlife Refuge. Hike the 10.9-km-long Dungeness Spit to look for orcas and seals, and snap photos of the circa 1857 lighthouse. Then indulge in some fresh seafood at local favourite Dockside Grill. Or try Nourish, for local, organic and gluten-free fare in a farm setting. Make it a longer seaside sojourn with an overnight at Dungeness Bay Cottages or Juan de Fuca Cottages. Or, camp in one of many forest-swathed sites in nearby Olympic National Park. Hoh Campground offers 78 spots tucked into the old growth of the Hoh Rain Forest, on the west side of the 3,734 sq km park, where the lush green canopy is thanks to more than four metres of annual rainfall. Hike the Hall of Mosses loop (easy for the whole family at 1 km), to marvel at moss-draped trees in variations of hue, from emerald to chartreuse. From here, Hwy. 101 turns south, bypassing Cape Flattery, the northernmost point in the contiguous US, before passing through Forks, of Twilight fame, and Aberdeen, hometown of late Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain. Carrying on south, it runs alongside marshy Willapa National Wildlife Refuge, where visitors can hike, boat, camp or bird-watch for endangered species, such as the Western snowy plover. Take a break in the city of Long Beach, where an iconic – and incorrect – arched sign proclaims this to be world's longest beach (it's not, but at some 45 km, it's the longest

• Cover