Travel
Newport: A Coastal Oregon Gem
The marine mystique in Newport, Oregon, includes the Yaquina Head Light.
The Yaquina Head Light Station sits high atop the steep cliffs of the Oregon coast, strategically placed on the western edge of a finger of land that juts out into the Pacific Ocean. Standing 93 feet tall, it boasts a blinking beacon that can be seen more than 20 miles offshore, providing solace to sailors and a fascinating point of interest to lighthouse lovers since it opened in 1873.
The lighthouse and the 100-acre Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area it sits within are among the many attractions that draw thousands of people to the small town of Newport, Oregon, each year. Roughly halfway down the 363-mile Oregon coast between Washington and California along U.S. Route 101 — a.k.a. the Oregon Coast Highway — Newport is centered around Yaquina Bay, a large inlet that also serves as a confluence between the salt water of the Pacific Ocean and the Yaquina River, which brings fresh water down from the surrounding hills.
Visitors can fish off the pier or go crabbing in the bay for a chance to catch their dinner, or let someone else do the cooking at the multitude of seafood restaurants in town. For those who prefer just to watch the water creatures, whales, sea lions, and seals can often be spotted along the shorelines. The Oregon Coast Aquarium and Hatfield Marine Science Center in town allow for an up-close look from behind glass. The Pacific Maritime Heritage Center showcases the dangers of sea life, with exhibits related to Oregon coast shipwrecks.
The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Oregon has guided seafarers for decades.
Flanking the mouth of Yaquina Bay, two state parks provide spots for recreation or just relaxing and enjoying the ocean breeze. The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse sits within one of them (Yaquina Bay State Park). Believed to be the oldest building in the city, this lighthouse was decommissioned a year after the larger Yaquina Head Light Station was built. The former was restored in 1996 and is now privately maintained.
Walking across the arched Yaquina Bay Bridge is a great way to access the parks and get an overview of Newport. For the adventurous, surfing and body boarding are popular near the sparkling sands of Agate Beach, just north of the city.
With the Oregon Coast Highway cutting through the town, Newport is also a popular stop for RVers, as proven by the area’s RV parks, as well as the free dump station in town adjacent to the visitors center. Each RV park offers stunning views and easy access to the natural beauty that encompasses central Oregon.
For more information about attractions in and around Newport, Oregon, as well as nearby RV parks, visit www.discovernewport.com.
App File
Roadside America includes the Peachoid water tower in Gaffney, South Carolina.
Side Trips
These apps won’t take you to the great wonders of the world or even historical landmarks, but they will lead you to fun and unusual sites.
Offbeat Attractions: True to its name, the app has a list of more than 22,300 offbeat attractions, such as the world’s largest lemon near San Diego; the police station that was used for the TV show “Hill Street Blues”; and the childhood home of Steve Jobs, where he created the first Apple computer. $.99 for iOS.
Roadside America: The app not only lists thousands of oddity-rich roadside attractions, such as giant twine balls and a 20-foot-tall Jolly Green Giant, but it breaks down the attractions by theme and ratings, among them “most fun” and “worth a detour.” The basic app costs $2.99 for iOS but limits attractions to just one of seven regions in the United States and Canada. Additional regions cost $1.99 each or $6.99 for an All Access collection. www.roadsideamerica.com.
Roadside Attractions: The app by TripBucket steers people to nearby oddities, museums, statues, and natural wonders around the world. It also provides a calendar that lists unusual events happening in the area. After all, you wouldn’t want to miss the world’s largest chicken dance when driving through Cincinnati each September. Free for iOS and Android.
Nature
Celebrate Michigan: Let Me Count 100 Ways
This year in Michigan, the state’s Department of Natural Resources commemorates its centennial. To give 100 years concrete meaning, the DNR has created an interactive activity site that suggests 100 ways to explore Michigan’s natural and cultural resources.
Wolverine State sites include spring buttercups at Wagner Falls, near Munising.
Want to join the party? Visit https://bit.ly/MichiganDNR100. First, select one or more of the four seasons. Next, select the categories that interest you, such as Food, Hunt/Fish, History, and Outdoor Fun. Click the Filter button and see what pops up. Hint: Click nothing, and you get all 100.
Some activities provide links for more information. One spotlights the Iron Belle Trail, a 2,000-mile-plus series of trails and connectors that traverse 48 Michigan counties, from the far western tip of the Upper Peninsula to Detroit’s Belle Isle Park. It’s actually two routes: one for bicycling, one for hiking. Other activities suggest where to view elk or find morel mushrooms (the morel “fruiting” period runs from late April to mid-June). There’s even forest bathing — experiencing nature’s beauty using all five senses, with no water required.
Other activities need no explanation: paddling, outside painting, or skipping stones. Some suggest ways to earn points by trying them out. But that’s just for fun; the real point is to enjoy the outdoors and celebrate Michigan.
Travel Tips
What A Mesh
I have found a great way to clean dishes: It’s a black, wide, heavy-duty-mesh fabric that I got from JoAnn Fabrics. It removes food from silverware, dishes, and pots and pans extremely well, and since it has a wide weave, most food will wash out as you are cleaning. If you feel it’s too dirty, pop it in the dishwasher along with your dishes.
Look for item number 10173359 at your local JoAnn store. Or go online to www.joann.com and enter the number in the search box. I would start with at least a yard of fabric and then cut 12-inch squares to use. One square will last months, if not over a year. My daughters all love them, and they will be great in both your home and RV.
— Wally Bornemeier, F75200 • Farmington, Utah
Send Us Your Travel Tips!
If you have a suggestion for improving life on the road, we’d love to hear about it. Email it to editor@fmca.com or send to Family RVing, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244. Please include photos or drawings. If your tip is chosen for publication, you’ll receive $35.