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As you stroll on a stretch of the 18 miles of easily accessible sandy beach it is hard to imagine the pulsing world of Seattle and the millions of visitors that live less than three hours away.

Fishing in the Westport Marina, photo by Chris Bryant

Westport and the South Beach area may have been discovered, but they still have the charm of an earlier time.

Westport is located on a peninsula at the mouth of Grays Harbor and has the largest marina on the outer coast of the Pacific Northwest, which is home to a large commercial fishing fleet and recreational fishing vessels. Westport is home to the largest fish landing port on the continental U.S. West Coast.

Its tradition as a summer resort actually began with the local Native American tribes. Westport became their center for fishing, shell fish harvesting and seafood processing – all traditions that continue today. Boat building is a more recent addition to the area’s economy, hosting America’s largest yacht manufacturing company.

Visitors can become immersed in the atmosphere of the fishing village through a variety of activities and the more passive but enjoyable pastime of sitting back and watching ship arrivals and departures.

Tall Ships maneuvering outside Westport Harbor, by Mike Coverdale

Charter boats offer fishing and whale watching during the gray whale season, which normally lasts from early March through May. You can sometimes spot juvenile whales swimming inside Grays Harbor with binoculars from the observation tower in Westport. A scenic boardwalk is located at the dock area in Westport at the very end of Neddie Rose Drive.

Surfing is very popular in Westport in the area north of the marina around the finger jetties of the small beaches. The more adventurous tackle the big waves near the South Jetty.

You can stroll on the beach from nine public access points on the South Beach. These stretches of quiet, sandy beach and dune grasses border the sometimes tranquil and sometimes thundering Pacific Ocean.

The Warrenton Cannery Access was named for the razor clam canning facility that operated here. The cannery is gone but the razor clams remain and are abundant in season. Those seasons vary under guidelines established by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. For more information on digging, cleaning, and cooking razor clams visit the website: www.westportwa.com/activities/razorclams/index.html

Next is the Midway Beach access and then the Cranberry Beach access, named for the plentiful and beautiful cranberry farms located around Grayland. Bonge (pronounced bon-gee) provides access to the Grayland Beach. The Twin Harbor Approach is located at the juncture of Highway 105 and Highway 105 Spur at the root of the Westport peninsula. All of these approaches are drivable, but Bonge and Twin Harbors require a 4-wheel drive vehicle to traverse easily.

Westport Lighthouse by Mike Coverdale

Heading north into Westport, the remaining access points are for pedestrians and lead you to some of the more remote beaches. The beachfront is privately owned land for three miles and largely undeveloped. The last mile parallels an oceanfront hiking and biking path that meanders along the dunes from the Lighthouse to the Jetty. Surfers frequently play on this portion of the ocean.

The 109-year-old Grays Harbor Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on the Washington Coast. You can park at Ocean Avenue for access to Westhaven State Park and the Westport Dune Trail, which leads to the lighthouse where you can take a tour during their scheduled hours.

The trail continues on around Halfmoon Bay for another mile and a half where it guides you to the Westport Marina lined with shops, restaurants and the fishing at the docks.