THINGS TO DO WHILE
STAYING IN DEPOE BAY

Channel House is located on the beautiful Oregon coast, half way between Lincoln City and Newport. We are just 3 hours driving time from Portland International Airport or 5 and one-half hours from Seattle. An alternate airline destination is Eugene, Oregon, about 2 and one-half hours away. From the Portland area, go west on highway 99W to McMinnville, pickup highway 18 from there to the coast, joining highway 101 just North of Lincoln City. Continue south for 30 minutes to Depoe Bay.

Depoe Bay is billed as the world's smallest navigable harbor and makes claim as the whale watching capital of the coast. Channel House is located on the south side of the channel leading to the bay and on the rock cliff about 40 feet above the ocean. With rocks and cliffs to the north and south, their interaction with the ever-changing ocean means spectacular views.

Local activities:

1. Deep sea fishing and/or whale watching trips - Tradewinds Charters offers fishing trips and whale watching trips from Depoe Bay. Arrangements can be made for groups large and small.

2. Shopping - there are numerous gift shops and galleries within walking distance in Depoe Bay. Hours of operation are typically 10AM to 5PM, seven days per week.

4. Special events in Depoe Bay:

A. "All you can eat fish and chips" fund raiser for the Fleet of Flowers Celebration - April 22, 2008
B. Classic Boat Show, Crab Tree and Ducky Derby - April 19 and 20, 2008
C. Fleet of Flowers - May 26, 2008
D. Fireworks in Boiler Bay - July 3, 2008
E. Annual Salmon Bake - September 20, 2008
F. Sunday in the Park - September 21, 2008
G. Tree Lighting, The Magic of Christmas - November 29, 2008

5. Special events in Newport: Calendar to be published about December 15, 2007 for the following year. Day trips:

6. Wine country - within one to two hour's distance, Polk, Yamhill and Marion counties offer some excellent wineries and tasting rooms. These are areas around McMinnville and Salem. An Oregon Winery Guide is available that covers these and other areas of the state.

7. Air museums - McMinnville, an hour and a half away, hosts the Evergreen Aviation Museum at 3685 NE Three Mile Lane. The museum has vintage and contemporary aircraft with the star attraction being Howard Hughes' own Spruce Goose flying boat. The museum is a MUST SEE and is open daily from 9AM to 5PM, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days. The other air museum is located at Tillamook in the old World War II Navy blimp hangar, a significant architectural interest in itself.

8. Golf - One and a half hours south, at Florence, Sandpines Golf Links offers a superb course, rated #1 in America in 1993 Golf Digest. Tee times are required. Other golf courses include: Ocean Dunes, Neskowin Beach Golf Course, Eagle Creek Golf Course, and Lakeside Golf & Fitness Center.

9. Oceanside experiences - Between Depoe Bay and Florence there are three lighthouses and the Sea Lion Caves. Heceta Head lighthouse, about 15 miles north of Florence, has an unusually picturesque setting on a tree studded, rocky cliff. The Yaquina Bay lighthouse sits among the trees just north of the Yaquina Bay bridge. The Yaquina Head lighthouse, on the north edge of Newport, sits on an open, windswept, rocky headland. At Yaquina Head there are also a major seabird sanctuary and an exceptional tide pool area that offers an up-close-and- personal view of marine life. The Sea Lion Caves, 11 miles north of Florence, are the home of wild Steller sea lions and have the largest sea cave in the world, providing excellent exhibits on the sea lions and marine bird life of the area.

10. Aquarium and marine science - At South Beach, on the south of Newport, the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Mark Hatfield Marine Science Center each offer an excellent opportunity to view and learn about the marine environment and the life that inhabits it. Be sure to plan enough time for these two experiences. The aquarium is open every day but Christmas from 10AM to 5PM. The Hatfield Science Center is open Thursday through Monday from 10AM to 4PM in the winter and daily from 10AM to 5PM in the summer.

6. Shopping - Located on the northern end of Yaquina Bay, Newport's Historic Bayfront offers wonderful shopping opportunities as well as a chance to hear and smell the day-to-day operations of a coastal fishing community. Wonderful restaurants abound on the Bayfront, as well as wax museums and an undersea garden. Newport's Nye Beach - Affectionately called by our staff the Soho of the Oregon Coast, the Nye Beach area offers a variety of interesting shops and eating establishments. Bookshops abound in the area, and no visit is complete without afternoon tea. In Lincoln City, the Outlet Mall has over 40 stores for your shopping pleasure.

7. Casino - The Chinook Winds Casino, on the north end of Lincoln City, offers gambling, food and entertainment around the clock. Featuring live entertainment with big name acts like the Supremes, Tom Jones, Bill Cosby and others, the Casino gives you that Las Vegas feel amidst the beautiful scenery of the Oregon Coast. A favorite of our guests. Many enjoy a run down to the casino after a relaxing dinner at one of our favorite dinning establishments.

8. Hiking - Within one hour, north and south of Depoe Bay, there are numerous hiking trails in the forest and along the headlands. The choices range from short and easy to long and challenging. Among them are:

A. Cascade Head Trail - 6 miles, difficult 10-15% grades.
B. Nature Conservancy Trail - 2 miles, difficult 800 feet elevation change.
C. Harts Cove Trail - 2.7 miles, difficult 600 feet elevation change.
D. Cape Lookout Trail - 2.4 miles, easy and spectacular.
E. Cape Perpetua Trails - a varied collection of 8 trails.
F. Drift Creek Falls Trail - 1.5 miles, difficult but worth it for the suspension bridge and the falls.

9. Beaches and Parks - If beachcombing is your activity of choice, the area offers spectacular beaches close by. Visit tide pools or just take a romantic stroll along the long stretches of beachfront that abound the Oregon Coastline. All offer wonderful beachcombing experiences. The nearest beaches are Fogarty Beach, 1.5 miles north and Beverly Beach-Moolack Beach, 5 miles south. Agate Beach and Nye Beach are adjacent to Newport. They are immediately south of Yaquina Head and stretch for several miles down to the mouth of the Yaquina River. Among the parks are: Cascade Head, Beverly Beach, Agate Beach, Yaquina Bay State Park, Fogarty Creek, Rocky Creek, Boiler Bay, Cape Perpetua and The Devil's Punchbowl.

10. Art Galleries Abound - Within a short drive of Depoe Bay in either direction are a number of spectacular art galleries.
Ivan Kelly Art and Studio Gallery
Gallery at Salishan
Rickert Galleries/Art Center

11. Antiques - For antique lovers, your shopping opportunities are endless. Both Newport and Lincoln City offer wonderful antique shops, but the hidden treasure that even the tourists don't know about is a small town just East of these cities. Let our staff tell you about their finds.