Magic Manzanita

Most who are reading this blog have probably been to Manzanita, Or. at least once, if not several times. For me? Manzanita is incredibly ideal with its small town feel, quaint shops and excellent restaurants. The town is clean, safe and close to many excellent surf breaks and hiking trails. Heck, there’s even a fun golf course in town, along with great options to vacation through all kinds of rental agencies (VRBO, etc.). Manzanita is simply the consummate little beach escape. And if you’re hearing about this amazing place for the first time, well, get this spot onto your calendar for an immediate visit.

Great Restaurants in Town

There are a host of really good places to eat in Manzanita. And oddly enough, it’s the Mexican food there that really has me hungry. Two choices on that front (Mexican) to consider: El Trio Loco (seriously the best camerones montery I’ve every had (bacon wrapped prawns)) and Left Coast Siesta…a more casual and VERY tasty taco/burrito joint. You can’t go wrong with either option. That said, there is also the Sand Dune Pub, which makes great pub food, and then my all-time favorite in the morning…Bread and Ocean Bakery. There are more choices that I have yet to try, so perhaps a redux story down the line.

A Tornado in 2016?

On the history side, well, there’s too many stories to tell. However, one stands out as an oddity, especially here in the Pacific NW. In 2016 the core of downtown Manzanita was hit by a destructive tornado. Check out the below picture and follow this link to read and see more!

Hike, Golf and Surf

While there are many, many things to do on the Oregon Coast, Manzanita is special in terms of its location to excellent surf breaks, gorgeous and iconic hiking trails (500 foot cliffs!) and solid golf. If you like all three of these pursuits (like me), well, you’ll be in heaven.

Mega-popular surf spot Short Sands (at Oswald West State Park) is only a few miles north. A half-mile hike into the cove from hwy. 101, Short Sands is a beautiful, crescent-shaped beach with a nice waterfall at the north end. Even if you’re not surfing, this short hike is well worth it. You’ll get to see one of the prettiest spots on the entire west coast (the world for that matter). Here’s a picture of some surf action there:

I took this picture hiking out on the point at the south end of nearby Falcon Cove. This place can be found the Cove Beach Road, just past the mountain tunnel heading south from Cannon Beach (towards Manzanita). This is a pretty quite place, so enjoy the solitude! Image Courtesy: Dan Meyers

Wrapping up Manzanita

I’m guessing your past trips to Manzanita and the surrounding area have proved to create positive memories. And again, if you haven’t been, well, consider this blog post notice that you need to go…it’s really that special. And the best time to visit? Well, I really like August and September. During these months the weather is the best and that leaves all of your outdoor options open. Enjoy!