.png)
CRAB MAN: Enjoy a picnic of fresh crab at the Ilwaco harbor. (Kurt Winner)
The vast southern Washington coastline generally appeals to those planning family vacations, but there are lots of grownup activities, quiet inns, crab shacks, and chef-owned restaurants for just two people to cozy-up in and enjoy the culinary offerings of the beach towns.
Long Beach area eateries, canneries, and markets offer the freshest fish, crab, and oysters from local waters. So all you empty nesters, romantic couples, and friends, take heart—two on the Long Beach Peninsula can have a wonderful beach adventure and eat divinely, avoiding long lines and crowds by keeping few things in mind when planning.
THE INN AT HARBOUR VILLAGE: It is a few miles from the sandy stretch of Long Beach and a world away in charm and appointments. (Kurt Winner)
If you can make your trip during the shoulder seasons of spring or autumn, you might not be guaranteed sunny weather but will enjoy a wallet- forgiving stay with more of your budget left to spend on edibles. Here are my food-centric trip tips.
Stay where breakfast is included and away from the raucous beach scene. Above the fishing village of Ilwaco, The Inn at Harbour Village (360-642-0087, 120 Williams St.) is a few miles from the sandy stretch of Long Beach and a world away in charm and appointments.
Innkeepers Peter and Janis Bale make certain you are comfortable at this bed-and-breakfast inn. Each well-decorated room has a private bath. A remodeled 1928 Presbyterian church clad in shingles, the inn still boasts a chapel. After a leisurely breakfast of good coffee, fresh fruit, eggs, and scones, you are ready to start your exploration of the area.
Enjoy a grownup event with wine and nibbles. The Port of Ilwaco features Art Walk every second Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. each month. Wander the row of art galleries, wine bars, and restaurants. Visit with artists and enjoy a glass of wine, nibbles, and music at the Raven & Finch Wine Bar. Locals and tourist alike enjoy this relaxed evening harbor side at the 800-slip working port.
Assemble goodies and picnic. Pack a picnic to eat beach or harbor side. Pick up supplies at markets on Pacific Hwy. For crab cocktail, hit OleBob’s (oly-bobs) Seafood Market in Ilwaco. Sue and Jenny Hagerup or one of their staff will bang and shake out all of that scrumptious, sweet Dungeness crab for you and slather it with their cocktail sauce.
Ask for lemon wedges and proceed to picnic on port frontage. Order ahead and they will pack on ice for you. If you can transport goods, bring your cooler on this trip. You are going to want to take some sturgeon, oysters, albacore, salmon, or crab home with you. (See the Web site olebobs.com for more information.)
Make reservations to sample the local seafood. There are many inspired menus with freshly caught seafood from nearby Willapa Bay, the Columbia River, and the Pacific Ocean. The Shelburne Inn (theshelburneinn.com) which is also a landmark hotel, Pelicano Restaurant (pelicanorestaurant.com), The Depot (depotrestaurantdining.com), and 42nd Street Café (42ndstcafe.com) are local favorites.
DON'T MISS JIMELLA'S: The freshest local oysters on the coast are served at Jimella's. (Kurt Winner)
Don’t miss Jimella’s. If you were fans of the legendary and long-since-closed Ark Restaurant, you’d make reservations for Jimella’s Fish Market & Café now! Chefs Jimella Lucas and Nanci Main are back in a big way with their small cafe.
Jimella’s oysters are incomparable. Plump, succulent orbs, pulled right from nearby Willapa Bay, are pan-fried and served with a simple tartar sauce.
If you are lucky, Sturgeon Szechuan will be offered. As all of the Ark’s fans would tell you, this entrée, deglazed with sake and finished with a sublime sherry teriyaki sauce, is not to be missed. It’s bliss when paired with a bottle from their thoughtful Washington and Oregon wine selection. Pastry chef and hostess extraordinaire Nanci makes enticing desserts that will end your evening on a sweet note. Reservations are a must well in advance. (21712 Pacific Way, 360-665-4847).
Visit a ghost town and crack some oysters. If you would like to see where oysters come from, head to Oysterville, an 80-acre National Historic District on Willapa Bay. The tree-lined street is dotted with 19th century homes, a church, and the Oysterville Cannery, all still in use and on the National Register of Historic Places. Stop in at Oysterville Sea Farms and purchase fresh fish, oysters, cranberry catsup, and baked goods. (willabay.com)
Take a surf-and-turf ride. Well, you actually get a horseback ride and a beautiful steak dinner. The Haug family-run Back Country Wilderness Outfitters is a great company that offers carriage tours, wagon and horseback rides, and the Ribeye Ride.
The Ribeye begins at the corral, where you are partnered with the steed that will be your mount on the beach for the next few hours. There is a long history of horses on this beach as work animals. They were used to drag logs and sometimes free boats from the sand bar via pulley ropes.
Your guide leads you along the surf to a secluded section at the end of the beach. At (Black) Beards Hollow, you tie up and settle into a grilled-to-order, aged, hand-cut steak with potato and all the fixings including dessert. A steak never tasted so good!
The scenery is breathtaking, and if you really love horses, this is the outfit to ride with. J.P. Haug tells folks that this might be one of their best meals at the beach. It is located at 409 Sid Snyder Drive in Long Beach. Reservations recommended (360-642-2576 or 360-783-11107)
Michelle Winner is a freelance writer living in Oregon.
