Named one of ‘America’s Favorite Beach Towns’ by ForbesTraveler.com and voted ‘Best Beach’ by the viewers of Seattle’s KING-5 TV, the Peninsula offers visitors blocks of colorful shops, great seafood, comfortable lodging, small museums, horseback riding, and an expansive beach. Southwest Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula: home to a new national park, two historic lighthouses, renowned restaurants, cranberry bogs, and oyster farms.
Celebrating 115 Years of Standing Watch
The Keepers of the North Head Lighthouse and Washington State Parks invite the public to celebrate the 115th anniversary of the North Head Lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Park on Saturday, June 8, from 11AM to 3PM. The celebration will also commemorate the official title transfer of the lighthouse from U.S. Coast Guard ownership to the Washington State Parks System. This is also in conjunction with Centennial 2013, the 100th birthday of Washington’s State Park System. The celebration will kick off with Lt. Scott McGrew, Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment and Larry Fairleigh, the Assistant Director of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, and others, speaking about the lighthouse and the historic title transfer. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place after the presentation.
June 8 is a “Free Day” at all Washington State Parks – no Discover Pass required in honor of National Get Outdoors Day. Parking near the lighthouse is limited. Additional parking will be available at the Cape Disappointment Campground Store parking lot with a shuttle providing transportation to the lighthouse and back.
Activities for children, a raffle, refreshments, self-guided tours of the Lighthouse Keeper’s Residence, tours of the lighthouse, and a specially designed lighthouse history display will be available for guests. Tours of the lighthouse are $2.50 for adults, with children ages 7-17 free Children must be at least 7 years or old to take the tour of the lighthouse.
Be sure to grab your raffle tickets for a chance to win some great prizes. Raffle tickets will be on sale beginning June 1 at the Picture Attic, Shoalwater Cove Gallery, Campiche Studios, Saturday Market in Ilwaco, and at the stores in the State Park. Tickets will also be available at the celebration. The drawing of winning tickets will be at 11 AM, September 17th, 2013, at the Picture Attic, Long Beach, WA. The top prize includes a two-night-stay for up to 6 people at the historic North Head Lighthouse Keeper’s Residence and one catered gourmet dinner for 6, including fine wine, plus a continental breakfast for 6. The other four prizes are different works of art from local artists such as Don Nisbett and Nancy Campiche.
Grab a delicious pizza pie from Serious Pizza located at the Cape Disappointment State Park Store and head on over to the open-air amphitheater to catch the Waikiki Beach Concert Series performance by Polecat.
Events on the horizon:
- World’s Longest Garage Sale – Peninsula-wide, Memorial Day weekend – May 24-27
- Summer Fest – Long Beach, May 25 – September 2, 2013
- Free Admission to WA State Parks – Statewide, June 8, 2013
- Waikiki Beach Concert Series – Ilwaco June 8, 2013
- Columbia Pacific Farmer’s Market – Long Beach, Fridays, June 14-October 11
- Garlic Festival – Ocean Park, June 15-16
The first bloom of Pacific rhododendrons ignites the beautiful and lush scenery of spring here on the Long Beach Peninsula. Rhododendrons are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest and are rightfully Washington’s State Flower. The history of the abundance of rhodies here on the Peninsula can be attributed in part to the Clarke Family, who have operated Clarke Nursery for over 60 years. This family has deep roots in the cultivation and hybridization of the flower and is the primary source of the majority of the plants thriving on the Long Beach Peninsula today. The oldest of our rhodies is thought to be at least 60 years old. Take a stroll through historic Seaview, Washington and view the beautiful Victorian era homes with their splendid giant and old rhododendrons.
Strap on your waders and throw out a line! The 13th Annual Surf Perch Derby is here! Enjoy a hearty fisherman’s breakfast and fish your heart out all day, then weigh in your catch in the afternoon for a chance at great cash prizes. Teams and individuals are able to enter in the fun. This event annually occurs on the Saturday after Mother’s Day. May 18, 2013
Soon to be featured on The Weather Channel as part of the new television series Coast Guard Pacific Northwest, U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment is holding an open house on May 18 from 9:00 AM-3:00 PM. Enjoy a tour of their facilities and they will have representatives available from the local fire departments, the Columbia River Bar Pilots, the WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, and many others! The Columbia River Chief’s Mess will be hosting a delicious BBQ as well. May 18, 2013
SummerFest begins! Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer-long weekend festivities that include FREE Wagon Rides, Face Painting, Entertainment, and much more! Mother Goose will be kicking off the event during Memorial Day weekend. May 25 – September 2
Events on the horizon:
- World’s Longest Garage Sale – Memorial Day weekend – May 24-27
- Columbia Pacific Farmer’s Market – Fridays, June 14-October 11
- Garlic Festival – June 15-16
CONFIRMED Razor Clam digs for the Long Beach Peninsula:
Morning tides; no digging will be allowed after noon.
The best digging occurs one to two hours prior to low tide.
Clam diggers and other beachgoers are cautioned to avoid disturbing western snowy plovers, which nest on the state’s coastal beaches from April through August. The small white birds are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act as threatened and by the state as endangered.
Plovers – and their eggs – are extremely vulnerable at this time of year because the birds nest in the dry sand. Diggers are to avoid signed upland beach areas which are closed to protect nesting western snowy plovers. At Long Beach, the closed areas are located north of the Oysterville Road from the state park boundary north to Leadbetter Point.
Read the latest WDFW press release on clam digs.
Harvest Rules
More information on how to dig, clean and enjoy clams can be found on our funbeach.com Razor Clam page.
The Annual Loyalty Days marks its 63rd year of celebrating small-town Americana spirit. The Annual Loyalty Days Celebration paints the Peninsula like a Scene from a Norman Rockwell as it is the longest consecutively running Loyalty Day celebration in the nation. The weekend’s festivities include the grand parade through Long Beach, the Children’s Parade through Ilwaco, the U.S. Coast Guard Blessing of the Fleet, an oyster feed, a cowboy breakfast, free fire truck rides, and is set to include the newest addition to Long Beach with the dedication of Veteran’s Field in downtown Long Beach. May 4 & 5, 2013.
Get ready to cast a line! Washington’s salmon fishing season has been set for 2013. Chinook only season Starts June 8th to June 21. Coho, Chinook season starts June 22 and runs through September 30th, 7 days a week with a 2 fish per day limit. The Long Beach Peninsula offers a plethora of great Charter Fishing companies to get you out on the water, having fun, and bringing home the big one! Click here for more information on local fishing and boating for the Long Beach Peninsula!
It’s almost here! Get ready for some fun on the Long Beach Peninsula! We have many great activities for you and your family to enjoy!
Spring is upon us once again, the days are getting longer and everyone is ready for some fun in the sun! Come out to the Peninsula to enjoy the many great attractions, activities, and events that we have to offer. Our beach is one of the USA Today’s 10 Great Places to Fly a Kite! Make sure you check out the Spring Break Family Fun happenings at the World Kite Museum March 23-April 7!
Need to get out and experience the great outdoors? No problem! There will be FREE Admission to all WA State Parks on Saturday, March 30th.
Love to dig Razor Clams? New Razor Clam digs have been approved and scheduled throughout March and April! You can check the dig times and current information here.
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