Normally beaches are for summer, but here in Washington, they truly can be enjoyed year-round. Most notably with storm watching, an intense and awe-inspiring pastime. Adventure lovers can head over to the coast to Westport for an expansive view of storms, and they can be viewed from the town’s watch tower.

While watching the ocean is always beautiful, the best time for a real storm-watching experience is either during a storm or during a king tide. If you’re unfamiliar with the phenomenon, a king tide is an exceptionally high tide, according to the National Ocean Service.

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Tide Time has a full list of daily tide charts, with several days of over 10 feet tides in December. It’s a great resource for deciding when to make the trip for storm watching.

Upon arrival in Westport, visitors can head to the marina to check out the observation tower. It’s open air so you’ll hear all the booming sounds of the waves and likely feel some ocean spray.

As for safety, Westport notes that visitors must be cautious when approaching the tower due to “waves and debris” that may come over the rock and “rush past the tower and into the street.”

If you decide you need a break from watching the water you can always head to nearby Westhaven State Park to view the historic lighthouse, check out the dunes, and see all the greenery that the park has to offer.

So check those tides and get out there to see what power the ocean holds.

Observation Tower of the Westport Marina

Where: Westhaven Dr, Westport, WA

Information on Westport is from Westport and is accurate as of publication date.