Yes, I agree that southern Washington beaches are ticky-tacky.
And Hwy 105 has few ocean views and many beach houses.
But there are nice stretches along Grays Harbor -
And especially nice views of the entrance to Willapa Bay.
In fact - the stretch along Willapa is about as close to salt water as you get in Wash.

And Hwy 4 from Naselle thru Skamokawa to Cathlamet and the ferry crossing -
offers a sense of western Washington from fifty or more years ago.
Steamboat Slough Road, although short, has spectacular views of the Columbia.

Way, way better than Astoria to Seaside.
It's all relative - ain't it?

BTW - the OP is from Utah so he may not have many duck feathers - esp. at the beginning of a trip.