Stretching 28 miles, the Long Beach peninsula really is long and is known locally as "the world's longest beach." When you drive on to the beach, (yes, drive) and park your car, all you can see for miles in either direction is sandy beach and crashing waves.  Long Beach is a short two-and-a-half hour scenic drive from Joint Base Lewis-McChord. If you head over on a Friday after work, you can catch the stunning sunset from Hwy. 101 on the drive around Willapa Bay.

Plan Your Visit:  Take some time to plan your visit.  The Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau's website, funbeach.com, has information about everything you need to explore towns on the peninsula and surrounding areas. The bureau runs a visitors center, located on the corner right when you come onto the peninsula, that has loads of great brochures and friendly volunteers who love to share fun things to do at the beach.

Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 3914 Pacific Way, Seaview, 800.451.2542, funbeach.com

Where to Stay:  The Breakers is a perfect option for both families and couples.  One of the larger resorts on the beach, it has single rooms and one- or two-bedroom condos. The resort is situated on 24 acres of beachfront property. It is very well maintained and offers many amenities and thoughtful touches like an indoor pool, outdoor hot tub, volleyball and basketball courts. Insider tip: Beach cruisers are available at the front desk for use on the Discovery Trail, which runs south from the resort parallel to the beach.

The Breakers, open daily, 210 26th St. NW, Long Beach, 360.642.4414, breakerslongbeach.com

Where to Eat:  The Long Beach peninsula is known for its Northwest regional cuisine. Fresh seafood, cranberries and locally grown produce abound and are used liberally in the local restaurants. Our visit included family friendly places and one special couple's night out.

For a quick breakfast, check out Cottage Bakery. You can order breakfast sandwiches, but what shines is the cottage's bakery - it has the largest selection of pastries, donuts, bagels and cookies I have ever seen in a bakery. The pastries are fresh and flaky while the donuts are sweet and doughy.  

Cottage Bakery, open daily, 4 a.m. to 7 p.m., 118 Pacific Ave. S., Long Beach, 360.642.4441

Family friendly Lost Roo is a sports bar and restaurant with a great mix of kid-friendly food and a fresh take on pub fare. Insider tip: I had the Dungeness Crab Melt, and it ranks in my top 10 best seafood dishes. It features a huge mound of crab on grilled focaccia bread spread with a shallot cream cheese and topped with Tillamook cheddar and lightly broiled to melt the cheese. Well worth the stop.

Lost Roo, open daily, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.,1700 Pacific Ave., Long Beach, 360.642.4329, lostroo.com

The 42nd Street Café & Bistro is known for its gourmet comfort food, and it's also a good location for a couple's night out. Owners Blaine and Cherie Walker have a way of taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. Fresh local ingredients, real butter and a hint of New Orleans blended with Pacific Northwest cuisine make this a very special culinary adventure. A prime example is the Dungeness Crab Beignets, which takes on a New Orleans favorite and pairs it with local crab and a Creole-spiced apricot marmalade, all drizzled with a high-quality balsamic vinegar reduction.  It was divine. Insider tip: Make sure to try Blaine's hand-crafted cocktails; they're perfectly blended with unique flavors and house-made elixirs like simple syrup and cherrycello.

42nd Street Café & Bistro, open Wednesday-Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30-8:30 p.m., 4201 Pacific Way, Seaview, 360.642.2323, 42ndstreetcafe.com

Look for part two of a "Weekend Getaway to Long Beach" next week, and learn about all the fun activities Long Beach has to offer.