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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2017)
Dreaming OF A Damp Christmas FIFTY-SOME HOURS OF HOLIDAY FUN ON OREGON’S DRIZZLY SOUTH COAST By Bob Keefer HOLIDAY LIGHTS AT SHORE ACRES STATE PARK HEAR YE, HEAR YE !! LEGAL NOTICES place your legal notices in the Eugene Weekly FAST, EFFICIENT SERVICE call: 541.484.0519 email: legals@eugeneweekly.com fax: 541.484.4044 Eugene Weekly qualifi es for posting legal ads 2 E u g e n e We e k l y ’ s H O L I D AY H A P P E N I N G S 2 0 1 7 O regon’s south coast — we’re talking Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston — pro- vides a great holiday getaway for the hardy, with a range of activities from wet weather hiking to candy treats, a holiday light fest like no other, and serious knee-slappin’ live cornball en- tertainment. Here’s the plan for your two-and-a-half-day adventure. Before you go: Book yourself a room for two nights. Our favorite place to stay is the Mill Casino in North Bend, just north of Coos Bay. You don’t need to gamble to enjoy a weekend here. The Mill is clean and modern and has a good restaurant right on the property. Service has always been excellent. Ask for a tower room; they’re newer and have the best view. Then book yourself seats for a show for the second night of your trip at Little Theatre on the Bay (See Day 2, below) and pack the car. Be sure to bring the Gore-Tex and hiking shoes. DAY 1 9 am: Head down I-5 for the three-hour leisurely drive to Coos Bay. You’ll go west from the freeway on Highway 38, one of Oregon’s most quietly scenic byways, through Drain and Elkton to Reedsport. Along the way you can stop for a full-on breakfast at Arlene’s in Elkton, or just grab a cup of caffeine at the kiosk in town. A few miles before you hit Reedsport, stop at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area on the south edge of Highway 38 for clean public restrooms and, usually, a view of the semi-tame elk herd lounging in the meadow right next to the road. They’re im- pressive animals, especially if you’ve never seen one up close. Good photography stop for the wildlife enthusiast. Just before you hit North Bend and Coos Bay you’ll cross the spectacular Conde McCullough Memorial Bridge, an Art Deco wonder built in 1936 and named for its designer, an Oregon Department of Transportation en- gineer who created an entire series of graceful bridges on Highway 101 and elsewhere. When you reach downtown Coos Bay, stop for lunch. One of our favorite meals is Mexican food at the Puerto Vallarta, 230 S. Second Street, a big, friendly, family- oriented place on the main drag downtown. Another good possibility is SharkBite’s Seafood Cafe, Market & The- ater nearby at 240 S. Broadway, which offers good sea- food and sandwich fare with a surfer-dude ambience. After lunch, drive west on the well-marked road that leads from downtown Coos Bay to Charleston, being sure to stop in at Cranberry Sweets & More, 1005 Newmark Avenue, where you and any children in your party can eat yourselves absolutely sick on delicious free samples of candy while watching the candy makers at work through plate-glass windows. Best tackled after a healthy lunch.
