The Hood Canal slices through the eastern side of the Olympic Peninsula and produces some of the region’s most celebrated oysters. Taste them at Hama Hama oyster farm and outdoor saloon, which pours Finnriver Cider (made just north of the oyster beds), crisp Whidbey Island wines, and beers from nearby Leavenworth. But the bivalves are the real stars, with each variety showing off a different “meroir.” Hama Hama oysters have a subtle cucumber flavor, while the farm’s Blue Pool oysters are rounder and plumper, with sweet carrot notes. Slurp them raw or have them grilled—or buy house-smoked oysters to eat later. Before you pile back into the car, stroll along the tideflats where seals are spotted year-round and sea lions loll in winter. Check out the rock embedded with 40-million-year-old clamshells (the farm had the specimens dated by the University of Washington) and snap a selfie on the giant pile of oyster shells—a testament to the fertility of these clean, cold waters.
