Pacific peninsula between surf and Willapa Bay, known for drivable beach, oysters, and Oysterville's old houses.
The Long Beach Peninsula is a 28-mile strip of land in the southwestern corner of Washington State, caught between the Pacific and Willapa Bay. It is one of the longest uninterrupted stretches of drivable beach on the west coast of North America, and at low tide the hard-packed sand makes for easy walking or driving for miles in either direction.
The peninsula's economy has long turned on what comes out of the water. Willapa Bay produces oysters — it was the main supplier for the West Coast in the 1800s and remains a significant operation today. Razor clams, dug from the beach at low tide, are another local speciality and something of a ritual for visitors. Crabbing and sport fishing are popular further offshore.
The town of Oysterville at the north end of the peninsula is a historic district, a small cluster of Victorian buildings from the oyster boom years that has barely changed since. It is worth the drive for the quiet and the setting alone. Long Beach town itself is the commercial centre, with most of the restaurants and visitor services. The Lewis and Clark expedition camped in this area in November 1805 during their push to the Pacific; the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment tells the story. The Willapa National Wildlife Refuge protects the bay's extraordinary bird habitat and old-growth cedar forests.
The peninsula is at its best outside peak summer. Storms roll in from the Pacific in autumn and winter with considerable force — dramatic to watch, less pleasant for beach walks. Spring brings less fog than summer.
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Getting There
The Long Beach Peninsula is in the far southwest corner of Washington State, about 2 hours and 45 minutes by car from Portland, Oregon (the nearest airport with significant service) and around 3 hours from Seattle. The drive from Portland goes via Astoria, Oregon, crossing the Columbia River on the Astoria-Megler Bridge — at 4 miles, one of the longest continuous truss bridges in North America — and then north on Highway 101 up the peninsula.
There is no public transport to the peninsula worth mentioning. You need a car. From Seattle, the most direct route goes south on I-5 to Olympia, then west on Highway 12 and south on Highway 101 down the Washington coast. There is no air service to the peninsula itself.
Once on the peninsula, the main road runs its entire length — roughly 28 miles from Ilwaco at the south end to Oysterville in the north. Most services are in Long Beach town in the middle.
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When to Go
The Long Beach Peninsula is at its best in spring (April and May) and early autumn (September and October). Summer brings the most visitors but also persistent marine fog that can keep the beach grey for days at a time; the Peninsula averages roughly 60 inches of rain a year, most of it falling between November and March. Autumn storms rolling in off the Pacific are dramatic and the beach is emptier.
Razor clamming runs from October through April on WDFW-designated open days at low tide — check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website before visiting if this is your purpose. The Cranberry Harvest Festival in Ocean Spray in October is one of the larger local events. Kite festivals draw crowds to Long Beach in summer; the town holds a world record for the longest kite chain.
Winter visits have real appeal for anyone who likes wild weather and empty beaches. Most restaurants and shops in Long Beach stay open year-round, but hours shorten considerably outside the summer season.