Day trip to Ocean Shores – must see/do ideas and tips for the best time!
Ocean Shores is the perfect day trip if you live in the PNW or vacationing in Seattle, from Seattle it’s only about 2 1/2 hour drive with many fun stops on the way if breaks are needed. Ocean Shores is a great little town on the Washington coast, perfect for playing at the beach, get treats, lots of outdoor fun.
It’s the perfect spot to enjoy with your family it has a beautiful long sandy beach, build a sandcastle, fly a kite, all the many cute shops in town – even a $2 only shop, tasty treats like saltwater taffy and ice cream. So, take a drive and enjoy some quality outdoor time!
HERE’S WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN OCEAN SHORES, WASHINGTON
Must see/do in Ocean Shores
- Obviously beach play
- The famous shark head shop – at least stop by for a picture, if you don’t want to spend too much $$ on souvenirs, across the street is a $2 only store
- Ice cream at Peppermint Parlor – we end every visit with a stop here before heading back home – it is also a Family Fun Center with go-karts, bumper cars and more!
- Bike and moped rentals
- Check out Ocean Shores Tourism Board for more ideas
- PS. Between us, horseback riding sounds amazing on the beach but I highly suggest looking for another company that is not the one located right by the main entrance, those horses look so miserable and dehydrated :(
Tips for the best time
- Check out the calendar, if you are looking for an empty beach make sure there is no event going on, the pictures above show the amount of people during the kite festival but the beach still wasn’t too crowded
- Check the weather before you go, it could be sunny and beautiful where you live but rain and stormy at the ocean. Bring a sweatshirt! No matter what, sunny and warm could still mean windy.
- Lots of water, SUNSCREEN, food/snacks, hat, sunglasses, towel, first aid kit. PS. baby powder is great to get sand off
- Make a bathroom stop before you enter the beach, because it’s a bit of a walk back to the bathrooms
- Bringing kids, don’t forget a sand bucket and shovel for sandcastle building and/or collecting treasures
- If you decide to drive on the beach to park, really pay attention to where others are driving and the speed. I don’t suggest this route for everyone, to be safe park near the bathrooms in the parking lot
- Be very cautious with playing in the water, the undertow can be very strong
- Visiting Ocean Shores is a great frugal day, pack all your food, all you have to pay is gas.
Have you been to Ocean Shores? Leave me a comment letting me know your favorite thing to do there. If you’re looking for another great ocean town to visit in Washington, check out Long Beach.
And if you’re looking for a camping spot at Ocean Shores, we’ve been to Ocean City State Park in the winter and it was great.
