If you've lived in the Pacific Northwest and ever wondered about the origin of those Jake the…read moreAlligator Man stickers, this is the review for you! Marsh's Free Museum is the legendary home of Jake himself (you can find him in the back). The shop is an absolute treasure trove of curiosities. It features a mix of your classic beach-town souvenirs alongside more "not-so-typical" fare, like unique books, sweatshirts, and even knives. If you have some spare quarters, the old-school mechanical games are a must-play! The service here has always been great, super attentive and friendly. As for value, some things are a little expensive, but they also have affordable stuff if you look hard enough. They are not any more expensive than any other shop in Long Beach. I always make it a point to stop here every single time I'm in Long Beach. Whether you're just starting your trek down the strip or looking for the perfect place to end your journey, this spot is a PNW essential.

What can I say other than this is a huge tourist trap, but in the best way possible? You know it's…read moregood when one of the exhibits has its own Wikipedia page (Jake the Alligator Man). There are lot of curios, from taxidermy animals to old orchestreons. A lot of the amusing displays are in the back and in corners. I would say if you have small kids to be careful bringing them in as it seems like there are a lot of delicate items, from the piles of beautiful seashells in the front, to the porcelain items in the back. It is such a fun and unique place to visit, and the best part is that it's free! Although you will definitely walk away having purchased something.

The Native cultural exhibits were delightfully narrative-forward, giving context to a…read morerepresentative collection of artifacts, fishing, hunting, a fabulous display of the amazing use of the cedar tree. It's truly top notch, and as my old man builds, scripts and funds museums, I've been to more than my share. The variety of exhibits, the excellence of the writing in the narratives (the one on the Coast Guard rescues in the bar is heart wrenching and moving), and the sweep of the architecture make this a truly excellent museum. I didn't have any issue with the staff as some have written about, and I cannot imagine anything they could have done diminishing my enjoyment of this museum. I look forward to visiting the new addition when it is completed.

The women at check in and the hostess for the 3D movies have piss poor attitudes and customer…read moreservice. Not only do they look like they hate their life but they're not polite to any of the guests here. Gorgeous museum but the customer service is on par with the rest of Clatsop county LOL (bummy and full of a bunch of Has-Been/ Wanna Be's.) Tainted my experience from the second I walked in. I recommend hiring younger people that have life still. Get rid of the miserable staff, you'd be doing everyone a favor

This is a neat little pit stop from Long Beach, WA. There's a small museum that contains…read moreinformation about how harvesting cranberries was a difficult, inefficient process, until various machines and contraptions were made to make the process easier. The main method used today involves flooding the fields of the cranberry vines, so that the ripe cranberries float and can be collected for use in processing and making cranberry products. Each year at this museum they demonstrate this process during the festival. If the cranberries are destined to be sold fresh, then they have to be picked by hand as a "dry harvest". There is also a gift shop where various cranberry items are sold, including cranberry ice cream. The cranberry ice cream was more of a sherbet to me, although I'm used to the super premium ice creams so maybe I'm biased. It tasted exactly like cranberry with a hint of orange. It was good to try, but I'm probably not going to buy it again. Don't miss the self-guided tour of the fields in the back, where you can look at the cranberry vines.

What an interesting and fascinating find! Cranberries...and an entire museum dedicated to them?…read more Indeed, and the world's a better place for it. There are not a huge amount of things to do in Long Beach, and I came here as a backup thing to do since the kite museum was closed. I spent a LOT longer here than I would have expected to, as there is just so much to see and learn about. There are several cranberry bogs, replete with educational signage fully detailing what each is, what's being researched there, how the bogs are flooded for "wet harvesting", and that wet-harvested berries can only be used for juices, jellies, and sauces. I didn't know that all whole cranberries sold to consumers or for use in baked goods are hand-harvested. I also had no idea that such a huge variety of harvesting equipment existed, and that so many had come and gone after being proven to not be as good as other methods. Be sure to get a cup of the cranberry ice cream! It's delicious, and I really wish it was available closer to Vancouver. I highly recommend a visit to the cranberry museum if you're ever in Long Beach. It is educational, and fun!

So much is packed into this museum. Local history about the sea, Long Beach racing history,…read morehistoric model trains and toys and a lovely room dedicated to crafts. Rugs hooked with felted wool, both historic and crafted while I watched were visually stunning. The method has been around for hundreds of years and this is the first time I have seen this type of work. Some beautiful quilts too

We visited the museum on 'free' Thursday and was given a delightful briefing from a very energetic…read moregreeter. She directed us to the amazing story about the man who rowed his 'Sector' boat from Japan to the Illwaco coast. Very impressive story of a mans will to accomplish a true feat of courage. Lots of trains and a walkthru of the areas logging history. Outside we discover a restored railcar that is in pristine condition. The greeter again was delightful as we recount our path. It's worthy of a stop but once is enough and you can continue driving up to the nearby lighthouse at Cape Disapointment.

Well it's closed due to covid but what a spot for a winter sun and fun. There is a great view from…read morehere in the winter especially. There is a small walk up and then a panoramic view of the coast and of the Columbia River So grab a mask and a friend and enjoy!

A rainy afternoon didn't stop us from enjoying the area! We took a short drive from Long Beach to…read morevisit the center. Wow! It was so interesting! They have a nice film, as well as lots of interesting information to see and read in the center about Lewis & Clark's journey, the nearby lighthouse, shipwrecks, etc. We loved it.

I've been here numerous times. The owner is super friendly and welcoming…read more I started following the museum on Facebook as you can keep on the latest acquisitions acquired by the museum. Also, she keeps you abreast of the openings and closings of the museum. The museum is typically closed during the winter season but opens during the weekends in the summer months. The last time I was there she said you are the first ones in so no charge. I bought a pin on the way out for $10 as I want to support this great and fun place. She doesn't have a true gift shop as of yet. But they are moving around the exhibits to put one in the front of the museum. I'm excited as they had a small one in the middle of the downstairs in the past and they had some fun items. Most of the stuff you have to see to believe and it's all unbelievably quirky which adds to the overall fun of the place. I try to go each time I'm in town. It's well worth the $5 admission. I'll definitely be back again.

This place is a complete trip. The owner is really awesome…read moreand the things to see in this place are cool, creepy and down right weird as F. The energy the building has is scary and weird feeling. Over all I loved the museum.

Visited the coffee shop and souvenir shop inside. It's cute ambiance. The Carmel macchiato was…read moredecent. Nice ladies in the shop.

It was such a kitschy good time! The wide array of mermaid lore from around the world is very…read moreimpressive with lots of interesting fun facts. I really liked learning about mermaids from Russia, Scotland, Chile. It's not a big museum but makes up for it by being packed with stuff in a manageable size. Lots of good photo ops, inside and around the grounds. The gift shop was fun and the wine and spirits tasting next door is something we will have to try next time.

A great place to visit and take your time to stroll. After looking at all the antiques grab. Cup of…read morecoffee to watch the ships go by and place a lock at the end of the pier.

For a free museum, lovingly maintained by those who want to preserve the history here, its really…read moreremarkable. Had no idea about the history of canned fish here on the columbia, and seeing the old pictures of rows of workers cleaning and packing fish made me think hard about how easy i have it. Those people mustve worked their butts off. And the wooden fishing boats, amazing, you'd never get me into one of those out on the river/ocean! As an engineer, I enjoyed the 'power room'; pretty cool for the mechanically/electrically minded. Be sure to drop some $$ into the donation box. Surprised this isnt mentioned anywhere in travel guides or 'things to do' - we just stumbled on it while eating next door at the Rogue. If you look at the pictures, the same light fixtures are used in the Rogue restaurant! "As good as it gets" for a cannery museum; worth a visit if you're interested in that branch of history.

One of the better preserved old forts on the west coast. You can explore the fort's various…read morebatteries and buildings (not all are open to the public), as well as walk along scenic trails. Be wary of disc golfers though! Nice visitor center with a lot of historical information.

Fort Stevens is the campground for people adverse to "roughing it". There are seemingly more RV…read moresites than "traditional" tent camping ones, complete with electrical and plumbing hookups. Not to mention rentable yurts and cabins, (hot!) showers, (relatively) clean restroom facilities, and even a firewood delivery service, right to your campsite! Fort Stevens is also massive: miles of hikeable/bikeable trails, sandy beaches, a lake with a boat ramp, a shipwreck, a disc golf course, a military history museum (and gift shop), and several abandoned military installations and batteries to hike and explore. There's more to see and do here than can be experienced in a single camping trip, and after more than a half dozen visits to the park, I'm still discovering new secrets! Also, keep an eye on the various post boards around the park, in which special events, such as storybook readings, put on by the Friends of Fort Stevens, occur on many a summer night. As I mentioned earlier, this is camping only in the loosest sense of the word, in that you're sleeping outside (well, if you're not in an RV, yurt or cabin). The campsites are relatively small, and close together, but that is also part of the charm, particularly for children: they're all but guaranteed to make some new friends during your stay here, as there will be rugrats running around, skating, riding bikes, exploring, and likely yelling and screaming all around you, for as long as the daylight persists. Intimacy and privacy does not exist here. There are better places to camp in the Pacific Northwest, particularly for those who desire privacy, serenity, an escape from noise and the presence of others, and a place to commune with and be surrounded by nature (and nature only). Those places exist, but Fort Stevens is not one of them. Despite all that, I have a sentimental attachment to this place, thanks to childhood memories of camping here in my youth. Now, I'm hoping to impart similar memories on my children. Fort Stevens may not be *for* everyone, but it *has something* for everyone. If you can't see that, go get lost in the woods elsewhere.