If your summer vacation plans include a trip to the North Oregon Coast, you will want to add this fun adventure to your list of things to do…

Welcome aboard!  The one and only Oregon Coast Crawler will take you on an amazing 5 hour journey this day. Originating in Garibaldi, we make a leisurely trip up the Oregon Coast affording fantastic panoramic views of both Tillamook and Nehalem Bays. Our vintage train stops for a waterside picnic lunch and free time at Wheeler as well as an afternoon snack and beach stop in Rockaway Beach.

After our lunch stop during which we service the engine we do it all again in reverse from Wheeler, allowing for different sightseeing opportunities on the return trip. No other railroad in North America offers the range of scenery found on the Tillamook Branch Line, and no train in recent years has made it possible to experience it all behind steam power.

A minimum of three photo runbys have been scheduled and more will be added if time permits. A lunch made with local ingredients will be served at Wheeler picnic-style in the park. An open car will be part of our consist to enjoy the fresh air and unparalleled views. As this trip is limited to less than 100 passengers, we highly recommend making your reservations ASAP. Feel free to call us at 503-292-5055 if you have any questions. Click here: www.railsnw.com
for further information and online reservations.

July 24th, 2010
Garibaldi, Oregon
10am-3:30 pm
$98 per person

Half day adventure pulled by vintage steam engine
• Plenty of Photo run-bys, false starts and other fun stuff
• Beautiful Oregon Coast scenery
• Picnic lunch provided featuring local ingredients
• Free time at Wheeler and Rockaway Beach
• Highlights: Garibaldi, Barview, Ocean Lake Park, Twin Rocks, Saltair, Tillamook Beach, Rockaway, Lake Lytle, Manhattan Beach, Haddon, Brighton Beach, Wheeler

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

~ Signs of Spring on the Coast ~

Spring Break 2010 is March 20 – 28th for many School Districts in Oregon…  so if you want to pack up and head to the beach that week… hurry and reserve your vacation rental as soon as possible!

Here’s a list of some events & what’s happening on the Oregon Coast during Spring Break week:

Entire Oregon Coast

Annual Spring Whale-Watching Week ~ March 20-27th Volunteers are standing by at 26 observation sites, and they’re ready to help you spot gray whales as they migrate north along the coastline. Look for the “Whale Watch Spoken Here” signs at these locations.

Great Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup ~ March 20th at any one of over 40 beach sites from 10AM – 1PM to clear the entire Oregon coast of debris.

Lincoln City

Spring Break Sand Dollar Giveaway ~ March 20 – 28 270 Glass Floats and 200 Glass Sand Dollars on the Beach for you to find and keep! Enter to win a hand-crafted glass sand dollar at participating merchants in Lincoln City. For more information and a list of participating merchants, call 541-996-1274 or 800-452-2151.

Indoor Kite Festival and Kids Carnival at Taft High School ~ March 27 – 28th Plan on attending Oregon’s best Indoor Kite Festival in Lincoln City. Yes, it’s true. If you have the right kite and know how to do it, you can fly kites indoors without wind—and have great fun even if the weather outside is frightful! FMI 541-996-1273, 800-452-2151

Newport

The Oregon Coast Aquarium, Sea Squirts/Flock of Fledglings ~  March 22 & 23rd What’s in the Mud? (spring break special) 10:30am–12pm  Ages 2-5 with parent $15 members, $20 non-members. Investigate the mudflats and the animals that live there. Rubber boots and change of clothing is recommended. Reserve at (541) 867-3474, ext. 5301.

Blessing of the Fleet ~ March 20th It is Newport’s tradition to pray for protection at sea, bountiful catches, and peace of mind for the families at home. The Blessing is open to any and all who wish to ask for blessings on their fishing vessel, charter vessel, pleasure craft, or research vessel. Parade begins at 12:45 pm, and the Blessing at 1:00 pm on Newport’s Historic Bay Front.

Yachats

40th Annual Original Yachats Arts & Crafts Fair ~ March 20-21st The Yachats Chamber’s Original Arts & Crafts Fair is a juried arts fair. It is held in the Yachats Commons at Hwy 101 and W 4th Street. Booth spaces are available for a maximum of 70 artists, and one room is reserved for a series of art classes. This 40-year old fair is known for its quality and attracts approximately 3 to 4 thousand people.

Yachats Lions Pancake Breakfast ~ Sunday March 21st All you can eat pancakes with eggs, ham, sausage, coffee and milk. Sponsored by the Yachats Lions Club. Yachats Lions Hall, W 4th & Pontiac 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.

~Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

NW Classics~ Airplanes, Cars, Motorcycles

The Tillamook Air Museum welcomes you to its annual Fly-In/Cruise-In on Saturday July 31, 2010. Bring your classic car, hot rod, motorcycle, civilian aircraft or warbird.

The event will feature pancake breakfast, live music, beer & wine garden, food and retail vendors, hourly drawings for great prizes and plenty of family-fun activities.  The Oregon Coast beaches are nearby too, so you can plan your next beach trip around this event! Oceanside and Netarts are the closest spots to find ocean front & ocean view lodging, about a 10-15 min drive west of Tillamook.

Admission to the event is $5 per person, which includes museum admission. Registration is $5 per entry and includes admission. You may register online at www.tillamookair.com or on the day of the event. For more information, call (503) 842-1130 or visit the museum’s website.

ShareThis

Cape Blanco Fresnel Lens~ Photo by Lance & Cromwell

Cape Blanco is the last stop on our Oregon Coast Lighthouse Tour… it’s  located on the beautiful Southern Oregon Coast in the Cape Blanco State Park, 9 miles northwest of Port Orford, Oregon. There you will find the lighthouse and the Historic Hughes House open for tours from April to October.  For your lodging needs, Port Orford has a wide selection of vacation homes featuring river, lake & ocean front views.

Sitting on top of a 200 foot tall white chalky colored cliff, Cape Blanco or White Cape got its name from the early Spanish explorers. Cape Blanco lighthouse has the distinctions of being the southernmost of Oregon’s lighthouses…  the furthest point west in the state… the oldest continuously operating light in Oregon…  sits on the highest focal plane above the sea at 256 feet and…  had Oregon’s first woman keeper!

The light was proposed in 1864, and the first-order fixed (non-rotating) Fresnel lens was lit for the first time on December 20, 1870. In 1936 the original lens was replaced with a smaller, second order rotating Fresnel lens. In 1992, vandals broke into the lantern room and smashed several sections of the lens, including one of the eight bull’s-eyes. Two years later… Cape Blanco’s Fresnel lens shone again!

Cape Blanco is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  All tours are guided by trained volunteers, making your visit informative and memorable. NOTE: gates close when the final tour times are booked, about 3:15

I hope you have enjoyed our blog tour of “Lighthouses of the Oregon Coast” as much as I have.

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

Photo by~ AZ Photoguy

Our lighthouse tour for the Oregon Coast has included Tillamook Head, Cape Meares, Yaquina Head and Yaquina Bay, Heceta Head, Umpqua River and Cape Arago lighthouses.  Let’s head to Bandon Oregon to visit Coquille River Lighthouse…

Beautiful “Bandon by the Sea” offers many fine places to stay, including  beach front vacation rentals with amazing views and some of the finest golf in the world to enjoy during your visit! The lighthouse is located in Bullards Beach State Park just 2 miles north of Bandon, a family oriented park with yurts and equestrian camping too!

The historic Coquille River lighthouse  construction began in 1891 on the short 40 ft. lighthouse tower that would house the Fourth Order lens. Due to many construction delays it was finally lit on February 29, 1896 and operated for just 43 years. In 1939, it was abandoned and its duties replaced with an automated beacon. Over the years it has survived nearly being hit by the schooner “Advance” after it ran aground and was one of only 16 building left after a forest fire had destroyed most of the town. After many years of neglect the lighthouse was renovated in 1976 by the US Army Corps and the Oregon State Parks department. In honor of the Centennial Celebration, a new light was lit in the tower in 1991. The revival of the lighthouse paralleled the revival of Bandon, which is now a popular seaside destination town.

Next stop… the lighthouse at Cape Blanco

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

Photo by Lonnie R. Peck~ Bearded Elf Productions

So far… our lighthouse tour has included Tillamook Head, Cape Meares, Yaquina Head,Yaquina Bay, Heceta Head and Umpqua River lighthouses… next stop is Cape Arago lighthouse which is located between Coos Bay and North Bend.  (Currently the  lighthouse is closed to the public but you can get some great views from the Sunset Bay State Park, just south of Charleston).

This beautiful bay area also offers world-class fishing opportunities and sand dunes towering up to 500 feet,  for all of you off-road enthusiasts! A host of State and County parks are also available for camping, hiking and site-seeing… Oh, and don’t forget the ocean & beach! To accommodate your stay… here’s a vacation rental that’s perfect for a group of 10 and has extra parking for your ATV’s and boats too!

The current Cape Arago lighthouse is the third building constructed for use as a beacon. The original structure was erected in 1866, octagonal shaped and made of wrought iron, it used a lantern for its light. The next building was made of wood and erected in 1908; it also was octagonal shaped and housed a fourth order Fresnel lens. The structure of  today was built in 1934 and was made of reinforced concrete, in hopes it could better withstand the harsh coastal environment. This new tower houses the Fresnel lens from the second lighthouse. The lighthouse was automated in 1966 and although a fog horn remains, the lighthouse was decommissioned and on January 1, 2006 the light was turned off. The Coast Guard removed the Fresnel lens from the tower in 1993, and placed it on display for viewing at the Coast Guard Air Station North Bend.

Next up… Coquille River Lighthouse

~Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

Photo by Alex Vosicka

Our lighthouse tour has included the Tillamook Head, Cape Meares, Yaquina Head, Yaquina Bay and Heceta Head lighthouses. Next stop…  the Umpqua River Lighthouse, located near the beautiful Reedsport/Winchester Bay area. Lodging accommodations include a lakeside resort  featuring RV & tent camping sites, yurts, cabins and water sport activities.

During your stay in Reedsport area, drive 6 miles south to Umpqua River State Park and you’ll find the Umpqua River Lighthouse located above the entrance to Winchester Bay. The original lighthouse was built in 1857 and was located on the north spit of the river and had the unique distinction as the first lighthouse commissioned on the Oregon coast. In 1861 after the sand had eroded under it, the original lighthouse fell into the river and was rebuilt on the south side. The current structure is a 65 foot tall tower with the light sitting 165 feet above sea level. The Umpqua lighthouse uses a distinctive first order Fresnel lens that consists of 24 bulls-eyes that emit a pattern of two white flashes, followed by a red flash 24 hours a day.

While there, plan on spending some extra time and tour the Coastal History Museum adjacent the lighthouse, located in a historic US Coast Guard station. It features additional lighthouse information along with local history and US Coast guard history on the Umpqua River.

Next up is Cape Arago lighthouse located just south of the North Bend Coos Bay area….

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

Need a spine chilling Halloween Oregon Coast Adventure?

“Haunted Astoria” celebrates its second year for this annual event including… tours of local historic sites, a psychic and paranormal fair at Pier 11, a great classic scary movie at the Historic Liberty Theater, an open mic for ghost stories, a writing contest and special underground tours of the Liberty Theater and the Clatsop County Heritage Museum.

Astoria lodging accommodations include beautiful Victorian style Bed & Breakfast Inns and Hotels with awesome river views… but if you prefer ocean views… Long Beach is just across the bridge (a 10-15min drive) offering miles of sandy beach and plenty of ocean view and ocean front vacation rentals to choose from!

Here is a partial list of the haunted happenings:

Saturday, October 24 Events

• ~Haunted Astoria Tour 3-7 pm various locations
  ~Psychic & Paranormal Fair 3-7pm Pier 11 mall
  ~Film: Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds 7:30pm Liberty Theater
    and following the film:
  ~Open Mic Story Telling at 9:30pm Pier 11 Lounge

 Tour Sites

• ~Heritage Museum
  ~Liberty Theater
  ~Pier 39 – Astoria / Rogue Ales
  ~The Messenger Building at 9th and Astor

For a complete list of details of these scary events coming to Astoria Oregon for Halloween 2009 at OldOregon.com.  Shiver me timbers… see you there!

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

Heceta Head Lighthouse from HWY 101

We have started in the north and we’re working our way south… exploring the Lighthouses of the Oregon Coast. Up to this point our lighthouse tour has included Tillamook Head, Cape Meares, Yaquina Head and the Yaquina Bay lighthouses.

Our next  stop…  “Heceta Head” lighthouse, located between the cities of Yachats & Waldport which are to the north, and Florence to the south. Plenty of  ocean view vacation getaway options can be found between these cities… Yachats offers vacation rentals with views of the beautiful rocky coastline…  Waldport which is close by has beach front & bay view rentals…  Florence offers new bayfront condos…  and be sure to check out this ocean view home Heceta House  if you are traveling with a family.

Heceta Head lighthouse is located in Heceta Head State Park  in a cove, at the mouth of Cape Creek.  The park offers stunning views of the lighthouse with the Pacific Ocean in the background. You will soon see why it’s one of the most photographed lighthouses on the Oregon Coast!

The Heceta Head lighthouse was illuminated in 1894 and sits on the west side of the 1000 foot high Heceta Head.  It stands 205 feet above sea level with its light on top of a 56 foot high tower. With a first order Fresnel lens containing eight panels and 640 prisms 2 inches thick, this lighthouse has the distinction of having the strongest light on the Oregon Coast which can be seen 21 miles out to sea.

The next stop in our adventure… the “Umpqua River” lighthouse located just south of the beautiful city of Reedsport Oregon.

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse ~ Photo by Kat Kellner

So far our lighthouse tour has included Tillamook Head, Cape Meares and Yaquina Head lighthouse…  and just in time for Halloween, our next stop is thought to be haunted… Yaquina “Bay” lighthouse.  It’s only a few miles south of the Yaquina “Head” lighthouse… but if you haven’t spent the night in the area yet, here is a cozy ocean front rental for 2 (not haunted) on a private two acre parcel!

The Yaquina Bay lighthouse is located in the Bay State Recreation site on Hwy 101 at the north end of Yaquina Bay Bridge in Newport Oregon. As the second oldest lighthouse on the Oregon coast its service ran only from 1871 to 1874 when it was replaced by the nearby Yaquina Head lighthouse. The light is 161 feet above sea level and only 42 feet above the ground. Its signature light shines brightly with a steady white light from dusk till dawn. The Oregon State Parks department took over the lighthouse and with the help of many people restored this beauty to its original splendor. In 1996 with the help of the U.S. Coast Guard, the lighthouse was re-lit and is used to maintain aid to private navigation for Yaquina Bay. Its many distinctions include being the oldest structure in Newport, the only existing Oregon lighthouse with the living quarters attached and the only wooden lighthouse in Oregon that is still standing. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places… Haunted? You decide!

Now, let’s head south to Florence Oregon for our next lighthouse adventure…

~Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

ShareThis