Seaview

If you’re looking for standard motel accommodations, there are plenty of places along the peninsula, including the immaculately maintained Coho Motel (3701 Pacific Hwy., Seaview, 360/642-2531 or 800/681-8153, $45–80 s or d), which provides simple motel rooms with kitchenettes available.

But if you want a friendly place with a funky sense of nostalgia, character, and charm, look no farther than Seaview’s Sou’wester Lodge (38th Pl., 360/642-2542, www.souwesterlodge.com [1]). Here, literary owners Leonard and Miriam Atkins have created a rustic and offbeat haven for those who appreciate simple comforts. The accommodations include “Bed and Make Your Own Damn Breakfast” rooms in the stately three-story lodge ($119–199 d) built in 1892 as a summer estate by Henry Winslow Corbett, a wealthy timber baron, banker, and U.S. senator from Oregon.

Outside are weathered beach cottages ($129–139 d) furnished in “early Salvation Army” decor, and even a hodgepodge of 1950s-era trailers ($69–179 d). Tent and RV space are also available. Artists and writers often “book in” for months at a time, relaxing in this cozy and informal lodge. On many Saturday nights, the sitting room comes to life with lectures, concerts, or poetry. You’re likely to find everything from chamber music to discussions on Sufism.

The oldest continuously used lodging in Washington, Seaview’s acclaimed
Shelburne Inn (4415 Pacific Way, 360/642-2442 or 800/466-1896, www.shelburneinn.com [2], $139–199 d) sits within an elegant 1896 Victorian building. The inn is packed with tasteful antiques, stained-glass windows (from an old English church), and original artwork. TVs would be jarring in such a quaint little place, so don’t expect to tune in during your stay. A full country breakfast is included; for many, it’s the highlight of their stay. The inn is, however, located just a few feet from busy Pacific Highway, and roadside rooms can be quite noisy. Also beware of the ghost who is rumored to wander the third floor some nights.