May in Westport:
Memorial Day, Sweet Roots, and Sea Bird Beginnings
May has a way of waking Westport back up.
The marina gets a little busier. Cars roll in with beach bags, sweatshirts, coolers, kids, dogs, grandparents, and at least one person who packed for three climates because, honestly, it’s the Washington coast.
The gulls get louder, the sidewalks feel livelier, and Memorial Day weekend starts to feel like the unofficial opening bell of summer on the coast.
For Sea Bird Gifts & Candy, May is more than the start of a busy season.
It is a reminder of where this little shop came from.
Sea Bird Gifts & Candy storefront waiting for you to come in and say Hi 👋
A Little Shop With Real Roots
Sea Bird has always been one of those places that feels like Westport — friendly, colorful, a little quirky, and full of small surprises.
You might walk in looking for saltwater taffy in Westport and leave with handmade fudge, fine chocolates, a beachy gift, and a story you did not expect. Around here, that counts as a successful visit.
But before the taffy bins, the fudge case, and the shelves full of gifts, there were roots. Local roots. Family roots. Community roots.
And part of those roots belongs to Paula Bird.
Meet Paula- Owner
Meet Paula Bird, owner of Sea Bird Gifts & Candy in Westport, Washington. Locally owned since 2015, Sea Bird has become a familiar stop for candy, gifts, souvenirs, and a friendly hometown welcome. Photo by Adventuring Duo LLC.
Paula is woven into the story of Sea Bird — not just in the name, but in the feeling of the place. Her connection to Westport, her warmth, and her down-to-earth spirit helped shape the kind of shop Sea Bird became: welcoming, relaxed, and never too fancy for a laugh.
That is the part people remember.
Not just what they bought, but how the place made them feel.
Memorial Day and the Start of Summer
Memorial Day weekend means a lot of things in a coastal town.
First and most importantly, it is a time to pause and honor those who gave their lives in service. That meaning deserves its space.
It is also the weekend when families start finding their way back to the beach. People come for fishing trips, beach walks, clam chowder, fresh air, and a little wandering around town.
And somewhere in all that wandering, someone usually says:
“Let’s just stop in for a minute.”
That minute has a funny way of turning into saltwater taffy, handmade fudge, and a gift bag that crinkles all the way back to the car.
Saltwater Taffy anyone?
A colorful taffy display inside Sea Bird Gifts & Candy, where visitors can choose from a wide variety of classic and unique salt water taffy flavors in Westport, Washington. Photo by Adventuring Duo LL
The Kind of Place People Come Back To
Small shops are built one visit at a time.
A kid picking out taffy.
A grandparent buying fudge “for later.”
A local stopping in to say hello.
A visitor finding the perfect little Westport gift.
A family making the same stop every year because now it is part of the trip.
That is what Sea Bird is built on.
Yes, we love being known as a Westport candy store and Westport gift shop. We love the colorful saltwater taffy, the handmade fudge, the fine chocolates, and all the odd little treasures that make people stop and smile.
But the heart of Sea Bird has always been the people.
The locals who support small businesses. The visitors who come back year after year. The families who make Westport part of their summer story. And the roots Paula Bird helped plant, which still show up in the warmth of the shop today.
Memorial Day Blessing of the Fleet
A red rose held during Westport’s Day of Remembrance and Blessing of the Fleet, a May tradition held the Sunday before Memorial Day to honor those lost at sea and bless the fishing fleet for the season ahead. Photographed by Adventuring Duo LLC.
Come Say Hello This May
So this May, as Memorial Day weekend brings that first real taste of summer to Westport, we are feeling grateful.
Grateful for the roots of Sea Bird.
Grateful for Paula Bird.
Grateful for this little coastal community.
Grateful for every person who walks in “just to look” and leaves with taffy, fudge, or something wonderfully unnecessary.
That is part of the magic of a good beach town.
And honestly, if you can leave Westport with sandy shoes, salty air in your hair, and a bag of fudge in your hand, you are doing something right.
Sea Bird Gifts & Candy
2563 Westhaven Dr
Westport, WA 98595
Open daily, 10 AM – 5 PM
Come for the saltwater taffy. Stay for the handmade fudge. Leave with a little piece of Westport.
Open Year Round, 7 days a week!
The Sea Bird Gifts & Candy storefront in Westport, Washington, welcomes visitors year-round with coastal gifts, souvenirs, candy, and more than 60 flavors of taffy