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Oregon Travel: 20 Reasons to See Spring on the Coast

(Oregon Coast) - Do you really need a list of reasons to visit the Oregon coast?

Cape Kiwanda

If statistics say anything, you probably do. Spring is a time of year with a variety of really different aspects going on, yet it’s one of the least populated times of the year on the beaches. There’s the whole “secret season,” spring break, weather phenomenon, lower than usual minus tides, lodging specials and a host of other hidden gems about these sands most people don’t know about.

If you’re not indulging in what this place has to offer this time of year, you’re seriously missing out. Here’s over 20 reasons why..

#1: The Secret Season There’s more to spring than spring break. In fact, that period after the main spring breaks, from mid April through to the end of May, is a distinctively unpopulated time with a host of interesting natural wonders that make this an unusual time of year at the coast. It’s nicknamed the “secret season,” “hidden spring” or “secret spring” – various incarnations of that, because no one ever seems to talk about it. There is a growing movement of coastal businesses that are making it a point to speak up, however.

What are the components of the “secret spring?” Read on.

Near Pacific City

#2: Fewer Crowds On top of the beautiful natural phenomenon that abound this time of year, crowds are sizably less. In some areas, like Manzanita, it’s almost a ghost town, and you can enjoy some of the most beautiful of north coast beaches in total anonymity. You're apt to find the roads and beaches almost to yourself at times. This is true even on most really nice weather weekends, where things do get a bit busier.

#3: Wild Weather Extremes March and April bring a crazed kind of weather, often switching back and forth abruptly between sunny and squalls within the same day, sometimes within a half hour. You get an interesting mix of increasingly nice days, with occasional winter-like storms still possible – periodically within the same day. May starts to calm down considerably, and you lose the big storms, but weather switch-a-roo’s still happen quite often.

You’ll want to come prepared for abrupt changes in weather, bringing along changes in clothing and jackets, in case the weather decides to turn on you.

Foamy spring storm at Cape Perpetua

#4: The Wonders of Spring Storms Spring storms can offer some wild, strange sights, especially when paired with the larger blooms of phytoplankton that happen this time of year. These are the microscopic creatures that whales and other fish eat in huge abundance. One kind, called diatoms, are responsible for the sea foam you see in the waves. Their millions of tiny skeletons combine with the air to make air bubbles in the breakers.

With more of them in the spring blooms, you then get a better chance of seeing sea foam pulling all sorts of strange stunts during the season’s storms, like moving across the highways or even flying upwards, creating the mind-boggling sight of what looks like snow going the wrong direction.

Hug Point at low tide

#5: Lower Minus Tides Some of the year’s lowest minus tides can happen in March, April and May, with May having a tendency to be the lowest. This allows greater exploration of tide pools and other sights not always visible.

This means a huge new world to discover on the coast, as a myriad of objects both alive and inanimate open up. It means a lot more than starfish.

In places like Hug Point, on the north coast, minus tides bring entire new vistas to this already remarkable beach. You can see the bottom parts of the road that was blown out of the headland in the early last century, and other mysterious rocky slabs show themselves just beneath the water. In Oceanside, on the Three Capes Tour, the landscape changes drastically in many ways. Not to mention, you can walk around Maxwell Point to get to its other side, instead of having to go through the tunnel.

#6: Lodging Prices Still Down Traditionally, lodging prices drop after Labor Day Weekend, and then stay really low throughout the winter after dropping again in the late fall. In the spring, around spring break, they start going up again, but there’s still this intermediate time where some remain at winter rates or just slightly higher.

There is no rule of thumb how much prices rise, but usually summer rates don’t kick in until June or July. Many incredible deals are still anxiously awaiting takers, as the coast is rather bereft of tourists at this time of year.

Midweek savings packages are usually still around, and some inns remain 20 to 40 percent off their summer rates.

#7: Lodging Specials Abound At the incredible resort of Bella Beach near Depoe Bay, homes sleeping anywhere from two to around 10, winter prices range from $110 to $345 a night – somewhere between 50 percent and 25 percent cheaper than the high season rates of summer. But they are offering these rates through into May. On top of these rates, guests can rent three nights for the price of two at any of these homes until May 19. That special is not valid during the spring break weeks of March 24th through April 16th, but off-season prices remain during that time. The three-for-two special resumes after April 17 and runs until May 19. Some homes are pet friendly. Hwy 101 – between Lincoln City and Depoe Bay. www.bellabeach.com. 866-994-7026.

At the pet friendly San Dune Inn in Manzanita, prices slowly edge up five dollar per month until reaching their peak in August. Two can stay for $100 per night in May, or a family of four can sleep comfortably on $110 per night. They’re super family friendly and dog friendly, with all sorts of amazing freebies, like bikes, games, videos, etc., available. Special: dogs stay free in April. 428 Dorcas Lane. www.sanduneinn.com. 503-368-5163.

In Wheeler, on the Nehalem Bay, Old Wheeler Hotel oozes beauty and romance. Winter rates are still around until the end of April. Hwy 101 and Rorvick. www.oldwheeler.com. 877-653-4683.

In Newport, the Grand Victorian B&B is a striking beauty recently built to look and feel like a time trippin' jaunt to the distance past. Indeed, a graceful elegance fills this place. They're running a special throughout April and May: rent one of the B&B rooms or their vintage vacation cottage for three consecutive nights and the fourth night is free. 105 NW Coast Street,
Newport. www.grandvictorianor.com. 503-508-4820

#8: Sweet Vacation Rental Deals in Lincoln City How does a great deal for a vacation rental in Lincoln City sound? Thanks to A1 Beach Rentals, you can get a home with one to seven bedrooms for between $50 to $135 during midweek. There are numerous amenities to be found. www.a1beachrentals.com or (503) 232-5984.

#9: Warmer Waters Thanks to the weather slowly warming up, you’re going to find the sea just a bit warmer at times. Especially in May, the calmer air and more stable spells of sunlight start to heat things up a little more. However, you’ll still find a great deal of cold water and even crazed storms in April.

#10: Dig In, It’s Clamming Season! On the north coast, razor clamming is especially hot – from Tillamook Bay northward. Areas like Rockaway, Manzanita, Cannon Beach and Seaside are excellent for obtaining the delicious little critters. All you need is the right tools and a license, purchased from any sporting goods stores.

After years of being banned, clamming has been legalized on the central Oregon coast, from Newport’s north jetty northward. “Thick sandy shorelines have something to do with great razor clamming,” said Newport geology expert Guy DiTorrice. “They like to move around, so they need real sandy locations. Our cobble-strewn beaches at most locations here do not bode well for razor clamming as much as they do for cockles and steamers.”

Velella velella

#11: Purple Sails Arrive Typically, this time of year means the occurrence of what are called “purple sails,” or velella velella, as they’re technically called. They look like small, purplish round jellyfish, with a small fin at the top. They often show up in spring or early summer, in great abundance, and usually start creating a pungent fishy smell while stranding on the beaches in such numbers. The start to arrive when the east winds kick up. Some have already been spotted on Oregon’s north coast, says a representative of the Seaside Aquarium.

#12. Wine Tasting Weekends – and Weekdays These abound with greater regularity up and down the coast, and they can be an incredible find. In Newport, Blu Cork Wine Bar offers a constant stream of vino and incredible cuisine most days of the week. Nye Beach Gallery in Newport and Cannon Beach's Wine Shack provides special wine tastings every Saturday afternoon. There is always the Flying Dutchman Winery near Depoe Bay, and the Depoe Bay Winery and Nehalem Bay Winery with tasting rooms always open.

Ancient stumps at Moolack, Newport

#13: Oddities on the Beach Agates are again found at Agate Beach in Newport, thanks to the sand-scouring action of the season’s storms. They’ve been buried beneath the sand layers all along, and haven’t been seen there in about ten years.

Lower sand levels mean the ancient, “ghost forest” stumps are visible again on beaches just north of Newport. “You can see them at Beverly Beach, at Moolack and south at Beaver Creek,” DiTorrice said. Perhaps 5000 years old or more, these are the remnants of a devastating earthquake on the Oregon coast that dropped an entire section of forest into the surf, where they did not decay normally because of the salt water. They look like small stumps in the sand, with octopus-like root systems trailing out from them.

There is a major “ghost forest” that’s visible fairly often at Neskowin, and a small patch of prehistoric stumps has been seen in Rockaway this year as well.

Beth Willis plays Roadhouse 101

#14. Explore the Coast’s Live Music Scene From bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, classical, reggae and blues to rock 'n' roll of various genres, the entire coast has a burgeoning live music scene that's actually more interesting than many places inland. The Newport Performing Arts often features the Newport Symphony Orchestra (and sometimes with locally-based celebrity David Ogden Stiers behind the baton). Find all sorts of stuff at The Yachats Commons, rock and blues at the Landmark down the street, big names in Lincoln City at Eden Hall, and more regional favorites at the Kernville Steakhouse. The San Dune in Manzanita and Lil' Bayou in Seaside carry many regional favorites as well, such as The Crackpots or Norman Sylvester.

Perhaps the big hotspot on the entire coast these days is Roadhouse 101 in Lincoln City, (formerly Kodiak Bar & Grill). A recent makeover in structure, approach and management has turned this into a nightclub that’s constantly packed, as throngs sway to blues and rock.

#15. Rain-Soaked Adventures Don't be a scaredy cat and shy from the beaches during spring squalls. It's actually more fun than you may imagine to just wander the outdoors during one of those notorious downpours. You'll have the beach to yourself and see wonders you won't normally see.

#16: Hold Your Meetings on the Coast There is also an enormous industry on the coast geared to this, and places like the Seaside Convention Center or Embarcadero in Newport or the Stephanie Inn are just the beginning. Numerous hotels, like the ones listed in the wedding planning section of this article, also have grand facilities for setting up a large gathering.

#17: Have Your Tide Pool and Eat It Too On April 29 and 30, and May 27 and 28, Lincoln City hosts "Tide Pool Edibles, a walk with chef Lee Gray, the Wild Gourmet. 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. $15 for adults; $10 for kids under 12. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Minimum class size*10 adults. Call to sign up or for more information. 541-992-3798. www.oregoncoast.org.

#18: Mutts Take Over the Beach May 20 means the Mutt Masters Mutt Olympics and Dog Show in Lincoln City. Does your dog have the longest ears? Fastest eater? Best singer? Wimpiest appearance, or better? Then enter them into the competition. 800-452-2151.

#19: 19th Annual Puffin Kite Festival In Cannon Beach It happens in conjunction with Earth Day on April 22, largely on the beach. It begins with a kite-making workshop at the Surfsand Resort, then includes a hot dog roast on the beach, an ice cream social, a re-naming of the Surfsand Mascot, and features big name kite fliers throughout the day. 800.377.4107.

#20: Indoor Attractions When the weather gets crappy, it's a perfect time to check out the myriad of manmade wonders that feature nature. Indulge in the Seaside Aquarium, Oregon Coast Aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center - the latter two are in Newport. Also in Newport, you'll find the Undersea Gardens, Wax Museum and the Ripley's Believe It Or Not. In Tillamook, get cheesy at the Tillamook Cheese Factory or check out the large variety of vintage aircraft at the Tillamook Air Museum. Fort Clatsop, near Astoria, is the closest you'll come to seeing Lewis & Clark firsthand. Down near Florence, you'll find the Sea Lion Caves and its various wonders. In many cities, like Astoria, Seaside, Tillamook, Newport and Florence, there are often more than one historical museum where you can get lost in time.

#21: Lewis & Clark Bicentennial The big party has passed, now that it’s two hundred years since Lewis & Clark left Fort Clatsop. But the celebration goes on, with the replica returning to the fort, after being rebuilt (the original burned this November).

The group arrived in November of 1805 and stayed around the Oregon and Washington coastal region until March of 1806, creating all sorts of historical moments. You can still witness the greatness at Fort Clatsop, the trail over Tillamook Head (between Seaside and Cannon Beach), the salt cairn at Seaside and other spots around the north coast and southern Washington coast. www.destinationthepacific.com.

#22: Get Hitched on the Coast Weddings take on a whole new dimension of when done on our shoreline. Try a spring wedding inside the Oregon Coast Aquarium, especially in its 360-degree view tube known as "Passages of the Deep," as sharks and stingrays swim around you. Get married in the Heceta Head Lighthouse. Many large hotels provide perfect facilities for ceremonies, receptions or whatever, like Embarcadero in Newport or The Ocean Lodge in Cannon Beach. Lincoln City provides some extensive information in a booklet and on their website, www.oregoncoast.org.

#23: Seaside Wine Walk May 13: The spring version of the now twice-yearly event features wine tastings and special events all over Seaside, but especially in the beautiful, atmospheric Gilbert District. (503) 717-1914. www.seasidedowntown.com.

#24: Memorial Weekend Wine Tour Every Memorial Day Weekend, almost all the Willamette Valley-area wineries go nuts with one gigantic weekend of wine tours, tasting, entertainment, food and other surprises. It features over 100 wineries, stretching from the Portland area into Yamhill County area, and down to wineries around Corvallis and Eugene. www.willamettewines.com. (503) 646-2985.

BREATHTAKING CLIFFTOP IN NEWPORT

STARFISH POINT is located on the Central Oregon Coast - in Newport - and offers only the finest in luxury condominium lodging. At Starfish Point, every unit is focused on the beauty of the sea and the beach.
All of the units boast two bedrooms, two bathrooms, designer kitchens, wireless broadband Internet, fireplaces, Jacuzzi’s and private decks - surrounding you in soothing relaxation. We have a friendly staff dedicated to high quality and superb customer service. 140 NW 48th Street, Newport. (541) 265-3751. (800) 870-7795. www.starfishpoint.com

FALL IN LOVE W/ ITALIAN CUISINE AGAIN

FULTANO'S PIZZA CANNON BEACH. Stunning gourmet-style Italian food at a family pizza joint price. Lots of regular pizza and calzone selections, but also including some wild innovations. Their pasta sauce is simply amazing. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. (503) 436-9717. Read the story here.