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7 Wonders of Washington's Olympic Peninsula | Olympic Peninsula - Center USA |

 

Welcome to Washington State's Olympic Peninsula


Watch short 30 second video on ascent of Mt. Olympus to visit The Home of the Gods

Mt. Olympus - Home of the Gods

What do the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and the Olympic Games of Greece have in common?

Each has its tallest mountain named Mount Olympus, which is known as the "home of the gods." Each has a beautiful city named Olympia, which hosts Olympic events. Each is committed to the promotion of the Olympic games and recreational sports. Each is a tourist destination which attracts visitors to festivals and outdoor recreation.

Nearly 3000 years ago the original Olympic games began in Greece. They were a civic and religious spectacle dedicated to Zeus, whose temple at Mt. Olympus was a major tourist attraction, one of The Seven Wonders of the World.

The festival was held at holy Olympia, in an idyllic valley under the shadow of Mt. Olympus. As many as 40,000 spectators came from all corners of the Mediterranean. Foot race finalists lined up to compete for the title of "fastest man in the world". Running, leaping, discus and javelin throwing were the featured events of the original Olympics. The multitude slept on the ground, worshipped, feasted, drank wine and cheered.

Modern day tourism on the Olympic Peninsula combines the sense of adventure and travel reminiscent of the early travelers who journeyed to see The Seven Wonders of the World and who trekked every four years to the Olympic festivals of Greece.

Visitors to the peninsula travel around Olympic National Park, a World Heritage site, to visit natural landmarks designated as "The Seven Wonders of the Olympic Peninsula." The seven are Mount Olympus, Hood Canal, Protection Island, Dungeness Spit, Tatoosh Island, Olympic Rain Forests and Grays Harbor.

The Olympic Peninsula has a legacy of names tied to the ancient culture of Greece. Mt. Olympus, the highest peak of the Olympic mountain range did not receive its name from a "name that mountain" contest. The name is the result of the inspiration of Captain John Meares, who in 1788 named it with the following exclamation. "If that not be the home where dwell the gods, it is certainly beautiful enough to be, and I therefore will call it Mt. Olympus."

Twenty-five mountain peaks on Mount Olympus are named for Greek, Roman and Norse gods. The local native Americans believed that the mountain was the home of their most important god, Thunderbird.

Visitors to the Olympic Peninsula participate in recreational activities similar to the Olympic games, such as running, hiking, rowing and swimming. Events are promoted that encourage visitor participation.

The "wonder" of the Olympics is the sense of awe travelers experience as they gaze at Mount Olympus from Hurricane ridge. It is a sense of exhilaration felt as visitors breath in the fresh air of Dungeness Spit extending miles out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Each of the seven Olympic wonders offers visitors its own reward -- an enjoyable visit and unforgettable memories.

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OTHER WEB SITES WITH INFORMATION ON OLYMPIC PENINSULA

Official Olympic Peninsula Guide Published by Youra Guides and Maps. Excellent links to Olympic Information.
Olympic National Park Guide Information directly from Olympic National Park headquarters.
Olympic Peninsula Map Best Map.
Olympic Peninsula Travel Association OPTA.
Olympic Peninsula Resort and Hotel Assoc. OPRHA.
OlyPortal.com access to lots of links.