Skip to content

Visit Long Beach, Washington

Trek south to see the Asian New Year Celebration at the World Kite Museum.

By Patrick Hutchison January 13, 2012

0212roadtrip_0

This article originally appeared in the February 2012 issue of Seattle magazine.

WHERE: Long Beach, Washington.

WHY: For the Asian New Year Celebration at the World Kite Museum (303 Sid Snyder Drive; 360.642.4020; kitefestival.com).

This year’s event centers on the vibrant culture of Bali, with colorful handmade kites and other exhibits from the Indonesian island.

BYO KITE: Walk down to the blustery beach for dramatic scenery and thrilling kite-flying weather.

SIDE TRIP: Don a parka, grab your binoculars and drive five miles down the coast to the North Head Lighthouse, where you can scan the water for gray whales as they migrate from the Arctic to Baja, California. From here, you can also explore Cape Disappointment State Park, which surrounds the lighthouse and belies its own name.

GETTING THERE: Take Interstate 5 south and merge onto U.S. Highway 101 south in Olympia before following signs to the coast and Long Beach.

 

Follow Us

A Lighthouse Stay on Bellingham Bay

A Lighthouse Stay on Bellingham Bay

Hotel Bellwether’s refreshed waterfront stay, dapper lobby dog, and scenic route north turn the short drive from Seattle into a real getaway.

The first sign that Bellingham was going to feel farther away than it is came in Edison, over a rich, flaky pastry. Earlier this spring, I was invited to stay at Hotel Bellwether, and my friend and I headed north from Seattle, a roughly 90-mile drive that usually takes about an hour and a half…

Five Lesser-Known Washington State Parks for Spring and Summer

Five Lesser-Known Washington State Parks for Spring and Summer

From Hood Canal beaches to Blue Mountain wildflowers, these quieter parks give warmer weekends some breathing room.

As the outdoor season gets going, many of us, myself included, tend to gravitate toward Washington’s national parks and a handful of the state’s most popular trails. There’s no arguing that they’re pretty spectacular. However, we also know that summer crowds are an issue and detract from the very reason we went in the first…

The Warmest Welcome: Why You Should Visit the Tri-Cities This Year

The Warmest Welcome: Why You Should Visit the Tri-Cities This Year

Just a few hours away from Seattle, this robust community offers great wine, a budding food scene, and more than 300 days of sun.

There is a point, when I’m traveling along Interstate 82 (I-82), somewhere around Exit 26, when I usually notice a shift in the light—especially in the wintertime. Coming out from the pass and heading south to leave the flat, cloud-shrouded gray of Western Washington behind, I feel a burst of happiness at the blue skies…

Paint Check: Select Alaska Airlines Planes Get a Fresh Look

Paint Check: Select Alaska Airlines Planes Get a Fresh Look

The local aviation company debuts a bold Aurora Borealis-inspired livery as it expands internationally.

At the beginning of the year, Alaska Airlines unveiled its new global livery: a bold design inspired by the Aurora Borealis. Painted in a palette of deep blues and shimmering emerald greens, the sleek look is a nod to Alaska Airlines’ continued addition of international destinations, which will expand to London, Rome, and Reykjavik by…