The North Beach area of the Washington Coast is mostly about spending time on the beach; hiking, beachcombing, sunbathing, having a campfire, watching the sea birds, flying a kite.

Some great walks include: the Griffiths Priday bird sanctuary park at Copalis Beach, Joe Creek at Pacific Beach, Pacific Beach State Park to the Stairs at Ocean Crest Resort.

A great side trip is to Point Grenville, on the Quinault Reservation. A beautiful stretch of truly natural beach with arches, haystacks, etc. You need to get a permit from the Quinault Police station Taholah, but this is an easy task.

On rainy days we suggest bowling at the Pacific Beach Resort & Conference Center, a trip to the Arcade at Ocean Shores, the Quinault Casino, or visit Lake Quinault just 45 minutes away for hiking, fishing, canoeing, and viewing Roosevelt Elk.

Surf kayaking is particularly good at Pacific Beach, with easy access from the State Park day use area.

Surf fishing is good almost everywhere along the coast, but access is best at Ocean City, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.

Good food and a pleasant afternoon or evening of shuffleboard, pool or darts, is always available for adults at the Green lantern Tavern in Copalis Beach. A great local Tav, with good people and a very nice view of the Copalis River where it meets the ocean.

Below you can read a few articles written by locals about things to do on the Washington Coast.

Okay...the weekend is almost here. The decision has been made. You are going to the Washington Coast. You pack. You load. You drive. You arrive. After a relaxing dinner, you return to your room. The fire gets stoked and poked, and you settle down in the glow of the fire. You begin to think about what you are going to do in the morning when you get to the beach. You start a mental packing list of what you will need for that perfect day.

Well, here is a packing list for a day at the beach that could provide you with memories for a lifetime...Nothing. That's right...nothing. Puzzled?

After you wake up, go grab a bite to eat and a copy of the local tide tables. Find out what time high tide will be... and be on the beach about one hour before that. What are you doing? Beachcombing. The modern day equivalent of a treasure hunt. There are no guarantees you will find a treasure, but then again...

What kind of treasures are there to be found? Probably the most popular, and rare, find is net floats made of glass. They come predominantly in two shapes; rolling pin and ball. The floats end up on the North Beach after traveling across the Pacific from Japan. There aren't as many glass floats as there used to be, but they still show up.

Other fairly common treasures include plastic and foam floats, shells (especially sand dollars) bottles and items that have fallen from cargo ships during storms. It is not at all uncommon to find bottles for Japanese and Chinese products. Often, the bottles are imprinted with Japanese or Chinese characters indicating what used to be in the bottles. A few years ago, a cargo ship encountered a particularly nasty storm and lost several containers overboard. For over a year, hockey gloves, pads, and masks were washing up on the beach.

Among the rarer finds is Newcastle Coal. it's true. Over the years, many ships have sunk off our coast. Of particular interest is a collier that foundered in the shallows near Copalis rocks. Over time, the waves broke the ship apart and the Newcastle Coal it was carrying was spread on the bottom of the Pacific along the North Coast. sometimes, after a good storm, you can find chunks that have been washed up in the surf. Some chunks weigh over 100 pounds!

So for at least one foray to the beach, don't take anything. Maybe you'll bring back a treasure to put on the mantle at home.

Memories for a lifetime...from a day on The North Beach.

As you drive around the North Beach, you may notice something unusual...cars on the beaches. All up and down the Pacific Coast of the United States, there are literally hundreds of miles of accessible beaches for your pleasure. Of course, some of the accesses present more than a little challenge. Some accesses are by means of trails down cliff faces. Some beaches are reached by overland hikes through rolling dunes. And some are accessed by a short walk through a small business district after paying a tidy little sum at a large, but not necessarily safe, parking lot.

But...what if you would like more than a roadside view of the ocean? What if you are unable to scale the cliffs? What if the overland hike is too much of a challenge for young children, or your Senior Discount also includes the inability to walk great distances? The solution is the North Beach.

Just under 12 miles of the beach here is open to vehicles all year 'round. Another 8 1/2 miles of beach is open to vehicles from the day after Labor Day weekend through April 14th each year. The beach can be accessed by vehicle from each of the North Beach's coastal communities. Once you are on the beach you will see signs that indicate where the driving areas are.

A few words of warning, though...

• Consult a local tide table for beach conditions before you get onto the beach.
• The beaches are designated as State Highways and all of the laws apply. (You can't do donuts on Highway 101 either)
• The maximum speed allowed is 25 miles per hour.
• Always be on the lookout for horses, logs, mopeds, joggers, kite flyers, walkers, sunbathers, and especially children.
• stay clear of the surf and the dry sand.
• Cross apparent streams with caution. Check with local businesses to see what areas should be avoided and which streams should not be crossed.
• Always keep in mind that towing is not available on most of the North Beach. Once your car or truck is stuck in a creek bed or the surf, you may join the ranks of the hundreds of other visitors that have watched as their vehicles sank out of sight into the sand.
• And Always...enjoy the North Beach.

For a complete map detailing the designated driving areas and times of the year those areas are open, stop in at the Washington Coast Chamber of Commerce located at 2616-A Highway 109 in beautiful, downtown Ocean City.

Out here in the pristine wilderness of the North Coast of Washington State, there is such a thing called BEACHTIME. While we do get the job done, we take it as it comes, one item (or customer) at a time, and don't get stressed over daily routines or tasks.

The beach is a quiet, soothing, and fun place to be. The whisper of the surf is relaxing. The gulls and other shorebirds add to the calming sounds you find on the beach. There are so many things to do. Kite flying is only one of the many activities we enjoy.

Treasures are found daily while beachcombing, from interesting bits of driftwood to shells, sanddollars, and rare glass fishing floats. Other flotsam and jetsam wash up, particularly after high winds or a storm. Fishing floats made from cork or foam, or bits of rope or driftwood, are some of the many treasures locals collect to decorate their homes or businesses.

Build a sandcastle. Work on a tan. Explore tidal pools or sandbars. Watch winter storms in all their magnificence. The beautiful sunsets over the Pacific Ocean Cannot be beat for romance. Beachtime means you can relax on the beach, in a stress-free environment. After all, isn't that what you came out to the beach for? Escape from the stress, hustle-bustle, and hectic pace of everyday life. So chill out, relax, enjoy our laid back style of life, and experience what Beachtime is all about.