My husband & I will be kid-free later this month & want to head to Long Beach for a couple of days (Sun-Tues). Any recommendations on things to do, places to eat and stay?

The Shelburne Inn in Seaview would be perfect for you. Dine at their four-star restaurant, The Shoalwater. www.shoalwater.com There is also a place called the Sanctuary in Chinook, WA that is suppposed to be very good.

I'll be in the area in a few days and hope to try at least a dozen new places to eat that I will be reporting on in the near future. Sanctuary is one of them. Also, 42 Street Cafe, in Seaview that is owned by the same people that have the Shoalwater.

Also in Illwaco is Pauly's Bistro that received restaurant of the year in Coast Weekend. (Daily Astorian)

You might want to take the fun ride over the bridge to Astoria & try Fulio's in downtown Astoria and also the Silver Salmon Grille for a wonderful selection of salmon entrees.

A little further up the WA coast is The Ark which is also a four-star, tho I have not been there, YET! Hope to try it this trip, also.

Long Beach is a fun, carny-type place. Lots of cool wooden bike/walking paths and the Marshs's Free Museum is a fun, touristy type place that we like to go to for tons of varities of seashells.

Have a wonderful trip! ***kim***

There's a small chain of seafood restaurants in the northwest called Dooger's. We ate at the one in Long Beach and although it's very casual (as in jeans & a t-shirt casual) the food was unbelievable!

I just googled them and their address is:

900 Pacific Ave South
Long Beach WA 98631
Phone 360-642-4224

We loved Long Beach and plan to visit again on our next trip out west!

The Ark is well worth a visit; continue up the peninsula and poke around the village of Oysterville - a number of very fine older (and some excellent newer) houses. National Landmark stuff.

Good lighthouse at Ilwaco; have a piece of pie at the Portside Cafe and see if anyone is catching.

We've stayed at the So'Wester Lodge, style = "Salvation Army" but cute, but we always seem to have only so-so luck in LB itself. Report back if you stay someplace nice, okay?

Here's a cool website for you: www.longbeachwa.com There's even a coupon section for various places in LB. Enjoy!! ***kim***

I suggest you drive a little farther to Cannon Beach where you can have a really nice room with a view of the ocean, several good restaurants to select among, and scenic options north and south of town. I have stayed at the Shelburne twice and I have eaten at The Shoalwater twice. I did not like either room and, while the restaurant is OK, there is equally good food available elsewhere for a lot less. I live in Seattle and I find the extra hour or so of driving to Cannon Beach is time well spent. Check out Surfsand Resort, the Wayfarer restaurant, and Kalypso restaurant in nearby Seaside.

Cannon Beach is almost an hour drive from Long Beach. I'm sure that the places Jim has mentioned are OK, the Shoalwater has received a four-star rating and has also been featured in many recent publications.

I will be trying Kalypso (Seaside) this trip and also The Stephanie Inn which is in CB for fine dining. Stay in Long Beach and ditch all the tourists in CB!! LOL **kim**

My experience with Shelburne Inn and Shoalwater Restaurant is that the esteem in which they are held is unjustified.

In two stays at Shelburne Inn I had small rooms with faux-Victorian décor and views of a highway or parking lot. The beach is far away. Breakfast is served in a windowless room. On my first stay breakfast was exceptional; on the second stay it was amateurish. Dinner at the Shoalwater Restaurant was very expensive, and the dining room was understaffed the last time I ate there.

When I go to the coast, I want a room with a balcony overlooking the ocean. I want the beach at my door. I want a variety of scenic hikes and drives nearby. I want access to a couple restaurants that serve good fish dinners, including soup and salad, for $20 or less. I find these at the places I mentioned earlier.

For my taste, the extra hour it takes to make the beautiful drive to Cannon Beach is time very well spent.

I have dined at the Shoalwater for dinner and lunch many times. We have never been disappointed. The chef/owner came around to the tables and chatted with us each time.

The pan-fried oysters we had were the best on the coast and the service has always been impeccable. (It's one of the reasons it's a four-star place.)

Astoria has many nice restaurants. CB has the Bistro and the Stephanie Inn for fine dining.

The OP asked for Long Beach recommemdations, so I didn't want to send her/him over an hour away when so many great things are so much closer. ***kim***

Hi jim,
I just read a review on the Shoalwater on TripAdvisor where a poster said she ate here and it was an "off night", seems she did not like the food there either.
That thread is titled Best Dining in Seaview, there is an interesting discussion on the restaurant, if you are interested

If you haven't already gone, here are some things to do:

As Gardyloo says, Oysterville. Take a walk through the village, stop at the church, pay your respects to Chief Nahcotti at the cemetery. http://www.funbeach.com/attractions/...sterville.html

Visit Cape Disappointment State Park, see the Lewis and Clark interpretive center.

Enjoy the wonderful view from North Head lighthouse, take a tour of the building.

Wander through Fort Columbia.

If you enjoy wildlife/hiking, try Ledbetter Point State Park.

Jimshep is correct in noting that the beach is not outside your door on the Long Beach peninsula. There are dunes between the beaches and the buildings.

Two year old post.

always nice to know that an attempt to be helpful has been in vain.

LOL Gardyloo & dsquared, I didn't even look,

(but I see some things never change )

Check out the Carmel Mission Inn post with Syrahgirl, too. She mixed up hotels and made the usual recommendations.