Alderbrook Resort & Union: Exploring Beautiful Hood Canal, Washington

Looking to experience the outdoors with a little luxury? Alderbrook Resort is the place!
While you’re here, check out some great local hikes, including Staircase Rapids in Olympic National Park or Fudge Point on Harstine Island.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Alderbrook Resort provides free parking for guests.
• Advance reservations are recommended for the restaurant and for spa services. Even if you’re not staying overnight, you’re welcome to visit the restaurant and spa.
• There are a variety of rooms and cottages available at a variety of price points. Alderbrook isn’t an inexpensive place to stay, and for us it was a splurge. For the price, you’ll enjoy a nicely appointed room in a quiet, relaxing waterfront setting, surrounded by beautiful landscaping.
• While not a wilderness resort (you’ll see plenty of homes along the water on this stretch of Hood Canal), Alderbrook provides easy access to nature. Boat on Hood Canal, hike the nature trails, or visit any number of parks and trails on the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas.
• Alderbrook is dog-friendly. Please keep pets leashed on the resort grounds. There is a daily pet fee of $30. There resort is home to two resident cats, “Alder” and “Brook” (get it?). You’ll probably see them hanging out in the lounge, but take note that they like their space.
• When coming from the Seattle area or further north, travel times to Alderbrook vary greatly depending on traffic. Plan for one and a half hours minimum from Seattle, while two hours or more is typical. When traffic is busy, we prefer to take the ferry from Seattle to Bremerton and skip the trip down I-5. This isn’t always faster, but the hour-long ferry trip between these two cities is gorgeous. Personally, I’d rather spend my time relaxing with a view than sitting in traffic on southbound I-5.

WHAT TO BRING

I’m sure you know all the basics to pack for a weekend hotel stay, but here are a few things to keep in mind when planning for your time at Alderbrook.

• Boats — Alderbrook is a great place to bring small watercraft like kayaks and paddle boards, as you can launch directly from the resort’s dock. Just don’t forget a pump if you need one (like I did — oops!), as the resort doesn’t have one. You can also rent kayaks and paddle boards at the resort. If you own a motorboat, you can arrange ahead of time to moor it at the Alderbrook Dock.
• Swimsuits — Alderbrook’s pool and hot tub are not to be missed. Towels are provided by the resort.
• A nice outfit or two — As is typical for the Pacific Northwest, Alderbrook is a pretty casual place. Still, most people dress nicely for dinner or brunch in the restaurant. No coat and tie or fancy dress is required, just something a step above your hiking apparel.
• Layers & outdoor wear — You still plan to spend most of your time outdoors, right? Come prepared with rain jackets, hats, base layers, hiking gear, paddle gear — whatever you need to get outside no matter what the weather brings.
• S’more fixin’s — Yep, you can roast marshmallows over the outdoor fire pits at Alderwood! Rather than buy an expensive s’more kit at the resort, bring your own.

HIGHLIGHTS

A beautiful lodge in an unbeatable location, that’s what Alderbrook Resort has to offer. We stayed in a courtyard room (which I unfortunately forgot to photograph before we messed it up) with a small balcony overlooking the lawn. The rooms are nice enough, but the real highlights are the gorgeous natural landscaping, the relaxing swimming pool and spa, the outdoor fire pits, and fine dining with a view. Oh, and don’t forget the direct access to Hood Canal, perfect for launching your kayak or paddle board. Not to mention the fun scavenger hunts and geocaching opportunities! You get the idea.

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Full disclosure: we left the kids at the grandparents’ for this mini-trip. Not that that stopped us from talking about how much the kids would have enjoyed it throughout our entire stay. “The kids would love geocaching!” “Wouldn’t they love the pool?” “Oh, they’d love to roast marshmallows over the fire!” Yes, Alderbrook Resort is also a great place for families, with plenty of activities to enjoy together. Still, I wouldn’t blame you if you’d rather save it for a romantic weekend away!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

There are so many places to explore near Hood Canal! Looking to hike? Head to Lake Cushman and the Staircase region of Olympic National Park. We hiked the Staircase Rapids Loop, a classic Washington day hike, during our stay at Alderbrook. Lake Cushman is also a great place to swim in summer, and has a golf course and numerous campgrounds. Keep in mind it takes about an hour to drive all the way to Staircase at the far end of Lake Cushman from Alderbrook Resort. Another fun and lesser known option is the easy trail to beautiful Fudge Point on Harstine Island.

The town of Hoodsport, just 15 minutes west of Union, is another fun stop on Hood Canal. Sip wine at Hoodsport Winery, or try something harder at Hardware Distillery. Round out your experience with some local cuisine — oysters! The Hama Hama Oyster Saloon and Farm Store is just 15 minutes north of Hoodsport, and the perfect place to try this Hood Canal delicacy.

For more in the great outdoors, Twanoh State Park is a few minutes’ drive east of Alderbrook. With an extensive beach and a few miles of wooded trails, it’s a great place to visit at any time of year, but I find it especially beautiful in the fall. West of Alderbrook, Potlatch State Park offers easy waterfront access to Hood Canal.

This guide covers the highlights from our stay at Alderbrook Resort,
including the restaurant, pool and spa, boating opportunities, and hiking and geocaching.
We also head to Union to check out the local market and cafe.
I hope you use these reviews as a jumping off point to get out there and make more discoveries of your own!

THE RESORT

Alderbrook Resort is a stylishly rustic waterfront lodge. It first opened in 1913, although the lodge wasn’t built until much later. The main lounge, with its massive wood beams and high ceilings, is impressive yet cozy, and the whole place feels decidedly Pacific Northwest. For me, that’s a big part of the resort’s appeal. No matter where I travel, I appreciate staying someplace where that feels rooted in its surroundings, a place that embodies the spirit of its location, rather than taking away from it.

Alderbrook takes full advantage of its beautiful location and grounds by ensuring that all rooms offer a view, either of the lush courtyard or across Hood Canal. For me, just being able to sit on our tiny balcony and read was a delight. I had to pause every few minutes to take in the gorgeous scenery. Outside, Adirondack chairs near the water encourage guests to sit back and relax. A large outdoor fire pit surrounded by cushy seats also invites guests to linger. And don’t forget about s’mores! You’re welcome to roast marshmallows over the flames.

In addition to pricey extras, like spa treatments or golf, Alderbrook offers a number of included on site activities. Nature walks, geocaching, and nautical flag scavenger hunts encourage all ages to get out and explore. Games in the lounge provide indoor entertainment should you need it. Cat lovers should keep an eye out for the resort’s two resident felines, “Alder” and “Brook”.

If all this sounds appealing, read on! There is more to explore at Alderbrook Resort.

THE SPA & POOL

Where else can you swim in a heated saltwater pool with a waterfront view? We loved the pool and hot tub at Alderbrook Resort. The pool is just warm enough to relax in comfortably, without the shivers I tend to experience at our local community center pool. During our stay, the pool was open to all ages until 9pm, and was adults only from nine to midnight. We stopped in around 8:30pm and had the hot tub completely to ourselves while one family played in the pool. When the family left, we moved over to the pool and enjoyed having the place mostly to ourselves until another group arrived around 9:30.

In addition to the pool and hot tub, guests can use the neighboring fitness center. There is also a sauna and steam room, but those remain closed at the time of writing due to the ongoing pandemic.

The Spa at Alderbrook Resort offers massage, facial, and body treatments. Services can book up well in advance, so make reservations ahead of time. During our stay, I booked a facial, which was an incredible experience. I admit it was a little odd taking off my mask for the facial, something I didn’t take into consideration when I booked the appointment. Naturally, the esthetician wore a mask, as did all other spa employees. I also had my temperature taken, filled out a health questionnaire, and was required to wear a mask outside of the private treatment room.

Spa treatments are expensive, and not something I do frequently, but if you are looking to treat yourself to something special, Alderbrook is the place to do it. My facial included a hand and arm massage, and it honestly exceeded my expectations. I can only hope that someday I’ll have the chance to return!

THE RESTAURANT

The restaurant at Alderbrook is called simply “The Restaurant at Alderbrook”. It serves what can loosely be called Pacific Northwest cuisine in a gracious dining room overlooking Hood Canal. On summer weekends, they also offer outdoor patio dining with a more casual menu and atmosphere.

During our stay, we enjoyed both dinner and brunch at the restaurant. For dinner, the menu is typically Pacific Northwest — oysters, salmon, prawns, and a few non-seafood options, such as steak or pasta. Overall, the food was quite good. In particular, the “creative” salmon, served with black lentils and artichoke hearts, was outstanding. I ordered the salmon cooked rare, and it was just as soft and succulent as I had hoped. The accompanying vegetables and lentils were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The other standout was the peanut butter pie, which left both Michael and me longing for a second slice.

Michael’s pasta and my oysters were less successful. The pasta, served with a simple red sauce, was fine, if under seasoned. It just goes to show that it pays to branch out and not order the most basic item on the menu. I was disappointed to discover the deviled oysters I ordered were fried, as I felt that obscured the delicate taste of the different flavor combinations.

At brunch, Michael was thrilled with his s’more pancakes. So decadent! I chose the vegetarian eggs benedict, and asked if I could add salmon. This turned out to be a mistake. Rather than adding the smoked salmon to the eggs benedict as I had expected, a large serving of smoked salmon came on the side. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that side of smoked salmon cost $15! Sadly, it was also rather dry for my taste. Note to self: double check the price before ordering something on the side, and verify how they plan to serve it.

But those are minor quibbles, and on the whole, dining at Alderbrook was a lovely experience. With good food, thoughtful service, and an incredible view, I was a very happy (non)camper.

ON THE WATER

Alderbrook Resort takes full advantage of its prime location on Hood Canal. A large dock offers moorage (for those fancy enough to arrive by boat) as well as a variety of small watercraft for rent, including kayaks, paddle boards, and seacycles. Yes, seacycles! They appear to be a cross between a pedal boat and a small catamaran. You can also rent a party barge pontoon boat or electric boat for parties of six to eight. Looking for something a bit more posh? Alderbrook offers yacht cruises and rents out a private event boat, the Lady Alderbrook. Check the Alderbrook website for current information and prices.

Of course, if you have your own kayak or paddle board, by all means bring it and skip the rental fees. I brought our inflatable tandem kayak, along with our paddles and life jackets. We were all set! Or so I thought, until I realized I left the kayak pump at home. Since Alderbrook doesn’t rent inflatable boats or boards, they had no pump to lend me. Sadly, our plans for kayaking on beautiful Hood Canal were dashed. Rather than rent, we opted to try out geocaching instead.

If this is your first visit to Hood Canal, I highly recommend getting out on the water. The south end of the Canal is marvelously smooth on a calm day, and a terrific place to paddle for both novices and experts alike. Head east to Twanoh State Park, or west to the Union City Market or Potlatch State Park. On a clear day, the peaks of the Olympic Mountains rise over the Olympic Peninsula. Seals, along with the occasional otter, poke their heads above the water to eye boaters with idle curiosity. It’s an experience you won’t soon forget.

HIKING & GEOCACHING

Just across the highway, a network of trails winds its way through a steep ravine. The Alderbrook nature trails are well maintained and give guests the chance to escape into the woods without leaving the resort. I’ve read elsewhere that the trails are open to the public, but a sign at the trailhead states clearly “Alderbrook Guest Use Only”. Perhaps this is a recent change. It’s too bad if these trails are no longer open to the general public, but fortunately there are other good nature walks nearby, including Twanoh State Park and Theler Wetlands.

If you’re staying at Alderbrook, the simple nature trails are a nice diversion, offering a peaceful place to wander through the woods. Trails are well signed, and it’s easy to create your own custom loop hike. A few short, mostly flat loops are found near the trailhead, while longer routes climb up through the ravine. Take a meditative walk, and consider following the shirin yoku (forest bathing) guide Alderbrook offers. For something more active, try one of four geocaching courses. Ask for a geocaching guide and GPS device in the lobby, where the resort staff can show you how to use it.

Michael and I chose a geocaching route that closely followed the licorice fern trail. While the first clue almost had us stumped, after that it was pretty easy, but also a lot of fun. We kept thinking how great it would be to try geocaching with the boys, who would love searching for hidden clues and objects, especially when there’s a prize (no matter how small) at the end! One of the geocache courses is meant to be done at night, using a flashlight to search for symbols. How fun is that?

Aside from geocaching, a small playground near the Alderbrook parking lot gives young children a place to play. Sure, it lacks the excitement of Great Wolf Lodge, but a family stay at Alderbrook is a good low key alternative to the frenetic pace of theme park resorts. Sometimes, all we really need is the chance to play, relax, and take a walk in the woods.

UNION CITY MARKET AND HOOK & FORK

Downtown Union (if you can call it that) is located a couple miles west of Alderbrook Resort. There’s not much to this tiny town, but what it lacks in size, it makes up in charm. We drove into Union on Saturday morning to check out Union City Market and have brunch at Hook & Fork.

Union City Market is a shop that focuses on local products. Their inventory includes art, hand-knit socks, books by local authors, gourmet goodies, and all manner of products featuring King Neptune proudly hoisting his trident (apparently he’s a Hood Canal mascot). I picked up a copy of Where Waterfalls and Wild Things Are by Mark Woytowich, a guidebook that highlights the many waterfalls and swimming holes of the greater Hood Canal region. I can’t wait to check some of these places out next summer!

At the opposite end of the Union City Market building is Hook & Fork, a waterfront cafe. And by waterfront, I mean waterfront. Check out the photo of our table below — any closer to Hood Canal and we would have been swimming! Hook & Fork is only open on weekends, and kicks things off with a Friday afternoon “Appy Hour”. On Saturdays and Sundays, a small brunch and lunch menu is served from 10am to 2:30pm. As with any restaurant, these hours are subject to change, so check the Hook & Fork website for updates before you go.

I loved my decadent brunch at Hook & Fork, which featured a gourmet hash topped with mushrooms and a fried egg. The bang bang corn on the cob was also excellent. Unfortunately, Michael’s biscuits and gravy didn’t live up to his hopes. Adding a little salt helped, but he still found the dish a bit bland. In fairness, Michael is quite picky when it comes to biscuits and gravy, and is rarely satisfied with restaurant versions. He’s come to the realization that he should probably stop ordering them, so as to avoid unnecessary disappointment.

One unusual aspect of Hook & Fork is that they don’t serve coffee. Instead, they encourage you to go to Union City Market to order a cup of joe or other beverages. It’s not a big deal, but I can’t deny I’d be happy if Hook & Fork were to upgrade to an espresso machine in the future. Union City Market offers only drip coffee.

On our way back to Alderbrook Resort, we made one more stop to view the historic Dalby water wheel. The wheel is visible from the highway, and while there isn’t much to see beyond the wheel itself, it’s a quick stop if you want a closer look.

I hope you enjoyed this virtual visit to Alderbrook Resort and Union.
Do you have any favorite Pacific Northwest getaways? Please share in the comments below.
Happy exploring, both near and far!