Rocks House: Area
About Copalis
Just 7 miles north of the larger and more developed beach destination of Ocean Copalis Beach is the lovely seaside community of Copalis. Sometimes know as the Home of the Razor Clam, guests are urged to find a local restaurant which cooks up these tasty morsels every which way you can think of - fried (a favorite), baked, in chowder and stew.The clam season is not open year round and, in fact, dates vary frequently as State inspectors watch the crop closely to insure its success. When digging is allowed these wide and flat beaches can get swamped with Northeasterner’s looking to jump in on the fun. It has been reported that in the mid century, commercial diggers could harvest up to a million pounds in the local area.
The Beach itself at Copalis beach is very wide comprised of packed gray sand and a delight to run and walk on and it is the big draw especially for beach lovers. This little town was settled before the turn of the century and even before there were roads to the place.
As beautiful as the area is, it has not always been so kind to mariners. Many ships have run around in Pacific Storms and today tourists often find winter as enjoyable as summer.
In the warm months, the sun will shine and the beach thrives with people. Campfires and cookouts are everywhere and people spend the time out and about. Winter storm watching is a big draw where you can see the fury of the Ocean from the safety of many warm comfortable cabins.
About North Beaches
Ocean Shores is a six mile long peninsula bordered by the Pacific Ocean and Grays Harbor. Named the "richest little city", it's 4,000 residents welcome over 3 million people yearly making it the most visited seaside location on the Washington Coast.What makes it so popular?!
Maybe it's the fact that you can drive and go horseback riding right on the beach! Or maybe it's all of the fun activities available! Rent mopeds, paddle boats, bikes, or go kite flying, boating, surfing, fishing, clamming, or shopping at local spots.
You have to check out places like Flying Cats Gift Shoppe (a quaint local shop right off of Ocean Shores Blvd steps from the Beach.) They make beautiful custom soaps with different scents and translucent colors with cool designs inside, their VERY OWN coffee, yummy gourmet foods(many kosher), and beautiful décor for your home. Ocean shores is also known for it's many antique shops!
About Washington
The Evergreen State lives up to its name. In Western Washington vast forest once covered most everything and even today new visitors are sometimes stunned by the ever present green that can be found in the forests of course, but also in the vegetation that seems to spring up everywhere.Much maligned as a rainy place, most areas of the state such as Seattle actually get less rain than New York City, Chicago and Florida. And in Eastern Washington vast stretches of high plateau and vast agricultural areas are actually hot and bright in summer and have a great many days of sun even in winter.
THE COAST:
Washington also has some of the most diverse coastal areas in the U.S. To the Southwest, the Long Beach Peninsula is the longest beach in the world and visitors can even drive their cars right out on the sand. There they'll find color kiting, legions of shore birds and a brisk ocean environment.
Further up the cost are Willapa and Grays Harbors home to forest industries, fishing fleets and moderate year round climates. From Seattle and the larger cities, visitors flock to both Harbors during the spring, summer and fall. Many come for fishing, claming and beach front activities.
Still further North is the vast Olympic Peninsula where beaches rise steadily to numerous snow capped summits including Mount Olympus, the Hoh rain forest and the rain showed Sequim recreational areas. The Peninsula is also home to numerous low land lakes where spring fishing gives way to summer water skiing and other great fresh water fun.
PUGET SOUND:
Tucked between the Olympic Mountains to the West and the metropolitan areas of Seattle, Tacoma and Everett to the East is a vast salt water estuary known as Puget Sound. It is connected to the Pacific Ocean by the pristine Straight of Juan De Fuca. State ferries and the engineering marvels of floating bridges, allow visitors to move around "the Sound" with ease. The Sound has been reshaped by the scouring action and till deposition which extended as far south as Olympia.
SAN JUAN ISLANDS:
At the Northern edge of Puget Sound lies a cluster of spectacular rocky islands known and the San Juan’s. A ferry or float plane is required to access the islands but worth the trip.
SOUND CITIES:
Almost dead center on the East coast of Puget Sound lays the large city of Seattle and its cross lake cousin Bellevue. Home to big industries such as Boeing, Microsoft and Starbucks Coffee the cities of Puget Sound offer much to visitors. There are restaurants, tours and places to visit such as the Pike Place farmers market. Professional spots teams and major arts organizations including Opera, Ballet and many Live Theatres provide things to do on every night of the year.
CASCADE MOUNTAINS:
Running North-South and splitting the state in half are the Cascade Mountains. Sometimes forgotten in comparison to the Montana, Idaho and Colorado Rocky mountains, the Cascades are vast and sheer. Mt Saint Helens eruption in 1980 brought attention to the area but there are a dozen other major mountain climbing areas including Mt. Rainer and Mt Badams. All are within easy driving distance of major cities and international airports.
At the Northern End of Washington State's Cascades is Mt. Baker, birthplace of snow boarding and still one of the snowiest ski areas in the world. Just to the south is the North Cascades Wilderness area which boasts one of America's most scenic roads. So precipitous, in fact, that it closes in winter due to immense snow falls.
EASTERN WASHINGTON:
From the Eastern Slopes of the Cascades spreads the sprawling areas of Eastern Washington. On the south it is bordered by the Columbia River gorge how to numerous dams and world famous wind surfing. Above that lay the deep rich fields and wine grape vineyards of the Yakima Valley which compares in longitude and composition of renowned French growing areas.
The Columbia river flows north through the middle of Eastern Washington State where dams have created long and winding lakes surrounded by campgrounds and recreational areas. North Central Washington is home to the Replica Bavarian Village of Leavenworth which boasts over four million visitors per year, as well as to Lake Chelan a 50 mile long natural lake one of the cleanest in the United States. Its gorge - if it were emptied of water - would be deeper than the Grand Canyon. North of that can be found the Wild West town of Winthrop Washington where real live cowboys ride the ranges during hot summers and frigid white winters.
On the border shared with Idaho and about central North to South, lays the Inland Empire city of Spokane headquarters to industry and agricultural activities. To the south likes the Palouse region known as the bread basket of the world because it produces more grain per acre than anywhere else.
In short, the Evergreen state is a very diverse place full of recreational activities like boating, fishing, water sports, professional sports arenas, high class arts organizations and so much to do you'll need a month just to begin to see much of it.