Long Beach calls itself the world’s longest beach, but the real surprise is that you can legally drive on it
Long Beach, Washington calls itself the longest beach in the world. Whether that title actually holds up depends on who’s measuring and against what, but 28 miles of hard-packed sand is nothing to argue with, and the town backs up the claim with something most beaches don’t: you’re legally allowed to drive on it.
This stretch of the Long Beach Peninsula is treated as a state highway, speed limit included — and in a few weeks it becomes the runway for one of the country’s biggest kite festivals. Add two lighthouses guarding one of the deadliest stretches of water on the West Coast, plus a paved trail linking the whole peninsula, and there’s a real trip hiding under the novelty of beach driving.
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A beach that’s also a legal highway
Drive a car onto Long Beach and the rules of the road don’t change, just the surface under your tires. The speed limit is 25 miles per hour, ordinary traffic laws apply the same as they would on the main road through town, and that means no donuts, no reckless driving, and no detours into the dunes.
About three-quarters of the peninsula’s sand stays open to vehicles, though certain sections close to protect clam beds, so it’s worth checking current conditions before you commit to a route. Bring something with real ground clearance — four-wheel drive is strongly recommended, and soft sand doesn’t care how badly you want to reach the tide line.
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In a few weeks, the sky fills with kites
The Washington State International Kite Festival takes over Long Beach from August 17 through 23, 2026 — a full week, not just a weekend, with the beach doubling as a runway for everything from single-line stunt kites to massive show pieces that need a small crew just to get airborne.
It’s one of the largest kite festivals in the country, and it turns this quiet stretch of coastline into a genuinely different place for seven days. This is one of the best windows of the whole year to visit the peninsula, kite obsession or not.
Two lighthouses guard the ‘Graveyard of the Pacific’
The mouth of the Columbia River earned its nickname honestly — more than 2,000 ships have gone down here and over 700 people have died since the late 1700s, the result of a sandbar that turns into standing waves whenever wind fights the tide. Cape Disappointment Lighthouse went up in 1856 to warn ships off; when that alone wasn’t enough, North Head Lighthouse followed in 1898, about two miles up the coast.
The Coast Guard still trains for its most dangerous rescues here, at the National Motor Lifeboat School based out of Station Cape Disappointment — the only school in the country built specifically to teach crews how to handle heavy surf on purpose. Both lighthouses sit inside Cape Disappointment State Park, along with a WWII-era gun battery and a few coves worth the extra stop — here’s the full rundown of the park.
One trail connects the whole peninsula
The Lewis and Clark Discovery Trail runs 8.2 miles one-way, paved for nearly its entire length, linking Ilwaco to the town of Long Beach past forested bluffs, a boardwalk over Beard’s Hollow, and a long stretch of dune walking near the finish. It’s flat enough for kids and casual bikers, and it’s the only trail in Cape Disappointment State Park where bikes are actually allowed.
Park at the Beard’s Hollow trailhead and you’ll need a Discover Pass — Washington’s day-use permit for state park land — since the lot sits inside the park boundary. Skip the full trail and you’ll still catch pieces of it walking between the lighthouses and downtown.
The town itself has plenty going on beyond the beach and the trail, from fresh seafood to horseback riding on the sand — here’s the full list of what else to do in Long Beach.
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get down here, lock in your hotel before the kite festival fills up the peninsula, or skip both and book a camper van instead — Cape Disappointment’s campground sits a short walk from both lighthouses.
Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.
