Things to Do in Long Beach, Washington

The Discovery Trail runs 8.5 miles from the Port of Ilwaco through Cape Disappointment State Park and up the dunes to Long Beach, and most of it is paved. It’s named for Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery, whose journey ended on this peninsula. In town you can step onto the boardwalk over the dunes, pass gray whale carvings near the Sid Snyder beach approach and see a statue of Clark near the Bolstad approach.

★ Good to know The trail ends behind the Breakers with a bronze replica of the tree Clark carved his initials into.

This downtown curio shop at 409 Pacific Ave. dates to 1921, and admission is free. The star is Jake the Alligator Man, a mummified half-man, half-alligator who has sold more than 30,000 postcards. It also claims America’s largest collection of glass fishing floats and gives away more than a million seashells a year.

★ Good to know Bring some change; the museum is full of old coin-operated machines.

The museum opened in 1990 with a donation of more than 700 kites, including over 300 from Japan, and now holds more than 1,500 kites from 26 countries. It says it’s the only kite museum of its kind in the U.S. It sits at 303 Sid Snyder Drive, near the beach approach.

★ Good to know The museum runs the Washington State International Kite Festival, held every year during the third full week of August.

This 2,023-acre park at the mouth of the Columbia River was the western end of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and it’s part of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Trails wind through forest, around lakes and down to ocean beaches. The North Head Lighthouse looks over the Pacific, the peninsula and the Columbia River Bar.

★ Good to know You need a Discover Pass, and North Head Lighthouse opens to visitors from May through September 30.

Inside Cape Disappointment State Park, the interpretive center sits on a 200-foot cliff above the Columbia. Its exhibits follow Lewis and Clark from St. Louis to the Pacific, and interpretive trails start outside.

★ Good to know The parking lots at North Head and the interpretive center can’t take RVs.

Cranberries are a working crop on the peninsula, and this museum at 2907 Pioneer Road shows how they’re grown. A self-guided walking tour of the bogs is open year-round from 8 a.m. to dusk. The museum and gift shop open daily.

★ Good to know Grab a brochure from the white mailbox in the parking area before the bog walk.

At the north tip of the peninsula, this day-use park borders Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. It has 7 miles of trails and draws birders looking for eagles, peregrine falcons, brown pelicans and terns. The Willapa Bay side is good for kayaks and paddleboards when tides and weather allow.

★ Good to know Fires aren’t allowed at any time, and you’ll need a Discover Pass.