Aye, me, hearties! If you be searching for a pirate-approved, kid-friendly spring break filled with high-seas adventures, set your sails to Washington’s Evergreen Coast. Your crew will live their best pirate life as they dig for buried treasure, meet storybook monsters, and explore secret coves along the endless ocean. Craft the perfect Spring Break by the beach and make core memories in the sand.
A Short Sail to a Dog-and-Kid-Friendly Spring Break at the Beach!
Washington’s Evergreen Coast is a dream for families searching for the perfect kid-friendly Spring Break. Our fleet of coastal communities is a short trip from either Seattle or Portland. In just a few hours, your family can be on one of the world’s longest beaches and one of the nation’s best coastal small towns. Set your compass (or GPS) to Long Beach, Washington, and toss your anchor. Our largest oceanside community is an ideal home port. With many hotels, cottages, RV parks, and camping accommodation options, you’ll find your choice of Captain’s quarters. (Including sleeping in a lighthouse!)
As a bonus, your dog doesn’t have to be a stowaway. Your Spring Break hijinks are dog-AND-kid-friendly, so bring your sea dog! Washington’s Evergreen Coast is full of dog-friendly spots, so load the ship with the fuzziest of your family. Fido-approved hotels, restaurants, and activities are waiting to welcome your crew.
A Shipload of Kid-Friendly Spring Break Activities
You’ll find a shipload of kid-friendly Spring Break fun on our peninsula and neighboring towns. There’s so much to explore and experience together as a family. Find hidden gems around every bend.
Find the Secretive Deadman’s Cove
What pirate doesn’t want to discover a secret coastal cove? It’s like finding a pirate’s lair. Hidden in Cape Disappointment State Park is the infamous Deadman’s Cove. The secretive inlet can be found along the path to the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. (Look for the spray-painted sign with a skull.) Take a slippery scramble down to the cove and discover a mysterious hideaway. Towering forests on either side of the sheltered haven contribute to a sense of secrecy, while the lone pine in the center adds to the seclusion. Scattered ribs of wave-tossed driftwood are perfect to scramble over, and tidepools provide portholes into ocean life.
If you decide to visit Deadman’s Cove, heed our warnings. Only visit the cove during low tide and wear sensible shoes for climbing. The journey in and out of the cove can be very slippery, and the beach is only accessible when the tide is out.
Hunt for Whale Bones
Pirates and whales have a long history. Did you know that, once upon a time, a 40-foot, 18-ton grey whale made Long Beach Peninsula its final resting place? The gentle giant was found on the beach in 2000. After landing in our town, the community crystallized his journey with a memorial made from his bones. The young, grey whale’s bleached, reassembled skeleton proudly stood watch along the Discovery Trail. Sadly, time and souvenir-hunting pirates took a toll on the skeleton. A graceful cedar whale pod carving now stands in its place. But smart swabs know to poke around the seagrass. Eagle-eyed sailors will spot some of the original bones still hiding in the grass.
Meet Jake the Alligator Man
Every pirate has a tall tale of coming face-to-face with unbelievable monsters. We have one of our own. Our local celebrity is Jake the Alligator Man. The mummified, half-man, half-alligator is the stuff of lore and is Marsh’s Free Museum’s primordial crown jewel. He has a shadowy past. Some folks believe he was once a sideshow performer. Others bet he was a swinging bachelor from Florida. Regardless of his origin, he reigns as the beloved unofficial mascot of the peninsula.
Visiting Marsh’s in Long Beach is a must for the perfect kid-friendly Spring Break. The curio specializes in the weird and wonderful. Come for Jake but stay for hundreds of other strange and unusual things. Try your hand at a vintage arcade game (bring your coins!). Stroll amongst jackets from Queen Mary, historical weaponry, and antique instruments. Study a two-headed calf, a one-eyed lamb, snake skins, and shrunken heads. No matter where you look, you’ll find treasure.
Visit Cutthroat Creek’s Kid-Friendly Outdoor Art Gallery
Our coastal communities are an extended, open-aired gallery. Your family will find art installations from Long Beach to Tokeland. One of those artistic, kid-friendly Spring Break activities is the art walk at Cutthroat Creek in the Willapa Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Instead of walking the plank, you’ll stroll the new boardwalk; it will take you on an easy adventure woven through a lush dimple in the refuge. The journey is less than a mile long, so even your smallest sailors can manage. Stroll through a gallery of nature and art. Installations of soaring birds, towering feathers, metal mushrooms, and happy fish dot the surrounding emerald forest. A soundtrack of murmuring brooks, croaking frogs, and tittering birds will keep you company in the calm.
Set a Course for Ilwaco
Make downtown Ilwaco a port visit during your kid-friendly Spring Break. The quaint fishing town is a charming blend of history and happenings. The working port is a haven for ships and fishing folk. The town’s historic, sea-blistered buildings house cool record stores and new businesses. A small-batch cidery, vegan pizzeria, and local coffee shops can quench your thirst and fill your belly. A portside stroll includes the best local bookstore, great restaurants, and art galleries galore. Discover Ilwaco’s thriving art community and explore the galleries of local painters, photographers, sculptors, and jewelry-makers.
Explore the Graveyard of the Pacific and Its Lighthouses
Our coastline grimly carries the name “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Every young pirate knows that our unrelenting waves and cruel currents have claimed more than 2,000 ships and countless lives. Explore the fascinating stories of shipwrecks, hauntings, and treasures retrieved from the watery locker of Davy Jones. You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the ocean graveyard from the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Cape Disappointment. While in the park, visit the North Head Lighthouse and the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse.
Plunder the Pirate’s Keep
When it’s time to plunder (shop), take a trip to the Pirate’s Keep. The vibrant purple home is hard to miss and looks like an art installation along the roadside as you cruise downtown Long Beach. Oversized octopuses, robots, and Sasquatches made from discarded metal and motorcycle tread form a welcome line along the home’s wooden fence. Ribbons of neon lighting scallop the roof, and a cheerful “Welcome” sign encourages you to stop. The shop is bursting with treasures, vintage items, and hand-made art. Pick through touring mountains of colorful crab pot markers to find the perfect one for your family home. Stock up on authentic Japanese glass floats. Each perfectly imperfect sphere has its unique tattoo of bubbles forever suspended in the glass. Some folks believe the floats and markers bring good luck if you hang them on your gate or in your trees.
Find Treasure Along the Charm Trail
Every pirate likes their jewelry. Create a one-of-a-kind memento of your family’s Spring Break adventure. Follow the charm trail from Long Beach to Ilwaco and collect more than sixty unique silver charms at participating locations. Choose from dangling mermaids, lighthouses, jellyfish, and more. Customize a unique bracelet that celebrates your family’s holiday break.
Spring Break Family Beachcombing
Every coastal, kid-friendly Spring Break needs an afternoon of beachcombing and exploring. Washington’s Evergreen Coast is fringed by water; you’ll have plenty of alcoves and shore to explore. Whether the Pacific Ocean, Willapa River, or Willapa Bay, our beaches and embankments collect the many gifts delivered from the sea. Strolling along low tide can unearth sand dollars, driftwood, polished rocks, and occasional frosted sea glass. Sometimes, the currents deposit a nautical glass float or message in a bottle. If you’re lucky, you’ll find our coveted razor clams’ intact, empty shell. The inside of the shell is soft white and lavender. They look like a pair of angel wings resting in the sand.
Catch a Kid-Friendly Movie at the Neptune
Every pirate needs a little land-lubbing time. Kick up your sea legs and enjoy a family movie at Neptune Movie House. Hand-painted murals decorate the lobby. Like deep-sea creatures, the vibrant Disney characters come to life under glowing blacklight. Grab a chestful of popcorn and a barrel of soda, and settle in for some movie magic on land.
X Marks the Spot of Your Ultimate Kid-Friendly Spring Break Adventure
The pirate’s life is yours for the taking! Washington’s Evergreen Coast is a treasure chest of hidden gems, family fun, and plenty of memorable kid-friendly Spring Break adventures. Chart a course to the coast and let the wind guide you to your next escapade.
