Water Activities in Port Angeles
We’re lucky to say that Port Angeles sits snuggly between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains, which equates to many activities and things to do revolving around watersports. Head to downtown Port Angeles where you’ll find a waterfront park, City Pier, and beaches for more water play than you ever imagined.
Sea Kayaking & Freshwater Kayaking
The Strait of Juan de Fuca and the lakes of the Olympics provide both beginning and advanced kayaking fun. Launch at Freshwater Bay and along the Port Angeles waterfront for seawater kayak excursions. In Port Angeles, head to Hollywood Beach in downtown or to the Sail & Paddle Park on Ediz Hook. For freshwater paddling, head up to Lake Crescent. You can reserve both kayak and SUP tours and rentals with Elevate Outdoors or DIY it with rentals available for paddling on Lake Crescent from Lake Crescent Lodge or Log Cabin Resort.
Standup Paddleboarding
Best spots for standup paddleboarding (SUP) in and around Port Angeles are Lake Crescent, Crescent Bay near Salt Creek Recreation area, and the Port Angeles bay. You can launch your SUP board from just about anywhere, but Hollywood Beach in downtown or at the Sail & Paddle Park on Ediz Hook are a few of the calmer spots for saltwater SUPing. Lake Crescent is a must or freshwater paddle boarding — rent a SUP board from Elevate Outdoors.
Surfing
Best spots for surfing near Port Angeles include the Salt Creek Recreation Area, La Push Beaches and Clallam Bay Spit and Slip Point Beach. You can also extend your surf trip by jumping on a ferry to Canada’s Vancouver Island. Find surf gear and board rentals from our local surf shops.
Scuba Diving
Port Angeles and the Olympic Peninsula is a scuba diver’s paradise with shipwrecks, kelp forests and even a protected marine sanctuary to explore. Go shore diving from Hollywood Beach, Sail & Paddle Park, Freshwater Bay, and Salt Creek Recreation Area. If you are looking for scuba diving trips by boat, check out nearby Port Townsend’s Octopus Gardens Diving for upcoming scuba excursions.
Boating & Sailing Charters
Launch your motorized boat onto the Strait of Juan de Fuca, or at one of the area’s lakes like Lake Crescent, Lake Sutherland, and Lake Ozette. The Community Boating Program has skippered sailing charters, clinics, youth camps and more focused around sailing and paddling on the Olympic Peninsula. Sailing boat charters leave from the Port Angeles Boat Haven or Sequim’s John Wayne Marina. Olympic Coast Sailing, located in Sequim Bay not far from Port Angeles, offers sailing charters and boat tours from May through October. Try one of their sailing tours ranging from sunset cruises on the Salish Sea to Dungeness Lighthouse Tours to sailing all the way to Washington state’s beautiful San Juan Islands.
Port Angeles is a paradise for water lovers, with opportunities to paddle, surf, dive, and sail in some of the most scenic locations on the Olympic Peninsula. Calm bays, glacial lakes, and the open Strait of Juan de Fuca create the perfect backdrop for adventure, exploration, and unforgettable days on the water. Every outing brings the chance to experience the natural beauty and vibrant marine life that make this region so special.