5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Sequim

Sequim is a small friendly town located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Perhaps you’ve visited on your way to the Olympic National Park or on a trip to Victoria, British Columbia. Sequim is a sweet little town, but there might be a few things you don’t know about us.

John Wayne Marina

It’s true, the John Wayne Marina is named after that John Wayne! What connection does a famous movie star have to a small rural agricultural town? “The Duke” used to bring his family yacht the “Wild Goose” up to Sequim Bay. He loved the quiet waters and always envisioned a marina in the beautiful setting. His family made his dream come true after his passing in 1979. The John Wayne Marina was constructed in 1985 on 22 acres of land donated by the Wayne family. Today the marina is owned by the Port of Port Angeles and features permanent and guest moorage, marine services, a restaurant, showers, laundry, boat ramps, kayak and paddle board rentals, picnic areas, and public beach access. The marina sits adjacent to the John Wayne Waterfront Resort, with cabins and an RV park, still owned by the Wayne family.

The John Wayne Marina is named for the famous movie actor and is a beautiful gathering space in Sequim.

The Dungeness Spit

The Dungeness Spit, just north of Sequim, is the longest natural sand spit in North America. The spit stretches 5.5 miles out into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, rewarding hikers who venture to the end with a visit to the New Dungeness Lighthouse. The lighthouse is one the oldest in the Northwest operating continuously since 1857. The Dungeness Spit is part of the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, home to more than 250 species of birds, 41 species of land mammals, and eight species of marine mammals. Don’t forget your binoculars, you never know what you’ll see at the spit.

The Dungeness Spit is the longest natural sand spit in North America.

We Celebrate Irrigation

What’s the longest continuous running festival in the state of Washington? The Sequim Irrigation Festival, of course! The first impromptu festival was held in 1895 to celebrate the opening of the irrigation ditches created by the community to bring waters from the Dungeness River into an arid valley and turning it into fertile farm lands. Visitors came from as far away as Port Angeles and Port Townsend to take part in the festivity. The celebration continues annually the first week in May with a parade, logging show, carnival, family fun day, arts and crafts fair, and fireworks.

The Sequim Irrigation Festival is the longest continuous running festival in the state of Washington.

Lavender Capital of North America™

Sequim has the highest concentration of lavender plants anywhere in the country. That’s how we earned the title Lavender Capital of North America™. Tens of thousands of lavender plants are grown on more than a dozen farms throughout the Sequim-Dungeness Valley. Visitors come from all over the world to visit the farms in the summer and take in the beautiful, fragrant scenery. Sequim Lavender Weekend is always the third weekend in July and hosts a world-class street fair, farm festivals and events, art shows, a quilt show, concerts and dances. It’s the largest lavender celebration in the country.

Tens of thousands of lavender plants in hundreds of varieties are grown in Sequim.

The Rainshadow

The rainshadow created by the Olympic Mountains makes Sequim the driest place in Western Washington. Sequim averages 16” of rain each year, comparable to Los Angeles, California. Pilots have nicknamed the city “The Blue Hole” because of the opening they will see when they fly over the area. We’re celebrating our dry, sunny weather with the new Sequim Sunshine Festival on February 28 & 29, 2020. Join us and learn more about this remarkable little town.