When you think of Oregon your mind probably doesn't go straight to beaches. You probably think mountain ranges, rain, and maybe wine.Well some people who grow up in Oregon only knew what Oregon had to offer as a beach. Which in all honesty is more of a coast line. Sure there is sand and salt water but it's often cold, cloudy, and possibly some sort of precipitation. On a rare occasion you get some of the most gorgeous days. February 25th 2016 happened to be one of those days. One of Oregon's boarders is entirely a coast line along the Pacific Ocean. Surfing, riding ATV's on the dunes, and collecting seashells are just a few of the many things to do on the beaches in Oregon.For example every year Newport Oregon host an annual Seafood and Wine Festival near the Rouge brewery. Newport Seafood and Wine festival is the last full weekend of February and I am so glad that I got to attend February 2017. They many not always be sunny but when they are Oregon beaches are gorgeous. Most people who don't live in Oregon wouldn't know that by living in Portland you are about an hour away from Mt. Hood and an hour away from Seaside one of the many beaches along the coast. Personally there is some thing to be said about walking alone on the beach as the sun sets.

Topics 

The Newport Seafood and Wine Festival

My Favorite Beaches

What to do at the Beach

The Newport Seafood and Wine Festival

Two of my favorite things in the world are seafood and wine. Not only does this event have both but it is also located in Newport Oregon one of my all time favorite beaches in the state. For this event you must be older than twenty one which is currently the legal drinking age. Tickets to the event are fairly pretty inexpensive. I payed just around twenty dollars including taxes for my ticket with out a glass. The group that I went with all pitched in and rented a house on the northern side of the bridge.

Preparing

When attending events such as these please make sure you are being safe and do not drink and drive. Specifically for this event there is a bus system that will pick you up and take you back. Many taxis are available due to the fact that Lyft and Uber can no serve that area. So you've arrived in the Festival gotten checked by security then what? Coat check is near the front but you may want to keep it with you due to being cold. Once you've decided to hang on to or ditch your coat it's time to nail down a plan of action.Maps of booths can also be obtained in physical form as well as an app on your smart phone. If you are with a large group of friends it may be easier to split up. Splitting up can make it difficult to fine each other especially if alcohol is involved. Insure that at least one person in every group has a phone that is working and charged. After all details are a fine tuned it's time to enjoy!

Enjoying

Start off withe the wines you want to try the most. Trying the wines you want first will allow room for others later. When more inebriated less palatable wines will taste better. Making a list can help you stay on track of what wines you want to try and have tried. Wine comes by the taste, glass, or the bottle. Drinking copious amounts of alcohol can lead to many things such as the munches. Keep your self hydrated and make sure to eat before and during your time of enjoyment. Good thing food is almost as common as wine! Food booths are not quite as predominate as wine booths but there are a lot of them. Crab mac and cheese and warm french bread with brie were two favorites of mine. Experiences will change from year to year but with good food, wine and company you can't go wrong!

Favorite Beaches

Oregon has four sides one entire side is a coast line. Along the coast I have grown to have a few favorite beaches. One of them is Newport growing up I have a lot of memories from there. High school was a great time for me and we often took day or weekend trips to Newport. Trips often involved roasting hot dogs and s'mores over the fire, playing football or frisbee, listening to music and jumping in the ocean. Those days will built my love for the beach. Pacific City, Lincoln and Beverly beach are also a few of my favorite or go-to beaches. Generally no matter what beach there is always something to do. Most beaches are even dog-friendly.

What to do at the Beach

There is a variety of things to do at Oregon Beaches. Horseback riding, surfing, camping are just a few of them. Growing up in Oregon camping was just a part of life whether in the forest or at the beach every summer we packed up the car and drove off to set up camp and escape reality. Beverly beach camp ground was one that each year my would return. Crabbing and fishing are also two common things that happen at thesebeaches as well.Oregon  has tons of outdoor activities in general but one the the main ones is hiking. Of course there is the gorge but the coast has so many beautiful hikes. Pacific City offers some amazing hikes and some of my favorites in all of Oregon. One of them has signs that say DANGER and do not cross but of course I crossed. The views where breath taking and memorizing. When doing such things please use caution and be very careful.Finders Keepers is an event in Lincoln City where thousands of hand blown glass floats are put on beaches. Floats are released from mid-October to Memorial day weekend. Each one is made by a local artist and in finding one you get to keep it. Check out the website below to obtain more information such as rules and tips.There are so many more things to do as well but these are a few of my favorites!

Websites

Dog-Friendly Activities: https://yourdogadvisor.com/dog-friendly-oregon-coast/Newport Seafood and Wine: http://seafoodandwine.com/Oregon Glass Floats: http://www.oregoncoast.org/glass-floats/