Westport, Washington

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A FISHING VILLAGE ALIVE WITH CHARM: Make tracks for Westport now! It’s vibrant with history and a new sense of adventure - a great spot to launch your next Cranberry Coast get-away.

SHORT CUTS

The idyllic village of Westport – nestled on a peninsula that marks the southern mouth of Grays Harbor – was a mecca for seafaring, fishing and a timeless dance with nature since before humans started keeping account of their history.

A village of the Chehalis Tribe, with a population that bulged to some 5,000 souls, once occupied this land, still known as Chehalis Point. Even then, salmon, razor clams, crab and sturgeon were mainstays of diet and livelihood. The first Europeans to settle the area arrived in 1857 -- the Speakes and Petersons -- and it didn’t take long for the peninsula's attraction as a tourist stop and haven for recreation to be recognized. Construction of a platted community with hotels, shops and eateries wasn’t far behind. Known alternately as Westport Beach and Peterson’s Point for a time, the community was tabbed as ‘Westport’ in 1890.

Over the past century the town and its environs have served as a staging area for commercial fishing, whaling and logging. But as these industries either declined or disappeared, the community turned it sights back to tourism and recreation.

Today whale watching has replaced slaughtering; roads that once rumbled with logging trucks now await bikers, hikers and sightseers, and charter boats take tourists to watch wildlife or land fish for sport. Indeed, Westport claims the title "Sportfishing Capital of the World" as anglers head to the waters throughout the year in search of all manner of catch, from salmon to lingcod, halibut, rock fish and tuna.

Tourists will find Westport in the midst of a transformation of sorts – as is the whole Cranberry Coast – remaking itself as modern destination for those looking to escape the city. At the same time Westport holds tight to its rich history, a community ripe with small-town charm perched at the water’s edge.

Fishing, seafaring and seafood remain the heart and soul of the community, but there are a multitude of attractions for land-lovers as well. Westport’s center is its bustling marina district, which sports a fishing boardwalk, observation tower, several shops, a growing selection of restaurants and an ever-present opportunity to watch interplay of boats, water, people and all the trappings and accoutrements of seaside life.

The town is flanked by two state parks that open the door to a variety of recreation choices, from leisurely strolls along seaside sand dunes, to playing at the waters edge on surfboards and bodyboards, digging for clams on designated days and hunting for treasures on beaches and watching wildlife. Of course, sunsets, storms, and even the pounding of the surf provide a regular display of nature’s grandeur.

Westport offers an aquarium, a museum and Washington’s tallest lighthouse. It also sports a library, public parks, a public boat launch and a Coast Guard station. There are of course several lodging choices, RV parks, places to eat and enough local shops to round out any vacation.

The largest community on the Cranberry Coast, Westport remains a one-stoplight town – both a source of pride for the locals, and a welcome relief for those more accustomed to the pace of city life. Make plans to visit this wonderful community now, and stake your claim as one of the first to discover the new Westport.