By Melissa Voelker
Ocean Shores is a vacation and
resort town that is home to around 1,000 permanent residents and host to thousands of visitors every year. Located directly on the Pacific Coast, Ocean Shores offers a variety of activities, including horseback riding on the
beach, go-karts and bumper boats and cars at the family fun center, and an Interpretive Center for those wishing to gain some education while on vacation in Ocean Shores.
Glow Rock and Bowl
Shores Bowl delivers with not only regular bowling but also its special "Glow Rock and Bowl" on Friday and Saturday nights. At these times you can get special pricing on games and shoe rentals, and it all happens to a lively rock 'n' roll soundtrack under bright black lights. A snack bar and lounge offer food and drinks, Karaoke happens often on the weekends, and billiards, darts and shuffleboard are available for adults.
Shores Bowl
125 W. Chance Ala Mer
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
(360) 289-9536
shoresbowl.com
Horseback Riding on the Beach
At Nan-Sea Stables you can make a reservation to join a beach ride or trail ride with one of the stable's horses or set up stabling for your own horses if you bring them along on your vacation. Nan-Sea has its own stretch of beach available for rides, and offer a summer day camp for children interested in learning how to take care of horses as well as how to ride them.
Nan-Sea Stables
255 State Route 115
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
(360) 289-0194
horseplanet.com (Nan-Sea Stables home page)
Go-Kart Racing and Bumper Boats
BJ's Family Fun Center offers go-karts, bumper cars and bumper boats, as well as a special area designed for large-scale water balloon fights. The arcade is open daily for those looking to play some video games, and the Ferris wheel can take you on a ride through the sky. When lunchtime rolls around the on-site ice-cream parlor also provides pizza and other snacks. BJ's opens at 10 a.m, everyday during the summer, though hours may change during the off-season.
BJ's Family Fun Center
752 Point Brown
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360-289-2702
bjsfuncenter.com
Ocean Shores Interpretive Center
The Ocean Shores Interpretive Center seeks to educate and inform visitors about the area. A series of exhibits and programs detail the history of the town and teach about local wildlife. Different rooms cover different topics, including Native Americans, geology, mammals and shellfish. For children a "junior naturalist" program teaches about the local habitat and offers a special badge to those that complete the course. The Interpretive Center is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer season and on the weekends during the winter months.
Ocean Shores Interpretive Center
1033 Catala Ave SE
Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360-289-4617
oceanshoresinterpretivecenter.com
About the Author:
Melissa Voelker has been a professional writer since 2002. She works full time at a TV station in the commercial traffic department and also writes for Paperbackreader.com and Pinkraygun.com. Her articles have appeared in "Listen," "The Spokesman Review" and "Freepress Houston."
