Long Beach, USA - travel experience, post, guide, blog and photos

USA: Washington: Hurricane Ridge, Kalaloch Beach, Lake Quinault, Long Beach, Marymere Waterfall, Port Angeles, Puget Sound, Ruby Beach, Seattle

Long Beach, Washington, USA: The world's longest?
by Prakash Bang, Editor in Chief

I have come across many beaches around the world that claim to be the longest of their kind. I won't get into a debate since exploring the length is more enjoying than counting it! Located on Washington’s southwestern coast where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean, Long Beach is rich with coastal beauty and a fresh Northwest cuisine.

We Left Lake Quinault at about 9 in the morning. We reached Long Beach at 3 in the afternoon. Enroute, we visited the Northwest Carriage Museum, a fantastic sea-food lunch at OleBob's and a visit to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

On arriving Long Beach, there were two options for the group. Go horseback riding or go cycling. And yes, there was a third one too - do nothing. I opted for the latter and checked myself at Adrift Hotel - located just on the beach.

At 5:30 PM we were welcome for a sunset reception at Pickled Fish on the hotel's top floor. The view of the setting sun from there is just outstanding. Dinner that night was at The Depot located in Seaview a short distance away.

Long Beach offers an endless list of adventures and attractions, from kayaking and clam digging to horseback riding and bird watching. Favourites among locals and visitors alike are the two lighthouses, Cape Disappointment and North Head, which are both fully functional and open year round.

The Light House, Cape Disappointment, Washington, USA

Long Beach is also home to the Washington State International Kite Festival, a weeklong kite celebration and competition held annually during the third week of August, that brings people from all over the world. If you prefer to keep your competition on the ground, join in the SandSations, an annual sand sculpture competition. Another beloved pastime is exploring Discovery Trail, which stretches eight miles from Ilwaco to North Long Beach and commemorates the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Breakfast the next morning was at 42nd Street Cafe. Post that we walked the board along the shore for some bird watching. We were led by a local naturalist who was armed with powerful bird-watching telescope. There are shorebirds galore along this 11 miles of Pacific Ocean beach! Spring and fall migrations feature plovers, sandpipers, dowitchers and dunlins, plus brown pelicans in the summer. Of course, we could not site as many since it was February.

The next stop was a visit to the famous Kite Museum. This two-floor building has a fantastic collection of kites from all around the world. Being from India, (where kite flying is quite common) the visit kindled some old flames.

A visit to Long Beach will not be complete without a visit to the Cottage Bakery. The bakery is famous for its all day long breakfast and lunches - yes, all day long. No matter how full you are but you will certainly be tempted to try one of their many pastries, puffs and pies... that are freshly baked and neatly displayed.

And that would be the end of our 3-day trip in the peninsula. We left Long Beach at about 11 heading towards Tacoma, but not before exploring the Squaxin Island Tribe Museum and enjoying the lunch at Little Creek Casino.

At 4 we were at the doors of Hotel Murano in Tacoma. I was ready for the next 3 days of business.

Long Beach Image Gallery Photo viewer