Fun Stuff To Do

Fun stuff to do for Free
(or close to it)
(some excerpted from the "1997 Visitor's Guide")
Published by the Chinook Observer.)


Visit the numerous State Parks on our Peninsula.

	Go fly a kite. There's always a breeze on the beach. Here's some helpful hints on how to.

			Boat along the Willapa Bay Water Trail.

		Visit the Willapa Bay Oyster House Interpretive Center in Nahcotta.

	Grab your birding field guide and look for hundreds of species that live on or near the beach. Also keep your eyes open for marine mammals, such as seals and sea lions, which are plentiful in the river and off our shores.


Look for glass floats (best hunting is after storms), distinctive pieces of driftwood and Japanese shampoo bottles washed up along the 28 miles of sandy beach.

Take the Ocean Park Walking Tour.



		Wander the docks at the Port of Ilwaco and see old rowboats, cabin cruisers and commercial fishing vessels.

	Visit "Waikiki Beach" and watch the waves crash against the rocks below the lighthouse. See the holes worn in the cliffs by centuries of pounding surf.

			Visit the art galleries in Seaview, Long Beach, Ocean Park, Nahcotta and Ilwaco, featuring nationally known Peninsula artists.

Settle in for some wonderful people watching. Leading sites: the beach, the benches on the boardwalk, the Long Beach Gazebo (which also features live music many summer weekends), and down on the waterfront in Nahcotta, Ilwaco, and Chinook.

Gather mushrooms and berries in the woods. But don't get lost, and please respect private property


		Take photographs. The Peninsula, the Columbia River and the lovely country around Naselle offer wonderful opportunities for photos of birds and other wildlife, beautiful scenes and colorful people.

Take a romantic walk on the Boardwalk at midnight. The discreet night-lights on the Boardwalk are a perfect compliment to the roar of the ocean and the whisper of dune grass.

	Hike the trails at the very north end of the Peninsula: Leadbetter Point. Navy SeaBees installed a new observation platform and easy-access ramps at the end of Stackpole Road in 1995, making it easier for everyone to enjoy a delightful view of the bay.

In case of a rainy, gloomy day, visit one of our fine libraries in Ocean Park, Ilwaco, Naselle, South Bend or Raymond, and curl up with that book you never have time to read.


Park at the North Head Lighthouse parking lot and hike the trail to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse or park in the Interpretive Center parking lot and hike to Cape Disappointment.

	Ride your bike to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Riekkola Unit about one mile east of Sandridge Road near Long Beach. A nesting area for geese, the area also provides pedestrian access to the hills on southern Willapa Bay.

		Go fishing for catfish in the Willacut River between Ilwaco and Chinook.

Hit the garage sales. Find them listed in the Chinook Observer, or drive around and look for signs.

Browse the many antique shops, bookstores, secondhand places and colorful hardware stores that dot the Peninsula.

Stroll through historic Seaview and see the many homes built in the 1800s.


	Tour the historic old Oysterville Church in Oysterville; drive along the main street and read signs telling the history of local old homes.

Pack a lunch and visit one of the smaller, less well-known state parks or recreation areas, such as Loomis Lake picnic area or Pacific Pines State Park.

		Stop by real estate offices and check out the color pictures of homes, cabins and lots for sale.


	Take a picnic lunch to Fort Columbia and explore the old war bunkers, military housing, Chinook Indian Interpretative Center and the magnificent view of the river.


	Visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Fort Canby and enjoy the panoramic view from the observation room.

Hang out at the lakes on the way to Radar Ridge in Naselle. There are picnic tables and fire pits, but bring your own water. To get there turn off Highway 4 at Naselle Youth Camp, turn left and follow the signs.

Pull up a sand dune and just spend a few hours forgetting your everyday cares--let the sound of the breaking waves refresh and renew you.