Westport (Washington)

Westport is a small sea side town on the Olympic Peninsula.

Understand
Westport is on a peninsula on the south side of the entrance to Grays Harbor from the Pacific Ocean. The public Westport Marina is the largest marina on the outer coast of the United States's Pacific Northwest. The marina is home to a large commercial fishing fleet and several recreational charter fishing vessels.

Westport was incorporated on June 26, 1914. Names for the area in the past include Peterson's Point, Chehalis City and Ft. Chehalis. The latter name is for a fort established in 1860 before the town was founded. The area was used regularly during the summer by local Native American tribes (most likely the Shoalwater Bay tribe) before Thomas Barker Speake and his family arrived early in the summer of 1857. Westport is also the home to a station for the US Coast Guard.

Beach combing
As you might expect, beach combing is hugely popular along the Pacific Coast, however due to its size and vast expanses between towns it is easy to find your own isolated patch to explore.

Sea shells and driftwood are considered part of the natural environment and should not be removed. Be gentle with sea creatures and keep a wide distance away from nesting birds, seals and other shore animals and always put back anything removed from the shoreline.

Go next

 * Aberdeen - located fifteen miles east of Westport, Aberdeen is considered the "Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula" because of its proximity to the southern end of the peninsula and to Olympic National Park.