This September, I took a weekend trip to see lighthouses and landmarks on the Washington and the Oregon coasts. The weather was perfect and the crowds were sparse.

Our first stop was Cape Disappointment Lighthouse, located on the Long Beach Peninsula. We enjoyed it from a viewpoint, opting out of a hike to see it close-up. We met a friendly guy who told us about green flashes, something I’d never heard of before.

Our next stop was North Head Lighthouse, just a short drive away. This lighthouse felt more secluded, and at sunset, we were the only visitors. The light was fading as we walked toward the lighthouse. Unfortunately, the path was full of slugs that blended in with the cement. It was a challenge tiptoeing around them!

Since it was a sunny day, we were hoping to catch a beautiful sunset at North Head. Once we arrived, however, the clouds had covered up any sign of a clear sky. It was still an amazing view, especially when the light in the lighthouse came on.

The next day, we visited the shipwreck of Peter Iredale, the remains of a ship wrecked on shore in 1906. We pondered why no one got rid of it. According to the Wikipedia entry, the ship became embedded in the sand after weeks of sitting there, so it was sold for scrap. The leftover ship is interesting to see in person, but in truth, the photographs I saw before going were more impressive.

At Cannon Beach, we found a restaurant with a view and enjoyed some local seafood. Again, we were lucky… our seats gave us an amazing view of Haystack Rock (without trudging through sand in the sun)!