IGX

Cannon Beach/Seaside:
Surfing: Good (best overall surfing in Oregon at the Point if you're good enough (I'm not)--possibly best winter surfing on the West Coast)
Brewing: Bills in Cannon Beach is good, small brewpub with very good IPA.
Atmosphere: Good hiking in area, esp Tillamook Head and Kings Mtn.. Cannon Beach is small and nice for touristy stuff, Seaside is a little bigger but not quite as nice (Cannon Beach is less crowded, which is nice).

Pacific City/Tillamook:
Surfing: Good
Brewing: Pelican Bay makes insanely good beer, not to be missed (hard to find outside Oregon).
Atmosphere: Pacific City is a one street town, not as nice as Cannon Beach. Tillamook is an old logging town, but not bad. Nice lighthouse in area, great for biking.

Lincoln City/Depoe Bay:
Surfing: Ok, nothing special really
Brewing: *********
Atmosphere. Big tourist traps (which sucks), casinos close by. Lincoln City is a giant strip mall.

Newport:
Surfing: Good longboarding, ok short.
Brewing: Rogue Brewing. Great beer that is more widely available.
Atmosphere: The bay area is cool, great views from the lighthouses, great seafood (esp crabs), not too far from the dunes, some nice hiking.
Best B&B in Oregon.

Good whale watching, nice but unpredictable weather outside of the rainy season, beaches are all public (the only other state with brains enough to do this is Hawaii AFAIK)-- plus it isn't as crowded as California. The Coos Bay area is also nice. Lots to do, lots of camping opportunities (including yurts and cabins if you book ahead), and the drive down the coast is beautiful, and easily bike-able. Fortunately Chompy (the great white) only comes every 6-7 years or so. IMHO, the best coast on the West Coast.

Oregon coast is beautiful. I liked the Columbia gorge too. Actually, late summer is the best time to see it too. And I think that Oregon can compete with just about anywhere when it comes to well made beers.

Fat Cat wrote:I liked the Columbia gorge too.

Indeed. I spent the good part of a summer around the gorge back in the early 80s. The best waterfalls in the country are right around there, too.

I never got to see no waterfalls, but I did go to a bunch of cool hot springs up there. That was neat for a guy from Hawaii. Have you ever been...I think it is called Cougar Reservoir?

Fat Cat wrote:I never got to see no waterfalls, but I did go to a bunch of cool hot springs up there. That was neat for a guy from Hawaii. Have you ever been...I think it is called Cougar Reservoir?

I've spent some time in the area-- esp the 3 Sisters. I don't remember going to that Reservoir though. I usually go to Bagby Hot Springs (up by Mt. Hood), or some small ones in E OR.

I have no idea if the one I mentioned is even one of the better ones, but it was beautiful and neat.

Fat Cat wrote:I have no idea if the one I mentioned is even one of the better ones, but it was beautiful and neat.

There are a lot of them. Honestly, my memories of times I spent in Eugene are pretty hazy (not that that's bad). There's so much cool natural stuff in this state, it's damn near impossible to see it all. The Gorge is beautiful too-- it's too bad you didn't get to see some of the waterfalls there. Too many people take the beauty up here for granted, and don't really enjoy it.

Turd Ferguson wrote:my memories of times I spent in Eugene are pretty hazy

Heh.