Historic Gems and Must-See Places Near Vancouver WA

Planning a road trip from Vancouver, WA? Don’t miss these breathtaking Washington sights, parks and coastal gems.

On our last trip to Portland, we decided to hop over the state line and explore the Washington side as well. It’s an easy detour; the two states are separated by a river, and as soon as you cross the bridge, you find yourself in a whole new state.

The highlights of our time in Washington included visiting Mount St. Helens, an active volcano, and exploring a few beautiful lighthouses along the coast. We also stopped by several historically significant sites before crossing back into Oregon to continue our road trip.

Even though Portland was our main destination, the Washington side definitely held its own when it came to sights and attractions. It was fascinating to see all these new places just across the river.

Things to See in Southern Washington

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

After leaving Portland, we spent the night in Vancouver, Washington – not to be confused with Vancouver, Canada. The city’s main attraction is Fort Vancouver, a former British fur trading post with a rich history.

Originally, the fort traded furs shipped from England, but over time it became a bustling trading hub filled with goods from across Europe. People from all walks of life lived and worked there; from British and French Canadians to Native Hawaiian and Indigenous peoples.

Fort Vancouver sits right along the Columbia River, close to the sea, which made it an ideal spot for ships arriving with goods. The original fort was established in 1824, but nearly all of its buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1866. They were later reconstructed in the late 1960s when the site was designated as Fort Vancouver National Historic Site.

📍Location: 1001 E 5th St, Vancouver, WA 98661

The Fort Vancouver National Historic Site also includes the John McLoughling House, located in Oregon City on the Oregon side of the river, though we didn’t have time to visit it on this trip.

Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens sits in the Cascade Mountain Range, about a three-hour drive north from Portland. It’s one of the 169 active volcanoes in the United States, and youngest of them all. One of the most active of them is Kīlauea which we went to see in Hawaii few years ago.

The Cascades are lined with around 20 volcanoes, including Mount Rainier and Crater Lake, both within national parks. We’ve also visited a few other in the region before, like Medicine Lake Volcano in Lava Beds National Monument and Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Mount St. Helens famously erupted in 1980 in one of the most powerful volcanic events in U.S. history. Fifty-seven people lost their lives after refusing to evacuate. Even as we drove up the winding mountain road, we passed several homes perched in the foothills. You have to be pretty brave to live at the base of an active volcano.

In 2004, the volcano showed signs of awakening again with small earthquakes and gas emissions visible as far away as Seattle. The area was evacuated, but major eruption never came. By 2008, scientists declared that Mount St. Helens had gone back to sleep.

The drive up the mountain was absolutely beautiful when the snowy peaks glimmered in the sunlight, and the scenery was breathtaking at every turn. We stopped by the Visitor Center, explored its small museum, and took a short hike partway up the mountain. We didn’t make it all the way the snow line, but we got close enough to feel that crisp mountain air and admire the view.

📍Location: Visitor Center, 3029 Spirit Lake Hwy, Castle Rock, WA 98611

Long Beach

From Mount St. Helens, we continued our road trip west toward the coast, to Long Beach, Washington. Now, if the name sounds familiar, that’s probably because there’s also a Long Beach in California. As Californians, we couldn’t help but smile at the thought of visiting its northern namesake.

Washington’s Long Beach proudly calls itself “The World’s Longest Beach” – even though technically, it’s only the third longest in the world (the longest being in Brazil). Still, at nearly 28 miles (45 kilometers) long, there’s no denying it’s impressive!

What makes this beach especially unique is that you can actually drive on it. It’s officially designed as a Washington State Highway with a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit. We didn’t take our little rental car onto the sand, but our hotel kindly lent us bikes, so we spent the evening cycling along the shore instead. As the fog rolled in, the vast, misty beach took on mysterious, almost ghostly feel.

The town of Long Beach itself has a classic seaside charm, full of hotels, quirky souvenir shops, and small amusement park rides. But since we visited during the off-season, most of the shops were closed and the streets were quiet.

📍Location: Long Beach, 98631, WA

Cape Disappointment Light

The next morning, we set out to hike to Cape Disappointment Light, one of Washington’s most famous lighthouses. Built in 1856, this beautiful old lighthouse is still in operation today, standing and watching over the rugged coastline where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean.

Despite its gloomy name, Cape Disappointment didn’t disappoint us at all. The cape actually got its name from British fur trader John Meares, who in the late 1700s mistook the bay near the lighthouse for the mouth of the Columbia River and, realizing this error, turned back in frustration, hence the name “Disappointment”.

The area lives up to its moody reputation; it’s shrouded in fog around 106 days a year, making it one of the foggiest spots in the entire United States. No wonder many sailors once lost their way here. We, however, got lucky; the skies cleared, and we enjoyed sunshine and sweeping ocean views from the cliffs.

The trail to the lighthouse is an easy 2.5-mile (4 km) round trip, with just a bit of uphill climbing. It’s well worth the effort for the incredible views of the coast and crashing waves below.

Cape Disappointment Light is part of the Cape Disappointment State Park, which mean there are good facilities nearby; restrooms, a small shop, and a park ranger station. It’s the kind of place where history, nature, and the wild beauty of the Pacific all come together perfectly.

📍Location: Cape Disappointment Trail, Ilwaco, WA 98624

North Head Lighthouse

Just a short drive from Cape Disappointment stands another beautiful and slightly eerie lighthouse; North Head Light. It was built in 1897, after sailors complained that a single beacon wasn’t enough to guide ships safely through the fog and treacherous currents of the Pacific Northwest. Like its neighbor, this lighthouse is still in operation today.

North Head Light also comes with a haunting tale. Its first keeper, Alexander K. Pesonen, moved to the remote post with his wife, Mary, who had come to the U.S. from Ireland. After years of isolation and harsh weather, Mary’s mental health began deteriorate. In 1923, Alexander took her all the way to Portland for treatment, where she was diagnosed with depression. Sadly, the next morning, Mary disappeared during her morning walk. Her coat was later found on a cliff edge, and her body recovered below before the sea could take it.

Locals say that “Melancholy Mary” still lingers at the lighthouse, her spirit forever watching the waves. The story has even caught national attention and the site was featured on Ghost Adventures.

When we visited, the North Head Lighthouse was under restoration, surrounded by scaffolding but still remarkably beautiful against the ocean backdrop. Standing there, it was easy to imagine the kind of solitude and power, life must have held for those who once lived within its walls.

As much as I love lighthouses, I’m not sure I could ever live in one, especially not here surrounded by howling winds, crashing waves, and endless fog. Beautiful, yes… but haunting, too.

📍Location: N Head Lighthouse Rd, Ilwaco, WA 98624

Fort Columbia

Just a short drive from Cape Disappointment, in the small town of Chinook, sits the historic Fort Columbia, a former U.S. Army fort built between 1896 and 1904 to help protect the country’s coastline. In addition to the remains of the old fortifications, the area still has twelve original wooden buildings that were once used by the military.

Today, the site is part of Fort Columbia State Park, which features a Visitor Center and several scenic hiking trails winding through the forest and along the coast. It’s a fascinating place to wander and imagine what life must have been like for soldiers stationed there over a century ago.

📍Location: Chinook Point, Chinook, WA 98614

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Our main destination on this trip was Portland, Oregon, but we ended up exploring many of the nearby sights, including some just across the border in Washington State. We were honestly surprised by how much there was to see and do on both sided of the river.

Someday, it would be amazing to return for a road trip along the coasts of both Oregon and Washington. There’s still so much left to explore in this corner of the U.S.!

Have you ever visited Washington State?