Tag Archives: day trip

Drive from Portland to the Oregon Coast

30 Friday Nov 2012

Posted by in Seaside, Tillamook

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The Oregon North Coast is the perfect day trip destination or weekend getaway location for the residents of the Greater Portland Area. The beach is only about 1 hour and 30 minutes away and there is activities for everyone regardless of the kinds of things you enjoy to do.

Going to the Oregon north coast towns of Tillamook, Garibaldi, Rockaway Beach, Canon Beach, Seaside, Astoria, Manzanita, and many other great spots along the North Coast are excellent destinations for a weekend trip from Portland, Or. Travel west on Highway 26 and either stay on HWY 26 all the way to the Oregon Coast Highway that runs north and south or take the exit for HWY 6 near Banks, Oregon and go along the Wilson river to Tillamook, Or. Plan a trip to visit the Oregon Coast to go for walks on long beaches,agate and shell searching, shop at the antique and boutique shops, or go fishing and crabbing in the rivers, bay, and Pacific ocean or just spend a day looking at various sites the Oregon beaches and towns along the coast have all kinds of thing to enjoy.

View from Wilson River Road

View off the Wilson River Highway on the way to the coast

Traveling Directions from Portland to Tillamook

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Traveling Directions from Portland to Seaside

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Visit Historic Newport Oregon

16 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Newport

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Historic Newport, on the central Oregon Coast, is a small town of just over 10,000 people. It stretches along the coast between two historic lighthouses: Yaquina Head Lighthouse at the north and Yaquina Bay Lighthouse at the south end of town. It is one of the older towns in Oregon establishing a post office in 1868.

The establishment of Newport owes a great deal to the oyster. In 1852, the schooner “Juliet” was driven aground by storms. The captain and crew spent two months in the Yaquina Bay area. They were the first to spread the word about the plentiful oysters in Yaquina Bay. By 1863, two companies were shipping oysters from the bay. Today oysters are farmed in Yaquina Bay and shipped worldwide.

Lincoln County Historical Society was formed in 1948 to preserve the history of the area. The group cares for two historic buildings, Burrows House Museum is a Queen-Anne style house built in 1895, and the Log Cabin Museum which displays the Society’s collection of over 40,000 artifacts either made of used in the county between 1850, and the present.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport is more than just an aquarium. It has over 5,000 marine animals, but is also home to birds, California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, and Sea Otters. Exhibits at the Oregon Coast Aquarium are known internationally for their quality.

The Aquarium plays an active role in conservation and animal rehabilitation efforts. Currently it has some unusual guests. First a green sea turtle was found on Moolack Beach suffering from hypothermia. No one knows why it came to visit the Oregon Coast from its tropical home, but the waters off Oregon’s coast were not kind to it. The turtle’s body temperature had dropped to 58 degrees down from its normal of 72 to 82 degrees.

Next, evidence indicates that a pair of snowy plovers became lunch for a fox. Monitors from the aquarium rescued the three eggs left in their nest in the Bandon State Natural Area. The first eggs was already hatching, a second hatched in the trip to the aquarium and the third a few hours later.

If you visit the Hatfield Marine Science Center you will be greeted by the current octopus in residence.
Explore the four tidepool tanks, which house sea anemone, sea urchins, skates, and sea stars. Visitors are encouraged to reach in and touch the living marine organisms!

The historic bay front is an eclectic group of businesses. There are gift shops and art galleries, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, and Wax Works Museum. As you walk along the bay, you may see sea lions in the water and sometimes up on the boardwalk with you. Newport is home to Oregon’s largest fishing fleet. You can go deep sea fishing of take a whale watching trip.
Article written by Mary Boyer

No visit to Newport can be complete without stopping at the original Mo’s for a bowl of clam chowder.

For more information about the city of Newport, Oregon check out these additional resources.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2012/06/snowy_plover_chicks_after_fox.html
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/06/tropical_turtle_found_on_orego.html
http://www.oregonoyster.com
http://www.el.com/to/newport/

Seaside, Oregon Fun Family Destination on the Oregon Coast

15 Sunday Jul 2012

Posted by in Seaside

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Seaside Oregon is one of the more popular beaches alone the Oregon coast. Beginning in 2005, on the first Saturday of each month the art galleries, restaurants, and shops of Seaside have welcomed artists, authors, and musicians. From 5 to 8 pm participating businesses provide space for the artists and goodies for the visitors. You can get a map of the walk at participating businesses, the Seaside Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, or download one from the internet.

Why not come on Friday night and enjoy the area and return home on Sunday? There are dozens of hotels/motels, condo and lodges, Bed and Breakfasts, and vacation home rentals depending on your preferences. Be sure to make a reservation, since this popular area can sometimes be booked up.

The promenade along the beach in Seaside is unique on the Oregon Coast. Walking along the promenade you will see beautiful views of the ocean and Tillamook Head. There is a circle for cars to turn around at about the center of the promenade that has a bronze statue of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Seaman in the center.

History buffs will enjoy visiting the Saltworks, a National Historic Site where Lewis and Clark made salt. The oven that they used is still there. The Butterfield Cottage was built as a beach house for a jeweler from Portland in 1893. It was occupied as a home until 1958 when it became a millinery shop. It became a museum in 1984. Currently it is decorated to represent what it might have looked like in 1912.

Seaside Aquarium is a delightful place to spend some time. As you approach the building you are greeted by the skeleton of 35-foot skeleton of a Gray Whale. Inside the main attraction are the ten seals that make their home here. The oldest of the seals was born in 1983! The youngest was born in 2011. Children in particular enjoy the seals enthusiasm as the splash and bark in hopes of getting a piece of fish. The aquarium also includes a touching pool and other exhibits.

If you make it to the beach, you’ll discover that this is a wonderful place to fly a kite. The coastal winds make this a great place for kite flying, even if you’ve never tried it before. Seaside is one of the best places on the Oregon and Washington Coasts for surfing. All the gear you might need is for rent nearby.

Visit the Carousel Mall and ride one, or several, of the animals on the carousel. The animals are replicas of the animals at the San Francisco Carousel Museum. Among the favorites are a seahorse, a rabbit, a pink ostrich, and of course a pony.

Funland is a great arcade for the kids to enjoy playing a few video games or rolling a few rounds of skeeball for tickets and prizes.

As you can see, there is a lot to do in Seaside. You could not begin to do it all in only a day, or even a weekend.
Article written by Mary Boyer

A few resources to find out more about Seaside, Oregon include:

http://www.beachconnection.net/news/augas071212_408.php

http://www.seasidechamber.com./#

http://www.seasideor.com/item.asp?iid=484

Sea Lion Caves – Florence, Oregon – Day Trip

10 Tuesday Jul 2012

Posted by in Oregon Coast Treasure

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The Oregon Sea Lion Caves located in Florence near the southern beaches of Oregon are a great family fun destination.  They are certainly one an Oregon coast treasure and should be on any Oregonian’s day trip list of places to go along the coast.  The caves are an inexpensive outdoor activity only costing $12 for adults and kids are $8.  In order to get to the best viewing areas you will be required to walk down and back up a hill about 400 yards.

The spring and summer seasons are a great time to see the sea lions out and about on the rocky ledges outside of the cave and during the fall and winter they are more likely to be found within the cave making the sea lion caves an excellent choice for Oregonians looking to enjoy the beautiful summer weather and an activity that can still be enjoyed during the rainy winters.  The caves open at 8:30 in the morning and close at 7PM in the evening.  More information can be found on the website for the sea lion caves.


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Hug Point – Day Trip Destination South of Cannon Beach

15 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in Outdoor Location

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If you are staying in Cannon Beach or Arch Cape on the Oregon North Coast and the tide is going to be a low tide than venturing south to Hug Point an Oregon Parks and Recreation park.(check the tide tables) The area is called Hug Point because the trail that stage coaches travelled along the coast going North passed and the trail is carved into the rocks with the ruts made by the coming and goings of the coaches. If heading out to the point be cautious of the tide as it can come in quick and fast and leave you stranded up on the rocks.

If you go to Hug Point on a high tide it is less impressive and you are unable to view the historic trail markings that will be covered by the crashing waves. There is still a large beach which is covered with stones that can be walked along looking for random beach artifacts from shells and debris that has washed ashore. More can be found out about this great day trip destination along the Oregon coast at the Hug Point Recreation Site.


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