Tokeland, WA

Sitting on a quiet spit of land jutting into Willapa Bay, Tokeland is a tiny coastal community with a relaxed, salty charm. Named after Chief Toke of the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, the town is home to around 150 year-round residents and the historic Tokeland Hotel, the state's oldest operating inn. Day-to-day life revolves around the water, where a small commercial fleet heads out for fresh Dungeness crab. The Shoalwater Bay Tribe provides essential local services, including a health clinic, market, and restaurant. Community life is simple and unhurried, marked by peaceful bay views, a working marina, and local traditions like the annual Woodfest and Fourth of July parade.