A small town made world famous in the late aughts (2000 – 2009) to early 2010’s by the epic, fan-obsessive book series Twilight, Forks, Washington is worth a visit ✨if you are in the area✨. While not worth a special trek to northwestern Washington state (in my opinion), if you are visiting Olympic National Park, you literally drive right through Forks, so you might as well stop, especially if you’ve read and/or seen the vampire teen love story Twilight. In fact, Twilight has become Forks’ main tourism draw (along with Bigfoot), with a majority of the town relying heavily on that claim to fame to attract tourists – and revenue. Due to its remote location, sitting approximately 3.5 hours from Seattle, there isn’t much to do in Forks aside from getting your Twilight on.
With a population of around only 3,335 (as of 2020), and remotely situated on the Olympic Peninsula, Forks didn’t seem to have much choice other than gripping onto the fame Twilight brought it. You will drive through it to reach parts of Olympic National Park, particularly the The Hoh Rainforest of Olympic National Park. or Olympic Sea Stacks (blog coming up!); however, pre-Twilight, most would use it as nothing more than a fueling pit-stop.
These days, Forks offers numerous Twilight-themed attractions, including staying in the Twilight-themed room at the Pacific Inn Motel; visiting the Miller Tree Inn a.k.a. the Official Cullen House, which looks nothing like the house in the movies but is allegedly very close to the description in the books; stopping by the Forever Twilight in Forks Collection, where you can see screen-worn costumes and actual props from the movies; taking pictures with Bella’s trucks, plural, at the Visitor Information Center; making a trip for the Forever Twilight in Forks Festival, an annual vampire-rabid festival typically held in September; or staying at the Swan House Airbnb (approximately $200 per night), which is NOT the actual house from the movies, but rather, was the “inspiration” behind the Swan house.
Which brings us to a very important note – none – I repeat, NONE – of the locations in the Twilight movies were actually filmed in Forks, Washington (surprise!).
In fact, it was almost exclusively filmed in Oregon. When my friend and I learned this, we felt slightly bamboozled. The realization came to us after arriving at the Swan House and experiencing a quick epiphany that it looked nothing like the Swan house in the movies. This led to some internet sleuthing to find out that the actual movie house was about 400 miles away in Oregon. Even the famous beach scenes with Jacob and Bella, where you can see the epic sea stacks in the ocean, are not the sea stacks located within nearby Olympic National Park. Forks, the city, realized that regardless that none of the filming took place there, they still had a sun stricken, sparkling, ghostly-white opportunity to capitalize on the town’s namesake – which they did with the quickness of Edward awkwardly running through the forest.
You can also visit the “Treaty Line” between the vampire Cullen clan and the werewolves of the Quileute tribe. There’s a large treaty sign, somewhat dampened by the overwhelming number of signed names by rabid Twilight fans, located right off the road and next to the Three Rivers Resort. Here you can also eat at the Three Rivers Restaurant and enjoy a Jacob Black shake or Werewolf Burger.
Be advised – this sign is technically not inside the town limits of Forks, and you will be stuck forever searching for it in the town. It’s actually located just outside of Forks, down La Push Road, which you must turn right on before entering the town limits (if coming from the northeast, near Port Angeles). This is the road that leads you to La Push Beach, another part of Olympic National Park, and the inspiration behind the filming location… in Oregon, of course… of the beach scenes with Jacob and Bella. So, if you do visit the sign, you might as well continue on for another 10 or 15 minutes and visit the epic sea stacks! Last note – you will be entering the reservation of the Quileute Native Americans.
Aside from Twilight-themed adventures, there are a handful of other things to do in Forks – like lots of Bigfoot-related attractions including wooden statutes or eating a Bigfoot Burger (also found at the Three Rivers Restaurant); visiting the Forks Timber Museum, Makah Museum, and John’s Beachcombing Museum; stopping to gander at the Shay Locomotive Engine, located in Tillicum Park, and a relic of the early-20th century logging industry; and stopping at the Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, located at the Forks Transit Center, and serving as a tribute to Gold Star families who lost loved ones serving our country.
Overall, while visiting Forks, Washington will likely never be the sole reason you visit the Olympic Peninsula in northwestern Washington state (unless, of course, you are just that much of a Twilight junkie), it’s still worth a stop if you are in the area… which you will be if you plan on visiting the The Hoh Rainforest of Olympic National Park. or Olympic Sea Stacks. While it’s a small, isolated town, it still has essential stops that any weary traveler may want or need, including lodging, restaurants, fuel, and stores. Even if you do not consider yourself a hardcore Twilight fan, if you’ve read the books or seen the movies, it’s a fun stop. Just remember – NONE of the locations within the movie were filmed there. 🙂🙃
