I don’t know about you, but my summer calendar seems to fill up, oh, around February. Just when I think I can’t stand winter anymore and I need something to look forward to, I slather my summer months with park playdates, trips to the zoo, walks on the waterfront, picnics, and pool dates. Sometimes after Summer hits, I feel like it is less of a time of vacation, and more of a frenzy, living up to my Dad’s old adage of, “Let’s hurry up and have fun!”. It’s exhausting.
So this year, we did something different. We planned to get away for a couple days…mid-week! SHOCKER. The Seattle Mom Blogs Ladies, Leslie and Laura, and I, decided that we wanted to go on an adventure. Just the moms and the kids for a couple nights. Since our weekends are pretty much full from now until…oh…Thanksgiving and finding a time when all three of us could slip away for a weekend was impossible, we decided to buck the system and head out of town on a weekday. Let me tell you…we are hooked and will be making this mid-week jaunt away a yearly, or maybe even semi-summerly adventure for us and the kids!
I like to slow down on vacation. Relaxation is my main goal and as soon as we arrived here, I knew I was going to love this place! We stayed in a condo at Vacation by the Sea. We headed to the complex which was at the end of a road that lead straight to the ocean. We stayed in a garden unit on the bottom floor so that the kids had a place to play when we didn’t want to be down at the beach. That was a great decision! The grass outside our condo allowed the kids to explore and be outside without having to leave “home”. But, we really didn’t stay home all that much. There is a lot to do and see! 
From our condo to the beach was about a . Once on the beach, it was very apparent that you had nearly the entire place to yourself! As far as we could see up and down the beach, there was only a speckling of people. The beach is HUGE and there is a lot of room to spread out. The kids spent a long time (which are EVERYWHERE at low tide daily) and digging and running and splashing. The beach was so deep that there was no worry about the little ones getting in the water when you weren’t looking- it was very safe. The sound of the waves was and we sat there and chatted and relaxed while the kids played all around us. Heaven!
The beach is definitely my favorite part of Westport, but there are other places waiting to be explored also. We visited the area near the shipyards. The kids had fun looking at all of the sailboats and other fishing boats in the harbor. At the end of the marina, there is a tall lookout tower that you can climb in order to get a great view out over the water. Right next to the tower is the restaurant that we ate at the first night: Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill. In one word? Delicious! Award winning food in an unexpected place. I read that they won FIRST PLACE in a crab cake competition at the Taste of Tacoma this past weekend! I believe it! Their food is amazing! Crab cakes, pork tenderloin with garlic mash potatoes, halibut with rice pilaf and some pretty yummy burgers were all found on our table! Along with some pretty potent drinks! I had one of the best restaurant Mojitos I have ever had (full of fresh mint, which you hardly ever see anymore!)….YUM!
On the second day, we headed back to the marina for the Rusty Scupper’s Pirate Daze. The whole town seems to come out, no less, and the marina is bustling with Jack Sparrow look-a-likes. We hit the shops on one side of the street and the temporary vendors on the other- lots of interesting things for sale and the hot, fresh donuts made me drool.
We also headed up to the top of ! Grays Harbor Lighthouse is right near the condo complex and after hoofing it up the 135 steps to the top, we were able to take in the most of the area and learn some of the history of Westport at the same time. Definitely a must do if you are in the area- unless you are Laura, then you and wait for us to do it to ward off an anxiety attack from the skinny, tall staircase to the sky.
Some other highlights were scoring the that has eluded me ever since our trip to South Carolina last year. Leave it to the Red Apple Market in Westport to come through for me! YES! And believe me, I stocked up!
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Laura:
We spent a long time just letting the kids run, collecting sand dollars and playing in the surf. 
The first two days there were pretty windy, but our final day was absolutely gorgeous- sunny and calm. Our condo was wonderful- much larger than I expected and very modern and bright with all the comforts of home (and then some!). My son and I were in the king room that had a bathroom attached with a jetted tub. The kids loved the tub! The complex also had a nice (heated!) pool and play area for the kids.
Some other highlights were the pirate festival (we saw some interesting characters down there on the marina), and the dinner at the bar and grill (it was delicious!). Another great moment was when we saw two . They were obviously used to having people watching them, because they stuck around for quite a while, even while the .
I didn’t make it up the lighthouse- let’s just say that the view from the bottom of the skinny spiral staircase was enough for me! Sounds like I missed a beautiful view though.
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Leslie:
My family absolutely LOVED it at Westport. Here are some of our favorite highlights:
Drinks: Holy mother of strength, the Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill makes a great . It’s not Mexico, but this beach delicious drink will make you think you’re on vacation even if you brought some “work” with you (which you won’t do).
The Beach: The walk to the beach is the most wonderful tiny trip through tall grass. My children frolicked! As in: FROLICKED. It’s a wonderful place for an impromptu family photo shoot. The beach itself was such a highlight my daughter cried when we had to leave all the lovely soft sand.
The Condos: Wonderful comforts of home and enough room to feel like you’re getting away. I personally recommend being on the ground-floor level if you have young ones. My kiddos ran around in the while I set up lunch, etc, and enjoyed the extra space to roam and play.
Convenience: I can’t say enough that the Apple Market is just a mile away. After a few :: ahem :: necessary diaper changes, my son completely ran through all the diapers I packed. Thankfully, this “get away” isn’t so far from the things you might need from time to time like . I wrapped him up in a towel and headed to grab some more. They were even on sale.
Will we go back? YES WE WILL. It’s closer than visiting my in-Laws and the cable is better. I can’t say enough about this tiny unspoken treasure. Get in while you can before everyone finds out how amazing it is. That’s all I can say.
**Stay tuned for a chance to WIN a trip to Westport, so you can create your own memories there like we did!**
Sounds like fun ladies!
SSHHHHHhhhhh! We’ve been going to the Westport/Grayland area for 20+ years now. We have a big group we camp with. Such fun! A couple things I love:
*The Mutineer has the world’s best fish n chips. It’s a greasy spoon sort of place, but the food is amazing!
*We love Grayland State park for camping
*The 4th of July celebration is really sweet.
*Tokeland parade…it is a sight to see. If you find the right corner, the parade actually goes by twice.
*Cranberry bogs are really cool. Be sure to check those out.
*Decent casino, too.
I totally love Westport. I, too have stayed at Vacation by the Sea and love the proximity of the ocean, the bike/walking trail and the convenience of the local market. I love visiting the Marina in downtown Westport and the great ammenities at the condos (sports court, putting green, playground, and swimming pool). We love walking to the lighthouse and really love the food at the Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill. My 3 and 5 year olds daughters have been going since they were babies and we love it there. They fly kites and enjoy making sand castles, they practice balance beam on the logs, and squeal at the cool surf touching their toes. You can spend days treausre hunting looking for washed colored glass, sand dollars and beautiful shaped stones. We live in Arlington and the 3 hour drive to the coast is definitely worth the trip. If you’re looking for a staycation, this is the place. Go local!
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