an Orca 'porpoising' in Hood Canal area of Puget Sound

City / town · Washington

Union

an Orca 'porpoising' in Hood Canal area of Puget Sound

Best timeMay–Sep
From you
Nearest airportTIW · 24 mi
On this page

Overview

Union is a picturesque community on the south shore of Hood Canal, on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington state. Views take in the beautiful Olympic Mountains in nearby Olympic National Park.

2 sights · 3 things to do

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Union

Twanoh State Park

Situated on the shoreline of Hood Canal, features one of the warmest saltwater beaches in Washington state. This is because Hood Canal is one of the warmest saltwater bodies in Puget Sound. The 182-acre marine, camping p…

Traveler

This 'have-to-be-in-the-know' sight takes up most of the face of Mt. Washington. It looks like a person walking in a heavy parka, some people see him walking up with a shoulder high walking stick out away from the body i…

Hood Canal

Despite its name, it is not a canal but actually an inland fjord that stretches for over 70 miles inland separating the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula. It is a prime destination in the area for outdoor recre…

Cascadia Marine Trail

This inland sea trail is a National Recreation Trail and designated one of only 16 National Millennium Trails by the White House. Suitable for day or multi-day trips, the Cascadia Marine Trail has over 50 campsites to vi…

Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails

The National Parks Service Named this the 'Trail of the Month' in the entire USA for the month of December 2012, PDF copies of the water trails map are available

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 78°F; winter lows dip to about 37°F. Wettest: Nov and Jan. (climate data from nearby Seattle)

Jan: 5.8 in rain5.8"Jan: high 48°F, low 38°F48°38°JanFeb: 3.8 in rain3.8"Feb: high 50°F, low 38°F50°38°FebMar: 4.2 in rain4.2"Mar: high 54°F, low 40°F54°40°MarApr: 3.2 in rain3.2"Apr: high 59°F, low 43°F59°43°AprMay: 1.9 in rain1.9"May: high 66°F, low 49°F66°49°MayJun: 1.5 in rain1.5"Jun: high 71°F, low 53°F71°53°JunJul: 0.6 in rain0.6"Jul: high 77°F, low 57°F77°57°JulAug: 1.0 in rain1"Aug: high 78°F, low 57°F78°57°AugSep: 1.6 in rain1.6"Sep: high 72°F, low 54°F72°54°SepOct: 3.9 in rain3.9"Oct: high 60°F, low 47°F60°47°OctNov: 6.3 in rain6.3"Nov: high 52°F, low 41°F52°41°NovDec: 5.7 in rain5.7"Dec: high 47°F, low 37°F47°37°Dec

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

  • From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
  • TIW Tacoma Narrows Airport, Tacoma — 24 mi away. Directions
  • OLM Olympia Regional Airport, Olympia — 28 mi away. Directions
  • SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 37 mi away (major hub). Directions

State Route 106 is the main route through Union, a winding 16 mile highway to Belfair farther north, and Potlatch and US Highway 101 to the south.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

  • Morning Twanoh State Park, Traveler, Hood Canal
  • Afternoon Cascadia Marine Trail, Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

What to ask about, for your diet

    Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

    Photos

    an Orca 'porpoising' in Hood Canal area of Puget Soundview of the Olympic Mountains from Hood CanalUnion

    Map

    Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

    Get in

    By car

    State Route 106 is the main route through Union, a winding 16 mile highway to Belfair farther north, and Potlatch and US Highway 101 to the south.

    By boat

    Go Hood Canal Marina

    gas and diesel, easy-access sewage pump-out facilities, potable water and 30-amp electric service.

    📍 5101 E. Hwy 106💲 $10.00 per day☎ +1 360 898-2252
    MapsWebsite

    Go Alderbrook Resort Marina

    1,500 lineal feet of dock for guest moorage includes WiFi, telephone hook-up, water and power hook-up, use of transient moorage facilities, swimming pool and whirlpool spa.

    📍 10 E Alderbrook Dr
    MapsWebsite

    See

    • The Olympic Mountains — Mt. Washington, Mt. Constance, the Brothers — rise across Hood Canal and can be seen from almost any point in Union.

    See Traveler

    This 'have-to-be-in-the-know' sight takes up most of the face of Mt. Washington. It looks like a person walking in a heavy parka, some people see him walking up with a shoulder high walking stick out away from the body in the left hand, some people see him coming down with the walking stick in the right hand. A must see when there is partial snow on the mountain.

    best seen from the south shore of Hood Canal
    Maps

    See Hood Canal

    Despite its name, it is not a canal but actually an inland fjord that stretches for over 70 miles inland separating the Kitsap Peninsula from the Olympic Peninsula. It is a prime destination in the area for outdoor recreation and nature viewing with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains and lush forests. Near the southern end of the Kitsap Peninsula it hooks inward at an area known as the Great Bend.

    Maps

    Do

    Do Twanoh State Park

    Situated on the shoreline of Hood Canal, features one of the warmest saltwater beaches in Washington state. This is because Hood Canal is one of the warmest saltwater bodies in Puget Sound. The 182-acre marine, camping park has 3,167 feet of saltwater shoreline. The name of the park derives from the Native American Twana tribes, better known as the Skokomish, who made their home in the area. The park has 7 buoys and 192 feet of dock space for visiting boaters.

    📍 12190 E SR 106🕒 Summer 6:30AM-dusk, Winter 8AM-dusk💲 Discover Pass required ($10/day, $45/year)☎ +1 360 275-2222Checked Mar 2025
    MapsWebsite

    Sea kayaking

    Sea kayaking can be a rewarding way to explore the Hood Canal, allowing the paddler a closer and slower look at their surroundings. Thick forests of majestic pine and deciduous trees and hundreds of creeks and estuaries dot the coastline.

    Organized trails offer overnight camping options and maps of appropriate and scenic travel destinations.

    Do Cascadia Marine Trail

    This inland sea trail is a National Recreation Trail and designated one of only 16 National Millennium Trails by the White House. Suitable for day or multi-day trips, the Cascadia Marine Trail has over 50 campsites to visit. People can boat to the campsites from many public and private launch sites or shoreline trailheads including Hood Canal.

    MapsWebsite

    Do Kitsap Peninsula Water Trails

    The National Parks Service Named this the 'Trail of the Month' in the entire USA for the month of December 2012, PDF copies of the water trails map are available

    MapsWebsite

    Nearby

    My experience

    Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.