Washington State is not exactly known for its beaches. Sure, it has fabulous forests, and beautiful biking trails, with a lot of monumental mountains thrown in for a good measure. Oh, and did I mention that the islands, lakes, rivers, and streams that offer plenty of recreation opportunities? However, while many people visit Washington in the summer to enjoy the above mentioned summer tourist areas, not too many know about the wonderful Long Beach, in Southwest Washington.
Long Beach, Washington, is located in the most southwestern part of Washington State, just a little bit north of Illwaco, Washington, across the Columbia River from Astoria, Oregon. It is located on the Long Beach Peninsula, which is a stretch of land surrounded on three sides by water, (Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, and the Willapa Bay) and is connected to the mainland of Washington by a bit of land in the south, running along the Columbia river. The peninsula is roughly 28 miles long, and is claimed to be the longest continuous beach in United States. The town and beach is located about 115 miles from Portland, Oregon, and 165 miles from Seattle, Washington.
The town is rather small, and is built like a typical, tourist beach town. When driving in, you will go through the main street center of Long Beach, which is filled with visitor shops, eateries, and small hotels and motels. Tourism is the main business here in this small town, and the myriad of tourist locations throughout Long Beach attest to this.
In the summer, Long Beach is quite pleasant to visit. A board walk amongst the beautiful dunes and beach allows for easy access to the natural beach. Kites are very popular at this beach, and there are many locations throughout the town where you may purchase these colorful flying toys. There is even a kite museum, and a kite festival, in the form of the Long Beach Kite Festival, in the middle of August each year. I’ve been to the Kite Festival a few times, and it was one of the most interesting and amazing visits to the area that I have ever had, as there were literally hundreds, perhaps even several thousand kites, all flying, by people from all over the world.
If you are looking for beach shopping opportunities, Long Beach is full of them. A myriad of little gift shops and beach stores are all over the peninsula, with most of them concentrated in the town center of Long Beach. Be sure to check out the unique glass floats sold in these stores.
Be sure to visit the cranberry farms, and get a tour of how this industry works in the area. The cranberry ‘bogs’ are really quite fascinating, and offer a relaxing afternoon learning about one of the town’s other industries.
If you are into fishing, then Long Beach, and the surrounding area are for you. Salt water surf fishing for a variety of fish is possible, but be forewarned-swimming and wading are not encouraged, as there are some very strong undercurrents and riptides that can pull even a strong swimmer out to sea. You are better off fishing from the Jetty located at the Fort Canby State Park. In Illwaco, one may sign up for and ride on a charter fishing boat on the Columbia, or out on the Pacific, and may catch a wide variety of fish. Halibut, rockfish, salmon, and many other species are often caught in the area, as well as the gigantic sturgeon in Columbia. Be careful trying to go out on the water on your own, as the water can be very treacherous for even experienced boaters. If freshwater fishing is your thing, then check out Black Lake, and some of the other ponds located on the peninsula, where several different freshwater species may be caught.
The beach at Fort Canby State Park, just south of Long Beach, has much driftwood, sea washed and often prized collectible pieces of wood. The entire Long Beach waterfront is popular with beachcombers, as there is a lot of beach to search for ‘treasures’ and the like. I’ve personally found a Japanese glass float, used in fishing nets, that was washed up on the shore as I was walking the beach.
The sheer area covered by Long Beach really provides an excellent opportunity to find your own little beach area, and spend the day enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Ocean complete with sand and dunes. Come in late June through August to enjoy some of the best Washington weather, and stick around for the different festivals and events held in the area. Long Beach really has something for everyone, and is a great summer beach for the whole family to visit.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach,_Washington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach_Peninsula
