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Three-Day Weekend Means Bonkers Oregon Coast, Despite Weather

Cannon Beach, with Ecola Creek in the foreground

(Oregon Coast) - “We’re expecting the usual happenin’ party here at the Roadhouse,” said Roadhouse 101 manager Matt Allen, a live music hotspot in Lincoln City. He’s talking about this three-day weekend on the Oregon coast that is part miserable weather and part tourism madhouse – but in a good way.

“We’re geared up for whatever the wind blows in, and from the looks of things that will be a bunch of rain-soaked guests ready to party,” Allen added.

Not quite. On Friday night, most of the visitors were damp and hard to see, in a fog so thick it makes driving a bit precarious, at least in Lincoln County. On the north coast, rain dampened the scene but not the spirits of inlanders spending the day at the beach, with the big holiday weekend bringing them out in droves. Most lodgings are reporting near or at capacity, and those heading west to the edge of the continent have jammed the roadways to the coast to create utter havoc in some spots.

Saturday, reports are coming in of massive traffic problems along the coast.

BeachConnection.net staff reported the drive from Portland to Newport unbearable in one instance. Editor Andre’ Hagestedt said it took him four hours to get to the central coast on Friday.

Yachats

“I’m full of road rage right now,” Hagestedt said. “It took an hour to get from Tigard to Newberg, which usually only takes about 15 minutes or so.”

Just outside McMinnville, near the Valley Junction area that brings Highway 22 and Highway 18 together, a crash bottlenecked traffic even further, causing a ten-minute delay.

But on the coast, Friday meant business for the hospitality world of the coastline – and they were expecting a lot of it this weekend. People are taking advantage of all three days.

In Seaside, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites manager Chris Bendickson said the place was about 80 percent full on Friday, totally full on Saturday and about 70 percent full on Sunday.

“Traffic at the hotel is light at the moment, with just a couple of walk-in reservations,” Bendickson said on Friday afternoon. “I anticipate a little heavier traffic for non-reserved room rentals. Of course with the PBL Basketball Tournament this weekend, the city of Seaside will be fairly busy.

“The phones have been busy, but mostly for Saturday night reservations.”

Traffic jam in Newport

Donna Weiss, of Weiss’ Paradise Suites in Seaside is about half booked for the weekend, which she says is equivalent to last year’s numbers.

“Weather usually is a determining factor when people are looking to come to the coast during the winter,” Weiss said. “With the heavy rains and flooding the first of the year, I think it kept some people from traveling to the beach. Now that the weather has calmed down, I have noticed a surge of calls for now through spring break.”

That seemed to be par for the course for the whole coastline. A large majority of the weekend crowds were filling up lodgings almost to capacity on Friday; Saturday is all booked up, with a good deal of visitors still begging for places to stay on that night; and Sunday seemed to be slowly filling up.

The San Dune Inn in Manzanita reflected that as well. Owner Brian Hines said his 12-room motel was about half full on Friday, maxed out for Saturday, and Sunday was at 60 percent so far. “We were booked out for Saturday by Wednesday night,” Hines said. “A ton of phone calls still looking for Saturday night primarily so far.” At about 4:15 p.m., Hines said there weren’t yet a lot of walk-ins.

San Dune Inn

“We had a really busy weekend last weekend, I guess because of Valentines Day,” said Nehalem Bay Winery manager Melissa Stetzel. “It has stretched into the week, which has been busier than normal for this time of year. So I can imagine this coming weekend will be big too.”

Nearby, at Old Wheeler Hotel, Winston Laszlo has been at capacity for a while because a wedding party snapped up all the rooms. But he sees a great deal of good vibes spread around because of Valentine’s Day this past week. “I think the fact that Valentine's Day fell in the middle of a week this year has helped,” he said. “Usually, there is only one weekend that is ‘Valentine's Weekend’ and it fills up quickly. But this year, lovers have had the option of celebrating with a romantic weekend either before or after St. Valentine’s Day.”

For one business in Seaside, things will be ice cold – and maybe lukewarm at the same time. Mike Exinger, of Zinger’s Homemade Ice Cream, expects a good crowd, but the rain can still hurt sales. “We always expect a good crowd on this weekend – lots of folks play hooky on Friday, and then take Monday off as well, since it’s a holiday,” Exinger said. “We’ll sell doubles if the sun comes out – singles and small sundaes if it rains. Looks like singles.”

Seaside from above (courtesy Seaside Helicopters)

Reports from Cannon Beach seem to indicate the town is bonkers. Barbara Dau, owner of Arch Cape House, just south of town, told BeachConnection.net on Friday she is packed for the whole weekend and the phone is still ringing off the work for rooms.

“My guests are coming back from dinner telling me there is no parking in Cannon Beach tonight. So it is not just me,” Dau said. “Did they all forget to celebrate Valentine's Day? Here, it is rainy or drizzling at one time or another. Is there a marvelous weather report that I don't know about?”

Dau said her daily wine social hour at her upscale B&B turned out especially well on Friday, with many lingering around the fireplace. “No one was in a hurry to get some where. All were feeling sociable and relaxed. Maybe just getting away after the New Year's stretch or before tax season. Beats me.”

One of the rooms at Starfish Point

In Cannon Beach, at EVOO Cooking School - more of a mini-fantasy camp for foodies - is having a “full house,” as owner Lenore Emory put it. “We have six classes scheduled and all are full,” Emory said. Altogether more than 40 people have signed up to play with food over the weekend.

Earlier on Friday, Emory reported seeing little traffic yet around Cannon Beach, but noticed plenty of people braving the rain on the beach itself. “Not many coming into retail shop, just must be nicer to stay in by the fire I think,” Emory said. “Of course many are not in town yet, still driving right now.”

Starfish Point in Newport reports being booked a long time ago as well. “Half of those are repeat guests who booked months ago,” said manager Danielle Emerick on Friday. “However, the calls are still coming in, people looking for rooms. Had 10 to 12 calls last night, another 15 today.”

Emerick said that at that time, in the early afternoon, traffic was not yet bad.

In Lincoln City, D Sands Condominium Motel manager Kevin Winters is enjoying the winter. They still had the vacancy sign up on Friday, but Saturday is full, Winters said. “There’s still rooms on Sunday,” he said on Friday night.

Siletz Bay, Lincoln City

The Starfish Manor group of lodgings in Lincoln City – which includes Starfish Manor Hotel, Nelscott Manor, Nantucket Inn, and a few vacation rental houses – almost maxed out on Friday night. Jacob Sheets, who was working the front desk Friday, said even Sunday was almost full. “As far as traffic, with Antique Week in full swing, as well as the ‘Red’ celebrations around town, this week should be packed full to the brim,” Sheets said. “The wine, champagne and roses are flowing at our properties this weekend, with many couples finding the weekend after Valentines day to be the perfect time to celebrate with their loved one, or ones.”

In Depoe Bay, Peggy Leoni said her Trollers Lodge is full Saturday, with a few rooms left for Sunday. She added this season marks a serious upturn for many on the coast, especially Lincoln County. This weekend and next – with the Newport Seafood and Wine weekend - mark the official ‘end of winter’ to us,” Leoni said. “Hooray! We actually still have a few openings for wine and seafood weekend.”

By Saturday morning, the central coast had turned to overcast skies and an intermittent drizzle. The smell of beach fires was evident around Lincoln County towns, as well as a strong odor of sea goo coming from the beaches.

Traffic has continued to be a major problem today, with one traveler reporting it took him a half hour to get from Otis to Lincoln City, which is only about five miles.

The central coast will continue to see big numbers with the Seafood & Wine Festival and Pacific City Birding & Blues happening all at the same weekend. Seaside’s Barbershop Quartet festival happens the last weekend of the month as well, bringing a bit of a surge in, just before the spring break weeks begin hitting the entire coast in the middle of March. Those weeks last through early April.

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