Washington's State Park Hugging The Pacific Northwest Shore Has Quiet Beaches And Lighthouse Views

The beautiful Pacific Northwest state of Washington boasts some of the country's most enviable state parks. 40 million people a year wind their way through the 124 lush parklands scattered across the verdant "Evergreen State," which also happens to be home to one of America's oldest state park systems. For those seeking emerald Mother Nature accompanied by salty ocean breezes, you'll find a handful of Washington's state parks dotted along its breathtaking coastline. One of these is Westport Light State Park, nestled on 560 acres of land where the Pacific Ocean meets Half Moon Bay. Here you'll relax into an unspoiled haven with pretty, quiet beaches and historic lighthouse views.

Located in the coastal town of Westport, 99 miles from Tacoma and 130 miles from downtown Seattle, Westport Light State Park makes a terrific, scenic day trip to escape the big city. One of the park's biggest charms is that you can make it an active or relaxed visit depending on how you're feeling that day. For meandering and biking, there's the Westport Light Trail, a paved,1-mile ADA-accessible promenade. The trail opens up to a lovely peek at the tallest lighthouse in Washington State, with jaw-dropping 360-degree views. 

A long, bucolic stretch of sand that's also a conservation area defines the beach on the park's Pacific Ocean side, while beaches on the northern edge of the park teem with delicious waves that offer world-class surfing. Westport Light State Park's beaches are perfect for a host of recreational activities, including birdwatching, crabbing, kiteboarding, kayaking, and horseback riding. You can visit the park, which is equipped with basic facilities including bathrooms, showers, and picnic tables, year-round from 8:00 a.m. to dusk. 

Westport Light State Park's beaches lure visitors with diverse landscapes, peaceful vibes, and some of the state's best surfing. Visitors here will find 1,215 feet of coastline fronted by shrub-covered bluffs, seaside forests, dreamy dunes, and sandy beaches. However tempting, it's important to note that Westport Light State Park's website strongly warns against swimming due to strong currents and the threat of rip tides.

Lying within the park at its northern edge is the 79-acre Westhaven Beach, a surfer's paradise boasting year-round, world-class surfing conditions for beginners and pros alike. Pro-surfing events like the Westport Longboard Classic are held here every year, while budding surfers (ages 7 and up) can contact BigFoot Surf Westport for surf lessons on Westhaven Beach. The park's most popular beach, Westhaven draws throngs of visitors who flock to spot wildlife like eagles soaring overhead and gray whales offshore, and to engage in beachy fun like clam-digging, fishing, and soaking up sun. 

The park's northern tip is also home to a pretty beach on Half Moon Bay, the Cove. This sleepy gem doesn't draw the crowds of Westhaven, making it ideal for peaceful activities like crabbing and picnicking. Visit the Cove in winter for a front row seat to dramatic shorebreaks. The park's ocean beaches are a magical place for beachcombing. "The sand is soft and black. The beachcombing is so fun I could do it for hours," gushed one Google reviewer. Winter is prime beachcombing time, since that's when seasonal storms, high tides, and wild winds combine to wash up treasures like fossils, petrified wood, and Japanese glass fishing floats on the shore. 

America is filled with charming coastal and island lighthouses. 21 of these beautiful beacons thread the shoreline of Washington, including Westport Lighthouse, which at 107 feet tall is the highest lighthouse in the state. This striking landmark, from which the park gets its name, is viewable rising above verdant brush along the Westport Light Trail. Also called Grays Harbor Lighthouse (Grays Harbor is the name of the surrounding county), Westport Lighthouse has stood watch over these Pacific Northwest waters since it was dedicated in 1898.

The octagonal brick and concrete lighthouse features a cast-iron staircase that spirals upward with 135 steps leading to the lantern room. Inside, the lighthouse still boasts its original, clamshell-shaped Fresnel lens, the device responsible for projecting powerful rays of light across the water. Westport Lighthouse's lantern room stuns visitors with incredible views in every direction. If you happen to visit on a day when the state's notoriously gloomy weather clears up for some sun, you might even catch a glimpse of Mount Rainier, the breathtaking "Crown of the Pacific Northwest" that lies over 100 miles east.

The historic lighthouse is located about a block away from the park and sits inland, which is definitely an odd location for a maritime structure. Over the years, the buildup of sandy sediment, known as accretion, has expanded the land in front of the lighthouse by 2,600 feet. The additional frontage repositioned the lighthouse's original coastal location, which was only 400 feet from the tideline. You can visit the lighthouse from morning to early afternoon, Thursday through Sunday, year-round, except for December and January when it's closed. Admission is $5 per person.