Oregon's Adventure Coast » admin

5 Ways to Ring in the New Year on Oregon’s Adventure Coast

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:35:49 +0000

2011 is drawing to a close, and what a year we have had! The Oregon Coast is ready to celebrate a new year and here are 5 local events and traditions for you to ring in 2012:

1. Whale Watch Week (Dec 26-Jan 1)

Visit trained “Whale Watching Spoken Here” volunteers at Shore Acres State Park from 10am to 1pm to learn more about migrating Gray whales. Call 541-888-3732
www.WhaleSpoken.org

2. 2011 Shore Acres Festival of Lights (nightly through Dec 31)

This is one of our favorite local holiday traditions and is open to the public from 4-9:30 PM each night (including Dec 24 & 25) until December 31, 2011. Visit www.shoreacres.net

3. Chowder Bounty (through March 1, 2012)

Book our Chowder Bounty Lodging Specials at a participating hotel and we will give you a Dining Gift Certificate for TWO FREE CUPS OF CHOWDER to sample some of our best from participating restaurants. (1 Night Minimum Stay)
www.chowderbounty.com

4. New Years Eve Parties

There is no shortage of New Years Eve in North Bend/Coos Bay. Here are a few events happening that evening:

North Bend Lanes New Year’s Eve Party (6:30pm-12:30am)

Two NYE’s Party: Monte Carlo Color Pin bowling at 6:30pm and 80’s music in the bar starting at 9:30pm. Includes food, adult beverages, bowling shoes and a chance to win $500! Cost is $29 but Facebook friends get in for $25! Special cosmic bowling for all ages from 10pm – 12:30pm ($15). www.northbendlanes.com
Swingin’ New Year’s Eve Party at The Mill Casino Hotel (events all weekend)

Random prize giveaways, Dance party in the Salmon Room starting at 9pm (tickets on sale at KoKwel Gifts), with midnight champagne toast and balloon drop or get down with live music in Warehouse 101. The Saw Blade will be offering a $19.95 New Year’s Eve all you can eat buffet from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 31, followed by a $17.95 New Year’s Day brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday www.themillcasino.com
Oregon Coast Culinary Institute New Year’s Eve Venetian Masquerade Ball (8:30pm – 1am)

Attendees should come dressed in their finest wear and don their favorite mask if they like! Upon arrival, guests will be entertained with gourmet food, champagne toast, dancing, no-host bar, silent auction, and countdown to midnight with a roaring fire inside a giant ice tower. Party goers will be surrounded by ice sculptures from Master Carver Chris Foltz. Tickets are $30 advance or $35 at the door. Call 541-888-7189 for reservations. www.occi.net

5. Polar Bear Plunge Jan 1, 2012 9am- SHARP!

Sunset Bay State Park, Cape Arago Hwy

Join us as we celebrate this annual tradition with our local Polar Bears for a New Year’s dive in to the ocean. The only rule is that you must completely immerse yourself. Spend 1-5 minutes in our waters and you’re sure to start your new year off right! Everyone is welcome!

Featured Chowder Bounty Recipe: Clam Chowder with Fresh Corn & Jalapeno

admin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:52:17 +0000

To celebrate Oregon’s Adventure Coast Chowder Bounty (going through March 1, 2012), we have collected our favorite top secret recipes from the locals and have shared them with you on our Chowder Bounty site.

Just one taste and you will see why we’re prouder of our chowder! The following recipe is a great dish to serve at upcoming holiday gatherings:

Clam Chowder with Fresh Corn & Jalapeno

By Jardin Kazaar of the Black Market Gourmet

4 Cups minced clams (may use canned)
2 Cups fresh shucked corn
1 stalk of celery (minced)
1 medium onion (diced)
2 qt. Chicken stock (or canned clam juice)
1 Jalapeno (finely diced)
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (diced)
¼ C butter & ¼ C olive oil
2 Cups heavy cream
2 heaping Tbs. Flour for the roux
Salt / pepper to taste

In a large pot, sweat the celery, onions, potatoes, and Jalapeno in oil and butter on medium heat. When the potatoes are tender, add the flour and keep stirring while adding liquid stock. Add corn and clams, continue stirring while watching for stock to thicken. Last add the cream and adjust seasoning with salt and / or pepper.

For more recipes from Chef Jardin Kazaar, watch his 5 Minute Gourmet series on KCBY CBS 11. Visit our Chowder Bounty Recipe Page to view and download more recipes!

The Coos Bay – North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau wants visitors to discover our hidden treasures and taste the world’s best Clam Chowder. Book our Chowder Bounty Lodging Specials between now and March 1 at a participating hotel and give you a Dining Gift Certificate for TWO FREE CUPS OF CHOWDER to sample some of our best from participating restaurants. (1 Night Minimum Stay)

Guide to The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

admin — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:41:59 +0000

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America and it is like no place on earth.

The majestic dunes are one of our favorite attractions on the Southern Oregon Coast because they give visitors plenty of opportunities to find relaxation and adventure.

Fortunately Spring brings warmer weather to Coos Bay- making it the perfect time to hit the Dunes! Here are some info about the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area:

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area extends for 40 miles along the Oregon Coast.
The wind-sculpted sand dunes tower up to 500 feet above sea level.
Thousands of off-highway vehicle riders come to the Oregon Coast each year to enjoy the thrill of riding across these expansive tracks of sand.
The largest riding area at the Oregon Dunes stretches between Spinreel Campground and Horsfall Road.
Beach access is year round and the area has a midnight curfew.
Recreational opportunities include off-highway vehicle use, hiking, photography, fishing, canoeing, horseback riding and camping.
There are also a variety of hiking opportunities in the coastal forests.
For maps go to: http://www.fs.fed.us

Rentals

Doon Bugs
Located at the Myrtlewood Factory
68752 Hauser Depot Road (off Hwy 101)
North Bend, OR 97459
(541) 660-5300
www.oregondunebugrentals.com
ATV’s, Polaris RZR’s, Yamaha Rhinos, Sandboards, and more!

Dune Riders ATV
Sales and Rentals
68766 Hauser Depot Rd.
North Bend, OR 97459
(541) 680-1605
duneridersatv.com
We have the ATVs to fit your needs! Ride the trails, ride the dunes & the beach! It’s all in reach!

Spinreel Dune Buggy Rentals, Inc.
Richard Burkholder
67045 Spinreel Road
North Bend, OR 97459
(541) 759-3313; Fax (541) 759-4777
www.ridetheoregondunes.com

Steve’s ATV Rental
68512 Highway 101
North Bend, OR 97459
(541) 751-1800
www.StevesATVRentals.com

My Oregon's Adventure Coast Getaway

admin — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:09:59 +0000

The Adventures of Our Chowder Bounty Travel Correspondent

Back in December, we put a call out to find our first ever Chowder Bounty Adventure Correspondent by launching a contest. The winner of the contest would receive the ultimate Oregon’s Adventure Coast Getaway in exchange for their written account of their experience to share with our readers.

We were simply overwhelmed with the responses we received- but we narrowed down our choices and decided to award the task to a young lady from the California area who demonstrated great creativity and a passion for travel and adventure. You can also learn more by following her blog: Super Duper Fantastic and see some of her previous posts from her Oregon Coast Experience.

Here is Suki’s experience:

Almost 500 miles from the Bay Area that I grew up and live in today sat another one I’d not yet explored, at least not until late January 2011. Armed with thicker jackets, a duffel of clothes, and all of our electronic devices, we were ready for the weekend.

Driving began on Thursday evening. We [Technofisher and I] took Friday off to make the most of our time. Into the night, we drove, stopping briefly for naps and snacks. Upon crossing the Oregon border, we noticed that gas was at least 20 cents cheaper, AND we didn’t have to get out into the cold to refuel!

Visiting for the very first time, we knew not exactly what to expect, but we knew we were in for a treat when we saw these signs welcoming us.

Excited for the adventures ahead, but exhausted from the long drive, we checked into our hotel early for a nap. Throughout our weekend in Coos Bay, the Mill Casino and Hotel provided a comfortable, clean resting spot when we were done with romping around for the day. The parking lot of the hotel provided some of the best photo ops for the weekend!

Napping revived us, and we were ready to get on our way. The map Katherine provided us led us to High Tide Cafe in Charleston where we would enjoy a delectable meal, as well as our first bowl of Oregon chowder!

Tasty! Well-seasoned [a little on the peppery side, but delicious], creamy, and had lots of clams! We wandered out to the South Jetty for some photos before heading back towards downtown Coos Bay. For dinner on Friday evening, we had reservations for The Chef’s Table, the externship program at the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute.

Umbrellas weren’t necessary for the weekend because after the gloom of Friday had passed, we were greeted by sunshine and fantastic weather for the rest of the weekend. We spent the first half of Saturday hiking through Cape Arago State Park.

Rather than make the trek back to downtown Coos Bay for lunch, we decided it was a good time to check out the crabbing situation on the docks of Charleston. I borrowed crab rings from Katherine who was also out on the docks for the day and tried my luck, while Technofisher used a snare that he had brought from home. Dungeness crab season is pretty big in San Francisco, so we weren’t sure what we would end up catching. Unfortunately, I was only so lucky as to catch a rock crab, some smaller Dungeness crabs, and a not-so-pretty kelp crab.

Even with our crab luck down in the dumps, we were able to score some fresh Dungeness crab at Fishermen’s Wharf down on Dock D. They have a tank full of lively crab for the picking! Water is pumped into the tank from outside to keep ‘em fresh. The Dungie we picked out was still fighting and pinching on its way to the crab cooker. There were clean tables in the back for enjoying the crab.

Crab on the docks – there’s nothing like it! With crab-filled bellies, we wrapped up the day checking out the tide pools at Sunset Bay State Park.

On Sunday, we woke up bright and early to catch the sunrise. It’s rare that we wake up early enough to see the sun come up, but the sun didn’t seem to come up until after 6am. We grabbed breakfast at Pancake Mill Restaurant situated across the street from the hotel, and then we spent our morning wandering around Shore Acres State Park. Since we were on the early side, we left our $$ with the machine at the front entrance. We first went for a stroll along the cliffside [gorgeous crashing waves], and then checked out the gardens.

ATV/dune buggies out on the sand dunes would be our next adventure. We drove up the 101 to Spinreel Dune Buggy Rentals after 10am. A quick informational video later, helmets were handed over to us, and we were ready to go! Of course, not even ten minutes into our dune buggy adventure, I had us stuck on the incline of a dune – oops! At first, I freaked out, but after a few minutes, we were able to “unstuck” ourselves and enjoy the rest of our hour in the beautiful dunes.

Sadly, the adventure weekend had to come to an end. After our hour was up, we stopped by Yeong’s Place in North Bend for a quick last meal before the long drive home. 9.5+ hours long, but well worth it.

Thank you for the opportunity as your Chowder Bounty Adventure Correspondent. What a blast! We truly enjoyed our experience on OREGON’S ADVENTURE COAST!

Who Serves Up the Best Clam Chowder in Coos Bay, North Bend & Charleston Oregon?

admin — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:04:37 +0000

The Coos Bay – North Bend Visitor & Convention Bureau wants visitors to discover our hidden treasures and taste the world’s best Clam Chowder (yes…you heard me- the world’s BEST Clam Chowder) during Chowder Bounty October 1-March 1, 2010.

Chowder Bounty Visitors will receive $50 in dining gift certificates for participating restaurants when they stay for two nights or more in participating lodging properties. This gives travelers a chance to try chowder from various restaurants….then vote for the best.

Tell your friends, tell your family, blog about it, share it on Facebook and Twitter. We want to know- Who has the best clam chowder?

[poll id="3"]

The Spectacular Hawaiian Chieftain Visits Coos Bay March 19-24

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:26:03 +0000

Attention Coos Bay Visitors and Residents! We are in for a big treat this week. Beginning today, March 19, The Hawaiian Chieftain will be in Coos Bay for the next 5 days as part of its ‘Hands-on History for Youth” tour of the West Coast.

The Hawaiian Chieftain is a magnificant replica of a typical 19th century European merchant trader commonly used to carry coastal trade along the Atlantic coastal cities and towns. The hull shape and rigging are similar to those of Spanish explorer’s ships used in the expeditions of the late 18th century along the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts.

Oregon coast visitors and residents can experience a hands on nautical history lesson aboard the ship while in Coos Bay.

The Hawaiian Chieftain offers Walk-on tours and three-hour Adventure Sails. For sail times and ticket information, visit www.historicalseaport.org.

Missing San Francisco Sea Lions Vacationing in Coos Bay Oregon

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:10:19 +0000

Missing San Francisco Sea Lion interview: “we’re not missing, we’re just on vacation.”

The legendary San Francisco Sea Lions; famous for taking up residence in the docks at Pier 39, vanished from the site as abruptly and mysteriously as they had arrived 20 years ago.

At one point, over 1,700 Sea Lions lived in around the docks and became very popular with tourists (not so popular with local fisherman). Marine Biologists, Scientists, Residents, and Tourists have been baffled by their strange disappearance- and it been a mystery as to where they went- until now…

Sightings of large numbers of Sea Lions have been reported off the Oregon Coast-so our Coos Bay/North Bend reporter, Katherine Hoppe, caught up with a few of the famed sea lions to see how they were doing….

Crabbing Tips from Fishing Oregon's Adventure Coast

admin — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 03:27:00 +0000

Fishing Oregon’s Adventure Coast is a fantastic resource for locals and tourists to get tips and valuable information about fishing, clamming, crabbing and boating in and around Coos Bay. Since this is still a great time to go Crabbing- we wanted to share their tips:

Fall is typically the best time to crab. Beginning in September, crabs tend to be more “filled out”, meaning there is a higher percentage of meat. This is determined by the condition of the shell. Hard-shelled crabs contain 20 to 30 percent meat by weight, compared to soft-shelled crabs which can be as low as 12 percent.

At times after heavy rainfall crab tend to be less abundant in the bays.

Slack water (the time around high or low tide) are the best times to crab. During slack water, crabs are generally walking around and foraging since they are not getting pushed around by tidal exchange.

Businesses in Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston Oregon rent crab pots and crab rings. Please see the boating and supplies page on this website for contact information.

Preparing for crabbing: Make sure you have your shellfish license (people 14 and older require a shellfish license for crabbing), crab measuring tool, pots or rings, cooler, gloves, bait holders and bait supply. Check all lines on pots or rings for knots or kinks to ensure they are durable and will allow gear to work correctly. Make sure your pots are properly marked.

Baiting your gear – Many different types of bait are used for crabbing: turkey, chicken, minx, fish carcass, shad, herring, clams, etc. Fresh bait is best. Keep in mind that seals and sea lions will eat attractive bait that they can access. You can avoid this problem by using a bait bag or avoiding areas where they are prevalent.

Setting your gear and soak time – Tie the end of your crab line to the dock or pier where you are crabbing. Throw your pot or ring into the water. Allow between one and two hours before retrieving your gear if you are crabbing with crab pots and 15 to 30 minutes if you are crabbing with rings.

Sorting crabs – Quickly sort through the crab, being careful not to break crab legs off or get your fingers pinched. An experienced crab handler will sort crabs by keeping them at ease. They want to get out, but they don’t want to be forcefully grabbed. A quick shake of the pot is often more effective than reaching directly for them. Be sure to carefully and quickly release the crab, do not throw them from heights as this will often crack their carapace and kill them. It is illegal to retain only the claws on all species.

(Male on left, Female on right)

Making sure your crabs are legal – With a crab gauge, measure all male Dungeness crab retained. Retain no more than 12 male Dungeness crab per shellfish license that are 5 3/4″ across (NOT including points) or wider. Female crabs are illegal and must be released immediately.

Keeping your crab quality – Store legal-sized (keeper) crabs in a cooler with ice or ice packs or in a bucket or cooler with water. If you keep your crabs in a bucket or cooler with water, make sure to change the water frequently to keep the water cool and oxygenated. And make sure the water is seawater – freshwater will kill crabs. (This information came from the ODFW shellfish section).

Oregon Coast Local Holiday Secrets

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:46:00 +0000

Earlier this month, I shared our recommendation for the Shore Acres Holiday Lights display- a true “Must See” for locals and tourists throughout the Holiday Season (the display will be open to the public through December 31. Here are some more local travel secrets to make your Oregon holiday adventure unforgettable:

Local Secret #1: On the way back from seeing the lights, a must stop is the Charleston Rural Fire Department on Cape Arago Highway where you’ll find a miniature Christmas Village: over 200 miniatures and trains representing Coos County, and of course cookies are available. This event is also free and has incredible detail to ooh and ahh over. Open every night thru Christmas Eve, 6pm-10pm.
Contact info: Rusty Shields 541.888.3268

Local Secret #2: Go Dock Crabbing! This time of year is the best time of year for dock crabbing, and the best part, kids can crab free! Visit www.fishingcoosbay.com for maps, tips and other details on Crabbing in Coos Bay!

Local Secret #3: ExploreSouth Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve which is the first estuarine reserve in the nation. Every month they host a class called Tide of the Toddlers where they teach little ones how to explore and appreciate nature. Every December they also feature a natural ornaments class for the kids. They will also be hosting the Gray Whale Obstacle Course on Saturday 12/19 from 10:30 to 11:30 am or 2 to 3 pm. Event is free, visit their site for details.

Local Secret #4: ATV’ing, dunebuggy’ing, or sand boarding on the Oregon Dunes is a must. For kids too small to ride their own vehicle, you can rent 2, 4, or 13 seater vehicles. Rain or shine, our dunes are active year round as there is nothing like it. The sand boarding is friendly to all ages but it best enjoyed in sunny weather as the boards travel better.

The Holiday events continue….You can cap the whole holiday season off with the annual Whale Watching week at Shore Acres Dec 26-Jan1st. A complete list of our events is available at www.oregonsadventurecoast.com

Who Has the Best Brunch in Coos Bay & North Bend?

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:50:00 +0000

A travel writer contacted me recently to get some information on restaurants that served the Best Brunches in the Coos Bay/North Bend and surrounding area. It was an interesting enough question that I decided to post it on our Facebook Page and asked our followers in Twitter- and it fueled an interesting discussion!

Most of them agreed “The Mill” aka The Pancake Mill offers the best breakfast/brunch in town. Locals love their wide variety of breakfast, lunch, low calorie and meatless menu items. Home style soups, sandwiches, and pie specialties.

But what many of us REALLY love is the fragrant smell of delicious brewed coffees, pies, cakes and muffins when you walk in the door. When you go- you really must try a dish from their “eggg-tensive” Egg Menu or check out the Eggs a la Mill (Benedict Style)- one of their specialties. Great local spot, good food, and friendly service- you can’t go wrong!

Pancake Mill
2390 Tremont Avenue (Hwy 101), North Bend
Cuisine: breakfast • Map & Directions
541-756-2751

Other spots our Facebook followers recommend:

Mom’s Kitchen
1603 Sherman Avenue, North Bend
541-756-2710
From one of our Followers- “Mom’s really takes you back in time and the food is great.”

Dishners
2603 Broadway St, North Bend
Cuisine: american, breakfast • Map & Directions
541-756-2881

I recommend their Farmers Omelet! Yum!

Got any more recommendations? Let us know! For more Coos Bay/North Bend dining options- see our dining page!