A fabulous place where you can use your 4×4 vehicle on the Washington Coast (Iron Springs Resort, WA)

I don’t have my own 4×4 but I totally wish I had one.  Specifically, I would like a Toyota 4 Runner and right now I would love it in the color Quicksand. (I had to look up this color because I call this color “Star Wars” but that is not it’s real name and I don’t want anyone asking for the Star Wars color because they heard it from me.  But in my opinion Quicksand is the color Star Wars would be if it was a car.)  Unfortunately I live in an area of Seattle with tight parking and narrow streets and a garage that I don’t think I could ever get out of myself, so right now this vehicle is the SUV of my dreams. The 4 Runner can fit so many things in it and can tow bikes too-it’s such a great vehicle for an outdoor family like mine.  I thought I no longer needed a big car once may ‘babies’ were in school but I’m realizing I need a bigger car even more now than when they were little.  From soccer practice to skiing in the mountains, my little guys have a lot of stuff and it feels like the stuff and the amount of space we need for transporting my kids and their friends is just exponentially multiplying.

Thankfully, my friends at Toyota lent my family a 4Runner for a recent trip I took to the coast.  I was researching a story for a fellow blogger, who writes the blog Pitstops for Kids and it seemed like it would be fun to have a rugged car for the drive.  Pitstops for Kids is another northwest-based blog that is an awesome resource for family travel. I am dying over Amy’s recent Peru trip.  Peru is a place I have wanted to go since I studied Machu Picchu in elementary school so hopefully I’ll add Peru to my own passport someday.

Traveling from Seattle to Iron Springs Resort on the Olympic Peninsula we decided to avoid Friday traffic to the south and made a leisurely trip on the Bremerton ferry.  We even parked beside another 4Runner in the ferry line that looked like it was going on an adventure so I think this is a popular vehicle for an active lifestyle. It felt pretty safe driving in the dark in this easy-to-spot, sturdy, truck-like vehicle too.

And when we got to the resort and settled into our comfortable digs, we read the best news in our room.  Iron Springs Resort is on a strip of beach where you can drive!  There is actually an air strip here for planes too but I don’t know if it’s actually used.

Driving on the beach is an awesome way to find a perfect spot to throw a football or build a sand bridge

And on a rainy day it is so much better watching the kids beachcomb from inside then out.

So now we’re all wanting a 4Runner.  This one was so perfect for this dreamy Washington getaway.

You can read my review of the Iron Springs Resort on Pitstops for Kids.  It is such a perfect getaway for Seattle families and I totally want to revisit with my sister and her family next summer!

(PS. FYI I was loaned the 4Runner but the opinions above are all my own.  I also received a complimentary stay at the resort for purpose of review and all opinions above are my own.)

(PPS. I wish there was a hybrid or electric option for this vehicle.  That would make it absolutely perfect!)

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)