Things to do in Ocean Shores, Washington

For our 6th wedding anniversary and baby moon we decided to take a weekend trip to Ocean Shores, Washington. This is a small town- you guessed it- on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Now the beach in Washington state is not your stereotypical beach. In fact you really don't want to go swimming unless you have a wet suit on and even then-it's going to be cold and rough. But there is a lot of beauty to it-despite not being able to swim.  One of the most unique aspects of the Ocean Shores beach is that you can drive your car literally on to the beach- I've never been to a beach where the public is able to do that. You can also bring firewood and have a campfire in designated areas on the beach. 

When planning a trip to this location I would suggest bringing a rain jacket of some sort- even if it's a sunny day-which honestly is pretty rare- the waves crashing in create a lot of moisture. I would also suggest waterproof shoes/boots. 

Driving to Ocean Shores 

The drive to Ocean Shores is quite pretty with beautiful views in between many small towns. We stopped at a local BBQ place called the "Ranch House and BBQ steakhouse" which was really delicious!  

Explore North Jetty 

Despite the name North Jetty is the southern most point of Ocean Shores and it is the tip of Gray's Harbor. There is a large rock wall that "jets" out into the ocean that is fun to climb and explore. While you can't drive on to the beach like you can in town there is plenty of beach to walk and watch the waves crash in. 

Explore Damon Point 

Damon point is a former Washington State Park consisting of a one mile beach that jets out into Grays Harbor. Because it is in the harbor the water is a lot calmer compared to the beaches that face the ocean. This is a great place to search for agate rocks- if that is something that you are into (like my husband). Apparently it's also a great place to bird watch if you are interested in birds.  If you're looking to dip your toes in the Pacific Ocean on this trip this would be the place to do it- be warned though- it will be pretty cold. 

Visit the Coastal Interpretive Center 

The Costal Interpretive Center is a small museum  that shows the history of Ocean Shores the coast of Washington. It is a cute little museum with a lot of interesting information. Admission is $5 per person or $10 per family. 

    Hike the Weatherwax trail 

If you want a break from the ocean and want more of the mainland PNW vibe the Weatherwax trail is a fun and easy trail to check out. It is a 1.2 mile loop and it is more of a walk than a hike but still very pretty. This was the perfect "hike" for me being 36 weeks pregnant.  

Explore the Downtown Restaurants and Shops 

Ocean Shores has a lot of resturants (mostly seafood because of the location) and small shops along the main road. The most iconic one is "Sharky's" with the entrance being the head of the shark. There are a lot of gift shops in this area as well as local artists selling their art and other boutiques. 

Take a day trip to Seabrook 

Seabrook is roughly 30 minutes north of Ocean shores. It is essentially a vacation town meaning the majority of the houses there are vacation homes or rental properties. It has a very quaint downtown area with lots of resturants and shops to explore. There is public access to the beach and it is quite breath taking to walk around and explore. 

Seabrook is also known for its "Gnome Trail" a small forested trail where people build houses for gnomes all over the trail. It is neat to see all types of different houses- either built from shells and sticks or other materials people brought with them from home. It's not a specific designated trail- more of an interpretive hike. 

Overall 

Overall we had a very fun little getaway weekend. We were limited to what we could do because I was so pregnant but we made the best of it and enjoyed our time together before becoming parents. We plan on coming back and exploring more of the area.