NORTH OREGON COAST 35 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM TRAVEL OREGON WATER FUN You’ll find peaceful paddles, a day riding the waves and other unforgettable aquatic experiences across the North Coast. Birders will love paddling on the Necanicum River in downtown Seaside. Stop by Wheel Fun Rentals at Quatat Park to rent single and double kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and larger, pedal-powered crafts — and keep an eye out for marine birds and other wildlife along the river’s banks. There’s also an accessible kayak launch at Broadway Park. In Wheeler, paddle the Nehalem River with a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard rental from Wheeler Marina. Watch for elk, bald eagles and other wildlife around Lazarus Island. Park your boat on the sandy shore behind Buttercup Ice Creams & Chowders in nearby Nehalem. There you’ll find some of the best of both delights on the Coast, as well as several food carts perched on the bank of the river to please all palates. In the Tillamook area, Kayak Tillamook offers guided tours through local bays, estuaries, rivers and other peaceful waterways. Lessons and custom outings are also available, as are trips for a wide range of fitness and experience levels. Accessible kayak launchers are available at the Sue H. Elmore Park in Tillamook or at the Port of Garibaldi Marina. For surfing, the best conditions can usually be found between late June and early September, though wetsuits make it possible to comfortably surf year-round. Short Sand Beach, a quiet cove protected from wind near Manzanita, is the heart of the local surfing community — but you’ll also see surfers on the waves in Oceanside and Cannon Beach. Get started with lessons via Oregon Surf Adventures or Northwest Women’s Surf Camps & Retreats in Seaside and Cannon Beach Surf Lessons & Rentals. ARTS & CULTURE PUBLIC ART With more than 800 installations on its map, the Oregon Coast Public Art Trail offers free art that’s always accessible to anyone traveling along the Coast. For a bird’s-eye view of the river and sea, climb 164 steps to the top of the Astoria Column. Modeled after Trajan’s Column in Rome, the monument features a beautiful, hand-painted spiral frieze depicting the stories of early Western settlement. Standing tall outside of Astoria’s Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa, a monumental bronze statue honors Astoria’s fishing and canning heritage. Known as “The Big Catch,” the expressive sculpture by artist Douglas Granum was inspired by a famous photo from 1909. In Seaside, look for several murals downtown, including one of the most Instagrammed spots in town, an eye-catching sunset with the message “Love from Seaside” at the Coast River Inn. Seaside’s largest outdoor art installation brings history to life. The 60-foot-long (18-m) scene celebrates the town’s early Native American history with vignettes of the Clatsop and Nehalem tribes at the Seaside estuary. In Cannon Beach, hailed as one of the top small art towns in the nation, you can explore a robust collection of public-art installations with a selfguided 1.5-mile (2.4-km) walking tour. The pieces range from sculptor Astoria Column
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