Ocean Shores or Westport (Forks, Moclips: condominiums, buy, live in)

[Pittgal]

Which one should we go to? We are taking a day trip to the coast and these are the 2 beaches I have narrowed it down to. Which one? If you have been to both tell me their differences if any.

Thanks

[Fat Freddy]

Why did you choose Ocean Shores or Westport?

Unless you are interested in the tourist activities that abound at both places, the beaches themselves are among the least attractive on the coast.

Ocean Shores is probably the most crowded.

The state beach at Westport is nicer, as are a couple of state beaches north of Ocean Shores on Hwy 109.

Some of the best and most scenic beaches in the state are off Hwy 101 north of Queets and south of Forks.

[Pittgal]

We chose them cause they were the 2 recommened to me on this board.

Anyone else been to either that can help me out?

THANKS!

[captiv8ed]

I guess it depends on what you are looking for in a beach experience. We just went to Westport yesterday. I like Westport because it has a cute downtown, nice marina with fish sellers right on the water (literally on the water), a nice trail, and nice beaches (no matter what Fat Freddy says!) The beach is soft sand. We go to Half Moon Bay. One side of the jetty has waves and surfers, the other side has a huge dune the kids like to sled down. The museum in town is quite charming, and the lighthouse is beautiful. One of my favorite things about Westport is that it is not usually crowded.

I can only give you that side of the story because I haven't been to Ocean Shores. We headed out that way one day and the traffic was horrible, so we went north to Moclips instead.
Of course, you could take the ferry and enjoy both places
Ocean Shores Ferry to Westport Schedule

[Pittgal]

Originally Posted by captiv8ed

I guess it depends on what you are looking for in a beach experience. We just went to Westport yesterday. I like Westport because it has a cute downtown, nice marina with fish sellers right on the water (literally on the water), a nice trail, and nice beaches (no matter what Fat Freddy says!) The beach is soft sand. We go to Half Moon Bay. One side of the jetty has waves and surfers, the other side has a huge dune the kids like to sled down. The museum in town is quite charming, and the lighthouse is beautiful. One of my favorite things about Westport is that it is not usually crowded.

I can only give you that side of the story because I haven't been to Ocean Shores. We headed out that way one day and the traffic was horrible, so we went north to Moclips instead.
Of course, you could take the ferry and enjoy both places
Ocean Shores Ferry to Westport Schedule

Thank you! Does Westport have a boardwalk or a shopping area? The people we are taking are going to want to get stuff.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by captiv8ed

Of course, you could take the ferry and enjoy both places

Not anymore.

The Ocean Shores-Westport Ferry is out of business.
They had to discontinue it because the harbor in that area has silted in and at low tide it's too shallow to get through.
That's pretty much what happened to the charter and commercial fishing marina at Ocean Shores also.

Dredging has been talked about for years, but since it's an involved, expensive, process involving the Corps of Engineers as well as several levels of government approval and funding, it's doubtful that it will ever get done.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by Pittgal

Thank you! Does Westport have a boardwalk or a shopping area? The people we are taking are going to want to get stuff.

Yes.

Westport is a tourist beach town with all the typical galleries and stores you would expect.
And, they are all located on one street which faces the marina.
We always buy a double scoop waffle cone ice cream and sit on the benches across the street and look at the fishing boats.

Ocean Shores has all the same kind of stores, but they are mixed in with the town and scattered around a four or five block area and there is no "Beach Town" feel to it.

We live in Ocean Shores, and love it here, but when we want to play "Beach Tourist" we go to Westport even though it's about a 60 mile drive around to the other side of the bay.

[captiv8ed]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Not anymore.

The Ocean Shores-Westport Ferry is out of business.
They had to discontinue it because the harbor in that area has silted in and at low tide it's too shallow to get through.
That's pretty much what happened to the charter and commercial fishing marina at Ocean Shores also.

Dredging has been talked about for years, but since it's an involved, expensive, process involving the Corps of Engineers as well as several levels of government approval and funding, it's doubtful that it will ever get done.

I was afraid of that. I got hopeful because the website is still up.

[Pittgal]

Now I have another question....all the research I have done says that Westport is still set in the 1970's..run down and run down shops. Is that true?

[Fat Freddy]

I don't know about it being set in the 70's, but the run down, weather beaten, look is what gives a beach town it's charm.

If you want to see 2009 just look to the left of the marina.

I use to like to sit at the marina and watch the clouds, the ocean, and the seagulls flying over the levee.

Now all you can see are two new condominiums.

And they plan to build more.

I think the object is to make it like the Northern Oregon Coast where the only way you can see the view is from the window of a condo.