Tired of staring out of your window at your own yard? Sixty-nine percent of remote workers report feeling burnout, according to a survey conducted by Monster. It can be hard to take a break when your house is also your office. Taking a bleisure trip where you can work, rest and recharge can help relieve you of the work-from-home burnout symptoms, including irritability, loss of sleep, feeling unmotivated and anxiety. Planning a bleisure trip to Olympic Peninsula’s Brinnon in Jefferson County during the fall and winter months helps chase away seasonal depression, remote work burnout, and avoids summer traffic headaches such as crowds and construction.
Head To Brinnon for a Fall or Winter Workcation
Fall is an excellent time of year to visit Jefferson County. The weather is perfect – the heat of the summer is gone but it’s still warm enough for outdoor play once work is done. The changing leaves add incredible pops of color add to the already gorgeous scenery. With fall also comes many fun annual events in nearby Quilcene, including a Moon Fest and Oyster Races!
But don’t discount the winter months either! You won’t run into construction slow-downs during this time of year, which cuts down on travel time and maximizes your bleisure time! Work from your Pleasant Harbor Resort room next to a cozy fire. Then, watch as a storm rolls in, relax in the hot tub or take a walk through the nearby State Parks. Visiting Olympic Peninsula’s Jefferson County in the winter also affords you one other unique opportunity to bring home a fresh Christmas tree after your workcation! Visit the Forest Service website to get information on cutting your holiday tree in Quilcene.
Do you work from home because you hate traffic? Think about planning your trip on a Thursday and taking a long weekend, or coming on a Monday and staying for a week of work and play.
Where To Stay on your Brinnon Bleisure Trip
The Pleasant Harbor Resort was planned with workcationers in mind! From large rooms with their own kitchenettes complete with a refrigerator, coffee maker and microwave to a work table with nearby outlets overlooking the harbor – it’s the perfect change of scenery for remote workers. When it’s time to power down that laptop and rest, Pleasant Harbor has you covered! Enjoy your private fireplace and balcony overlooking the harbor. Or head down to the pool and hot tub, just a short walk away.
Thinking about a company retreat in Jefferson County or bringing along the extended family? At Pleasant Harbor Resort you can rent out the whole house, which sleeps up to 12 people. It’s perfect for a work or family get-together. Wi-Fi provided by Starlink is quick and able to handle whatever your office-away-from-home needs.
Where to Eat in Brinnon
When it’s time to eat, head to the Crow’s Nest Bistro and Café, just down from the pool area at the Pleasant Harbor Resort. They have a large outdoor seating area or you can watch the big game on the TV inside. They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as grab-n-go snacks for those planning on taking a hike, bike or kayak and need to pack a meal. From homemade pizzas to salmon, they have a wide variety of items, all made with fresh ingredients. Start your morning with fresh-brewed coffee and end your day with locally-made beer and wine.
If you want to venture off the Resort, check out Geoduck Restaurant & Lounge or The Halfway House Restaurant. Breakfast should not be missed at The Halfway House! They even have gluten-free toast and vegetarian options. And the Geoduck Restaurant & Lounge gives you a spectacular meal with a view of the harbor.
Need a pick-me-up for the road? Stop at DoseGrind coffee trailer across from the Halfway House. This cute trailer came from Tennessee and took the owners three years to get up and running with permits and licenses. They have alternative milks and tons of options. Try the vanilla Chai, it’s amazing and the barista will share that the brand they use, CharlieJoe Chai, contributes money to help stop human trafficking.
Activities in Brinnon
The great thing about bleisure trips is that unlike at home, you are more likely to close the laptop and stop working at a decent time because there are cool activities calling your name – and you have to leave your room to eat!
Brinnon in Olympic Peninsula’s Jefferson County is the outdoor person’s playground paradise! Whether you like to hike, bike, kayak, want to take a tour or even a dinner cruise, all can be found within just a few miles.
Dosewallips State Park is open year-round, so be sure to bring your Discover Pass. The park is on both sides of Highway 101, and the west side has beach access, including seasonal clam digging.
A visit to Rocky Brook Falls is a must, just don’t follow Google Maps (it will take you to someone’s house!) Instead, turn onto Dosewallips Road off of Highway 101. Go about three miles over a very small bridge. Directly after the bridge, there will be a small parking area on the left with wooden posts and some signs. The pathway to the falls is across the road on the right. It’s an easy, mostly dirt path with a slight incline going about 200 yards. In order to really see the falls, though, you will need to climb on some large rocks.
Hood Canal Adventures and the Visitor Center are both located right at the corner of Dosewallips Road, so after visiting the Falls, stop in and plan the rest of your trip! The Visitor Center has brochures for different areas of Jefferson County and a friendly attendant who can answer your questions. Hood Canal Adventures operates year-round and will guide kayak trips any season, weather dependent. “My favorite tour for fall is our Dosewallips Estuary Tour,” shares Christina Maloney, owner of Hood Canal Adventures. “The sun is low casting beautiful shadows, the trees are starting to turn hues of orange and gold, the salmon are running up the river, and the harbor seals are all around with their newborn pups. It’s really the most magical time of the year.”
Christina’s team also offers Forest Tours, including the Wild Mushrooms of the Olympic Peninsula and Waterfalls of the Olympic Peninsula. And if you are planning a workcation retreat with your coworkers, they can plan something just for you. “For organized groups, almost anything is possible,” Christina says. “We can coordinate custom tours to fit the needs of the group. We do it all the time for corporate retreats, team building, bachelor and bachelorette parties, schools, camps and more. On the water, in the forest, or both.”
Finally, end the day with a dinner cruise from Pallin’ Around Charters. They do their utmost to treat you like family, including catering to allergies or dietary restrictions whenever possible. Their cruises are perfect to reconnect with the family after a day of work or rent out the boat for a private dinner cruise for your work team! Learn more about them in this article. And find more things to do in Brinnon in this article.
We all need a break from our office, even our home office. Take time to relax and recharge while working with a bleisure trip to Brinnon and Pleasant Harbor in Jefferson County. Learn more at the Enjoy the Olympic Peninsula website.
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