Secrets of the Season

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Note: during the spring break weeks, BeachConnection.net will provide lodging availability updates, published each Thursday morning before the weekend

Travel Tips for an Oregon Coast Spring Break

Secret spot in Depoe Bay

(Oregon Coast) - With much of Oregon now officially kickin’ it and on break from school, the Oregon coast is the likeliest choice for many – and for good reason. The possibilities for fun are obvious: goofing around the sand, getting a little wet in the surf, downing the tempting grub and exploring some natural wonders.

There are also numerous treasures that aren’t obvious, and a few aspects to the coast at this time of year that are probably surprises. In essence, there’s more to spring break on the Oregon coast than meets the traveler’s eye.

Tips for the Road and the Beach

The big rule for the coast almost any time of year: take along a change of clothes or two. The weather can go up and down within minutes, which creates some unusual and memorable spectacles - but it’s a pain in the butt if you’re on a long beach walk during a spell of sunny weather and you get soaked by a sudden rainsquall because you didn’t bring your coast. Nasty.

Moody day in Cannon Beach (Goonies Rock)

Or, if you’re goofing around the sand and fall in a tide pool or a creek, you’re going to wish you’d brought along an extra pair of pants or something. This happens a lot easier than you think. Make sure you bring a coat if you’re going to wander too far from your car.

And whatever you do, make sure you bring along more than one pair of shoes and socks. It’s way too easy to get these wet – and they usually stay that way for a whole day. You’ll want to wear sandals or flip-flops for sure while bouncing around the sand.

If you’re going to explore rocky tidal areas, bring shoes that stick well and don’t slip too easy. It’s likely what you’ll be doing is some kind of climbing, at least in a minor way. Tennis shoes are best for these areas. Always be careful of extremely slippery areas on the rocks, usually found on green spots near the tide. These green areas should be a red alert for you: it’s extremely treacherous while wet. Falling on your back or head here is especially risky business, especially if you’re close to the water.

Family Fun – While Keeping the Finery

You don’t have to leave the good life behind while taking the kids to the coast. Even with the little ones, upscale and luxurious options abound.

In the ritzy resort town of Cannon Beach, near a famed Lewis & Clark landmark, Fultano's Pizza sits and emits wonderful smells of Italian cuisine. With an outdoor patio here, you can still see some of the sights available at the end of Second Street, and enjoy exceptional - even gourmet quality - cuisine at a family pizza joint price.

Fultano's delivers to local hotels, and they feature slices for lunch. There are many of the standbys, as well as gourmet varieties like the Margherita (garlic and herb olive oil, three cheeses, red onion and more), a Greek-themed specialty, a Goat Cheese pizza, and specialties with Teriyaki Chicken, Linguica, BBQ Chicken and a variety of seafood selections. One item features a distinctive sausage with mashed grapes for the sauce, providing a subtle, sweet tang. The sausage is spicy and zippy, making a nice balance to the slight sweetness.

One must-try is their pasta (about $10). They have a homemade tomato sauce that is one stunning, mother-of-all sauces, and their meatballs are a serious delicacy. Still, even with its decent wine and microbrew selection, this is a place that welcomes the kiddies nicely. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street. (503) 436-9717.

San Dune Inn, Manzanita

Drive north to Seaside, and you'll find a beach town full of things to do for children - most notably Broadway Ave., with its almost dozen arcade businesses, ice cream vendors, kooky gift shops, bumper cars and other attractions. See the Seaside Virtual tour for more.

In mysterious and moody Manzanita, the San Dune Inn provides a vast array of freebies like bikes, game equipment, popcorn and movies. It’s perfect for families or pet lovers (as they’re extremely dog friendly), and it’s a charming, slightly quirky place that’s immaculate and cozy. Stay at this charming, unassuming place just blocks from the beach and you'll find stuff for volleyball and other games suitable for the sand, as well as beach balls, bikes and simple sandcastle-making gear like buckets. www.sandune-inn-manzanita.com. 888-368-5163.

For a complete list of prime spring break vacation rentals and lodgings in Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Oceanside, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport and Yachats, click here.

Places to Go – Beaches to See

Manzanita. A large bay full of water sports possibilities, a towering mountain smothered in mystery, miles and miles of immaculate sand and a really long spit make Manzanita one non-stop tour of natural beauty. Not to mention, the tiny town itself manages to boast a large helping of culinary, lodging and shopping opportunities. All of these attractive amenities are just a short walk from the beach, should the weather turn on you.

The beach begins at the end of Laneda Ave., but another road runs along side the shore from that elbow until it dead-ends in the tree-smothered neighborhoods beneath Highway 101 and looming Neahkahnie Mountain. On the way, access to the sand is easy, with just a few steps down sandy or slightly rocky passages to this endlessly fascinating beach.

Above, on the highway, there are incredible viewpoints overlooking the ocean, Manzanita and even glimpses of Nehalem Bay. Just around the corner (just north of these viewpoints), you'll find more viewpoints, where mighty breakers slam into the rugged, ancient basalt headlands of Short Sand Beach. If things are a bit on the stormy side, keep an eye on this view into Short Sand (sometimes called Smuggler’s Cove).

The Nehalem Bay Spit runs for a couple miles to the south, with entrances at one hidden end of Manzanita, and then the main entrance to the park a mile away - just outside of the tiny town of Nehalem.

If the weather is cooperating, these viewpoints are perfect for taking in the views and the sunsets, and of course, the beaches – well, we don’t need to explain that to you, now do we?

Seal Rock. Perhaps a quarter mile of town exists here, but it contains numerous treasures. There's the famous Japanese cuisine of Yuzen, and the kids will love Sea Gulch and its wooden, chainsaw sculptures inside a mythical Old West town.

Seal Rock began its days as a budding resort town back in the last century, but various failed business deals resulted in this tiny town being surrounded by wondrous, unspoiled natural attractions. Seal Rock State Park is one large chunk of fun, with a variety of rock structures, rock-dotted sandy beaches and weird grooves made of basalt (actually geologic oddities and hints of fault lines) to climb around on.

There's one section near the tide line where the basalt rocks form a small channel that creates some unique climbing opportunities at lower tides.

If you're looking for a hidden spot around here: a tad north of the entrance to Seal Rock State Park sits a small path down to the beach. Look for Grebe St. and this access is nearby.

Secret Lincoln City Access. In a town where the beaches are all easily accessed and usually quite populated, there are virtually no hidden spots. But there is one deliciously, extremely clandestine beach access at the northern end of town - even if it doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll find yourself alone on this stretch of sand.

At the very northern end of town, between the casino and Road's End State Park, look for the sign pointing to NW 50th amidst the placid neighborhoods. Follow that to its end, where it meets NW Jetty, and you'll find an abandoned gravel "driveway" which winds its way down to the beach. Along the way, there's another tunnel-like path that looks a little like the famed Hobbit Trail (see this link), although that doesn't seem to lead anywhere.

Down on the beach, it's the only access for about half a mile in either direction. There are some interesting rock features here created by a crumbling cliff, and the sand is pristine and more than a little pleasant.

Oceanside. It doesn’t look like much at first glance. Oceanside appears to be just another wayside with a collection of homes clustered around it. But this out of the way spot, nestled up against the hills of the Tillamook Forest, is one hidden gem on the Oregon Coast, filled with a myriad of obvious and secret delights. It’s an old, rustic hamlet that smacks of another time, dripping with weather-beaten cuteness and charm – and it hides a couple of culinary wonders.

The beach here is a glorious scene, ripe with a myriad of opportunities. Maxwell Point is the stately rock structure jutting into the ocean here, with its secret tunnel to the other side, where a pristine and magnificent beach awaits.

If you've got the time, a leisurely stroll or drive through this town's tiny back streets is highly suggested. The ocean view and the neighborhood tour are nothing short of a visual kick in the head.

Travel these roads to the very top, where the panoramic perspective of the Pacific is nothing short of hair-raising. You're essentially atop the highest point in the area. You actually have to look down to see the gargantuan Three Arch Rocks.

Inn at Cannon Beach. Beautifully wooded natural setting at quiet south end of Cannon Beach. Great during winter storms with a new book by the fireplace – or when the sun is out for family fun and beach strolling. Handsome beach cottage-style architecture. Lush flowering gardens and naturalized courtyard pond. Warm, inviting guest rooms. Continental buffet breakfast. Warm Cookies. Family and Pet Friendly. Welcome gifts. Smoke-free. Complimentary Wireless Connectivity. Wine and book signing events. 800-321-6304 or 503-436-9085. Hemlock At Surfcrest, Cannon Beach, Oregon. www.atcannonbeach.com.

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