A couple of hours before low tide on weekends during razor clam season (Dec 4–5 and Dec 31–Jan 1; funbeach.com), everyone gathers to pull meaty bivalves from the sand. Buy a license (from $7.40), a clam gun (from $12), and an inexpensive net or bucket at the Dennis Company (201 Pacific Ave. N., Long Beach; 360/642-3166), and join in. Then take your haul to the Sportsmen’s Cannery (1215 35th St., Seaview; 360/642-2335), a weather-beaten shed festooned with fishing nets and foam floats. For $9, owner Tina Ward (decked in jeans and a “Can Ya Dig It?” hoodie) will clean and vacuum-pack your catch. Arrive empty-handed, and she’ll sell you tuna or salmon, packed fresh from local trawlers.
Also, don’t miss a sunset stroll along artist Maya Lin’s stone-plank path in Cape Disappointment State Park. The Boardwalk (pictured), part of her Confluence Project, leads to Waikiki Beach, a rocky cove overlooking the crashing surf.