Oregon Coast - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 598

so you might have to drive to Cape Meares via Netarts and Oceanside, then back-
track.
The forested headland at Cape Meares offers good views from its lighthouse,
which is 38ft tall (Oregon's shortest). Short trails lead to Oregon's largest Sitka
spruce and the 'Octopus Tree,' another Sitka shaped like a candelabra.
A panoramic vista atop sheer cliffs that rise 800ft above the Pacific makes Cape
Lookout State Park a highlight. In winter, the end of the cape, which juts out nearly
a mile, is thronged with whale-watchers. There are wide sandy beaches, hiking
trails and a popular campground near the water.
Finally there's Cape Kiwanda , a sandstone bluff that rises just north of the little
town of Pacific City. You can hike up tall dunes, or drive your truck onto the beach.
It's the most developed of the three capes, with plenty of services nearby - don't
miss Pelican Pub & Brewery (mains $12-32; 8am-10pm Sun-Thu, till 11pm Fri & Sat) if you
like beer. Watch the dory fleet launch their craft or, after a day's fishing, land as far
up the beach as possible.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Lincoln City
POP 8000
More a sprawling modern beach resort than a serene seaside retreat, Lincoln City is a
long series of commercial strips, motels, eateries and gift shops that front a fairly wide
and lackluster stretch of sandy beach. As a local once put it, 'Lincoln City is five towns
brought together in 1965 by the fact they needed a sewer system.' But the resort does
serve as the region's principal commercial center, while boasting the Oregon Coast's
most affordable beachfront accommodations, and the surrounding area features some
good hikes.
From mid-October to Memorial Day, over 2000 brightly colored glass floats - hand-
blown by local artisans - are hidden weekly along beaches as part of an ongoing (off-sea-
son) promotion.
Sights
North Lincoln Historical Museum MUSEUM