Discovery Awaits on the Long Beach Peninsula

By Una Boyle

One look at the map explains the natural mystique of the Long Beach Peninsula. Located on Washington’s southwestern-most corner and surrounded on three sides by water, the Long Beach Peninsula is an ideal destination for small meetings and corporate retreats. Often called the ‘Cape Cod of the West,’ the 28-mile long peninsula features a string of unique hamlets and towns, which form a pleasant backdrop for both work and recreation.

Small hotels with meeting space, historic inns, upscale bed & breakfasts and even an historic lighthouse keeper’s residence can accommodate groups from 6 to 350. Small corporate retreats can be held in luxurious accommodations in tucked-away, private coves along the waterfront or in any number of upscale rentals. Larger venues include oceanfront hotels, which have between 80 and 125 rooms.

The Peninsula prides itself on its dining scene, with regular raves coming from big-city media. Food on the Peninsula is legendary. Acclaimed restaurants feature fresh, local fare with an emphasis on just-caught seafood, including salmon, tuna, sturgeon, halibut, oysters, razor clams, Dungeness crabs and more. Caterers are pleased to arrange tailored meals to include favorite fare as well as accommodate food preferences and special needs.

Among the options for innovative meals is the Ribeye Ride, which includes an hour horseback ride along the water’s edge, at the end of which hungry horsemen and women will enjoy 12-16 oz. USDA choice rib eye steaks with complementary side dishes before riding from the beach back to the corral.

Team building and relaxing group activities are plentiful throughout the Peninsula. Two golf courses – both with on-site pros – provide a companionable way to relax after a day’s work, while charter fishing excursions have proven a popular way to engage group members in fun competition. Jaw-dropping views of the Pacific Ocean as it meets the mighty Columbia River can be seen from one of the Peninsula’s two lighthouses which overlook the ‘Graveyard of the Pacific,’ the nickname for the wild waters crashing against the cliffs below.

Hiking trails present exhilarating options for enjoying this rich environment. Visitors can explore the great outdoors on foot, courtesy of trails through the lush coastal forests of 1,882-acre Cape Disappointment State Park, home of lakes, marshes, streams and wildlife.

An eight-mile long coastal interpretive trail bordering the ocean is perfect for a morning run, group walk or bike ride. One of North America’s most pristine estuaries – Willapa National Wildlife Refuge – covers acres of wetlands, grasslands and coniferous forest. Highlights include visits to 5,400-acre Long Island, with its stands of 900 year-old Western Red Cedar, and Leadbetter Point, where hundreds of species of migrating birds nest.

Surf lessons are another fun group activity, as are guided horseback rides on the beach.  For an adventurous group, back country expeditions, led by master horsemen, offer an opportunity to truly break out of the daily routine and experience the wilderness, either on a day trip or for a pack trip during hunting season. 

The area’s one-of-a-kind museums include the World Kite Museum, Northwest Carriage Museum, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and Cranberry Museum. These provide venues with a focus on particular aspects of local history.

‘Beautiful enough to inspire, tranquil enough to stay focused, close enough to be affordable’- an apt description of Washington’s premier coastal location. For more information, visit www.funbeach.com or call 1.800.451.2542 for your free Small Meeting Planner.

Una Boyle is Executive Director of the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau

Area Attractions and Businesses:

Boreas Bed & Breakfast Inn – Long Beach – (888) 642-8069

Cedars Ocean View Inn – Long Beach – (888) 886-9111

Coho Charters & Motel – Ilwaco – (800) 339-2646

Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum – Ilwaco - (360) 642-3446

Depot Restaurant – Seaview – (360) 642-7880

Lighthouse Oceanfront Resort – Long Beach – (877) 220-7555

Pacific Salmon Charters – Ilwaco – (800) 831-2695

Peninsula Golf Course – Seaview – (360) 642-2828

Shelburne Inn – Seaview – (360) 642-4142

The Breakers - Long Beach – (800) 219-9833

World Kite Museum – Long Beach – (360) 642-4020