Fun facts are a great way to get to know a town, don’t you think? If you live anywhere in the greater Seattle/Puget Sound area, odds are you’ve heard about Sequim, a small town located on the Olympic Peninsula. You may have even heard of it if you live further afield!  Sequim has gained quite a bit of notoriety over the years as both a retirement destination and a surprisingly sunny one.

Washington State isn’t exactly known for its warm and sunny weather. Visit during July and August, and often even in September, odds are you’ll enjoy some typical summer weather. But for the rest of the year, rain is often in either our recent past or future. That’s not the case in Sequim, though, and that’s just one of the many fun facts you should know about this charming little town.

If you’re intrigued by Sequim and are considering moving here, our Real Estate Brokers are more than happy to help. Contact us today!

Fun Facts You Might Not Know About Sequim

As Real Estate Agents, it’s our job to know just about everything there is to know about Sequim. We pride ourselves on not just our exceptional service, but our local knowledge as well. We’ve been in business since 1986, and in that time have helped numerous people relocate to this quaint and vibrant little town.

Whether you’re looking to move here, or just come visit for the day, you should know that Sequim is a town full of surprises!  We’ve put together a list of 10 fun facts everyone should know about Sequim.

1. Sequim’s nickname is “the blue hole.” The nickname stems from Sequim’s location in the rainshadow of the Olympic Mountains, which results in more annual days of sun, and less rain, than most of the Olympic Peninsula.  Moreover, satellite imagery often shows a hole in the clouds around Sequim. It’s part of what makes living in and retiring to Sequim so appealing!
2. Sequim sees an average of 127 days of “mostly sunny” days each year, which is far more than the 88 days of sun they see in Seattle. If you count partly sunny days, the count gets upwards of 300. It’s definitely an unusual weather pattern for the Pacific Northwest. Sequim also only gets around 17 inches of rain per year, which is far less than Seattle, where they get an average of 37-38 inches of rain each year!
3. Sequim is home to a resident herd of Roosevelt Elk, which can often be seen eating and sunning in the fields around town. There’s even a flashing light on the highway indicating whether the elk are nearby or not.
4. Sequim is home to the first lighthouse built in the Washington Territory.  The Dungeness Lighthouse was built in 1857.
5. The Dungeness Spit is the longest natural sand spit in the United States. It’s an 11-mile roundtrip journey to the Dungeness Lighthouse and back, leaving from the Dungeness Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
6. Since 1993, Sequim and Shiso have been bonded as sister cities.
7. One of the famous “Boys in the Boat,” which were members of the 1936 Washington rowing team that won a gold medal at the Berlin Olympics, had ties to Sequim. Joe Rantz lived in the Sequim area as a youth, met his wife Joyce (Simdars) here, and was a student at Sequim High School.
8. Sequim is known as the “Lavender Capital of North America“, thanks to its dry and arid climate.  There are more than 20 lavender farms that call Sequim home.
9. The Dungeness River is one of the shortest rivers with the steepest drop in North America.
10. The Sequim Irrigation Festival is the longest-running festival in Washington State. 2020 saw the 125th anniversary of this fun agricultural tradition.

Make Plans to Move to Sequim Today

How many of these did you know?  Sequim really is an interesting place, with a rich history, a vibrant present, and a promising future.  It’s an ideal place to live, raise families, and retire.  If you’re looking to purchase real estate in the Sequim area, contact one of our Real Estate Brokers today.