Vacationing At Ocean Shores, A Washington State Treasure

Beach vacations are some of the most memorable, exciting and relaxing vacations that vacationers can plan and take. While some beach locations may be more popular than others, it is important to remember that many beaches and beach communities that are not household names can also provide for some great vacations. Some of the most famous beaches in the United States are located in Hawaii, California and Florida; there are other beaches though and many that are indeed worthwhile of making a visit to. One of the more popular beaches in Washington State to go to is the community of Ocean Shores.

Ocean Shores is located on Washington’s Pacific Coast and is roughly two and half hours west of Seattle. The community of Ocean Shores sits on a sand bar peninsula that separates Gray’s Harbor from the Pacific Ocean. The area was originally developed as a vacation getaway in the mid-to-late-1960s. Many of the hotels and the com\munity itself had famous Hollywood celebrities backing it as a resort town for the rich and famous. In the early days there were a number of night clubs and resort hotels that were both frequented by and featured the entertainment of big name performers including Dean Martin and Pat Boone. While Ocean Shores is no longer the vacation destination of the entertainment elite, many of the reasons that it enjoyed that type of popularity in its early days are still present today.

The community of Ocean Shores is small but tight knit and there are a good number of resort hotels that border the beach. Great restaurants, cafes and diners can be found through the town and like most ocean front towns, seafood is a specialty. Hotels are not the only way that a vacationer can enjoy staying on the beach at Ocean Shores as the community has a number of condominiums and rental houses available as well. Many local businesses cater to vacationers and offer a number of services and products to enhance their time on the beach including moped and bike rentals as well as kite sales. Fishing is still a thriving industry in the area and the nearby communities of Aberdeen, Hoquiam and Westport offer a number charter fishing opportunities and piers to explore. Travelers to Ocean Shores drive through Aberdeen and Hoquiam on their way to the beach, and Westport is accessible by ferry. Located very near the entrance to Ocean Shores is the Quinalt Casino, a very popular local entertainment venue. Golfing is another popular activity in the area and the local course is popular with visitors and residents alike.

The Washington coastline is much different than the coastline of California or some of the other more popular beach locations in that it is more rugged and usually is frequented by storms during certain parts of the year. While those who place a high priority on long uninterrupted sandy beaches may be disappointed, those who relish rocky cliffs, rock formations and tidepools will more than enjoy Ocean Shores and the surrounding area. One of the truly unique features of Ocean Shores and many of the beaches of Washington’s coast is that many of them are treated as state highways and travelers are allowed to drive their vehicles on the beach itself. Often a visitor to the community can drive from their rental house to a local restaurant and travel nearly the whole way on the beach.

While swimming in the waters at Ocean Shores isn’t as popular as in other locations, there are still more than enough things to do on the beach itself. Horseback riding is available and one of the more fun pursuits to participate in. Because of the winds, kite flying is a very popular pasttime that many visitors take part in. Of course there are a number of standard beach activities that can be done as well like sand castle building, sea shell collecting, and beach sports. The beach at Ocean Shores is not the only beach in the area either as a short drive up the Washington coast will reveal many more opportunities to get up close and personal with the Pacific Ocean.

Ocean Shores is known throughout the local area for its large number of festivals and celebrations. While obvious holidays like the Fourth of July are celebrated in this beach community, there are also kite flying contests, sand castle building contests, antique and craft fairs, jazz festivals as well as many other local celebrations too. It is generally true that there is some kind of local festival going on during almost any weekend in the ocean side community of Ocean Shores.

There are many popular beaches in the United States and from Waikiki Beach in Hawaii to Miami Beach in Florida, there are many people who prefer to head to locations that are frequented by millions of people every year. Some of the best vacations though, whether for a couple or family, can be had by visiting the beach communities that are a little off the beaten path and not the first destination that most vacationers think of. Ocean Shores, Washington is just this type of community and has been entertaining visitors for decades. A visit to Ocean Shores just might be exactly what the vacationer is looking for, even if they themselves don’t even know it.