One of my missing links, in the quest to see as much of the amazing North American coastline from California to Vancouver Island, was the rugged beaches of Washington state. We chose the Long Beach Peninsula in Southwestern Washington. Long Beach’s 26-mile stretch of sand is the world’s longest peninsular beach.
Flying into Portland International Airport on a golden mid-October day was the perfect start to our Washington coast adventure. There are two ways to make the three-hour drive from Portland. I strongly suggest taking one route going and the other route coming back. Both routes take you west along the mighty Columbia River which flows into the Pacific at Astoria. There, you cross into Washington on the stunning Astoria-Megler Bridge, the second-longest continuous truss bridge in the world.
For our return from the Long Beach Peninsula, we traveled along the very scenic Washington State Route 4.
We stopped for a hike in an old growth red cedar forest at the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge and drove across the Grays River Covered Bridge, the only covered bridge still in use as a public highway in Washington State.
To explore the many attractions of the Long Beach Peninsula, we chose the Lighthouse Oceanfront Resort and Spa which gave us exclusive access to the beach that seems to go on forever. There are several lovely sand paths that lead to the beach in less than five minutes. As far as the eye could see there was nothing but sand, surf, sky, and the occasional beach walker.
The star of our journey to the Long Beach Peninsula turned out to be a Washington State Park with a strange name. Cape Disappointment State Park is far from disappointing. The state park at the south end of the peninsula is named because English Explorer John Mears tried to find the entrance to the fabled Northwest Passage here in 1788. Perched dramatically where the mighty Columbia River collides with the Pacific Ocean, the park transforms Captain Meares’ navigational frustration into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most spectacular destinations.
The shoreline here is one of North America’s most dramatic, including two working lighthouses on basalt headlands, miles of driftwood-strewn beach and hiking trails through old-growth Sitka spruce forest. We found the half-mile hike to North Head Lighthouse especially invigorating. Built in 1898, North Head Lighthouse is one of the windiest locations on the entire Pacific Coast, with recorded gusts exceeding 100 mph during winter storms.
Then there’s the history component of the park. The impressive Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center marks the spot where America’s greatest expedition reached their Pacific Ocean goal in November, 1805.
The Long Beach Peninsula in Southwestern Washington turned out to be the perfect autumn getaway from the long hot summer in Southern Arizona.
BB Travel Tips
We flew to Portland non-stop from Tucson on Alaska Airlines.
Our best meal of the trip was at the five-star Depot Restaurant in Seaview, Washington.
The resaurant is housed in Seaview’s historic 130-year-old Clamshell Railroad Train Station.
The fresh Rock Fish was the special of the day. Glad I chose it!