WA or OR Beach vacation?

[Glenview94602]

Originally Posted by NorthofSpokane

I live near Spokane and want to spend few days walking down a beautiful, sandy beach and eating fresh seafood. What are the closest, best beach areas for that in SW Wa and NW OR?

I prefer Cannon Beach. If you have kids you can take them to the Seaside Promenade and they would love the arcade, carousel, and old time photo shops. Astoria is nearby and you can visit Ft Clatsop (where Lewis and Clark stayed), the Astoria Column, Sunset Beach in Warrenton, or Cape Disappointment on the WA side (also a great Lewis & Clark museum there near the lighthouse).

Tillamook has the railroad between Rockaway Beach and Girabaldi, the Tillamook Cheese factory, also the Blue Heron Cheese company (which has animals and a nice picnic area).

We went to Ocean Shores once and were a bit disappointed because while the beach is great, it's not walkable like a lot of Oregon Beach towns. The boulevards are wide and you might have to walk several blocks to cross the street in places. We went once and have no desire to return.

Long Beach is pretty cool. Marsh's trading post is one of those curio shops where they have oddities if you're into that sort of thing.

A friend of mine likes Moclips, north of Ocean Shores but I've never been. I really love the Southern Oregon beach too but from E. WA it's just too far.

I used to live in Cannon Beach for about 2.5 years and the town/beaches are super walkable as well as in Seaside. Seaside's beach is a bit "manicured" but still pretty good. CB is more of a natural beach.

Newport Aquarium is really good from what I have heard though I've never been there.

[texasdiver]

For tourist beaches Oregon over Washington any day. Washington does have some spectacular remote beaches that you have to hike to, but very little in the way of tourist infrastructure near the beach (restaurants, shops, etc.) unless you go all the way down to Long Beach and then you might as well just go to Oregon.

We are partial to the "Tillamook Coast" which is the section of coast from Tillamook to Pacific City where the main highway (US101 leaves the shoreline and goes well inland and there is a much smaller state road (OR-131) that runs along the ruggeg coastline through a few small towns like Oceanside and Netarts. They are mostly just collections of homes and cabins with a few general stores and restaurants but you are well off the beaten track of 101 that is bumper to bumper in the summer and full of RVs. The Tillamook Coast is great if you just want to rent a beach house, chill, walk the beach, and cook most of your own meals. If you want restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops you are better off going to Cannon Beach, Seaside, Pacific City, Manzanita, or towns further south.

For a coastal vacation in Washington I'd suggest the San Juans which do have beaches too, but they aren't quite the same. But you have picturesque little towns, ferries to ride, and gorgeous scenery as well.

[Arktikos]

If you're considering Cannon beach, nearby Arch Cape has a huge beach that's walkable to the aforementioned hug point on low tide and is far less crowded. It also has its own offshore monolith, castle rock. Granted, not nearly as impressive as Haystack rock.

It's a short drive to Cannon beach for restaurants.

[mayfair]

If you don't get to the ocean beaches often, just about any of them will be spectacular end enjoyable.

[homesinseattle]

IMO the Most stunning beaches: La Push and Shi Shi near Neah Bay, both in WA State. Best beach town/scenery: Cannon Beach, Oregon.

[MtnSurfer]

If you start with Cannon Beach and explore a bit south, you really can't go wrong. That's the best for weekend getaways when looking for other amenities as well like great food and other interesting things to check out. Cannon Beach has the best art galleries along the coast. So, its a fun little town to walk around.

While WA has some beautiful beaches up toward Olympic National Park, they are more remote with far fewer services. It's still fun to visit for different reasons/experiences. But I would start with the northern Oregon coast first. You get it all there - amazing beauty, close proximity to accommodations with hotels right on the beach, good food, etc...

Derek

[wolfdog]

Originally Posted by NorthofSpokane

I'm in Newport. What did you have in mind?

Newport?, then head to Local Ocean, on the bayfront. Our go-to for years. Lived in the area for 30 years.
Want a fantastic 'locals' beach? 1/4 mile south of Seal Rock: Quail St. You're welcome

[NorthofSpokane]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Do let us know when you are planning to come. (I need some items delivered from N of Spokane! (Ione) )

There are several seasonal events enroute that you might enjoy.

Consider taking a 'round-trip' route. Lots to see and do in Columbia Gorge and mtn crossings too. (OR and WA)

I've really enjoyed the presentations at Goldendale Observatory, and Maryhill / Stonehenge is nearby (Good area to overnight. Petroglyphs near The Dalles (on WA side), tours of the Dams + fish Ladders). Packwood / Mt Rainier is a nice side trip. as is Spirits of Iron (SW entrance to Rainier)

For Oregon fun, if mechanical interests... Great Oregon Steam-up (End of July and first weekend in Aug)
Hiking, Columbia Gorge
State Fair

...

I'm in Newport. What did you have in mind?