Discover
2016 Edition
Lincoln City A Visitors Guide
Tide Pools, Biking, Dining, Cascade Head and More!
A News-Times Publication • www.NewportNewsTimes.com
Discover
Lincoln City Publisher James Rand
Advertising Contacts Barbara Moore bmoore@newportnewstimes.com 541.265.8571 ext. 237 John Anderson janderson@newportnewstimes.com 541.265.8571 ext. 238 Teresa Barnes tbarnes@newportnewstimes.com 541-265-8571 ext.223 Kathy Wyatt kwyatt@newportnewstimes.com 541-265-8571 ext. 214 Sandee Beare sbeare@newportnewstimes.com 541-265-8571 ext. 213
Editor
Nancy Steinberg
Contributers
Nancy Steinberg Gretchen Ammerman Nancy Chase Rick Beasley Niki Price Jo-Hanna Wienert Luke Whittaker Dennis Anstine
Cover
Photo by Jo-Hanna Wienert
A Publication of the
Discover Lincoln City is published by the News-Times. All rights reserved, material may not be reprinted without written consent from the publisher. The News Times has made every effort to maintain the accuracy of information presented in the magazine, but assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. Contact Us
831 NE Avery St. Newport, OR 97365 • 541-265-8571 www.DiscoverLincolnCity.com
Photo by Jason Evans
From the Editor Not long ago, I read a magazine article about the connections between happiness and beauty (Atlantic Monthly, August 2014, in case you’re interested). The author summed up the outcome of one study of that relationship this way: “The things people were constantly surrounded by—lovely architecture, history, green spaces, cobblestone streets—had the greatest effect on their happiness. The cumulative positive effects of daily beauty worked subtly but strongly.” If beauty leads to happiness, as this article demonstrates, then happiness can be found in Lincoln City, where all kinds of beauty abound. Obviously, the beaches are stunning, and you need to explore them all (p. 32), including the shores of tranquil Devils Lake (p. 26). Tide pools contain whole spectacular and fascinating universes that change with the ebb and flow of the ocean (p. 16). The simple beauty of the perfect slice of pizza, bowl of hearty chowder, or gourmet dessert certainly lead to culinary happiness everywhere in Lincoln City (p. 12). The human-made beauty of the colorful glass spheres scattered on local beaches for the Finders Keepers program instill not just happiness, but a triumphant sense of discovery (p. 30). And natural areas such as Cascade Head (p. 10) and Siletz Bay Wildlife Refuge (p. 22) add to the beauty quotient here. So visit Lincoln City and be happy! We’ve provided all the beauty tips you need in these pages. Enjoy!
Nancy Steinberg, Editor
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Photo by Jo-Hanna Wienert
Contents Salishan at 50
pg 6
Theatre West
pg 8
Cascade Head
pg 10
Dining
pg 12
Tide Pools
pg 16
Biking
pg 18
Connie Hansen Garden
pg 20
Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
pg 22
Area Map North Lincoln City
pg 24
Area Map South Lincoln City
pg 25
Devils Lake
pg 26
Lincoln City Community Center
pg 28
Beach Glass
pg 30
Beaches
pg 32
Surfing
pg 34
Lincoln City Cultural Center
pg 36
Chinook Winds Casino
pg 38
2185 NW 101 Lincoln City
1317 NW HWY 101
4648 Hwy 101 Lincoln City
Lincoln City, OR
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Salishan at 50
Oregon’s premier coastal resort celebrates its golden anniversary by Nancy Steinberg · Photos by Jo-Hanna Wienert
All who come here will be renewed by the experience of being in the midst of giant spruces, hemlocks, firs and pines, by the sound and smell of the surf, by the sight of the cranes in the marshes and of the sandpipers on the beach. Barbara Fealy, Salishan landscape architect It’s like stumbling into your dreams. A place you know exists but you can’t find. John Storrs, Salishan architect Fifty years ago, visionary Oregon developer and philanthropist John D. Gray and his partners built that place of your dreams nestled into the central Oregon coast’s magnificent forest and overlooking Siletz Bay – Salishan Spa & Golf Resort, located in Gleneden Beach just south of Lincoln City. The resort has hosted generations of Oregonians as they’ve celebrated the special events in their lives – weddings, family reunions, business retreats, and just
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plain fun vacations. Even if you’re not staying in one of Salishan’s newly-remodeled rooms, you can explore much of what the resort has to offer and use some of their renowned facilities. You’re sure to want to make plans to stay there on your next trip to the coast. Salishan’s 250-acre property includes more than 200 luxurious guest rooms, an award-winning 18-hole golf course, a world-class spa, indoor tennis facilities, and four outstanding restaurants where you can dine on anything from sandwiches to prime rib. Looking for a quiet stretch of beach for a stroll or a bonfire? Salishan’s private beach access awaits. Interested in live music and creative cocktails? Salishan’s Attic Lounge fits the bill. For many, the Salishan experience begins at the golf course. Surrounded by towering fir and spruce of the Oregon coastal forest and the tranquil waters of Siletz bay, the top-caliber Salishan course re-designed by legend Peter Jacobsen is as magnificent as it is challenging. Start on the front nine, surrounded by old-growth trees, and play through to the links-style back nine with spectacular
pond and bay views. Relax with a meal or drink at The Grill in the clubhouse after your game, or browse the pro shop, featuring Nike apparel. Salishan’s spa is second to none. Overlooking Siletz Bay, you can feel your stress melt away as soon as you walk in the front doors. Soothing elements of wood, water, and stone surround you, both in the gorgeous interior of the spa and in the natural environment surrounding it. Whether you want a restorative body wrap, an expert massage, or a salon treatment, you’ll feel renewed, relaxed, and pampered. Be sure to arrive early for your appointment so that you can enjoy the spa’s amenities, including the newly-refurbished outdoor infinity whirlpool overlooking the bay. Guests are also invited to relax in the spa’s Hearth Room where a cozy fire always blazes and the activities of eagles, herons, seals, and fishing boats punctuate the panoramic bay view. Tennis anyone? While the weather on the Oregon coast has been known to be, let’s say, damp, it’s always court time at Salishan, where you can pick up a racquet, play a friendly match, or work with a PTA-certified pro on your game at the Salishan indoor tennis center. With three Plexipave courts and indirect lighting, you’ll have ideal conditions for tennis year-round. The Tennis Center’s indoor viewing area is perfect for watching the action below, as well as for social gatherings of all kinds. If you’ve worked up an appetite with all of these activities, Salishan’s got you covered: choose from one of their four restaurants to satisfy
every craving. The Grill in the golf pro shop, open to the public, offers casual dining for breakfast and lunch, as well as a full-service bar. Watch a sporting event on the big-screen TV near the fireplace, indulge in some of their famous guacamole, or have a drink after a round of golf. Another casual option is the Sun Room, open for three meals a day. Soups, salads, sandwiches, and Salishan’s signature wine collection are all available here, plus a hearty breakfast menu to start the day. Don’t miss anything on the menu made with their incredible smoked salmon! In Salishan’s signature dining room, Gray’s, you can cozy up to the fireplace or get a window seat for a spectacular view of Siletz Bay – either way, you’ll be treated to creative Northwest cuisine using the finest regional ingredients. Fresh, local seafood and prime steaks are the specialties here, and many patrons can’t get enough of the famous pot pies. Finally, visitors and locals love the Attic Lounge. The light bites and hand tossed pizzas are just the beginning here – throw in dazzling sunsets viewed from the deck, live music on the weekends, creative cocktails, and themed happy hours (M-F 4pm – 6pm), and you’ve got a recipe for a perfect hang-out spot. Once you’ve sampled all that Salishan has to offer, you’ll want to book one of their gorgeous guest rooms for your next trip. With allnew furnishings, expansive golf course and bay views from private balconies, and traditional Northwest interiors featuring homey fireplaces, you’ll be surrounded by the authentic Oregon coast. Check out Salishan’s room specials and package deals on their web site, and visit this iconic Oregon resort.
When You Go Salishan Spa & Golf Resort 7760 N. Highway 101, Gleneden Beach (800) 452-2300 www.salishan.com Golf Pro Shop (541) 764-3632 Spa (541) 764-4300 7
The Play’s the Thing For a fun theatrical romp, catch a show at Lincoln City’s Theatre West by Nancy Steinberg • Photos by Gretchen Ammerman
In the mood to laugh? (And who isn’t, when they’re on vacation?) You’ll find laughs aplenty at the delightful live productions put on at Theatre West, Lincoln City’s community theater located on Hwy 101 in the Nelscott district. For more than 40 years, this theater troupe with a huge heart, and talent to match, has been mounting plays, mostly farces and comedies, to entertain locals and visitors alike. It can be hard to tell who is having more fun at a Theatre West production: the cast or the audience. Stina Seeger-Gibson, President of Theatre West’s Board of Directors, weighs in on the side of the cast: “People become family when they’re in a Theatre West show. We’re very supportive and accepting, and we have a ton of fun!” Theatre West began in 1975 as a project of the local chapter of the American Association of University Women. With no permanent home at the time, the intrepid theater group performed one-acts and other light plays at any venue that would have them, including Surftides restaurant, local schools, and the old Lincoln City library. As in so many theater tales, an angel figures prominently into the story of Theater West. Jack Coyne, a Broadway actor and director, retired to the Lincoln City area with his partner, Mark LaRocque, in the late 8
1970s. The couple bought a storefront in Nelscott and turned it into Panache Antiques, which thrived in that location for about a decade. In 1986, they invited Theatre West, in which Coyne was already heavily involved, to use a part of the building as a permanent home. In 1989, Coyne donated the entire property to Theatre West, and became its first Artistic Director. Coyne died on Christmas night in 2001, the night before opening night of the last production he directed for the theater troupe, a revival of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” There are no coincidences in theater – just great stories: “That was the first show that Jack himself saw on Broadway,” commented Seeger-Gibson. Theatre West now keeps a “ghost light” lit for Coyne backstage, a form of eternal flame to memorialize the company’s patron and friend. Coyne’s ghost must be perpetually entertained, as there is constantly something happening in the Theatre West building. The troupe’s board chooses five productions to mount every season, which lean heavily toward comedies and rollicking farces. Theatre West was the first community theater company to receive the rights to produce “Lend Me a Tenor” by Ken Ludwig and “I Hate Hamlet” by Paul Rudnick. The latter, one of the company’s most
recent productions, was a big hit with audiences: A young, successful television actor is offered the opportunity to play Hamlet onstage, but there’s one problem: He hates Hamlet. His dilemma deepens with the entrance of John Barrymore’s ghost, and of course, hilarity ensues. The company has also enjoyed a warm relationship with local Tony-winning playwright, William Luce, who granted permission for excerpts of his play, The Belle of Amherst, to be performed by the troupe. Upcoming shows include the mystery farce “Death by Fatal Murder” by Peter Gordon in March, “Blame it on Beckett” by John Morogiello in May, and “Where There’s a Will There’s a Relative” by Roger Karshner this summer. All of the actors, technical staff, ushers, and others involved in Theatre West productions are strictly volunteers, mostly from the prodigiously talented local community. Newbies are always welcome to audition; Seeger-Gibson says that every production includes at least one new person, proving that the local talent well will never run dry. If out-of-towners would like to usher, they can call to volunteer and then see the show for free, a nice option if you’re planning a trip to the area. The 72-seat theater offers an intimate experience for audiences (“You can see all the actors’ facial expressions from the last row!” laughs Seeger-Gibson), but its size also means that most productions sell out. Shows run on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and the curtain always rises at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available by calling the box office at (541) 994-5663.
2016 SEASON
JUNE 22 - JULY 4
When You Go Theatre West 3536 SE Highway 101, Lincoln City (541) 994-5663 theatrewest.com
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Begin with a studio, one, two, or three bedroom condomimium. Enjoy the full-equipped kitchen or roast marshmallows at a beach campfire. Cozy up to the fireplace and enjoy satellite TV, DVDs, and WiFi.
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Northern Delights Don’t miss hiking at spectacular Cascade Head Preserve
By Gretchen Ammerman • Photos by Gretchen Ammerman and Luke Whittaker
Spot a rare silverspot butterfly, straddle the roots of a Sitka spruce, or snap a selfie with a stunning backdrop; Cascade Head Preserve is the peak location for outdoor activity near Lincoln City. More than just a place to hike, the 270-acre preserve shoulders such weighty titles as United Nations Biosphere Reserve, Nature Conservancy preservation and restoration area, and experimental forest. Thanks in large part to the management provided by the the Nature Conservancy, who’ve owned the land since the 1960s, native wildlife and plant sightings are higher than in surrounding areas, and recent reintroduction of the Oregon silverspot butterfly will soon make it one of only four places in the world to catch sight of this highly threatened species. While hiking one of the trails in the preserve, you might cross paths with elk, deer, coyote, snowshoe hare, or the Pacific giant salamander. You may be looked down upon by a bald eagle, great horned owl, northern harrier, red-tail hawk, or peregrine falcon. Or if you are the one looking down, you might get to see the endangered checkermallow or early violet, the species that the silverspot butterfly depends upon survival. Once you are done hiking, if your legs are failing and your lungs are ailing, treat yourself to a guilt free ale at the Pelican Pub in Pacific City. Proceeds from sales of Silverspot IPA, which can also be found in select stores throughout the county, go the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, where silverspots are raised for release. As the (hopefully one day) popular saying goes, “Drink a beer, save a butterfly.”
Nature Conservancy Trail
Open year round, this 4.2-mile round-trip hike is considered intermediate, but don’t let that fool you; you’ll gain 1,200 feet of elevation to reach the top. Before you get there, you will pop out from the forest into a meadow with views across the Salmon River estuary, where on a clear day you can see Cape Foulweather and Devils Lake. The path then steepens for the climb to the upper view and turnaround point. 10
There is no parking at the trail head; instead, you are asked to park at Knight Park, where, on the plus side, bathrooms are available. To reach it, turn left off of Hwy 101 just north of the Salmon River onto Three Rocks Road and continue until you see a large parking area and boat ramp. There are good signs heading from the lot to the official trail head, but make sure to take a minute to remember which way to turn on the way back, as there is no sign at the foot of the official trail pointing the way back to the path to Knight Park.
Hart’s Cove Trail
Open from July 15 until December 31, this very popular roughly 5.4 mile round trip trail drops about 900 feet on the way to the turnaround point. Although part of the area has been logged, as you head toward the coast older trees, some more than 250 years old, become more plentiful. The end of the main trail opens out to a large meadow, then circles back to the south a bit to reach a great view of Hart’s Cove, including a waterfall created by Chitwood Creek cascading into the Pacific Ocean. Continue, if you dare, on the steep, rugged trail that ends at a small area near the water. To reach the Hart’s Cove trail head turn left of off Hwy 101 at Forest Road 1861, just before the summit of Cascade Head. Continue on this road, bearing left when the road forks. After about 3.3 miles, a guardrail on the left marks the trailhead to an easy short hike (about one mile) to the upper part of the preserve. The Harts Cove parking lot is at the end of the road. If you like hiking with a four-footed friend, do not bring them into the Cascade Head Preserve: dogs are strictly prohibited. But don’t let that make your tail droop -- there is a Forest Service trail very close by that is more challenging but definitely less crowded. It doesn’t end with a view but dogs are allowed so you can enjoy the view of your canine companion tackling the 7.4 mile round trip distance, which includes about 1,300 feet of elevation gain. Parking is in a small lot at the northwest junction of Three Rocks Road and Hwy 101.
While enjoying the relaxing sounds and sensations of the Oregon coast, take time to stop by our gift shop at Sapphire Center. We offer: Local Artwork • Jewelry • Crystals • Collectibles Candles • Incense • Books • Greeting Cards Children’s Section • Dance Fitness-Zumba Class Reiki Healing • Readings
Open Wednesday through Sunday Your Local Gift Shop Empowering you to live the life you desire. 4844 SE Hwy 101 • Lincoln City • 541-992-4443 541-992-2226 • www.sapphirecenter.net Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sapphirecenterlc
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Hearth & Table
Chowing Down in Lincoln City What are you hungry for? No matter the answer, Lincoln City’s restaurants have got you covered By Nancy Steinberg and Gretchen Ammerman • Photos by Gretchen Ammerman
OK, you’ve flown a kite at the beach, blown a glass float, and shopped at the outlet mall. It’s time to eat, but where? The toughest decision of your vacation may be choosing among the great Lincoln City restaurants, where you can find everything from burgers to fish and chips to duck confit. Good thing there are three meals a day! Here’s a starter menu of some great choices.
Blackfish Café
Blackfish Café is a perennial Oregon coast favorite for lunch and dinner, thanks to the creative cuisine and epicurean vision of founding chef, Rob Pounding. Pounding’s emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, northwest preparations, and creative cuisine have earned him buckets of awards, including AAA 4 Diamond and Mobil 4 Star Awards during his time at Salishan resort, and one of NW Magazine’s top ten chefs in the Pacific Northwest. Despite his national and international recognition, Pounding is still cooking at home at the Blackfish, feeding locals and visitors alike. While the menu changes seasonally to take advantage of the best ingredients, there’s always seafood available. Try the fritto misto of Pacific shellfish for an appetizer: squid, prawns and Yaquina oysters flash fried in a crisp cornmeal crust served with a sorrel aioli and citrus gremolata. It’s hard for me to pass up the potato gnocchi with butternut squash Romesco sauce, greens, and roasted garlic. The dinners also lean heavily on seafood (ocean-trolled salmon, local rockfish, Yaquina oysters), but you can also choose from delectable pasta, chicken, and steak dishes. The Blackfish Café is also known for its classic and creative martini and cocktail service, so don’t skip the bar. 2733 NW Highway 101 | www.blackfishcafe.com
Bay House
One of only two restaurants in Oregon to receive the AAA Four Diamond rating, the Bay House combines an elegant dining room with
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a more casual lounge, both with stellar views of the Siletz Bay, creating a place where diners can both celebrate a special occasion or simply unwind after work. To truly experience the creations from the kitchen, which, like the view, change with the seasons, put yourself into the capable hands of executive chef Kevin Ryan with the five-course tasting menu. Recent offerings have included Maine sea scallops with saffron risotto, sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, brown butter capers, and chive oil, and Muscovy duck breast with black beans, roasted squash, parsnips, frisee and carrot cardamom puree. Each meal ends with a visually impressive desert trio, which may include irresistible items like eggnog cheesecake, flourless chocolate torte, and house made sorbet. Or, while dining in the lounge, try the Neighbors to Neighbors menu; three courses that are smaller in size and price but sacrifice nothing in flavor or quality.
With over 2,000 labels, wine connoisseurs will find lots to choose from in owner Steve Wilson’s extensive wine cellar; luckily the menus in both the dining room and lounge can give you a leg up with carefully chosen pairing suggestions. 5911 Southwest Highway 101 | www.thebayhouse.org.
Side Door Café
If you want to go a few miles south of Lincoln City to the Gleneden Loop for lunch or dinner, you’ll be rewarded with the delicacies of this wonderful eatery attached to Eden Hall, an equally wonderful concert and event venue. This locally owned, family operated restaurant prides themselves on their service as well as their food. The atmosphere at the Side Door is fun and casual – the dining room is in an old brick and tile factory and the décor leans heavily on both – but food is taken seriously here. While the menu changes to reflect what’s seasonally available, you can always find an excellent range of pastas, salad, soups, sandwiches, and seafood. I am something of a Caesar salad aficionado, and find theirs to be among the best, especially when topped with their fresh salmon or halibut crusted with pine nuts and Mediterranean spices. The house-smoked pulled pork sandwich is juicy and delicious, and you can’t go wrong with their seafood fettucine in a sherry pesto cream sauce. Side Door’s wine list is wonderful, and definitely save room for dessert, especially anything chocolate. Try to go on a night when a band is playing at Eden Hall – it’s a really fun venue. 6675 Gleneden Beach Loop Road | www.sidedoorcafe.com
Wild Flower Grill
This cottage-like building hides a beautiful secret: the view from the back of the dining area is absolutely lovely, overlooking a wetland that is always buzzing with bird life. Wild Flower Grill serves three meals a day of fresh, impeccably prepared casual fare, including soups, sandwiches, salads, and daily specials. Whether you’re fueling up for a day packed with adventures or winding down from same, Wild Flower is a great choice. Start in the morning with one of their varieties of eggs Benedict, perhaps topped with their famous crab cakes. The Northwest Omelet is another great choice, bursting with local smoked salmon. Lunch will ask you to choose among varieties of po’boy – try the portobello mushroom! – or perhaps a healthy salad will suit your fancy. At my most recent Wild Flower outing I tried the Extreme Cobb salad, because that’s how I roll, and I was not disappointed: it was heaped with bacon, turkey, avocado, tomatoes, olives, and more, all over fresh greens. The dinner menu is more varied, focusing on northwest-style specialties. Signature dishes include chicken pot pie, marionberry hazelnut duck, and Dungeness crab-stuffed prawns. The list of pasta, steak, and seafood dishes is long and mouth-watering as well. Make sure to leave room for the house-made desserts like mocha mud pie and cheesecake with seasonal fresh fruits. 4250 NE Highway 101 | Thewildflowergrill.com Wildflower Grill
The Bay House
Restaurant Beck
How to describe Restaurant Beck, which defies description and imagination? This small but gorgeously designed restaurant is at Whale Cove Inn just south of Depoe Bay. The exquisite view from the dining room of Whale Cove is matched only by the creative, progressive, downright astonishing cuisine presented by chef Justin Wills. Wills, twice a semi-finalist for the James Beard Best Chef in the NW award, focuses on foraged and farmed local ingredients prepared in innovative ways to provide what he calls a “playful and artful dining experience.” While Restaurant Beck’s menu changes on a daily basis depending on the best ingredients available, here’s a sample meal: an appetizer of pork belly confit with miso ice cream, sea salt, and sea beans; a main course of local rockfish with cannellini, bacon, grilled kale-pine nut pesto, celery leaf and Meyer lemon gremolata; followed by a dessert of Meyer lemon & almond pound cake with fig, Italian plum, and meadow foam honey-yogurt ice cream. Kudos have deservedly rolled in for the restaurant, and for Wills. Restaurant Beck was awarded a AAA Three Diamond rating within its first six months of operation, and Beck has been honored by the James Beard Foundation and nominated for a People’s Choice Award Best New Chef US by Food and Wine magazine. 2345 S. Hwy 101 (at Whale Cove Inn) | restaurantbeck.com
Hearth and Table
It would be simple enough to say that Hearth and Table, located near the Lincoln City outlet mall, is a pizza place. But that hardly covers what they do at this incredible little café with the diverse and ever-changing menu. Yes, they serve the best pizza around, with a range of fresh and creative ingredients (fresh bratwurst, pickled jalapeno, kale, in addition to the regular fare) on a thin, crispy crust. But they also serve a range of other light, healthy meals made with fresh ingredients, locally-sourced when possible. Oh, and don’t skip dessert. The menu, hand-written on giant butcher paper, changes daily. A recent lunch at Hearth and Table happened to land on Mardi Gras, not a huge Oregon coast holiday. But, Hearth and Table offered a special of local oyster etouffee which couldn’t have been done better in N’awlins: creamy, just a bit spicy, and chock full of oysters tasting of the ocean. I also sampled the hummus of the day – even the makeup of the hummus changes here – I had a white bean-based hummus on house-made toasted bread, with greens, orange peppers, and sunflower seeds. The roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts Parmesan was another delightful light treat. Because I had been so “good” with my healthy lunch choices, I felt it was OK to splurge on a heavenly and ginormous house-made browned-butter chocolate chip cookie for dessert. 660 SE Highway 101 | www.hearthandtablekitchen.com These are all excellent choices, but of course, many more fine meals await in Lincoln City, so make sure to find other favorites while you’re here. You just may need to stay an extra few days! 13
COME STAY in Lincoln City!
Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio
3517 NW Hwy 101 Lincoln City, OR 541-996-9900
Also in Seaside, Oregon 866-738-6269 Check us out at BOTH locations! 1-800-4-MOTEL6 www.motel6.com
Blow Your Own Float, Fluted Bowl, Paperweight, Starfish or Heart
Local Artists walk you through the art of creating with molten glass
4821 SW Hwy 101
at the South End of Lincoln City
541-996-2569
www.JenniferSearsGlassArt.com • www.VoltaGlass.com
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EST.
1965
Salishan Spa & Golf Resort
Newly renovated guest rooms
embrace Salishan
Cool Pools
Poke around local tide pools and discover some of Lincoln City’s hidden critters by Nancy Steinberg • Photos by Luke Whittaker
Before moving to Oregon from the East Coast, I had a totally warped mental picture of Oregon’s beaches. The Pacific Northwest’s tide pools are so famous that I thought the entire coastline must be rocky, cratered with tide pools everywhere you looked. It wasn’t until I visited, and then moved here, that I realized that most of the beaches are sandy, and tide pools are special gems indeed. Tide pools form along rocky shores when the tide recedes and leaves seawater in depressions in the rocks. Many animals and plants have evolved to survive and even thrive in the harsh environment of the tide pools, where they can be exposed to intense waves, sun, wind, and variable temperatures and salinity on a daily basis. Rocky shorelines are striped – animals and plants colonize them in vertical zones defined by how long and how often they remain submerged. Animals and plants that are most resistant to being left high and dry colonize the highest places in the intertidal zone, and less hardy critters stay at the lower elevations where they are submerged most of the time. The animals and plants that live in the intertidal are diverse and sometimes bizarre. While most people are familiar with sea stars and barnacles, 16
fewer have come nose to nose with a nudibranch or a sculpin. Here are a few of the tide pool residents you might meet in Oregon:
Sea Stars: Because they’re not fish, these invertebrates are not referred to as “starfish” any more, but they are still the stars of the intertidal. In Oregon multiple colorful species of sea star are found in tide pools, including the common sea star (also called the purple or ochre sea star, it comes in a range of colors from purple to orange), sunflower star, and Pacific blood star. Sea Urchins: These spiny orbs are actually closely related to sea stars. We’ve got purple, green, and red species in regional tide pools. Sea Anemones: Sea anemones of multiple species are abundant in Oregon tide pools. When underwater, they look like flowers with tentacle-like petals; the tentacles are lined with “nematocysts,” stinging cells that immobilize small fish and other prey (don’t worry – they can’t hurt a person). When the water recedes and the anemones are exposed, or if they are threatened, they pull their tentacles in and resemble rocks with a dent in the middle. Look for giant green anemones, aggregating anemones, and the delicate pink strawberry anemones.
Nudibranchs: You have to be patient to see these less-common tide pool denizens. Nudibranchs, also called sea slugs, are basically snails without shells, but much more beautiful than you’d expect from such a description. While there are nearly 200 species in Northwest tide pools, the most common is the opalescent nudibranch, which has a translucent white body with an orange stripe running down its center. Hermit crabs: These delightful tide pool residents can be seen meandering from rock to rock in most tide pools, hunkering down into their shell if disturbed. Without a shell of their own, hermit crabs scavenge shells from dead snails, moving into bigger and bigger homes as they grow. Go ahead and pick them up – they won’t hurt you – but make sure to put them back quickly where you found them. Sculpins: If you sit quietly by the edge of a single tide pool, you’ll almost certainly catch a tiny, darting shape out of the corner of your eye, and you’ll almost think you imagined it. Yes, there are fish in many tide pools, and tide pool sculpins are among the most common. This bottom-dwelling fish grows to be only about three inches long, and can change color to blend into its background.
Before we discuss where to go to see tide pools, the more important question is when to go. The best time for tide pooling is about one to two hours before low tide to give yourself the maximum amount of time with the pools exposed. Be aware that all low tides are not created equal: the height of high and low tides varies over the lunar cycle. Tide pooling is best conducted on a minus tide (lower than the average low tide); many tide tables will indicate “how low” the low tide is. Tides for Lincoln City can be found at www.americantides.com/tide-predictions/ taft-siletz-bay-oregon; look for negative numbers, which indicate minus tides. Where should you go? In and near Lincoln City there are a few good spots to explore tide pools. Road’s End State Park has a few rocky spots. Better tide pooling can be found at the 15th St. beach access point, where rocky outcroppings are most pronounced at low tide. Fogarty Creek State Park south of Lincoln City is a good spot, and there are cool caves there for exploring as well. The best tide pools in the area can be found at the Marine Garden at Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area in Otter Rock – take the beach access to the north of the punchbowl
itself. If you want to head further south, there are fantastic tide pools at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area just north of Newport. Tide pool etiquette is important to understand before you go. Be aware that the barnacles, mussels, and anemones underfoot are living creatures – try not to step on them. It’s also important to watch your step because algae-covered rocks can be very slippery. Do not pry animals off of rocks. Leave animals in their tide pools; if you pick up a hermit crab or sculpin, be sure to put it back just where you found it. If you’re lucky, you may see seals hauled out on rocks or shore birds poking along the tide pool edges – keep a distance from these sensitive animals. When you go, make sure to wear sturdy shoes that you don’t mind dunking in seawater (accidents happen!), and be prepared for our famous changeable coastal weather. A magnifying lens and a field guide would be helpful for observing and identifying the animals and plants you find. But most of all, bring your sense of curiosity and wonder, and you’ll never be disappointed at the tide pool’s edge.
The Best Breakfast on the Coast! Ever ything is homemade! Featured in USA Today & The New York Times
Otis • 541-994-2813 17
Your Ticket to Ride Pedal power in Lincoln City
by Gretchen Ammerman · Photos by Gretchen Ammerman
Beach towns and bikes go together like popcorn and pajamas, but for safety’s sake, it’s best not to ride for long stretches on Hwy 101. While avoiding the highway is difficult in Lincoln City, there are a few safer options for on or off-road riding that will have you feeling like a local in no time. Grease up that chain and get rolling! One of the newest places to play outside is at the Villages at Cascade Head, a 363acre parcel between Roads End and the Salmon River Estuary that was purchased by the City in 2014. The final plans for the mostly undeveloped land are still to be decided, but for now, the Villages are a great place to recreate on two wheels, (or four; those on training wheels will not be judged). For families with small children, the lack of traffic makes this a great place to take kids just getting their balance, and for those who want a longer ride, the Villages are a great starting point to connect to the Head to Bay Trail. To get there, go east from Hwy 101 on East Devils Lake Road and follow the road past the right turn toward the golf course. Continue until you reach a gate, where there is plenty of parking. To start your road ride, head back to Hwy 101, then cross over and follow the signs for the Head to Bay Trail, a paved boardwalk that parallels East Devils Lake Road. This is one of the first sections of an ambitious project to give cyclists a safe route all the way through Lincoln City. For now, you will go about 1.5 miles from the highway to 22nd Street (look for the bicycle stop sign). Turn right and continue until you reach Hwy 101. You can turn around here, or to add more miles, cross over 101 and continue to the coast then head south; you will pass quite a few city parks with water stops and restrooms. For mountain bike riders, there are a few trails in the Villages; most are only about a mile long but can be combined to extend miles. There is a trail map on the City’s website, www.lincolncity.org. For stronger riders, there is a steep climb that leads to a viewpoint overlooking the beach. If you would like to ride to the beach, start back at the parking area then take the trail on the left that is just past the gate. Follow the trail straight until you reach another gate. Go around it and in a few feet you will see a gravel road, Sal-La-Sea Drive. Turn left and follow it to the Roads End State Park parking lot and restrooms. 18
Lincoln City has also been actively improving and maintaining its designated Open Spaces, underutilized jewels where visitors are surrounded by nature without leaving city limits. Though bikes are allowed, you can go a long way to ensuring it stays that way by following basic bike etiquette, especially by staying on the designated trails. Trail maps can also be found on the “Maps” page on the City’s website. Although there are six, the ones best for biking include (drumroll please):
Cutler City: Flat and well-maintained trails, with very good maps posted at most trail heads. Agnes Creek: The newest in the City and best for intermediate level riders, as there are some steep sections. While there be sure to admire the bench newly installed as a Ford Foundation project. Friends of Wildwoods: Very close to Regatta Park, the trail starts flat but has a nice bridge crossing and some climbing.
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Connie Hansen Garden A peaceful oasis for all seasons
by Nancy Steinberg · Photos by Nancy Chase
You don’t have to be a gardener to enjoy a visit to Connie Hansen Garden, tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood to the west of Hwy 101, but non-gardeners will almost certainly be motived to start digging in the dirt once they’ve visited. An endless source of wonder and inspiration, the garden is an incredible hidden gem and worth a visit at any time of year. Connie Hansen herself was, by all accounts, a remarkable woman with boundless energy and creativity. She purchased her cottage on 33rd Street four blocks from the ocean in 1973, and transformed its one-acre lot over 20 years into a garden sanctuary of local and regional renown. Sunset Magazine, the Oregonian, and Fine Gardening Magazine all published spreads on her amazing garden. She was partial to rhododendrons, azaleas, beardless irises, and candelabra varieties of primroses, all of which flourish in the highly acidic, even boggy soil
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that characterizes the area. To this day, the garden also maintains a focus on native species. When Hansen’s health started to fail, she first sold the property to a friend, who could not maintain it appropriately. A group of Hansen’s other friends got together and secured grant funding to purchase the property in 1994. The same year, they founded the non-profit Connie Hansen Garden Conservancy. Now Connie’s garden is preserved in perpetuity as a public treasure. Today, the acre and a quarter (the lot has been added to within the last few years) is maintained solely by volunteers whose loving care for the property is evident even in the grey of winter. They weed. They prune. They mulch. They plant. They keep Connie’s vision alive, and absolutely love to share it with visitors. I toured the garden on a gorgeous winter day with Janet Anderson, the Conservancy board’s Vice President and an active volunteer. One of the first stops on the tour was a delightful dwarf conifer garden containing a wide range of small evergreens. Another highlight that is just as magnificent in winter as any other season is an extensive heather garden, with one variety running into the next like a watercolor painting. We wandered the grassy and gravel paths that meander throughout the property as Anderson pointed out some of the signature candelabra primulas, spectacular stewartia trees with mottled bark, all the more visible because of the lack of foliage, evergreen hellebores, and many plants in various stages of overwintering. “This is the time that gardeners hold their breath,” she commented. “But there’s something happening all the time here.” The primroses bloom early, some coming up as early as January. March is when the candelabra primulas bloom. May and June are peak rhodie time, when the garden bursts with the riot of color of the
towering rhododendrons, some as much as 40 years old. In June and July it’s the irises’ turn to shine. A natural creek wends its way throughout the garden, crossed by sweet bridges and creating damp areas where water-loving species thrive. A bench surrounded by a rock wall offers a lovely spot from which to contemplate the beauty, and another bench is planned from another vantage point in the garden, which does seem like a wholly different place depending on your viewing location. Deer and birds are frequent visitors to the garden, and Anderson even points out where deer tend to bed down in the garden’s plots. She has a remarkably sanguine attitude about the deer, which seem to be the bane of many a gardener’s existence. “They don’t do too much damage,” she said, good naturedly, “We have to coexist with them.” The garden holds plant sales three times a year, offering cuttings and splits of plants from the garden itself. “One of our main focuses in education,” Anderson explained. “We want to educate people about what will grow well in their own local gardens, with a focus on lowmaintenance, non-invasive species.”
To support this educational mission, the garden sponsors a variety of programs throughout the year on horticultural topics; instructors typically come for among the ranks of the local Master Gardeners, commercial businesses, and the Soil & Water Conservation District. The Conservancy plans to ramp up the number and range of these programs in the coming year. The house and grounds are available to rent for small events (up to 40 people), and a full kitchen is available in the house. In addition, the cottage houses an extensive horticultural library from which Conservancy members and volunteers can borrow volumes. It is otherwise open to the public as a reference library. A small gift shop is also open on site during limited hours. The garden is open daily, dawn to dusk. The house is open and hosted on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10 am to 2 pm. Guided tours are available by prior arrangement. Of course, the garden is always changing, season to season and year to year, so make sure to plan to come back to get the full picture of the richness of this little paradise just off the beaten track.
When You Go Connie Hansen Garden 1931 NW 33rd Street, Lincoln City (541) 994-6338 www.conniehansengarden.com
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Where the Wild Things Are The Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
by Nancy Steinberg · Photos courtesy of Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Lincoln City offers a full range of accommodations for visitors, from large hotels to small inns to camp sites … to extensive, productive wetlands. OK, that last one is not for human visitors. The Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge at the southern end of Lincoln City provides critical habitat for migrating and resident wildlife, as well as a gorgeous, scenic recreation site for humans. Established with a gift of 46 acres in 1991, now grown to 567 acres with additional gifts and purchases of land, the refuge is managed as part of the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The primary reason for establishing the refuge was to protect habitat for anadromous fish, those species that reproduce in fresh water but spend their adult lives in the ocean, such as salmon and
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steelhead. Impressive runs of Chinook and coho salmon, cutthroat trout, and steelhead come through the estuary at the mouth of the Siletz River on their way to upriver spawning grounds. The refuge also provides critical habitat for a tremendous range of birds, particularly migratory wildfowl and shorebirds, many species of which use the refuge as a wintering grounds. A recent mid-winter survey counted more than 1,200 birds resting and feeding in the refuge. The site is a birders’ paradise – species that use the refuge’s marshes, mudflats, and meadows include northern pintail, American widgeon, green-winged teal, bufflehead, Canada and cackling geese, great blue herons, whimbrel, western and least sandpipers, dunlin, savannah sparrow, marsh wren and common yellowthroat, among many others. Raptors also patrol the marshes searching for prey, including osprey, northern harrier, bald eagle, and red-tailed hawk. Other, more elusive residents of the refuge include black-tailed deer, elk, river otter, beaver, and even bobcat and coyote. Seals haul out on the sand spit at the mouth of the estuary (Salishan Spit), and can also be seen bobbing in the waters of the bay at high tide. In 2004 the Fish & Wildlife Service undertook a restoration of 80 acres of Millport Slough at the mouth of the estuary. The slough had been diked for 100 years, preventing the tides from ebbing and flowing. Once the dike was removed, normal tidal flow was restored, the brackish water plants and animals native to the area returned, and the estuary began to function normally. Now the Fish & Wildlife Service largely leaves the refuge alone, aside from monitoring for invasive plants in the forests fringing the marsh. (They remove ivy, Scotch broom, and blackberries with the help of dedicated volunteers – contact the refuge to join a work party!) How can human visitors experience the refuge? The best way is to take a paddle, rather than a walk, on the wild side. “Most of the land itself is closed to public use,” explained Dawn Harris of the Fish
& Wildlife Service’s office in Newport. “The best way to experience the refuge is to take a guided paddle tour, or to go out canoeing or kayaking there on your own.” The Fish & Wildlife Service offers about 15 paddling tours a year, in the summer and fall months. Participants provide their own boat, and often learn the route so they can come back on their own and paddle. A notification list for the popular excursions begins forming over the winter, and the trips do fill up so advance reservations are suggested (email oregoncoast@fws.gov to get on the list or get more information). To mount your own paddling excursion in the refuge, you can put in at the nearby beach access at Taft or, for a small launch fee, from the Siletz Moorage just a very short distance up Hwy 229 nearby. You can also rent kayaks there. “Make sure to start your paddle an hour or so before high tide,” Harris warned. “Don’t go at low tide – boats can easily get stranded in the mud flats of the bay.” If you are stealthy, and just a bit lucky, you will have the opportunity to see lots of wildlife on your paddle, from eagles to river otters to seals. Beginning two years ago, the Fish & Wildlife Service began to allow limited hunting in parts of the refuge for geese, ducks, and coots only. Hunting on Millport Slough is allowed east of Hwy 101 only on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, and in the bay on the west side of the highway seven days per week. Hunters are permitted to enter either unit of the refuge two hours before sunrise and remain until one hour after sunset. The refuge’s web site contains more information for hunters (www.fws.gov/oregoncoast/siletzbay/). On the west side of the highway, the bay is fully open to public access. “You can go clamming and mucking around any time,” Harris says. “Just be sure to bring your boots.” More access opportunities are in the works for the near future. The FWS is planning a small restoration project on Alder Island in the slough which will provide a walking trail, non-motorized boat launch,
and access for fishing from the bank. That project should be complete in about a year. In the meantime, don’t just breeze on through as you cross Schooner Creek on Hwy 101. Bring the binoculars and stop at one the pullouts along the road to spend a little time gazing at one of Lincoln City’s – and Oregon’s – natural treasures.
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A Devilishly Good Time Devils Lake offers a retreat from city life
by Nancy Steinberg • Photos by Jo-Hanna Wienert and Luke Whittaker
There is no fire and brimstone at Lincoln City’s Devils Lake, but it is certainly often warmer there in the summer than it is on the beach. That’s only one of the many reasons to head to the lake, the freshwater gem in a saltwater landscape. This 680-acre lake is the source of the D River, billed as the World’s Shortest, which empties into the Pacific at the popular D River Wayside. The lake extends north and east of the wayside on the east side of Hwy 101, and is ringed by parks, a camp ground, lovely homes, and winding roads.
Day-use Parks
A great introduction to the lake is offered by the range of dayuse parks along its shores. Regatta Grounds Park is a popular spot, especially for families who come to climb and swing at one of the best playgrounds on the coast. Sandcastle Playground’s wooden play
structure is an Escher-like maze of ramps, turrets, and staircases that lends itself to epic games of chase, make-believe, and hide-and-seek. The park also includes a boat ramp, docks for fishing, and a small swimming beach. A nature trail begins in the parking lot, wending its way through the woods along the lake shore. The East Devils Lake Recreation Area includes a boat ramp, fishing pier, restrooms, and picnic tables in a grassy setting. Adorable Sand Point Park on the west side of the lake provides a small swimming beach and a picnic area, as well as restrooms. There are also three city open spaces that provide beautiful hiking trails of various lengths: Friends of Wildwood Trail (33 acres, including a one-mile trail) provides views of the lake from its natural-surface trail. Spring Lake (2.5 miles of trails on 25 acres) includes a stand of old-growth forest, and is a good place for bird-watching. Hostetler Park is one of Lincoln City’s bestkept secrets. A tiny pocket park with boat launch on the east side of Hwy 101, it is also the terminus for a beautiful boardwalk traversing a wetland area and birders’ paradise. The other end of the boardwalk is at the Devils Lake Campground, described below.
Camping
Just minutes from the outlet mall, casino, and great restaurants of Lincoln City is the Devils Lake Campground, part of the Devils Lake State Recreation Area. The campground’s 97 sites include some fullhookup sites and ten yurts, one of which is pet-friendly (reserve early!). The campground’s sites are fairly wooded, and include fire rings and picnic tables; bathrooms include flush toilets and hot showers. There are also 12 moorage slips for boats (although no launch sites) and a hiker/biker camp. Ranger-led talks and slide shows are given at the campground’s amphitheater, which doubles as a grassy play and picnic area when there are no programs scheduled. Other options for camping near Devils Lake include Devils Lake RV Park and Lincoln City KOA.
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Boating
There are lots of ways to leave the shoreline behind on a boat with or without a motor. If you have your own boat, a number of launch sites have already been mentioned. All manner of watercraft can be rented at Blue Heron Landing, including paddleboats, kayaks, canoes, motor boats, and wave runners. While you’re there, make sure to buy a small cup of fish chow and feed the immense grass carp that gather near the docks. The state park offers guided kayak tours in the summer months (call 541-994-2002 for information), and Kayak Tillamook (kayaktillamook.com) also offers guided paddles on the lake. If all of these boats are too slow for you, you can live vicariously through watching the annual Rockey Stone Memorial Kilos,
About that Name …
speedboat races in which boats exceed speeds of 100 mph. The races are held in October, and spectators are welcome – Sand Point Park is a good viewing spot.
Fishing
Those fat grass carp might look like an easy catch, but you aren’t allowed to keep them – they were introduced to the lake as a biological control on rampant weed growth. But don’t worry – there are lots of other targets for anglers, including rainbow trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, catfish, black crappie, and bluegill. The native cutthroat trout in the lake are catch-and-release only! The list of things to do at and around Devils Lake is long indeed. For more ideas, see the recreation guide published by the Devils Lake Water Improvement District, at www.dlwid.org/ Communications/Recreation_Brochure.pdf.
How did such an idyllic place get such a frightening name? According to the Preservation Association of Devils Lake (www.devilslakeor.us), it comes from a Siletz Indian legend. Their web site recounts: …A certain chief Fleetfoot despaired of winning the heart of the maiden he had chosen. In order to impress his young love, he dispatched his braves in the canoes out on the calm waters of the lake. Yet tragedy was awaiting the braves. As the moonlight shone down upon the serene lake, legend says, the waters began to churn and bubble. Giant tentacles emerged from the chaotic waters and wrapped around the startled braves and their canoes pulling them down into the murky depths. … In order to pacify the great devil so the Indians could resume their peaceful existence on the lake, the legend says, the Indians held great feasts and rituals on the shores of the lake. … The hunger of the spirit that inhabits the lake has long since been appeased, but the legend itself grows with each retelling and the mystery behind the lake’s name remains unsolved. Today, the legend maintains, that those who cross the waters in the moonlit chill of night will still feel a tingle of fear as they cross the center of the lake.
When You Go Regatta Grounds Park NE 14th St. East Devils Lake Recreation Area 205 East Devils Lake Road Devils Lake Campground: 1452 NE 6th Dr. Search on www.oregonstateparks.org Sand Point Park East Devils Lake Road Friends of Wildwood Trail West Devils Lake Road north of NE 22nd St. Spring Lake Trail NE 14th St. Hostetler Park (Also called D River City Park) NE 1st St. Devils Lake RV Park 4041 NE West Devils Lake Rd. www.devilslakervpark.com Lincoln City KOA 5298 NE Park Lane koa.com/campgrounds/lincoln-city/ Blue Heron Landing 4006 West Devils Lake Rd. www.blueheronlanding.net Kayak Tillamook kayaktillamook.com Rockey Stone Memorial Kilos www.apba.org/races/rockey-stonememorial-kilos-2717
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Lincoln City Community Center Find your inner kid at the Community Center! By Rick Beasley · Photos by Jo-Hanna Wienert
When you’re putting together your list of “Must-See, Must-Do” attractions, the Lincoln City Community Center should be at the top! In a town surrounded by water, this is the only place you won’t need a wetsuit to fully enjoy yourself. The world-class 25-m. swimming pool features a 56-ft.waterslide with a 360-degree loop, a 14-ft. water slide, a rope swing, water basketball and one- and three-meter diving boards. A 3-1/2 ft. wading pool with a giant pelican that erupts with a blast of water turns out to be perfect for babies, toddlers and their parents. Lifeguards are always on duty. More fun awaits at the 24-ft. rock-climbing wall, which provides a challenging test of power and skill under the supervision of an instructor who operates the fail-safe automatic belay. Here, size matters — the minimum body weight for climbing is 35 pounds, and climbers must be at least 44-inches tall. For a good workout, the Community Center offers fully-equipped weight and cardio rooms, an indoor walking/running track and a fullsize gymnasium perfect for pickup games. A12-person spa is the right complement to sore muscles after your workout. Drop-in prices for all the fun you can handle start at $3.50 for kids 17 and under, $5 for resident adults and $6.50 for non-residents. The Community Center is open seven days, from 5 a.m.- 9 p.m. Mon-Fri., Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sundays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The Community Center is located at 2150 N.E. Oar Place, just one block east from Hwy./ 101 and N.E. 22nd St. For more information, call 541-994-2131. 28
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Beach Glass
The spheres are here! Finders Keepers stashes glass treasures on Lincoln City beaches for all to find by Nancy Steinberg · Photo by Jo-Hanna Wienert
One of the greatest treasures beachcombers on the Oregon coast can find is a glass float: a hollow glass ball used to buoy Japanese fishing nets starting in the early 20th century (a few are even used today). These colorful orbs have traversed the ocean in circular currents, perhaps for decades, before landing on our shores, and they are rarer than four-leafed clovers. The folks at the Lincoln City Visitors and Convention Bureau want to increase your odds of finding such a special gem on the beaches here: between mid-October and Memorial Day they will stash 2016 hand-made glass treasures, including mouth-blown floats, starfish, sand dollars, and crabs on beaches up and down Lincoln City’s sandy shores. As the name of the promotion indicates, it’s finders keepers: if you find one, it’s yours to keep. The promotion began back at the turn of this century when a local artist thought it would be a unique way to ring in the new millennium. Tourists flocked to the beaches of Lincoln City to find their own signed and numbered miniature works of art. That first year, 2,000 floats were distributed and the number has increased to the number of the year each year of the promotion. For 2016, 2,016 will be distributed. Floats are stashed along 7 ½ miles of Lincoln City coastline, on public beaches from Roads End to Cutler City. The VCB wants everyone to put safety first: no floats are stashed during storms, and they will never be found on cliffs. Stick to the area between the tide line and the beach embankment. As always, never turn your back on the ocean or play on logs in the surf while you’re float-hunting. The VCB will periodically carry out special stealthy drops of extra glass treats (don’t worry, they don’t actually drop the glass!),
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bringing the total number of treasures above 3,000 this year, and they’re even nice enough to advertise the schedule for these bonus days. The drops can include any combination of floats and glass sea critters; dates are listed at www.oregoncoast.org/finders-keepers/ special-glass-art-drops/. The dates include a set of 300 antique Japanese floats to celebrate Antique Week in February, 15 Earth globes April 22-24 to celebrate Earth Day, a Mother’s Day drop May 7-8 of 100 glass art pieces. The floats are designed and created by 15 glass studios from near and far, from right in Lincoln City to Grants Pass, Oregon to Tacoma, Washington, and many points in between. Successful hunters can call the VCB (800-452-2151 or 541-996-1274) and register their float, receive a certificate of authenticity, and find out who made their personal treasure. There are lots of other ways to leave Lincoln City with a glass float souvenir. Special drawings are held monthly at the Visitor Center for glass floats. Bring a bag of beach trash to the Visitor Center, 540 NE Hwy 101, and fill out an entry form. People with disabilities who prefer not to beachcomb are also eligible to enter and win a monthly float drawing. And you can always buy one at a local glassblower or gallery (Jennifer Sears Art Glass Studio, 4821 SW Hwy 101; Volta Gallery, 4830 SE Hwy 101; or Alderhouse Glassblowing, 611 Immonen Road, closed through May). And finally, a spectacular display of historical floats is on display at the North Lincoln County Historical Society, 4907 SW Hwy 101. And remember, if you go the beach in Lincoln City this winter and don’t find a float or glass sand dollar, don’t despair: your beach walk was the real treasure after all!
Sandy is Dandy!
Come romp, dig, climb, surf, and explore all of Lincoln City’s gorgeous beaches By Nancy Steinberg • Photos by Luke Whittaker
What is it about that strip of sand and rock between the land and the sea that is so alluring? Everyone loves the beach, especially in Oregon where it is not only stunningly beautiful but easily accessible and always, everywhere, public property. Along the 7.5 miles of Lincoln City coastline there are probably dozens of free beach access points: some large state parks, some tiny parking areas with room for two cars, and some no more than well-worn paths that only the locals know. Here’s a guide to some of Lincoln City’s beaches and access points, north to south. Whether you want to surf, explore a tide pool, fly a kite, take a walk, or just stare at the sea, you’ll find a place to do it in Lincoln City.
Road’s End State Park
Why not begin at the end – Road’s End, that is. The northernmost beach in Lincoln City proper is part of Road’s End State Park, found by turning west off of Hwy 101 at the light at the Lighthouse Square plaza (watch for signs). Two adjacent parking areas are located on Logan Road, and beach access is a snap (or if you’re content to simply stare at the water over lunch, picnic tables with spectacular views are available in the parking areas as well). Rock hounds will love this beach – it’s hard to know whether to look up at the views of offshore
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islands or to look down to find the ample agates and other geological delights that dot the sand. If your beach walk takes place at low tide, you can scramble around the rocky headland to the north, Road’s End Point, to a lovely hidden cove – just be sure to watch the tides or you could get stuck there until the water ebbs again!
NW 26th St./Jetty Ave.
Jetty Avenue runs in fits and starts roughly parallel to Hwy 101, and along its length are a number of beach access points. Of course, they all lead to the same stretch of wide, flat, uncrowded beach. At NW 26th St. is a small parking area, bathrooms, picnic tables, and a long, steep staircase leading down to the beach. There are some great climbing rocks here, accessible at low tide, and a small creek spills onto the beach, perfect for small explorers.
NW 15th St./Harbor Ave.
Following the shoreline south, you’ll either be on Jetty, Harbor, or Inlet Avenue. At NW 15th St. and Harbor is a teeny, tiny parking area, with enough room for perhaps two cars. But fear not: if you can’t get a parking space here, you can drive down the ramp right onto the beach! This is the only spot in the area that allows vehicles on the beach (between the signs only). Do not stray outside of the marked
area, as the sand gets soft and getting out can be much harder than getting in. One reason to access the beach here is the lovely set of tide pools that are exposed at low tide.
D River State Recreation Area
The D River – touted as the world’s shortest – empties from Devils Lake across Hwy 101 onto the sand here at D River Wayside, one of the most visited state parks in Oregon. This spot, sometimes referred to as Wecoma Beach, is the quintessential Oregon sandy beach – wide, flat, windy, and with higher surf than nearby spots. It is the site of two annual kite festivals.
Canyon Drive Beach Access
Where SW 11th St. dead-ends at the ocean is Canyon Drive Park and, across the street, a lovely public beach access point. The trick is following 11th St. to this hidden gem, as it twists, turns, and sometimes disappears. But stick with it and head west – it’s worth it! Canyon Drive Park offers a grassy play area and a small, bucolic pond. It has also served as the staging area for the Nelscott Reef surf competition.
Nelscott Area/SW 35th St. Access
Some of the world’s elite surfers descend upon the Nelscott neighborhood of Lincoln City just north of the Inn at Spanish Head every year for a surf competition at Nelscott Reef offshore (see more on pp. XX). Even when the reef break isn’t churning, this stretch of coast is a popular surfing spot. A moderate-sized parking lot at SW 32nd Street and Anchor Ave. attracts lots of traffic, but you’ll find cars parked haphazardly along the road between there and the access at 35th St. This access is perfect for watching the surfers, climbing on the exposed rocks just to the south, and enjoying photo ops with the statue of Joe the Sea Lion at the access point. There is also a public parking lot at 35th St. and Hwy 101.
Taft and Siletz Bay
To the north of tranquil Siletz Bay is the Taft neighborhood, dotted with adorable vacation cottages and great restaurants, including world-famous Mo’s. The Taft access at SW 51st St. allows easy access
to the shore of the bay as well as oceanfront beach. The bay beach is littered with massive piles of driftwood, making for easy fuel-gathering for evening bonfires and fairly comfortable seating. Seals are often hauled out on the sand spit across the bay (the Salishan Spit). This is a popular area for sand castle construction (try your hand at the annual sand castle contest here in August!) and kite flying. The bay shore can also be accessed at tiny Siletz Bay Park on the north side of Schooner Creek adjacent to the Water’s Edge Condominiums. No matter when you are here, Lincoln City’s beaches are awaiting your visit, changing with the seasons, the tides, and the time of day. We know you’ll find a favorite and return again and again.
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Surf’s Up - WAY Up! Nelscott Reef Big Wave Classic draws surfing pros from around the world By Nancy Steinberg • Photos by Jon Monroe and Jo-Hanna Wienert
Looking to catch a wave in Lincoln City? There are lots of excellent breaks along the beaches here, the best being at Roads End State Park, Otter Rock, Gleneden Beach, and a spot called The Canyons off of a tiny park called Canyon Drive Park near SW 11th St. These spots provide fun for all surfers, beginner to advanced, but once a year the best of the best come to Lincoln City for a world-class challenge. Lincoln City is home to Nelscott Reef, a break a half-mile offshore at The Canyons, which provides one of the biggest, best waves on the West Coast. In fact, it’s so good that Nelscott Reef has become the site of an annual international surf competition, the premier such competition in the Northwest, that attracts pros from near and far. The wave that sets up at the reef is so large and steep – the contest is not held until the wave is at least twenty-five feet – that it’s only possible to access it by being towed out behind a jet ski. Thus some earlier iterations of the annual competition were called the Nelscott Reef Tow-in Classic. Because surf conditions are dependent on wind and other weather factors, it’s not possible to schedule the exact day of a surf competition very far in advance. Instead, organizers announce a multi-month window, say October to March, and promise a threeday notice to competitors. Once surf’s up, organizers make the big announcement, and it’s the competitors’ job to get themselves to the competition site. The most recent Nelscott Reef competition was held this past January for surfing, but there is still a stand-up paddle boarding competition to come, likely sometime in March, so keep your eyes 34
and ears open (and maybe wax up your board for next year). The staging area for the competition is Canyon Drive Park on SW 11th Drive. Spectators are welcome – best viewing is from an empty lot at the top of the hill on SW Coast Ave. For shutterbugs, there is also a photography competition to accompany the surf contest. For more information, see nelscottreefbigwaveclassic.com.
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Lincoln City Cultural Center Where arts and culture thrive
by Niki Price · Photos courtesy of LCCC
Architecturally speaking, the Lincoln City Cultural Center is defined by its peaks. The 85-year-old brick building has three roofs with extreme slopes, and other angular details over doors and windows. This design was no doubt chosen, back in the hardscrabble 1930s, because it offered practical protection from rain, wind and moss. Today, amidst a neighborhood of more recent design, the center’s peaks really stand out. What better place for a non-profit group to make a pointed effort to bring more arts and culture to Lincoln City? That’s certainly the view of the Lincoln City Cultural Center, which has occupied this space since 2006. With help from the city government, generous donors and many dedicated volunteers, the LCCC transformed the old Delake School building into a center for performing arts, visual arts and cultural community. To find it, head north from the D River Wayside and look for the peaks. Then, take a peek inside this community gem.
Info Center & Gift Shop
Most tours of the facility begin with a stop at the Lincoln City Visitor Information Center, on the center’s upper level. The official tourist information outlet for the city, it offers maps, brochures and visitors guides, for Lincoln County, the Oregon Coast and other destinations throughout the Northwest. Your guides are mostly volunteers, full-time residents who offer a wealth of information about local attractions and activities. They’ll even treat you to a complimentary cup of Cape Foulweather Coffee, or a nice hot mug of tea. If you’ve been lucky enough to find a colorful glass float on a Lincoln City beach, as part of the city’s off-season Finders Keepers campaign, bring it with you. The info center volunteers can take your photo, register your prize and provide documentation on the glass artist who made it. The visitors center shares space with the LCCC Members Gift Shop, which offers locally-made souvenirs like photo cards, jewelry, painted glass, framed art, tea towels and float stands. A portion of every sale goes toward the upkeep of the center. 36
P.J. Chessman Gallery
The next stop on the tour is the Chessman Gallery. It’s named for the late P.J. Chessman, who in 1992 helped to found the non-profit group that would later become the Lincoln City Cultural Center. She worked for more than a decade to establish a home for arts and culture in her beloved Lincoln City. Her efforts came to fruition in 2006, when the Lincoln City Urban Renewal Agency purchased the Delake School building from the local school district, and leased it to her non-profit. One of the first classrooms to be renovated was the art gallery, complete with black ceiling and adjustable track lighting, which now bears Chessman’s name. Managed by gallery director Krista Eddy and guided by a jury of local art lovers, the space presents 12 exhibits every year. Receptions, complete with wine and nibbles, are offered on the second Friday of the month at 5 pm. The spring schedule includes a show of weird, whimsical assemblage art by Janet Runger (March 11-April 4), the “Bird Show” with metal work, watercolor and basketry (April 8-May 9); and a group photography show of low tide landscapes (May 13-June 6).
Produce and performances
Your interest may be piqued by the building’s largest peak, above the auditorium. The LCCC spent nearly $100,000 to renovate this church-like space, which used to serve as the school gymnasium. Now, it’s lined with wood and acoustic panels, and has been outfitted with theatrical lighting and sound to create a warm and inviting performance space. There’s a show on nearly every weekend – for a full schedule, check the LCCC website (see below). The center is also home to the Lincoln City Farmers & Crafters Market, offered every Sunday 10 months of the year (lincolncityfarmersmarket. org). During the high season, May through October, the market offers 30 to 60 vendors outdoors on the center’s front lawn, from 9 am to 3 pm. The indoor market is held in November, December, March and April, from 10 am to 3 pm, selling a smaller selection of baked goods, plants, textiles, jewelry and more.
Kickin’ it “old school”
In keeping with the building’s historical use as a school, the LCCC also offers a variety of workshops and classes. The dance studio hosts Latin-inspired Zumba With Tina Marshall (Facebook/tinazumbafitness) and Yoga by Donation with Darlene Muller (Facebook/lotus-flowerhealing-arts). The Cultural Center is also home to New Moon Yoga Studio (lincolncityyoga.org) and the ceramics studio of Ben and Caroline Brooks (lincolncityclay.com). Downstairs, in the Textiles Workshop, volunteers Lyle and Arlene Gowing teach spinning, weaving and other skills by appointment. To learn more, call the Gowings at 541-992-5150.
When you go Lincoln City Cultural Center 540 NE Hwy 101 (541) 994-9994 www.lincolncity-culturalcenter.org
The Lincoln City Visitor Information Center is open every day except for Tuesday. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, it’s open from 10 am to 5 pm. The rest of the year, the hours are 10 am to 4 pm. To find out more, or ask a question about Lincoln City and the Oregon Coast, call 541-994-3302. The Lincoln City Cultural Center business office, gallery and studios all have varying hours, and are open by appointment and for special events. Contact the cultural center for details at the phone number and web site above. 37
Chinook Winds Casino Chinook Winds Casino Resort thriving in Lincoln City By Dennis Anstine · Photos by Jo-Hanna Wienert
From the humble beginnings in 1995 of a small casino in “The Tent,” today’s Chinook Winds Casino Resort in northwest Lincoln City has become the county’s largest employer and a destination like no other on the Oregon Coast. Chinook Winds, owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians of Oregon, had 250 slots machines and 12 card tables when it opened under a large tent in May 1995 on property overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Today, the 157,000-square-foot casino is a Las Vegas-style facility that never closes its doors and features more than 1,100 slot machines, some 30 table and poker games and a 1,000-square-foot bingo hall. It is one of nine tribal casinos in Oregon. On the second floor, the 37,000-square-foot Convention Center is used for many events, including mixed martial arts, amateur boxing, pool tournaments, art shows, fundraisers and reunions. The casino’s Concerts by the Sea showroom also offers several entertainers each month. The casino’s décor incorporates many symbols and traditions of the Siletz Tribe, including the indoor waterfall that flows into a pond designed to resemble Euchre Creek, and important cultural site to the tribe. The foundation of the waterfall includes a huge boulder from the tribal land. For families visiting the casino, there is a “Play Palace” that offers a supervised activity center and the Games Galore Arcade, which has some 80 games for teens. The resort also offers three full-service dining options, including the Chinook Seafood Grill, the Rogue River Steakhouse and the Siletz Bay Buffet. The 2004 purchase of the neighboring Shilo Inn made the sprawling property a destination resort offering 227 rooms and many amenities, including a Jacuzzi, steam room, indoor heated swimming pool and workout facility, 7,500-square-feet of meeting space, Wi-Fi and a complimentary shuttle to the casino, which is located adjacent to the hotel. 38
The resort also provides a nearby home for RVs at the 51-space Logan Road RV Park. Since 2005, the Chinook Winds Golf Resort offers a challenging 18hole course and an indoor driving range. Chinook Winds hosts many charitable events and partners with many local organizations to help promote the area to build up tourism. It makes monetary contributions to various nonprofit organizations and also provides assistance through in-kind services, technical support and team member volunteers throughout the community, including the Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital Foundation, Newport and Lincoln City Youth Athletics and Lincoln County schools. The Siletz Tribe also is a major contributor to the Siletz community, Lincoln County and the state of Oregon through employment, monetary donations and by purchasing from local vendors. The tribe has distributed more than $8 million through the Siletz Tribal Charitable Contribution Fund and other tribal resources. Chinook Winds has donated more than $2 million in cash and fundraising items since it opened in 1995. The revenue generated by Chinook Winds goes directly to the Siletz Tribe after all operating expenses are paid.
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