It’s Whale Watch Week on the Oregon and Washington Coast! The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is a great place for Whale Watching on the Washington Coast, offering fantastic views from 2oo feet  above the Pacific Ocean on the cliffs of Cape Disappointment State Park. Location is just off  HWY 101, four miles southwest of Ilwaco at the foot of the Long Beach Peninsula.

Each winter from late December through to the end of January, you can witness the Pacific Gray Whale migration as they pass the Peninsula after spending the summer feeding in the waters of the arctic. The whales are leaving their feeding areas off of Alaska and heading to their breeding and calving lagoons along the Baja Coast, south of California.

Trained volunteers from “Whale Watching Spoken Here” will be at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center 10 am and 1 pm daily through January 1st.  When the surf is smooth, expect to see 10-25 whales per day. Bring binoculars  as most whales are spotted traveling 3-5 miles offshore.

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center is open year round. For specific seasonal operating hours & current admission rates, please call the park office at (360) 642-3029

• Admission: $5 per adult and $2.50 per child ages 7 to 17 – ages 6 and under enter free
• Location:  At Cape Disappointment State Park, two miles southwest of Ilwaco
• Driving Directions:  Located off U.S. Highway 101, four miles southwest of Ilwaco at the foot of the Long Beach Peninsula

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

Winter is a great time to take advantage of low season discounts while discovering your perfect beach getaway… You can find Oregon Coast lodging specials all along the coastline and enjoy a vacation getaway without the crowds. A winter escape to the Oregon Coast can be just what you need…  picture yourself in a private vacation rental snuggled up to a blazing fireplace or watching the winter waves while relaxing in an ocean view hot tub… ahhh… and the lodging specials aren’t the only thing to take advantage of during the quiet season…

Fall and winter at the beach can be a fun adventure for all. The Oregon coast is famous for its winter steelhead, salmon and sturgeon fishing, crabbing is also a popular winter sport. For the kids, be sure to visit the Newport Oregon Coast Aquarium, they have a Halloween Sleepover with the Sharks! And don’t forget the holiday season, each city has its own annual festivities to participate in while gathering the family together. 

You’ll also want to keep your eye out for gray whales during the annual Winter Whale Watch beginning in December.

One of the best reasons to vacation on the coast during the winter season is the weather itself. It gives us a great excuse to stay in, relax and do nothing. Part of what vacation is all about!

Here’s a handy new way to check winter road conditions for the Oregon Coast range passes &  highway 101 from BeachConnection.net. They’ve organized a great way to text traffic alerts, road conditions and web cams for Hwy 101 and the passes – all onto one page:  Oregon Coast Winter Road Conditions

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!