Ocean Shores

With more than six miles of wide, public sandy beaches, families can enter sandcastle competitions, dig for clams or fly kites as high as the sky. Visitors even travel from all over to enter the annual stunt kite challenge in June, where they also participate in free flying lessons. 

The beach can be explored on horseback, cruising on a moped or bike, or just by taking a romantic stroll. Beach houses are available to rent all year long, and during the early months of spring, beachgoers are often greeted by a pod of gray whales splashing just offshore. 

At the end of the day, dust off the sand and take your adventures inland, where you can go bowling, go-kart racing, golfing, wander through a glassblowing studio or make your own jewelry as a souvenir. Take a day trip from Ocean Shores to the Olympic National Park, which is home to a few of the only temperate rainforests in North America. The Lake Quinault rainforest is only 40 miles northeast of Ocean Shores.