March 3-7, 2024
Winchester Bay is here to stay!
Sometimes intuition gets the best of you…and this was one of those times. Kind of like the feeling I had before we went to Gualala. Before we delve into this somewhat off-the-beaten-path / less chatted about destination, just a note - we passed right through Coos Bay, primarily because we were looking for mountainous rocks and trees, rather than the flatter, marshy & dune areas we saw there.
We made the best decision to stop at this small port village that lies at the Pacific end of the Umpqua River. In the heart of Oregon Coastal Dunes, Winchester Bay (along with neighboring Reedsport) is a fantastic basecamp for adventures along the Southern Coast. It began as a frontier town (fur and timber) - now a prime location for fishing, crabbing, clam digging, biking, hiking, kayaking, ATV riding, surfing, and wildlife viewing.
Food! We started the journey (in pouring rain) at Crabby’s Bar & Grill - a cute little fresh seafood place near the center of the village (5-minute walk from RV places and the Salmon Harbor Marina). It’s a cabin home meets restaurant meets local bar - custom wood decor, super service, a chill, homey vibe and great grub. The trend continued here - I loved the grilled ahi tuna tacos - Joel was more than content with his burger w/fries & their signature clam chowder (excellent). They also serve NA beers. Highly recommend!
After lunch and before parking Max, we utilized the rain pause to take in some surrounding sights. First stop was Ziolkouski Beach Park. WOW. This was…hands down…one of the most SPECTACULAR beaches either of us have ever experienced. Truly. And, we’ve seen a LOT of them. I really dislike the phrase - you have to see it to believe it - but, that’s what I’m saying here. It’s difficult to describe (or put into proper perspective) the diversity, size and scope of this beach. Pictures do some justice, but I’ll never forget the intense feelings I had walking on, around and over it - so much so that I walked back solo two days later. Had to. It's got a bit of everything - expansive beach, packed sand, surf, dunes, rocks, broken shells, huge piles of driftwood debris…perfection. We explored for a while and feel fortunate to have visited here in the winter - imagine this place has a powerful, yet much different tourist energy in the summer.
We then headed up the hill from this beach to capture a closer look at the Umpqua River Lighthouse and vista views...this is also a good place to spot migrating gray whales. Although the lighthouse museum was open, we passed on the tour and headed to hook-up.
There are not enough positive words to describe the Winchester Bay RV Resort. The whole experience from our “walk-in” reservation through to departure was nothing short of AMAZING. This place definitely has the RV park concept nailed. Everything - friendly check-in (props to happy Heidi at the front desk), super-clean and hot showers, spotless laundry room, well-maintained park, walkable proximity to all necessities, welcoming hosts, golf-cart-roving staff, and…an INSANE 180 degree water view. We lucked out and scored site 152 at The Point (no one on either side of us and front ocean + river views + mountain views. From the inside of Max, with the windows open we felt like we were on a house boat…so cool!
Not to mention the park also borders the Salmon Harbor Marina - the largest fishing port on the Oregon Coast...known for some of the best Chinook and Coho salmon fishing...but trout, freshwater bass, sturgeon and steelhead are also plentiful. A few boats passed by when the sun finally reared its shining head! The harbor area sports nautical bars, restaurants and small shops.
Yes, just in case you were wondering…there was yet another incredible crayon box rainbow (with helicopter) in here, too - visible from Max!
When I walked back to Ziolouski in the freezing cold, I stopped along the way to hunt for agates and admire the pier and jetty areas. Unknowingly, I trespassed onto a government only access area…to find wild masses of fossilized rocks and…none other than loads of smiling blue crabs sidewinding their way around and disappearing into the dark, sandy crevices. Oops. No wonder this particular place is protected.
Due to yet another storm and extremely chilly, rainy weather (the roads were bad heading everywhere inland), we spent a lot of time in Max - productively writing, minding to business tasks, laundry runs, eating snacks. And, despite the restaurant photos, we do occasionally manage to cook a decent "homemade" meal.
Couldn’t ask for a better RV spot to hunker down, breathe fresh air and feel the magic of a few dreamy sunset moments.
The weather cleared temporarily and we felt a quick dose of vitamin D. We'll miss this special place, but we were ready to get moving and head inland to Ashland via Medford.
Off to Ashland, OR!
Extra pics:
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