OCEAN PARK
THE HEART OF
THE PENINSULA
F
or a trip that bypasses crowded highways and returns
your soul to a safer, more leisurely time, follow U.S.
Highway 101 toward Washington state’s southern-most
peninsula. Once there, head north on State Route 103
toward Ocean Park — a visitor-friendly area located at
the “heart” of Washington’s most famous beach.
If you are looking for a weekend or longer close to
nature, activities that the entire family will never forget, festivals
or events nearly every weekend of the year, beautiful scenery,
historic landmarks, walking trails and seafood that can’t get any
fresher, then treat yourself to the Ocean Park area.
Please visit the Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce
website “Directory” page and look under “All Members” for web
page listings for each of many friendly local businesses. The
address is http://opwa.com.
On the way north on State Route 103, you’ll pass by many
areas worth exploring: Loomis Lake State Park; Loomis Lake
fishing area; and the Klipsan Beach approach with its historic
Coast Guard Life Saving Station, are some examples.
A red flashing light marks the center of Ocean Park. Everything
here is located “from the light.” In fact, they have only recently
started using house numbers.
Don’t worry about getting lost. There are plenty of places to get
information. The Ocean Park Area Chamber of Commerce Office
is two blocks east from “the light” on Bay Avenue and every
business will gladly provide directions to points of interest.
Scout out the many businesses that dot the road from Long
Beach to Ocean Park and on to Oysterville. The variety is
surprising. Ocean Park is home to two of the largest grocery stores
on the Peninsula, a hardware store and a pharmacy. There are
galleries, gift shops, a bookstore, restaurants and lodging choices
that include motels, cabins, historic bed and breakfasts, vacation
rental homes, RV spaces and camping.
You will find an opportunity to relax in Ocean Park. Have an
espresso or lunch at the beach approach. Relax with a glass of
wine and a sunset. Enjoy walking around town visiting artists,
jewelers and crafters in their studios and shops. There are gift
stores and a used bookstore carrying current and nostalgic items
to browse. Tame your hunger at ice cream parlors, restaurants and
watering holes. Jack’s Country Store is one of the prime places to
get lost in. Tom or any employee of Jack’s store will help you find
your way. One of the many reasons to linger in these businesses
is that some of the better storytellers can be found in them.
The main attraction, and the reason most people come here, is
the shore. The ocean is just a short walk west of “the light.” Here
you are in the center of a grand beach that stretches more than 10
miles in each direction. Walk along the broad expanse of sand and
stop to create a driftwood sculpture or build a sandcastle. Fly a
kite or fish for surfperch. Watch a flock of sea birds in
synchronous flight or spy a hawk in search of prey.
The beach is designated a state highway and automobiles can
be driven on it. If you have a disabled friend or an aging relative,
this is one of the few opportunities where they can be transported
to the ocean’s edge for a real seashore experience.
Couples and families enjoy the various events that Peninsula
communities host. The Garlic Festival, held the third weekend in
16 • DISCOVERY COAST 2017-18 • www.chinookobserver.com
Ocean Park's Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Parade is a fun exercise in patriotism and small-town neighborliness, to which all are invited. — OBSERVER FILE PHOTO
June, rejoices in the cloves that form the foundation for oodles of
good food and good fun. The Old Fashioned Fourth of July Parade
provides a rollicking family event that harkens back to family
picnics and memorable experiences.
The weekend after Labor Day hums and roars with activity.
The whole Peninsula is filled with custom cars participating in
the Rod Run to the End of the World. The event begins with early
registration on Friday afternoon, a slow drag on Friday night and
climaxes with the car show on Saturday. Nearly 1,000 classic cars
are on display. Throngs of visitors pore over the fit and finish of
every one. There is, of course, ample time to exchange stories
about your favorite car from an earlier time.
The Peninsula is rich in history. The Chinook people, who
were skillful traders and excellent seamen, first occupied the
whole Peninsula area. After European seafarers discovered the
area, a fur trade arose. Later, pioneers arrived at the mouth of the
Columbia River and by the 1830s an oyster trade began in the
Willapa Bay. Settlers soon followed.
By 1850 there were permanent settlements around the bay.
Oysterville soon dominated the area. The raucous nature of the
town and its vicinity convinced some that more uplifting environs
would be desirable.
Ocean Park was conceived as a summer camp for religious
meetings. Currently open to the public, Ocean Park Resort started
as a Methodist Church campground in 1906 and celebrated a
century of operation three years ago. By the 1890s the land of
Ocean Park was platted and sold.
The Camping Association eventually moved to an 80-acre plat,
25 blocks north of “the light.” It is now known as the Ocean Park
Retreat Center and United Methodist Camp.
OCEAN PARK’S OLD-FASHIONED FOURTH OF
JULY PARADE IS KNOWN FOR ITS ABUNDANT
HOMETOWN PATRIOTISM
There are many older residences that date back to the late 1800s
in Ocean Park. Much of the lumber, in fact entire buildings, was
barged over from South Bend and the smaller villages on the east
side of the bay and Long Island. Others were built from shipwrecks
and their cargoes that washed up on the beach. A brochure for a
walking tour of these homes is available on the Internet
(www.opwa.com) and at the Ocean Park Area Chamber of
Commerce office.