21 November 2023 marks the 15th anniversary of the first Twilight movie’s release. Stephanie Meyers’ popular books that inspired the movies were set in the town of Forks, on the west coast of Washington. The rainiest town in the US served as the perfect backdrop for the moody vampires and werewolves saga, with some of the movie also being shot on location there.
Visitors can immerse themselves in Bella, Edward and Jacob’s world and explore the town of Forks, as well as its incredible surrounding scenery that helped inspire the saga. Just a 15-minute drive away is Washington’s iconic Olympic National Park and a 20-minute drive is the stunning pacific west coast. Visitors can wander through the forests that Bella and Edward explored and visit locations that are mentioned in the series.
Forks celebrates the part it plays in the Twilight saga, visitors will find odes to vampires and werewolves across the town, and there is even an annual festival that welcomes returning fans and ‘newborns’ alike. Every September the town hosts Forever Twilight Forks, actors from the saga attend every year and attendees can enjoy themed parties, activities at the Forks High School, panel discussion with the series actors, movie showings and much more over the four day festival.
The Rainforest Arts Center also houses the world’s largest collection of Twilight Saga props and costumes, visitors can view the collection of items seen in the five Twilight films that includes screen-worn Bella, Edward, and Jacob costumes.
Close by Forks is the small village of La Push, which is a gateway for visitors heading to Washington’s epic west coast. From here visitors can reach popular spots including Rialto, and hike to Hole-in-the-Wall, a sea-carved arch, as well as First, Second and Third beaches. First Beach is part of the Quileute Indian Reservation, and featured in the Twilight series, while Second and Third beaches fall within Olympic National Park.
As the largest town on the northern peninsula, Forks is the perfect place for visitors to stay whilst they explore further afield. Olympic National Park covers one million acres, featuring everything from mountain peaks and rain forests to more than 70 miles of Washington’s west coast. The diversity of the park makes it the perfect place for wildlife viewing, as well as hiking and backpacking, watersports, fishing off the coast, and incredible stargazing at nighttime with 95% of the park designated as wilderness and an absence of human-caused light.
An easy drive from the town is Hoh rainforest, visitors can hike a nature trail to explore an environment that receives more than 170 inches of annual rainfall, creating a thriving canopy of coniferous and deciduous species and mesmerising blankets of emerald-green mosses and ferns. Short trails near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center include the Hall of Mosses Trail and the Spruce Nature Trail.