Meet the bay
Begin inside our historic oyster building with the tides, ecology and long story of shellfish farming in Willapa Bay.
Oysterville Sea Farms · A Willapa Wild experience
Walk
the beds
Get your boots muddy. Learn how oysters grow. Then shuck and taste Willapa Bay.
90 minutes ✦ Working oyster farm ✦ Hands-on shucking ✦ Family-friendly
This is not a tour from the shore
Come walk the farm with us.
The tide goes out. The farm appears. We pull on boots and walk straight into the working life of Willapa Bay.
No boat. No viewing platform. Just oysters, mud, eelgrass, burrowing shrimp, a historic oyster building and the people who work here.
Fair warning
You may come for the oysters and leave talking about eelgrass, burrowing shrimp and tides.
That happens a lot.
How it goes
Four parts. No canned speech.
Ask everything. Why oysters taste different. How off-bottom farming works. Whether the “R” month rule is real. What it is like to live here. We will get into it.
Walk the beds
Cover about half a mile of working tidal ground and see how oysters grow where the farm’s work happens.
Follow the oyster
Visit the production room and see how oysters are cleaned, sorted, handled and prepared for market.
Shuck and taste
Learn to open an oyster safely, then enjoy a generous raw-oyster tasting at our licensed farm facility.
Old building. Living farm.
History, with mud on its boots.
Our oyster building is the only oyster building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also part of an active oyster-farming operation today.
Your host is the farm owner or an experienced member of the Oysterville Sea Farms team. Expect stories, opinions and very direct answers.
Come ready for the bay
Before you book
Walking: Approximately half a mile over relatively flat, natural ground that may be wet, muddy, slippery or uneven.
Mobility: Most of the farm facility is accessible. The oyster-bed walk is not suitable for wheelchairs or walkers. Guests may skip that portion and rejoin the group afterward.
Clothing: Wear layers and rain gear. Coastal conditions can change quickly.
Children: Families are welcome. Children must remain supervised and safely complete the route in properly fitting boots.
Food safety: No oysters are harvested or shucked on the beds. The shucking lesson and raw-oyster tasting take place at the licensed farm facility.
Bring your own group
Make the farm yours for the tour.
Private departures are available for families, reunions, culinary groups and organized tours. Tide-dependent scheduling. Up to 30 total participants.
Good questions
Know before you go
Do we harvest oysters on the beds?
No. Guests observe the working beds, but harvesting and shucking do not occur there. The shucking lesson and tasting take place back at the licensed farm facility.
Are oysters included?
Yes. The tour concludes with a hands-on shucking lesson and a generous raw-oyster tasting.
Are children welcome?
Yes. Children under six attend free, ages 6–12 are half price, and children must remain supervised. Anyone walking the beds must safely complete the route in properly fitting waterproof boots.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Most of the facility is ADA accessible. The oyster-bed walk is not suitable for wheelchairs or walkers because it crosses natural tidal terrain.
What boots should I wear?
Wear waterproof, mid-calf Wellington or muck boots. Approximately 20 rental pairs are available in women’s size 6 through men’s size 13 for $5 plus tax. Reserve your size during checkout because availability cannot be guaranteed otherwise.
Can I cancel or reschedule?
You may cancel or reschedule through the “Modify booking” link in your confirmation email until 12 hours before departure. No-shows are nonrefundable.
Where is Oysterville Sea Farms?
We are on First Street in historic Oysterville, Washington, on the Long Beach Peninsula overlooking Willapa Bay.
The tide is waiting
Walk the beds. Meet the farm. Taste the bay.
Return to the booking section at the top of this page to choose an available tide-dependent departure.
See dates and book