Westport WA

Westport WA is a popular coastal getaway from Seattle.

Westport is a 2.5 hour drive southwest of Seattle, at the southern entrance to Grays Harbor where it meets the Pacific Ocean.  

The main tourist area is along Westhaven Drive at the marina.  It has seafood restaurants, a maritime museum, fishing charters, and plenty of ice-cream vendors and gift shops. 

Walk along the marina at Westport to the docks to see the noisy sea lions.  There's also a fun observation tower to climb for a bird's eye view of the town.  The stunning Westport Light State Park is walkable from this area and has dune trails, unspoiled beachfront and the stunning Grays Harbor Lighthouse. 

Finish up the day with wine tastings and a lovely meal at a choice of two wineries.  

There are some great waterfront motels in Westport, like the Westport Inn, or Westport Marina Cottages, and the trendy LOGE Westport is south of town.

10 best things to do in Westport WA

1. Enjoy casual restaurants, icecream and an aquarium along vibrant Westhaven Drive.

The heart of town is along colorful Westhaven Drive near the marina.  Pick up gifts, taffy or icecream at Whale of a Cone, scrumptious house smoked BBQ at Aloha Alabama BBQ, and yummy seafood at Blue Buoy Restaurant. If you're looking for a more upscale setting, drive a few minutes south to the Lighthouse Bistro near the Westport Lighthouse. 

The small Westport Aquarium is an old school aquarium started in the 1950s just off Westhaven Drive. It has a touch tank full of sea anemones, sea cucumbers, and starfish, and you can even feed the fish here (check hours).

2. Visit the Westport Maritime Museum inside a vintage Coast Guard Building.

The Westport Maritime Museum is inside a historic 1930's Coast Guard colonial revival building in central Westport.  The museum has an exquisite set of fresnel lens on display from the decommissioned Destruction Island Lighthouse off the Washington Coast (2201 Westhaven Drive, check open hours).

3. Walk to the Westport marina to see noisy sea lions on the floating docks.

The Westport marina is at the end of Neddie Rose Drive, past a Fisherman's Memorial and Observation Platform. The sea lions are noisy and smelly, and can get pretty aggressive, so make sure you keep your distance!  They've even been known to snatch a few pet dogs off the docks, and cause significant damage to the docks with their rowdy behavior.

4. Climb to the top of the Westport Viewing Tower for soaring views!

The free Westport Viewing Tower is on the corner of Cove Avenue and Westhaven Drive, at the north end of town. This three level concrete tower commands incredible views north over the marina towards the Olympic Mountains, and south over Half Moon Bay.  You can also pay to use two telescope stations.

5. Bike or walk along the Dune Trail (2.2 miles).

The Westport Dunes Trail is a 2.2 mile concrete path that flanks the shoreline, perfect for strolling or biking.  Start at the Westport Viewing Tower on Cove Avenue, then continue south along Half Moon Bay past Westhaven State Park, all the way down to Westport Light State Park where it dead-ends at Ocean Avenue.  

If you're feeling energetic, continue another 0.4 miles east along Ocean Avenue to the Gray's Harbor Lighthouse.

6. Climb to the top of the Grays Harbor Lighthouse. 

This 1898 lighthouse is the tallest in Washington State.  Make a small donation and climb the stairs to the top! (1020 West Ocean Ave, check open hours).

7. Visit the tasting room or grill at the Westport Winery. 

Just east of Westport, this lovely winery features a lighthouse, sculpture garden, tasting room and bakery.  The lovely Sea Glass Grill is the perfect choice for a meal (1 S Arbor Rd, Aberdeen, check hours)

8. Enjoy wine, beer and desserts at the Cranberry Road Winery.

South of Westport is the trendy Cranberry Road Winery.  It has a spacious, modern interior with beer and wine tastings, gourmet meals and scrumptious desserts (2858 S Forrest St, Westport, check hours).

9.  Book a fishing charter from the Westport WA marina to catch big fish like coho salmon, chinook and rockfish.

10. Stay overnight at the trendy LOGE Westport, and rent surf gear.

The trendy LOGE Westport is south of town with a hotel, hostel and campsites.  It has a communal vibe, with a firepit, community room, covered kitchen, outdoor movies and cafe.  There are wetsuits, boogie boards, surfboards, kayaks and paddleboards for rent, and city cruiser bikes to use for free.