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 !!
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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.