PNW | Day Trips,  Travel,  Travel | PNW

Grayland & Westport, WA {Pacific Northwest}

May 28, 2018 / 230 Comments

A favorite, local beach getaway that my family requests year after year, is to the beautiful adjacent beach towns of Grayland and Westport, WA. Located on the gorgeous Cranberry Coast, and just under 3 hours drive time from Seattle, the beaches here are long, clean, and covered in miles of sandy shores. You will find everything you need for a family vacation in Grayland and Westport, including fresh seafood markets, tasty wineries and breweries, delicious restaurants, quirky shops, plenty of campsites and vacation properties, and best of all, a vast shoreline covered by beautiful, sandy beaches.

Our family has vacationed in Grayland/Westport at least 5 times in the past 3 years with our 3 kids ranging from 0-12 years. Today I am going to share with you all the best places to stay, eat, and play in the area that are of course both affordable and family friendly.

Traveling

Road trips are always a big part of every getaway our family takes, no matter how close the final destination is, we value the journey just as much and try to make the drive fun and memorable by making short stops along the way. On the drive from Seattle to Grayland, it is a must to stop for a treat at one of the many Sonic locations off the interstate 5 between Kent and Olympia. Sonic is one of my family’s favorite milkshake joints, but currently there are no locations near our city, so we always stop at one anytime we road trip and pass one along the way. One of our favorite flavor combinations is strawberry-banana because you actually get real banana chunks in your shake.

Tip: Save money and reduce waste by ordering the mini size for a quick and delicious treat costing under $2 each. 

Lodging

We have both camped and rented homes to stay at in Grayland, and have found a couple favorite options we return to. If you are looking for a very affordable, rustic experience, I recommend booking a cabin at Twin Harbors State Park. Prices range from $45/night in the winter to $70/night peak season, and book up quickly in advance. Plan ahead several months for a weekend stay or look at non-peak and weekday options if you need something more last minute. The cabins comfortable accommodate 5, but you could definitely squeeze an extra kid or two depending on your comfort. Each cabin is heated, and has its own picnic table and firepit. The park offers camping for tents and RVs as well.

Tip: Bring a portable highchair like this one if you have little ones traveling with you. Its super easy to pack and carry and cleans up easily and gives baby somewhere safe to sit when your prepping food. We have been using ours for 2 years now and bring it everywhere, including short day trips to family and friends homes, and love it!

The beach is just a short 5 minute walk from the campground. We like to bring this folding wagon on vacation with us to haul gear and babies around instead of a stroller.

For larger groups or for a more luxurious stay I highly recommend booking one of the many available beach front properties available in Grayland. My personal favorite for a get together with family members is Salt Aire Shores, a beautiful, newly-renovated 5 bedroom home that easily accommodates groups of 10, located right on the shores of Grayland, with a practically private beach and views hard to beat anywhere else. The master suite sights high above the beach with floor to ceiling windows that give a wide, stunning view of the ocean and an unforgettable sunset. Both levels have a deck that overlooks the beach, and just beyond the home is a short walking path to the semi-private, sandy beach.

This master suite seriously has the best view of the beach! 

When we stayed with our friends, they all were comfortable in the new beds, and my girls especially enjoyed the cute double bed setup in this room.

My hubby and I really enjoy the beautiful sunsets at this house.  The hosts of this property always greet guests with a complimentary bottle of wine, best enjoyed at sunset of course!

Food & Drink

While you are in Grayland/Westport if you are a wine lover like myself, you need to check out Westport Winery. It is very family friendly and located just a few minutes from both the campground and the rental home.

Westport Winery offers a diverse selection of reds, whites, and fruit flavored wines. My favorite is the Rose!

The best part about this winery is the beautiful gardens open to guests to wander and enjoy. They have even set up picnic spots throughout the grounds, and encourage you to bring your food and enjoy it with your wine anywhere in the garden. Picnicking is one of my family’s favorite affordable ways to spend an afternoon when we travel with our kids. We pack something for everyone and let the kids play freely between snacking.

Cranberry Road Winery is also a must for tasting in the area, if not for the wine (which is outstanding), then for the delicious wood-fired pizza.

The reds here especially stood out to me during my tasting. The black cherry and tobacco notes in the Zinfandel were very complex and enjoyable. Of course you must try the Cranberry Wine (it is the Cranberry coast after all!) 

Order the Cranberry Road Pizza to enjoy with your tasting or with a glass after. With thin red onion and green pepper slices, crumbly feta cheese and smooth, sweet balsamic drizzle, this pizza is sure to be a perfect pairing with any wine here.

If your into beer, Blackbeard’s Brewing is the place to go. Not only do they have excellent beer, but big and delicious pizza as well! Our family likes to stop here at least once per trip for dinner, fill a growler or two (try the IPA) and grab some pizza to go.

There are pizza choices for everyone, but I really love tons of veggies on my pizza so my go-to order is the Veggie Tsunami, and add chicken. One large pizza is more than enough for my family of 5 and only costs around $25.

Tip: Check the open hours ahead of your trip, and plan to visit here on an open day, as this restaurant does close a couple days per week in the off-season.

This is usually our go-to after a long day out and about, when we are too tired to cook and just want to relax back at the house with board games for the night.

Tip: Pack lots of your family’s favorite games when you travel. Games make for a fun and free family activity and are perfect time fillers anytime you have down time (in the Pacific Northwest that usually means inclement weather that puts our outdoor plans on hold). We are playing Chameleon here, which I highly recommend! 

If seafood is what you are craving, Bennett’s Fish Shack on the boardwalk in Westport should be first on your list. There is indoor & outdoor seating but Bennett’s makes for a great to-go option as well.

The food is fresh and made to perfection, hand battered and breaded, and comes in big, filling portions. The fish taco is amazing, and is so big with a whole piece of fish inside that it should be called a fish burrito instead. Food is ordered at the front off a blackboard menu, beware that lines can be long and out the door at peak hours.

Tip: To save on the bill, skip ordering individual entrees and order family style. 2-3 entrees is easily enough food to feed 2 adults and 2-3 kids.

And for fresh seafood fans, stop at Brady’s Oysters for fresh seafood available to purchase by the pound or by the bite. Located just a few miles from Grayland, Brady’s is just off the main highway in the adjacent town of Aberdeen, WA. This family-owned farm is situated right on the beach, surrounded by piles of oyster shells.

The farm grounds are worth viewing and you will notice the incredible amount of oyster shells that line the shore.

Tip: For more family fun, ask the staff for a tour, and watch the shucker and grader in action.

Try a fresh oyster shooter while your here, or take some seafood to go.

When we camp in Grayland, we like to pick up a couple pounds of fresh clams from Brady’s and enjoy them by the campfire.

Fun & Entertainment

Grayland is lined with shops of all kinds, offering gifts and art for every visitor. Be sure to check out Low Tide Bits & Pieces if you are an art lover, you will find everything here from beautiful beach inspired paintings, prints and post cards, to intricate hand-painted rocks and mesmerizing blown glass, to beautiful one of a kind wooden fish plaques and metal mermaid silhouettes.

Don’t miss The Cat’s Away Studio located just next door for more beautiful local 3-D art, polymer clay jewelry, and of course, home of the “Best Damn Candles on the Planet.”

The owner, Connie, creates the candle encasements herself, which are a perfect reminder of the beachy town of Grayland. My favorite is the basil and citrus scented candles. I took home a few to enjoy over the summer.

And for all the Antique junkies out there, The Painted Pelican has you covered with two floors of wall-to-wall quality antiques in every style from knick-knacks to home decor. This is always a favorite stop for me!

It could easily consume an entire day to see the many shops in Grayland! You will want to plan another day to browse the boardwalk in Westport, where you will find plenty of quirky and cute shops with gifts, candy, and trinkets. I usually give my kids $5ea on family getaways to use for trinkets and souvenirs.

Sea Bird gifts has a huge selection of saltwater taffy and fun trinkets, and is a favorite for the kids.

These mini seashells were just 25 cents each, and there were tons to choose from!

Just down the way, try the fresh mini donuts from Pic-A-Roon Pelican.

They come in packs of 6 for around $3, and the kids really enjoy them.

The marina lines the boardwalk. For fun, we walk the marina and ask the kids to find a boat that stands out to them. You will also find fresh seafood at the marina available to purchase.

Next, climb the viewing tower to see a view of the whole marina and the shoreline.

And snap a photo of course.

Most of all, plan to spend plenty of time at the beach while you are here. If the weather is nice you might enjoy the cool ocean tide splashing at your feet as you look for crabs and creatures washing ashore or you might take a swim in the sea -or even work on your tan.

If the weather is chilly (which beach weather here tends to be most of the year), bundle up, put boots on, and have fun playing on the beach!

Bring sand toys and build sandcastles (or dig sand pits).

Feel the cool ocean breeze and smell the salty air.

Search for sand dollars and sea shells.

Fly kites in the wind.

Write messages in the sand, and then watch the tide wash them away.

Chase your kids through the never ending sandy shores.

Hang around long enough to catch a breathtaking sunset.

And enjoy your time together in this beautiful beach town.

I hope to inspire you as you plan your next family vacation, and remind you that traveling with kids can be both affordable and memorable with a little planning and lot of love!

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