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Covering 180 miles of Oregon coast travel: Astoria, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler, Rockaway, Garibaldi, Tillamook, Oceanside, Pacific City, Lincoln City, Depoe Bay, Newport, Waldport, Yachats & Florence.

09/25/08

Secrets of the Season

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Oregon Beaches Get Tropical for the Weekend

Newport, where a lot will be happening beyond the weather.

(Oregon Coast) - That glittering "second summer" is making a stellar appearance on the Oregon coast this weekend, one worthy of its own Emmy, with weather crawling up into the 70's.

Although it was raining mid-week, locals as well as travelers were looking forward to the run of fun and sun.

While Friday will begin with mostly cloudy skies and temps loitering in the upper 60’s, Saturday starts to see the clouds backing off and more sun causing the temperatures to at least stay the same if not edge up a little and close in on 70 degrees. Sunday will bring more sun, less clouds, and highs in the low 70’s. Monday will do the same - for those who can make a three-day weekend of the ocean beaches.

Eating outdoors, like at Fultano's in Cannon Beach, will in great demand this weekend.

These kind of conditions have been going on most of the month, said Winston Laszlo, owner of Old Wheeler Hotel in Wheeler. The sunshine is causing more than flowers to bloom.

“I definitely believe that the great weather we've been having this September has had a positive impact on our business,” at the Old Wheeler Hotel. “It's been just gorgeous here in Wheeler. We've had a lot of opportunities to enjoy the weather ourselves. Just basking in the sun in front of the hotel at the Wheeler Waterfront Park or sitting on the deck at the Sea Shack Restaurant is like a mini-vacation. My wife Maranne and I spent a relaxing Monday afternoon floating on the bay in a rental boat from the Wheeler Marina.”

While some have noticed an uptick in reservations or calls from tourists, many have found the tourism traffic on the coast a little slow.

Seaside in the sun.

“Honestly, the last three days have been totally dead,” said a spokesperson for Arch Cape Rental Services near Cannon Beach. “And up until this enlightening forecast, I wouldn't have been very positive about the reservation scene.”

“We have had more calls since the weather report forecasted sunny weather for the weekend,” said Donna Weiss, of Weiss’ Paradise Suites in Seaside. “My flowers are still blooming but I don't think they will last too much longer. This would be a great weekend to spend at the coast. We don't get 70 degrees in late September that often.”

Juanita Short works the front desk at The Landing in Newport and expected a boost also, even though this year has been a bit on the down side. “The weather has been helpful,” she said. “We usually have a few more guests, but this year has not been an ordinary year.”

Near Depoe Bay: Cape Foulweather should put on quite a show at sunset.

At the sprawling neighborhoods of vacation rentals of Bella Beach near Depoe Bay and Olivia Beach in Lincoln City, manager Peggy Rippen-Kroeger said they’re half-booked for what could be a massive weekend of tourists.

“Will be busy,” she said. “Have staff all in place to take care of it. A lot of our renters have commented that they came to the beach because of the weather being so nice.”

At the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, spokesman Cindy Hanson expects to be quite busy over the weekend for a number of reasons.

“We will close early - at 3 p.m. on Saturday - to get the Aquarium ready for the Jellyfish Jubilee, and re-open at 6 p.m. for the pre-event, which is sold out, and then at 7 p.m. for the main event.”

Lincoln City

Tickets are still available for the main event at 541-867-3474 ext. 5203. More at www.aquarium.org

They’ve been getting plenty of calls there for that event and for the Otter Awareness Week which winds down over the weekend.

“People are very excited to be attending the Oregon Coast Aquarium's very first fundraiser, The Jellyfish Jubilee: A Celebration of Food and Wine,” Hanson said. “We are going to be decked out in all our finery for this extraordinary evening.”

Other things are drawing people to the coast as well, including a number of interesting events.

Fishing on the Tillamook Bay, at Garibaldi

This weekend is the opening of "Our Town" at the Coaster Theatre Playhouse in Cannon Beach, said Laszlo. He’ll spend a chunk of this glorious weekend inside, as he has a role in the play.

Fishing is big in the Oceanside and Tillamook area, partially because of the weather.

“We have been having a lot of fishing in this area,” said Sarah McDonald, of Sea Sweet Vacation Rentals in Oceanside. “Memaloops in the Tillamook Bay is a hot spot right now. We have one couple coming just for that. Chinook Fall Salmon are in. We’ve got room to park your boats.”

Short said Newport’s Symphony Orchestra starts its 20th anniversary season on Saturday.

Short Beach, near Oceanside

But even coasties take days off, and this weekend looks promising for many. Amy Dunlap, of Sunset Vacation Rentals in Manzanita, expects to be goofing around the river, as does Hanson after a while – although she’ll be in a kayak.

Mikaela Norval, Tourism Director for Seaside, will spend her time outdoors as well. “This weekend I am going to enjoy the nice weather by celebrating National Estuary Day at our Coastal Natural History Center,” she said.

That event is at 2674 North Highway 101, Seaside, happening on Saturday. It starts at 10 a.m. with field trip hikes and presentations, as well as a barbecue lunch.

For Rippen-Kroeger, her weekend is literally going to the dogs – well at least one dog.

“I am getting a new puppy,” Rippen-Kroegersaid. “So I will be on the beach walking him and letting him get used to his new home.”

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