The drive alone, along the coast from Vancouver, is worth it, and the destination—Manzanita—is your grand prize for six (or so) hours on the road. Situated on what’s known as Oregon’s "magical coast," this pretty beach town is the perfect September destination, boasting charming accommodations, local shopping, seaside eats and sun, sand and surf in spades. —Noa Nichol
sea. Manzanita Beach just so happens to be the broadest and longest (read: seven-mile) stretch of sand on the North Oregon Coast—and it’s skirted by a surfable, swimable, stand-up-paddle-boarding-able ocean, to boot (though a wetsuit is recommended for longer stretches in the water). Fine sand, dunes, driftwood, tide pools, birds and wildlife make this beach a fabulous place to stay for the day and explore—just be sure to come prepared with several layers of clothing, as mornings can be foggy but most afternoons clear (and heat) right up.
stay. Of several excellent choices, Coast Cabins could very well be your best boutique bet. Six unique and gorgeously appointed cabins (plus three luxurious private rental homes and two village-central lofts) include thoughtful details like mahogany wraparound decking, zen courtyards, full kitchens, outdoor hot tubs, saunas, steam showers, fire pits and much, much more. From the Modern Ranch to the Cottage or Spa, choose the space that perfectly suits beach-vacation you.
shop. No need to stray from Laneda Avenue if it’s retail therapy you’re after. Manzanita’s main strip boasts everything from toys (at Toylandia) to stationery (Salt & Paper) to Oregon-made salt-water taffy (Manzanita Sweets). Don’t miss the ocean-inspired paintings of Polaris Gallery artist and owner J. Scott Wilson or the shoes made in state by brands like Keen at Syzygy. Our favourite find: handmade and dyed organic cotton seashell bikini tops for kids at craft-store extraordinaire Freehand.
sip. The fruits of many of Oregon’s winemakers’ labours can be found (and tasted) at Dixie’s Vino—the day we visited, this beautiful bottle shop was sampling a Viognier and Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley for $4 a glass. Or, cross the street and take a seat by one of the outdoor patio fire pits at the Winery at Manzanita, where a wide selection of small-batch Pacific Northwest wines and local ciders can be enjoyed alongside gourmet s’mores you toast yourself.
spa. The place for pampering is Spa Manzanita, where many services take inspiration from the surrounding environment. Try a Neah-Kah-Nie massage, featuring warm stones from the base of its namesake local mountain, to soothe and release tight muscles, or a North Coast ocean scrub, which uses sea salt to exfoliate, stimulate and leave skin silky smooth. The Walk on the Beach pedi, which gently exfoliates tired tootsies with beach sand and ocean minerals, sounds seaside-holiday good, too.
savour. Start the day with breakfast at Bread and Ocean. Though you’ll likely find yourself in line, the wait for one of this bakery-café’s cinnamon cardamom rolls is most certainly worth it. Lunch is a slam dunk into the soup bowl at Buttercup, where the traditional clam chowder (and even the Thai vegetable chowder, for vegans) is so good, you’ll want seconds (if you like, get it to go). Finally, you can’t go wrong with dinner at Neah-Kah-Nie Bistro; here, self-taught chef Lynne Hopper whips up gourmet comfort food with a focus on local while her son, Eisha, entertains guests (and shakes up divine cocktails) behind the bar. Still peckish? Satisfy your sweet tooth back at Buttercup, with a lemon-poppyseed ice cream or pomegranate-rose sorbet in a Marcona almond cone.
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