Well, my friends, you are on the winning side of a long and painful battle. This post, and all of its precious content, are the result of weeks of excruciating deliberation. To reveal or not to reveal? That has been the question plaguing the potential release of what I consider to be Oregon’s best kept secret. But – after weeks of hemming and hawing, tossing and turning, flipping and flopping – I have come to terms with the fact that no city is mine to possess. At best, I am no more than the jealous lover of a sleepy beach town that just won’t commit: Pacific City. Pacific City! That’s right, I said it. She’s all alone – twenty miles north of Lincoln City – and goodness knows what she’s up to.
For the past ten years, Pacific City has been my family’s beach of choice. In my Northwest narrative, one might say that this unincorporated village has been the constant in my coming of age. Pacific City’s beaches are sparsely populated and ideal for the brooding teenager or the lovestruck couple. Sure, certain areas might get a little crowded in the summer, but walk a short stretch south, and you can write your name in the sand (S-H-A-E) without worrying about some schmuck with a stick (…SMELLS). Rambunctious kids, thrill seekers and fitness extremists can wreak havoc on the monstrous Cape Kiwanda sand dune while surfers and body boarders stick to sea level. For my jocks in the house: you can throw a football for hundreds of uninhabited yards. For my photographers in the place: Haystack Rock at sunset and sea otters at sunrise. But, Oregon residents be warned: all it takes is one trip to Pacific City, and you’ll discover your inner Tom McCall (“visit, but don’t stay“).
Regardless of your length of stay, be sure to check out a few of the local restaurants and art galleries. With a steady population of 400, Pacific City businesses would benefit greatly from your company. Stop into Pelican Pub & Brewery and sample some of nature’s finest nectar – eight of which are brewed on site. Then, put your liquid courage to good use at Village Merchants by treating yourself to a new book or a piece of art. At least one of the store’s four female owners will be there to greet you. Then, of course, there’s the Village Coffee Shoppe, Fat Freddy’s Diner, and The Grateful Bread Bakery, but I’m here to spill the secret not build the itinerary.
So, there you have it. The word is out – the beans are spilled. Go forth and prosper…just don’t take my seat at the bar.