Contributions from Barb Rocks
I have camped at Grayland State Park dozens of times and I was more than happy to head back this summer for a last-minute camping trip with my camping buddy Barb. While there, we did not really have any plans. Barb is a lover of Mermaids, so when I told her there was an International Mermaid Museum, she was ready to go, so we went and it did not disappoint.
Why I love Westport
Westport, Washington, is one of my favorite places on the coast in Washington state. It is an old coastal town with loads of history. I love it because it is not a built-up community that has yet to be commercialized, and I hope it never will be. It has history, charm, and nostalgia for my husband, as his family is from the area. I love the history and hometown feel it still has.
I am a seafood lover; it is a great place to grab Seafood at an eatery or to take home and have a surf and turf with friends and family. There are a few small family restaurants with some good eats. I had the best eggs Benedict with crab at “Blue Buoy” for breakfast, and it was probably the best eggs bend I have ever eaten.
If you want to go on a fishing boat, quite a few boats will take you out to fish for things like salmon, tuna, rockfish, and whatever is in season. You can also fish for crab right from the docks. We went on a charter a few years ago for our anniversary, and I loved it until we stopped and got pretty sick.. it was still a great time, though.
Camping around Westport at the State Parks – Grayland is our go to!
Twin Harbor and Grayland State Park
These two parks are right next to each other, and they are another great option for beach access and clam digging. I haven’t stayed in Twin Harbor State Park because Grayland has larger campsites and has been our “go-to” when we want to camp on the beach. For us, it is close to home, and Westport is one of our favorite places to hang out.
Both parks are right next to the Pacific Ocean and are pretty much neighbors. These beaches can be quite popular when the Clam season is open.
Let’s Talk about Clam Digging
Razor clam season usually starts around September, and they go all the way until March or April. We typically go three times a year, depending on the times of the dates and our schedule. The digs start two hours before low tide, and the lower the tide, the easier it is to dig up the clams. You must make sure you are Clam digging at the right beaches. Only specific beaches on specific dates and specific times are allowed.
You can only clam dig on certain days and at certain times of the year. Go to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website, and you will find the exact locations, times, dates that you can go Clam digging. You must follow all the guidelines. You can get fined if you go over your limit or break any of the other rules, so make sure you know what you’re doing or ask questions before you go out there and do it.
Check out all the Fish and Wildlife updates to get the latest information.
Learn more about clam digging, see my blog on Calm digging here →
International Mermaid Museum
The Westport Winery Garden Resort, is where the International Mermaid Museum is. I have heard you can get a good laugh there, and it is light and fun, so I was ready for that! When we found the Museum, it was much larger than I expected and informative. Inside the Museum, you can expect to find loads of mannequins, fun facts about the Sea, and lore about mermaids and their origins. I found more information interesting than others, It is worth the trek.
Barb’s Point of View on the museum
The Mermaid Museum costs only $3 for adults and is totally worth the adventure of learning about ocean ecology from “seashore to sea floor” and getting immersed in mermaid lore which all oceanic countries have. I particularly enjoyed reading all the mermaid mythology signs that were tastefully done with folklore tales and tied in to real oceanic facts. In addition to mermaid culture throughout the ages, there are also displays of physical artifacts, such as cannonballs from historic ships, hag stones, coral reefs, and king crabs. No museum experience would be complete without various mermaid and mermen statues, which despite being a bit kitschy, Aimee and I made the most of it, having a blast posing with them.
My favorite part of their mission statement is, “Mermaids in storytelling encourage people to see the undersea environment, not just through the lens of marine life, but through the view of humans in the underwater world, thus helping them better understand the importance of clean oceans, the sea as a living environment, and the reality of ocean exploration as one of the last great adventures on earth.” I feel like the museum really accomplished this and I found the whole experience fascinating, fun, and informative!
We did mention that the Mermaid Museum is at the Westport Winery Garden Resort, but I’m not a drinker, so I can not comment on how good the wine is though I will mention it did win the 2022 Washington Winery of the Year, so it is probably not too shabby.
To learn more about the Winery check out Barbs blog →
Some of my favorite things to take beach camping
Want to learn more about Mermaid Myths, check out the Mermaid Blog →
Contributions from Barb Rocks
I have camped at Grayland State Park dozens of times and I was more than happy to head back this summer for a last-minute camping trip with my camping buddy Barb. While there, we did not really have any plans. Barb is a lover of Mermaids, so when I told her there was an International Mermaid Museum, she was ready to go, so we went and it did not disappoint.
Why I love Westport
Westport, Washington, is one of my favorite places on the coast in Washington state. It is an old coastal town with loads of history. I love it because it is not a built-up community that has yet to be commercialized, and I hope it never will be. It has history, charm, and nostalgia for my husband, as his family is from the area. I love the history and hometown feel it still has.
I am a seafood lover; it is a great place to grab Seafood at an eatery or to take home and have a surf and turf with friends and family. There are a few small family restaurants with some good eats. I had the best eggs Benedict with crab at “Blue Buoy” for breakfast, and it was probably the best eggs bend I have ever eaten.
If you want to go on a fishing boat, quite a few boats will take you out to fish for things like salmon, tuna, rockfish, and whatever is in season. You can also fish for crab right from the docks. We went on a charter a few years ago for our anniversary, and I loved it until we stopped and got pretty sick.. it was still a great time, though.
Camping around Westport at the State Parks – Grayland is our go to!
Twin Harbor and Grayland State Park
These two parks are right next to each other, and they are another great option for beach access and clam digging. I haven’t stayed in Twin Harbor State Park because Grayland has larger campsites and has been our “go-to” when we want to camp on the beach. For us, it is close to home, and Westport is one of our favorite places to hang out.
Both parks are right next to the Pacific Ocean and are pretty much neighbors. These beaches can be quite popular when the Clam season is open.
Let’s Talk about Clam Digging
Razor clam season usually starts around September, and they go all the way until March or April. We typically go three times a year, depending on the times of the dates and our schedule. The digs start two hours before low tide, and the lower the tide, the easier it is to dig up the clams. You must make sure you are Clam digging at the right beaches. Only specific beaches on specific dates and specific times are allowed.
You can only clam dig on certain days and at certain times of the year. Go to the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife website, and you will find the exact locations, times, dates that you can go Clam digging. You must follow all the guidelines. You can get fined if you go over your limit or break any of the other rules, so make sure you know what you’re doing or ask questions before you go out there and do it.
Check out all the Fish and Wildlife updates to get the latest information.
Learn more about clam digging, see my blog on Calm digging here →
International Mermaid Museum
The Westport Winery Garden Resort, is where the International Mermaid Museum is. I have heard you can get a good laugh there, and it is light and fun, so I was ready for that! When we found the Museum, it was much larger than I expected and informative. Inside the Museum, you can expect to find loads of mannequins, fun facts about the Sea, and lore about mermaids and their origins. I found more information interesting than others, It is worth the trek.
Barb’s Point of View on the museum
The Mermaid Museum costs only $3 for adults and is totally worth the adventure of learning about ocean ecology from “seashore to sea floor” and getting immersed in mermaid lore which all oceanic countries have. I particularly enjoyed reading all the mermaid mythology signs that were tastefully done with folklore tales and tied in to real oceanic facts. In addition to mermaid culture throughout the ages, there are also displays of physical artifacts, such as cannonballs from historic ships, hag stones, coral reefs, and king crabs. No museum experience would be complete without various mermaid and mermen statues, which despite being a bit kitschy, Aimee and I made the most of it, having a blast posing with them.
My favorite part of their mission statement is, “Mermaids in storytelling encourage people to see the undersea environment, not just through the lens of marine life, but through the view of humans in the underwater world, thus helping them better understand the importance of clean oceans, the sea as a living environment, and the reality of ocean exploration as one of the last great adventures on earth.” I feel like the museum really accomplished this and I found the whole experience fascinating, fun, and informative!
We did mention that the Mermaid Museum is at the Westport Winery Garden Resort, but I’m not a drinker, so I can not comment on how good the wine is though I will mention it did win the 2022 Washington Winery of the Year, so it is probably not too shabby.
To learn more about the Winery check out Barbs blog →
Some of my favorite things to take beach camping
Want to learn more about Mermaid Myths, check out the Mermaid Blog →
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