92.
Bring your own dune buggies, all-terrain vehicles or rent them
For
an exhilarating and close look at the Oregon Sand dunes a ride in a dune buggy
can be an experience of a lifetime. Zipping up and down the sandy hills is
guaranteed to excite most people. There are several access points into the dunes
between Florence and North Bend. For ATV permits, locations and general
information, those interested can call the Oregon Dunes National Recreation
Area, 271-3611.
For
those who don’t own such a vehicle or have a friend with one, ATVs may be
rented in Hauser at Spinreel
Dunebuggy Rentals Inc., 9122 Wildwood Dr. North Bend, in Florence at Sand Dunes
Frontier and Theme Park 83960 U.S. Highway 101 plus several others listed with
the Dunes Recreation Area. A few of the companies also have large off-road
vehicles to take families and groups on excursions into the dunes, including
Pacific Coast Recreation Hwy. 101 at Hauser, 756-7183.
More of Interest:
Parker's
ATV
Bug
Germinators
Sand Dunes
Frontier
Sandland Adventures
Berg Auto Center
Sunset Sports
Reedsport
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast
93. Some stops are made for kids, but adults enjoy them too
Traveling along U.S. Highway 101 can provide some
beautiful scenery to look at and some exotic places to stop and visit. Located
59 miles north of Coos Bay on U.S. Highway 101, the Sea Lion Caves is an
excellent opportunity for locals and tourists to visit marine mammals resting in
their natural habitat. The Sea Lion Caves has been in operation since 1932. At
3.5 acres by 170 feet tall, the cave was designated as the largest in the world
two years ago by the Guinness Book of World Records. Hundreds of sea lions
congregate about 200 feet below U.S. Highway 101. During the spring and summer
months, anywhere from 200 to 250 Stellar sea lions can be seen resting on rocks
just outside the caves. In the winter and fall months, the sea lions move inside
to rest. Visiting the Sea Lion Caves will require walking up and down hills on
paved paths, but an elevator built in 1961 at least replaced a 150-step stairway
down to the caves. Visitors shouldn't expect to find caged animals at the caves.
It's humans that are behind bars to witness sea lions in their most natural
environment. The Sea Lion Caves are open seven days a week starting at 9 a.m.
Cost for visiting the caves is $6.50 for those 16-years old or older and $4.50
for those 6 through 15. Children under age 5 enter free.
Seven miles south of Bandon on U.S. Highway 101, the West Coast Game Park
Safari is an opportunity to walk among exotic animals such as leopards, cougars
and Bengal tigers. Wildlife at the park is constantly changing as animals give
birth to offspring annually. Seeing animals typically found in far away lands
such as Burma and Cambodia is not uncommon at the game park. The park is open
from March 1 through November 30. Gates open at 9 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. in
the summer and close at 5 p.m. in the spring and fall.
Farther south on Highway 101 near Arizona Beach just below Port
Orford, the Prehistoric Gardens is
another opportunity to visit exotic animals. Approximately 20 life-size replicas
of dinosaurs and amphibians line the winding gravel paths of the Prehistoric
Gardens, a favorite with children. The large foliage found is similar to plant
life of dinosaur times and brings realism to the giant dinosaurs. The
Prehistoric Gardens is open from 8 a.m. to dark every day of the year.
More of Interest:
West Coast Game Park
Outdoor-In
Wildlife Safari
Sea Lion Caves
94.
Shop for real Oregon products
Three
things, timber, fisheries and human creativity are well-known resources on the
South Coast. Every town offers places to buy products of our fishing fleets,
forests and artists. Perhaps lesser known are our cranberry bogs, our
flourishing florist greenery industry and the abundance of berries that thrive
here.
Cranberry
Sweets Candy Stores are located at First and Chicago in Bandon and 1005 Newmark
in the Empire area of Coos Bay. The store stocks samples of many kinds of sweet
treats featuring concoctions of cranberries, nuts, sugars and chocolates.
No
matter where you are, every time you purchase a gift of flowers, it is likely
that those spikes of fresh green leaves that compliment colorful blooms once
grew on Oregon’s South Coast. A quiet industry, the greenery is harvested in
shady spots where a forest provides shelter from the sun. Ferns, huckleberry and
salal branches and boughs of cedar are incorporated into creations by floral
shops across the nation.
Free
for the offering are berries growing wild along the trails and roads of the
coast. Make a jam, pie or cobbler of the blackberries or huckleberries and you
will have a delicious and true Oregon product. There are also places that grow
blueberries and other berries where you can purchase them by the box, or pick
your own. These places advertise in the classified ads of local newspapers
during the summer harvest season.
For
those who park the car in the old town sections of Florence or Bandon, or at
Charleston, a several-block walk will offer many of these products. At
Charleston, one stop at Carolyn’s Breakfast Barn will fill you with
home-cooking and offer gifts such as Oregon myrtlewood clocks hand-etched with
burnt art by the man who brought your coffee. Next door is Chuck’s Seafood
with canned Oregon salmon, tuna, crab and Oregon berry jellies. The story is the
same in each coastal town and village. The South Coast of Oregon is a rich
place.
More of Interest:
Checkerberry's
Flowers and Gifts
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast
95.
See the Redwoods along the Chetco River
The
U.S. Forest Service maintains several excellent trails to help visitors explore
the majestic stands of old-growth Redwoods along the Chetco River south of
Brookings on the Oregon-California state line.
The
first place to stop at is the Chetco Ranger District Office, 555 Fifth in
Brookings, where detailed maps, brochures and directions are available free of
charge. The phone number for the office is 469-2196.
An
excellent, although challenging, trail is the Redwood Nature Trail, located nine
miles north of Brookings. The 1.2-mile loop trail leads hikers past Redwood
trees up to 250 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter. Some may be as old as 800
years. The trail connects with the Riverview Trail, which leads to Loeb State
Park along the Chetco River.
To
reach the trail, take U.S. Highway 101 to County Road 784 (North Bank Chetco
River Road) to Forest Service Road 1376. The trailhead features parking, picnic
area, toilet, trash collection area and self-guided interpretive brochures.
People
with Internet access can find more information about this
trail and many other trails .
96.
Boaters have quite a few options for launching craft
Coastal
lakes offer some of the most diverse ecosystems and clean water for those who
enjoy water skiing, swimming and wildlife viewing and fishing. For those people
who have boats several boat launches are available throughout the area.
Some
of the landings are the Tenmile Marina in Lakeside, Bay Bridge Marina in
Florence, Salmon Harbor in Winchester Bay, Eastside Boat Ramp in Coos Bay, the
Bureau of Land Management’s ramp on Coos Bay’s North Spit, Charleston Marina
in Charleston and Sturdivant Park in Coquille. For more information, those
interested can call Charleston Marina in Charleston at 888-2548. Or, plan ahead.
The Oregon State Marine Board provides a list of every boat ramp on the South
Coast. It’s not on-line yet, but people can e-mail or write to the agency and
request a copy. The addresses are: Publications, P.O. Box 14145, Salem, Ore.
97309-5065, or Marine.Board@state.or.us.
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast
97.
Tour the historic Hughes House near Cape Blanco
Considered
one the finest examples of Eastlake Victorian architecture on the South Coast,
the Hughes House celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1998 and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
The
home was built by Patrick Hughes, a native of Ireland who, with his wife Jane,
came to America in 1850 and then went west in 1855 to look for gold.
The
couple first lived in Langlois, where Patrick worked on the ranch of A.H.
Thrift, eventually trading his labor for 80 acres of land along the Sixes River.
He built up the ranch to nearly
2,000 acres, employing as many as 14 ranch hands, producing high quality butter
for sale and barter locally as well as in San Francisco.
The
Hughes House was constructed in 1898 by P.J. Lindberg, celebrating Patrick and
Jane’s success in building a life on the South Coast. The two-story, 11-room
house is framed with old growth Port Orford Cedar and has more than 3,000 square
feet of living space. The Hughes family and their descendants occupied the home
until 1959. Roseanna (Annie) Doyle was the final Hughes family member to occupy
the home.
The
home is located on the road leading in to Cape Blanco State Park, which
intersects with U.S. Highway 101 just north of Port
Orford. The home is open for
visitors from April through Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Special Christmas
open houses are held on Dec. 9-10,2000 and Dec. 16-17,2000
from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
98.
Oregon Coast Music Festival a longtime tradition
In
July, music lovers flock to the South Coast for the Oregon Coast Music Festival.
Opening Saturday, July 15, 2000 with
a free lunch-time concert in Coos Bay’s Mingus Park, the festival occurs
throughout Coos County during the next two weeks and even crosses the border
into Douglas County with a Friday evening performance in Reedsport.
Musical
offering and venues range from a jazz quartet at the Oregon Institute of Marine
Biology Boathouse in Charleston to a marimba band and Caribbean food at the
North Bend Community Center to a klezmer trio at Shore Acres State Park.
Highlights
of the orchestral performances at the Marshfield High School auditorium will
include a Festival Orchestra pops concert entitled “Y2K --- A Couple Grand”
and performances of works by Vaughn-Williams, Beethoven, Mozart, Britten and
Shostakovich.
For
tickets or other information, those interested can call the Oregon Coast Music
Association at 267-0938.
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast
99.
Horseback riding at the beach
Horseback riding on the beach is a good way to spend some time and have some fun
all in one. You do not have to be an experienced rider to enjoy riding a horse
or even the expense or work of owning one. Their are two places that offer guide
services, one is located in Bandon along the beach. Bandon Stables on Beach Loop
Drive just off Hwy. 101. They offer guided horseback riding tours Seven days a
week. You can leave the stables and cross the road and you are on the beach. Any
age is welcomed to join in on the fun. (though children 5 and under must ride
double). They are set up for the handicapped riders also. They offer three
different trips. One is to a beach where you can take a look at the tide pools
and rocks or you can go over the dunes to visit a nearby lake. You can even
watch a sun set on another one of their trips. Or if you wish not to ride a
horse they even offer wagon rides on the beach and are set up as a full service
stables and would love to cater to your needs. Another stable is located north
of Coos Bay in Florence on Hwy. 101 just 8 miles north of Florence. They are
also open seven days a week and have been in business for over 18 years. The
ranch consists of 110 acres and they have around 50 horses for you to choose
from. They also welcome riders off all levels they have new camping facilities
and a snack bar to boot. They have easy highway access, and breath taking views
and have a forest all around the ranch for the family to enjoy. So take a little
trip either up North of Coos Bay or South for a short drive either way it would
make a nice day.
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast
100.
Local pool sharks always looking for new blood
Pool
players visiting the South Coast need not leave their gear at home. Several
tournaments are scheduled weekly:
Monday
Silver
Dollar, Newmark Avenue, Empire (541) 888-9956
7:30
p.m., 8-ball, double elimination, $10 entry, house ads $
Tournament
director: Tony Bush
Tuesday
Tadd’s
Restaurant and Lounge, 90 W. First Street, Coquille, (541) 396-2373
7:30
p.m., 8-ball, double elimination, $5 entry, ball-in-hand league rules
Wednesday
Silver
Dollar, Newmark Avenue, Empire (541) 888-9956
7:30
p.m., 8-ball, double elimination, $10 entry, house adds $
Tournament
director: Tony Bush
Thursday
Backstreet
Saloon, 1880 N. Seventh Street, Coos Bay, 266-8600
7
p.m., 8-ball, double elimination, $5 entry, call pocket
Tournament
director: Mary Ann Milburn
Friday
Four
Seasons, Coquille
7:30
p.m., 9-ball, double-elimination, Texas Express, race-to-4, $5 entry, house adds
$
Tournament
director: Tony Bush
Saturday
The
Oasis, Winchester Bay
7:30
p.m., 9-ball, double-elimination, Texas Express, race-to-4, $5-$10 entry, house
adds $
Tournament
director: Tony Bush
Coming
up:
May
20-21, 2000 Evenson Benefit Tournament, to support Project Advantage
$1000
added, $25 entry fee, 9-ball, race-to-7, Texas Express, double-elimination,
limited to 64 players Fraser’s Quarterdeck Lounge, Hwy. 101, Bandon, (541) 347-9024
Tournament
Director: Steve Swann
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast
101.
World War II history buffs take note of this trail
For
those who follow World War II history, Brookings is home to a trail leading to
one of the only spots on the continental United States bombed by a Japanese
airplane attack.
The
Bombsite Trail leading to Wheeler Ridge commemorates the flight of Nobuo Fujita,
who designed an airplane that could be disassembled, fitted into a submarine,
then reassembled and launched at sea. On Sept. 9, 1942, Fujita took off and
dropped an incendiary bomb on the ridge, hoping to start a raging forest fire.
Unseasonable
rains caused the attack to fizzle and a second attempt two weeks later near Port
Orford also failed. In 1962, as a gesture of peace Fujita came to Brookings and
presented his family’s 400-year-old samurai sword to the city, where and it
remains on display at the Chetco Community Library.
Fujita
died in October 1997 at age 87. Shortly before his death, the city proclaimed
him “a lasting friend and honorary citizen of the city of Brookings.”
The
Bombsite Trail is located 19 miles by road east of Brookings. To get there,
drive out of Brookings on U.S. Highway 101, across the Chetco River and then
take Curry County Road 808 (the South Bank Chetco River Road) to Forest Road
1205.
Follow
Road 1205 to Spur 260; parking is at the 1205/260 intersection. The trailhead is
located on the south side of Road 1205 about 200 feet past the 1205/260
intersection. The trail is a one-mile grade, rated easy to moderate hiking. It
is open all year, but is not fully accessible to people with disabilities. Also,
no drinking water is available. Hikers also need to watch for possible patches
of poison oak.
Brochures
on trail and maps are available at Chetco Ranger Station at 555 Fifth St. in
Brookings, behind Ray’s Sentry Market on U.S. Highway 101. Telephone (541)
469-2196.
Return to 101 Things to Do on Oregon South Coast