Sunrise Resorts Pacific Holiday Resort

Long Beach Peninsula, known as one of the best beaches for razor clamming and surf fishing, and the longest beach expanse for driving in the world, is the home of Sunrise Resorts’ Pacific Holiday.     

 

The 28-mile-long hard sand shoreline of Long Beach Peninsula begins at Leadbetter Point on the northern tip and extends southward along Highway 103 to Cape Disappointment. The leisurely drive will take you through small towns and past an abundance of beaches for a wide variety of water sports and activities.     

 

Attractions you will want to see at Leadbetter Point include the bird sanctuary, where more than 180 species of migratory birds can be seen among the shifting sand dunes; the half-mile-long boardwalk among the dunes; and the antiques (don’t miss the music boxes) and collectibles at Marsh’s Free Museum.     

 

See the huge piles of oyster shells on the bay front at Nahcotta. They are the remains of the oyster industry that dates back to the mid-1800’s. Native American implements used for harvesting oysters and a tide clock are also on display at the center.     Visit the 2,300-foot beachfront with three observation stops and a 12-foot-wide elevated walkway; see more than 600 kites from around the world at the World Kite Museum and Hall of Fame; take a guided tour of the Pacific Coast Cranberry Research Foundation Museum; stroll through the Clarke Rhododendron Nursery. Located just north of Ilwaco, the 11,200-acre Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is made up of marshland, forest, and pastures forming a natural haven for local wildlife. History buffs will enjoy visits to the Ilwaco Heritage Museum and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Ilwaco.     

 

Reflect on the past at Cape Disappointment, where over the years more than 230 vessels have shipwrecked. Jetties have been built to control the sandbars, but Cape Disappointment is still considered one of the world’s most dangerous river bars.