What do you do on a cold, rainy weekend in Washington? Go to the beach. It may sound counterintuitive but one thing Washingtonians don't take for granted is the beauty of a rainy day.
We headed south on I-5 for about three hours to Long Beach, Washington. The 28-mile beach peninsula is the longest in the United States.
We booked a night at the trendy and rustic Adrift Hotel. After settling into our room, we set out to get drinks and listen to live music at The Pickled Fish, the hotel's ocean view restaurant and bar. A few "Ginger French 75's" later and we found ourselves walking along the beach ... regardless of the weather. Life could be a lot worse.
The next morning we woke to one of my favorite sounds in the entire world: the ceaseless roar of crashing waves.
We biked along the Discovery Trail, which was named after Lewis and Clark's exploratory trek. If you're really feeling bold, go the distance (8.3 miles to be exact) through grassy dunes and forests with exquisite views of the ocean, terminating in Cape Disappointment State Park, which is anything but disappointing.
You'll pass by the old fishing village of Ilwaco and two historical lighthouses, both over a century old. The Beard's Hollow Overlook offers the best view of the landscape from above.
If you have some time to kill and want to do a little more exploring and/or activities other than relaxing, visit Astoria, Oregon; the first permanent US settlement on the Pacific Coast and just 50 minutes south of Long Beach at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Time from Seattle to Long Beach: 3 hours 18 minutes
Packing List:
1. Chunky sweater
2. Flannel
3. Jeans (2 pairs)
4. Boots and 2-3 pairs of socks! (combat or rain boots)
5. Beanie/baseball cap
6. Raincoat
7. Camera (and lens)
Make sure to check out the events page before you go because there's always something going on in this tiny, charming beach town!
