“When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it’s not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end.”
Stephanie Meyer
Lucky for me, I get to relive my Twilight dreams of traveling to where it all began over and over again with you guys!
If you’re here, welcome! And now I know that you and I share at least one common interest, the Twilight Saga!
Also, you can make your Twilight, Forks experience extra sparkly with this fun, affordable “Twilight Experience Bucket List & Scavenger Hunt” combo found at my Etsy shop | Here
It only takes a short visit to the woods or along the costal hideaways near Forks, Washington to understand how Stephanie Myer created a saga of captivating fantasy – These places are where stories are born.
Port Angeles
Let’s begin our Washington Twilight Experience with the charming city of Port Angeles.
Highlighted as the epicenter for the Olympic Peninsula, don’t let its popularity deter your expectations. While Port Angeles certainly has a large array of visitors, it is far from the chaotic city you may expect. Where the sea meets the lush pine-greens of the Washington mountains, the air feels crisp, and the storefronts invite you in with promises of uniquely local keepsakes.
Although the scenes of Port Angeles in the Twilight saga films were captured in Oregon, the area is incredibly reminiscent of what you would expect from the saga.
Walk along the pier & get the R.I.P Riley Vibes
Relive Edward & Bella’s First Date
Bella Italia, as many fans know, is where Edward and Bella had their first date – thank goodness too because their food is mouthwateringly delicious.
Stay true to the story and order Bella’s meal from that evening: mushroom ravioli with a diet coke.
Visit a Book Store
Don’t call me out, I know “Thunderbird & Whale Bookstore” is a fictional place, but this trip is all about living your truest Twilight dreams – so we work with what we have.
Port Book and News is a great shop. The staff are friendly and they carry a large selection of books, plus it is located a few feet from Bella Italia.
Forks, Washington
Here it is baby… Forks, Washington, population 3,862 – made incredibly famous by Stephanie Myers imaginative world of vampires, werewolves, and romance.
Forever Twilight in Forks Festival takes place every year on the leading lady’s, Bella Swans, birthday (September 12- 15). Normally, (Pre-COVID-19) this event hosts a plethora of themed experiences suited for all interests.
Opportunities to meet actors from the films, participate in group meals, and other themes events. Learn more about each years activities from the Discover Forks site | Here.
Forever Twilight in Forks Collection
This museum collection, hands-down, made our trip to Forks completely worth it!
Visit the Rainforest Arts Center to get an up-close look at many of the costumes worn in the films, plus authentic props – I included just a few photos, you’ll have to visit Forks and see this cool collection for yourself.
And if you’re lucky you can run into characters – Aro made an appearance during our visit.
As silly as it may seem, the cosplay character brought us so much joy. We were grinning ear-to-ear, and couldn’t stop.
More about the collection can be found – Here.
Native to Twilight
Stop at Native to Twilight and pick-up a saga themed memento while checking out more memorabilia from the movie.
La Push
We’ve made it to one of my favorite parts of our trip – La Push.
The reservation itself was closed to the public due to COVID (completely makes sense), but the areas near the reservation, including some beaches, were accessible.
I loved this beach. I wanted to curl into a ball and live in the moment forever.
I will discuss more about my experience in next weeks post!
One of My Biggest Take-Aways – Sleep in the Forest
There are a few places that you can choose promising the Twilight vibes and to each their own. For me, the vibes are in the forest, all the way.
Now that I have highlighted the splendor, I am going to turn the conversation to a more serious note.
The Quileute tribe, first thrust into the spotlight by Stephanie Meyer, has not benefited as much as you’d think from the franchise.
In fact, while the tribe does have a wolf origin story, their oral histories, various art mediums, and culture has been presented in a skewed sense. The series forced the tribe to negotiate the rights to their own history. They gained little financial benefits from the larger than life franchise, despite highly profitable markets such as Nordstroms selling “Quileute” merchandise.
As a fan of the series, you can be apart of the solution rather than the problem.
Right now the tribe is seeking security for their future generations. They are currently working to move the Quileute Tribal school to an area safe from tsunamis – the school is the only one in the world teaching Quileute specific cultural and language. Moving the tribe to higher ground can ensure their mission and vision for the future of their people.
Be informed. Learn more – Here
2 responses to “Forks & The Twilight Experience”
[…] We had one purpose when eating Bella Italia – The Bella and Edward first date meal! However, I would be nothing but truthful if the meal was not tasty or worth the hype; but damn it was feakin’ phenomenal! Learn more around our time at Bella Italia – Here! […]
I admit that I have watched this series twice. My young daughter loved it, and I found that it has some things for everyone to like; I think. Great trip Ali, thanks for sharing.