I have mixed emotion on this slow-pace life in this town. I love the provincial vibes here at the same time youngsters might find it a bit boring. In any way, this is still a great visit imo. My Titas drive up here to let us experience flying kites before summer ends in PNW. We didn't really stroll or checked that heart of its town as we drive directly to their infamous beach where you can drive on the sand. It's like a free way with no specific policy on what direction you gonna drive. Came here around lunch time and here I am having so much fun with family and bandit flying kites. It's been a while since I last time do this activity. It's nice that even when I am an adult I am still able to have time to do this activity. As I aforementioned I have mixed emotion because people just wanna have fun chillin' but not totally defining its definition as a lot of people are zooming around with their truck, bikes and jeep. It's a bit scary but no law doesn't allowed you to drive on the shore. The environmental impact is high and I think they should limit the time to get there driving around. Even if the sun is shining bright above, it's still chilly and will give you colds. It's smart to bring jacket with you if you plan to stay here longer for picnic. The saltwater is cold and nobody wants to dive to swim here. Plus the water is rough and several accidents happened here coz they were caught in the riptide. Be extra cautious! Mahalo for reading and happy juandering fellow yeeps! read more

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You can drive on the beach! We car camped overnight, I'm not sure if you're allowed to, but I camped here in a tent a few years back when everyone does it for 4th of July so I came back. Everything went fine! There's ample space but people will totally park near you and the beach gets pretty busy in the day time anyway so expect visitors. We stayed here two days and the first day was a little overcsast but it's beautiful. Second day it was sunny with a nice breeze and a group set up multiple large kites. I don't know if this is a club or something but sign me up! They had impressive kites, and their skills were pretty cool. Scuba divers, butterflies, hearts, squid and so many more. We also brought along our two dogs and a sign in front says dogs must be on leash. People still let their friendly dogs off leash around their cars and around them when exploring around the water. We did watch an eagle successfully hunting other birds, definitely like a scene out of animal planet and after that we kept our mini poodle close! For the most part walking around everyone respects leash and scooping rules. I will say though people need to do better at cleaning up their trash. There is a lot of trash being buried around the beach and the back grassy hill is used as a bathroom so there's lots of toilet paper making it a landmine of grossness. read more

One of my favorite beaches in my home state of Washington...with a caveat. I'll get to the point and say that the best times to visit are in the evenings and at sunrise during spring and summer. During summer, I'd avoid it during the daytime hours. It's a zoo. Too many vehicles on the beach and people. During the sunrise and evenings it's amazing. Peaceful and mellow. read more

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The manager was very rude and unprofessional. We are in our seventies and expect better treatment.

1 of the few beaches in America that u can drive ur car on.. meaning u definitely don't want 2 get ur feet dirty over other tires' sloppy seconds anyways.. it was a few yrs. back when we went here n quick question.. have many of u watched the movie called, "The Fog" original version 1979 by my favorite director of all-time, James Carpenter? anyways u'll c y I bring this up in a bit.. (Captain Hook bangs on door w/ his hook.. tap, tap, tap) so I heard a lot about Ocean Shores growing up, it is like 1 of our many 'GREAT' getaways here in WA state.. I mean we have so many islands up here n great outdoor-sy stuff going on.. that's how R.E.I. store here (an outdoor gear focused retailer is able 2 make that money n each nite after they finish counting their money, they throw their money up in the air like rappers, Fat Joe n Lil' Wayne n Make It Rain!..) money meet greed, greed meet money.. money makes the world go round, round is the world that needs money 2 make it go n we're a part of it.. ppl depend on ppl.. am I not right? well.. ok, let's get back 2 the topic.. u have a beautiful boardwalk leading in2 this beach.. the beach itself is filled w/ cars n when Washington state gets nice n sunny, we have an incredible beautiful state.. especially, if u r driving randomly on a road trip overlooking mountains, deserts, nature in Eastern Washington n the peninsula/coastal as u r heading South towards Oregon.. n if u want 2 further look in2 the outdoor-sy stuff or adventures u can do so by searching 4 actor, Grant Goodeve's show, "Northwest Backroads" or Scenic Washington 4 more information so yes, not only can u drive on this beach n do donuts, b happy n live life freely.. maybe Evel Knievel stunts (no, don't do that!).. but this beach is also kid friendly.. ppl! I don't advise 4 u 2 swim here, as the beach is pretty darn dirty.. but definitely, it is a beautiful beach so.. we planned 2 go back the same nite we got there just 2 enjoy the sunset w/ our meals n drinks.. so we ended up @ a McDonald's nearby the beach n the sky n scene was so beautiful can't wait 2 get our meals n drive on2 the beach! comes back out of McDonald's.. a big scary.. giant... fog is coming! there goes our plan read more

Ocean Shores - Vacation Rentals Near Me

We have visited Ocean shores a few times and I enjoy the small-town vibe.... but as a vacation town, its a little sleepy and run down. Cars allowed on the beach which is a bit strange and a bit disconcerting with small kids. Its also a bit confusing to me..... is driving on a beach really that important to so many people? Seems like unnecessary pollution and human interference with nature. Accommodation choices are a bit limited and seem largely aged. There are some decent restaurants and activities in town. We have also enjoyed camping at the state park..... For a quiet get-away to the ocean, we'd consider it again. But we know not to expect too much from the town. read more

The thing most often praised about this beach is you can drive on it. But if you're trying to have a pleasant walk, cars speeding by isn't great. The beach is featureless. When the hard-packed sand ends high on the beach, dead dry grass makes it look like the rest of the place is the prairie. The most interesting things we saw were a dead bird squashed and very smelly, its feathers scattered in a wide circle. And a crashed kite some kid abandoned. We went on a slow day so at least it wasn't crowded. Sometimes, at the height of summer, it's just one big parking lot. People drive right down to the water's edge, so really, parking lot car beside car beside car, everywhere, filling the place up. On this most recent visit though, probably only about ten cars, as it was overcast and didn't bring out the beer-guzzling rubes and their smelly pick-up trucks with the bottoms rusted out from visiting Ocean Shores. There are no rocks, hardly even pebbles, though I did spot three polished stones one of which I put in my pocket. Don't generally expect to look for seashells or driftwood because such a well-used beach won't have any left if it ever had any at all (it's not a beach conducive to any sort of wildlife beyond whatever scuds might eat dead birds). However, I unexpectedly found one piece of driftwood in that broad sterile environment, and it was actually quite beautiful. A pet lizard will now be using it for basking. It's nice to see horses trotting down a beach, much nicer than cars racing for sure. For such a famous beach it's just not much. Dungeness or Westport are so much more beautiful to walk along, but Ocean Shores lets you bring your dog, the only reason we ever go there, and may continue to do so only because dogs are banned from too many beaches. read more

As a long term resident, I can say it's a great place to unwind IF you avoid the town center and you stay with friends or rent a house. Otherwise, it's a bad tourist trap from Spring until Fall. Point Brown Ave is the main road in town, and as bad an eyesore as there is. First stores when you come through the entry are a credit union, a moped rental and Dollar General. *FOOD? Unless you like McDonalds for breakfast, lunch and dinner, eateries are expensive, questionable service, very little choice. We see a lot of people in IGA grocery buying eggs, bread, milk, cereal in the morning, frozen pizza later, which should tell you. Coffee stands are adequate, some better/faster service than others. *DAY TRIP? it's not worth it if you just want to see a beach and you're travelling more than a third of a day. I would not stay more than 1 overnight. You can walk the entire main town in a day but you'll be disappointed. Go carts, skateboarding, mini golf... the typical tourist things. *TOURISTS? Residents know not to venture out when tourists are awake. Speed limits never higher that 35; 25 in town center. We have more deer than residents and many are hit by tourist cars speeding. Normally dead quiet except the tourists who come to relax then blast their car radios (why did you come? Don't bring the hectic with you). *TRINKETS? If you love buying ocean and tourist junk, this is the place. WARNING TO GUYS: She'll love it. Bring lots of money. *BARS/NIGHTLIFE? Barely! Galway Bay for Celtic Pub occasional band. Porthole Pub for Karaoke (LGBT+++ hangout). Pirate's Cove Pub, Rusty Anchor, Ocean Pours Taproom. Not much after midnight. *BEACH? It's a sandbar with ocean to the west, harbor to the east, canal and lake in the middle. Kayak is best on harbor side (but no beach and little access). Horse riding/walking/sitting on ocean. Rarely warm enough for swimming. We're famous for car owned by idiots getting towed out of the water. Fires allowed within access for water/extinguisher, and distance from dunes/homes/business. *OTHER THINGS TO SEE? We have an Interpretive Center, a walkable rainforest, a Convention Center that hosts weekend events inside and out, Quinault Beach Resort and Casino nearby. *HOTELS/MOTELS? Usually available and adequate number. The better ones are pricey. The average ones not cheap. The Shilo Inn hosts a Wife Swap Weekend for swingers. *TSUNAMI? It's a small sandbar sticking out into the Pacific, with only one road out, and very long travel to escape. You won't survive so think about it. Experts say we're long overdue for the next one. read more

Came back a couple months ago a day after the Super Bowl and I must say this place is stunning will definitely be coming back views are stunning water is pretty and it's fun to see the waves come in! read more

I give Ocean Shores five stars because I have never had a bad time here. There are a few good places to eat, the area is simple to navigate, and it seems like even when it's nice outside, there is plenty of room to be by yourself. My dog is part of the family and we like to take him along with us. There is a stretch of beach beyond Taurus St., I think, that is off leash dog-friendly. We like to drive out on the beach (yes, I said on the beach), pop the hatch, and let the dog get stupid. If we are making a day trip, he will sleep the whole ride home and the next day too. There are few things more joyful to watch than a dog going crazy on the beach. There is also a really cool interpretive center at the south end of the peninsula. It's put together with a lot of love and dedication. If you're in the area, stop by and get your learn on. This is a cool little beach community tucked away and easy to get to. read more

Ocean Shores - You can drive on the beach dude! - Vacation Rentals Near Me

I mean I'm a negative Nancy about this place only because I'm always cold and Ocean Shores is always cold which doesn't add up to a good combo. We came for Memorial Day weekend and I was freezing. It started misting as soon as we arrived when back in Aberdeen it was oh-so-sunny. Go figure. This wasn't our first time here. The first time I came I was in awe; thought it was vast and beautiful. Then fifteen minutes later I was cold. And I was kinda over it. Don't get me wrong, I still love coming down here to get away from the city life. I love the tranquility of this little town with it's like ten restaurants. I love that it has an arcade for my son to get some energy out. I love that it has a movie theater and a redbox and a grocery store and most importantly a liquor store to keep me warm. Remember, I'm always cold. I love that I don't have to put on my face in the morning and just throw my annoying long hair into a ponytail and put on some ugly jeans and a too-big-for-me hoodie and look like a butch and go fishing while I pretend I drink buds or whatever it is that old guys drink whilst fishing. It's just so refreshing! read more

The owner was a jerk. We were staying next door and came over to make s'mores and were told we needed to leave and weren't welcome. We weren't doing anything and he yelled at us and told us we weren't worthy of being there. Really unprofessional. read more

Ocean Shores is not to me what it once was. That being said, I still had a blast there this past weekend. Was it sunny and warm and everything a beach ought to be?? No, but I don't care! We stayed at a hotel on the beach, so we just followed a little trail to walk through the grass to get to the sand. There weren't too many people out (the lack of sun, perhaps?), but that worked in our favor. We got to walk around a bit and enjoyed the tranquility of the ocean air. The next day was filled with rain, but we walked around town and still had fun. Yeah, it's not Disneyland. If you want that, go to California and leave Washington to those who can appreciate it! ;o) read more

Be prepared for drastic change in weather from inland. Its windy and foggy more often then not. Today was all the above.

I LOVE coming here! Always a fun day or weekend trip! Bowling ally, tons of shops! Great pizza & of course the beach! I come here many times a year! We fly kites, swim, & just have fun on the beach! Super cold, but it is Washingyon state so it makes sense! Usually not very crowded except for on big holidays! Very beautiful view at night! read more

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I'm sad that Rob doesn't like it here in Ocean Shores, WA, but as far as I'm concerned that's all the more beach for me! I love coming here. I especially love that I can come the day before Memorial day and all the locals have "girded their loins" in preparation for the summer season. It's obvious that this is a simple town and it's great to be able to visit. There is TONS to do, if you enjoy the beach. Even if you don't, there's still quite a bit going on. Horseback riding, a Chuck-E-Cheese-esque gaming pavilion with two sets of 18 hole mini-golf and bumper boats, clam-digging, full-service Casino and Resort (Quinault), mopedding, shopping....Lord, the list goes on and on! But it may not be your cup of tea. Like I said, more town for me! read more

I tried to contact Uber to obtain a ride back home after visiting family for an important gathering. My brother-in-law, an Army veteran, father, husband, grandfather, and great granddad had passed away. We celebrated his life on Veterans Day, but the next day was ruined all because ridership failed a veteran ... yeah, me. I'm a disabled female veteran & senior, along with my disabled daughter who takes care of me. We requested a ride but got our account money ripped from our account all because the driver was greedy & too lazy to provide service. This 24/7 service is a joke, driver only if they are up to it. If not, you're stranded. Thanks to family they pulled thru. Now I have to call the authorities on the driver who stole money from my account, failed to provide service. Congress and my state representatives, ADA representatives, and anyone else who will listen. The Uber driver who did take me and my daughter up to where we needed to go in Ocean Shores... We are so ever grateful. He was right, others are far too lazy & not worth having to work for any 24/7 ever day or night services. A new system is needed to prevent theft, easier way to provide rides to and from anywhere no matter where the rider maybe. Drivers do your job! Driving anywhere up or down, west to east... it's a job or quit! read more

Okay, I love the Food and Wine. Especially on Sundays, they have happy hour from 3 to 7 or somehting like that and it's wonderful, the glasses of decent wine, Chardonay - are only $2.00! Can you believe that??? AND, the burgers and food is very tasty, they do not give you designer portions and the service is also very good. I was impressed with this place. I hope to go there again soon. read more

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY. The hotel smelled and there was seagull poop all over the windows, deck etc. dirty laundry and glasses outside our room. I moved it by the elevator, still there in the morning when we left. Beds were very comfortable. read more

I think like with many positive experiences, it's dependent on the company you keep. My friends and I make an annual weekend to OS to camp and chill, and we definitely always have a good time. We usually try to grab a spot with close beach access and was pleased to be neighboring a camel and llama our last visit! read more

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Ocean Shores, the anti Disneyland. If your tired of your pesky shadow following you around then it's time for a visit. I'm convinced Morrissey must have visited Ocean Shores as the inspiration for "Every Day is Like Sunday" Bad food, Cheap Hotels, Cold wet weather, and Poverty - WOO! read more

This beach is nothing like the beaches of Seaside and Cannon Beach in Oregon where the weather is usually nicer. At Ocean Shores the weather can change dramatically from one day to the next, get windy, a light fog rolls in etc. and moisture in the air gets the interior of your cars a little sticky if you leave doors open from moisture and brushing off the sand off of your body a little more work. It is not dripping wet but just enough moisture where things don't feel dry. The weather conditions aren't always like this but be prepared for a change of plans. Also the weather a little inland can be hot and clear blue skies and at the beach it can be cloudy windy and cold. Compared to Oregon's Cannon Beach which has a quaint tiny town a few blocks long with not much in it to see or eat at. Oregon's Seaside has a larger town with an arcade, candy shop, restaurants etc. and you can rent paddle boats on a river that runs through the outside of town or you can rent mopeds, bikes, golf cart type vehicles or 4 person pedal cycles to ride around town. You cannot ride any of these or drive your car onto these beaches. At Ocean Shores in Washington the town isn't that nice looking and old. There is a family play center where you can drive go karts, play mini golf, drive motorized inner tubes etc. There are places where you can rent pedal cycles, mopeds, horse back riding and you can ride all of these onto the beach and you can also drive your vehicle onto the beach as well. Now why did I give Ocean Shores 3 stars? It is because there are several places that rent horses for group riding up and down the beach and the horses do their business right on the beach and it is disgusting walking along the beach or your kids playing in the sand which is basically a litter box for horses. You will see piles here and there or remains of what is left in the sand or washing up from the surf. You would have to drive further away from the town center beach entrance to get away from this. Also don't bother to go to Ocean Shores for a while after July 4th because I cannot believe the amazing amount of irresponsible idiots that light fireworks on the beach. The whole beach is literally covered with used and unlit firework and garbage everywhere. Not just bits and pieces that people didn't pick up. People left the boxes garbage and everything. I am not exaggerating when I said covered. My wife and daughter went around and picked up a garbage bag full of garbage as did this other family. There was a table set up for volunteers to help clean the beach at one of the entrances but the littering was overwhelming. Also what didn't make sense is that there was a burn ban on the beach because of the long dry spell so you couldn't do a bonfire or use charcoal because of the abnormally dry conditions. But they allowed fireworks? WTH? Well anyways the mayor who runs this town needs to do something about the places that runs the horse riding business about the disgusting unsanitary nature of their business like make them pay for monitoring and removal of horse dung left on the beaches and to ban fireworks on the beach because of the irresponsibility of these idiots that use the beach. And if they are that irresponsible how can you trust them playing with fireworks? Also all this debris is harmful to wildlife. Oh and bring a small shovel or garden hoe in case your get stuck in the sand. read more

Having a ball here on the 4th so far, lots of people and fireworks tonight, cooler weather than Seattle today, lots to do, beach is soooooooooo nice read more

This place "ROCKS" I luv it here. it's great place to get away from it all. It's good for the day or vaca.

I am a huge fan of ocean shores, lots of memories and fun road trips throughout the years. We go here every couple years. We take our two little dogs and we take long walks on the beach. The mopeds are also fun to ride on the beach. The place is very calm and relaxing. There is not too much to do which forces you to get some r&r which I love. The food around here is not the best but its good enough. Yayy! read more

I go here because I love the ocean but the beaches here suck. I might be a bit spoiled growing up by the NJ shores and boardwalks. The beaches here are littered with trash and people drive so dangerously on the beaches. The little town is not much of a beach town read more

I like to come here to think and relax while watching the beautiful luminous glow of the sunset or sunrise. I also like doing doughtnuts and drifting in the sand with my car, that's a whole lot of fun ! read more

I rented a small house, A Mi Casa, through Ocean Shores Reservations for a 2 night stay. The staff was very friendly and explained all charges to me. I was glad that a cleaning fee was a part of the rental because it assured me that they kept their rentals clean. I was shocked that the house didn't look clean and we left after 1 night. When we took the linen off the bed, there was a disgusting stain that looked to have been there awhile! I sent pictures to the company and asked for a manager to contact me. I can't believe they would rent out a house with a dirty bed. Not only is it unsanitary but it could also be infectious. Needless to say, I am still waiting for a call or email from the manager but we will not be staying at any of there rentals and will be telling our experience so no one else has this kind of surprise. read more

I rented Sandy Beach Cottage through TripAdvisor and needed to cancel my reservation due to a death in my family. Joshua Dettwiller, who is the owner of this cabin, and TripAdvisor, would not refund my money. I was asked to re-book the cabin by paying another full fee and then be refunded. Why would I do this when the original reservation was not refunded and I have to trust that this owner would refund a second booking? The correct response is: "I am sorry for your loss, I am happy to refund your reservation, and I hope that you will re-book in the future". I strongly recommend others do not book with TripAdvisor or with Mr. Dettwiller's cabin. read more