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USA - OREGON - NEWPORT : GETTING TO KNOW NEWPORT by Eldrid Retief   It was love at first sight. Her name was Lea. She was not slim, it’s true, but her satin-smooth skin, her laughing, flirtatious eyes invited a kiss. My resistance was at a low ebb.She glided through the water, slid out of the pool, and smiled mysteriously. I leant down. She planted her lips smack on mine. Then, her eyes lowered bashfully, she slid back. They’re like that, seals ..... a kiss, and then back to the one closest to her heart, the one holding the pail of sardines. Lea is one of the prize draws at one of the world’s great aquariums, the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport on the Central Oregon Coast, and she’s a fine example of the description of the town provided by Lorna Davis, Executive Director of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. “Newport” she told us over the most amazing breakfast we’ve ever eaten at Shirley's on 'D' Bay Restaurant, “..... Newport is a touch it, feel it, hands-on, smell it, boots-on type of place.” Or in Lea’s case a sort of flippers-on type of place. Lorna’s portrayal of this historic fishing port was spot on. Take the Aquarium’s astonishing Oddwater exhibit where you will stand in wonder not only at the mysterious, creepy and oddly surprising creatures from the depth of the ocean, but at the fantastic pottery and glass shapes created by Newport artists. Oddwater has a variety of interactive displays, including a sting ray touch pool, a crawl-through tank and audio stations that will delight and amaze you. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a not-for-profit science educational facility which offers a fun and interesting way to learn about Oregon’s unique coastal ecosystem. Its “Passages of the Deep” exhibit connects three large ocean habitats with a 200-foot underwater walkway. Visitors journey through shark-infested waters within the safety of this acrylic tunnel. Suspended eight feet below the water’s surface and eight feet above the bottom, the tunnel gives the feeling of walking beneath the sea as visitors experience nearly 360-degree views. There is a Sea Bird Aviary, an open-air, walk-through aviary that allows visitors the rare opportunity to see tufted puffins, rhinoceros auklets, pigeon guillemots, common murres and black oystercatchers up close. There are sea otters, seals and sea lions, a giant Pacific octopus and amazing jelly fish with their intricate, gossamer bodies. Still on the hands-on approach, don’t miss The Anchor Pier on Newport’s Bayfront, the homeport of Marine Discovery Tours & Anchor Pier Lodge. Don and Fran Mathews and their professional staff created the Oregon Sea Life Cruise which has a lively aquarium-style program on the “Discovery”. A staff of friendly naturalists introduce passengers to some fun activities, from pulling crab pots, navigating in the wheelhouse, looking for a school of salmon or the blow of a gray whale, to checking out plankton on video screens while cruising through the largest fishing fleet on the Oregon coast. Or you can let Don Mathews take you on a fun adventure ride on his Oregon Rocket, a 27-foot rigid-hull inflatable. Goggles and a warm floatation suit will keep you comfortable while you zip along at 45 miles per hour in the ultimate search for sea life, scenery and speed. The Oregon Rocket follows the captain's variable route of near-shore Pacific Ocean, the 4,000-acre saltwater Yaquina Bay and 11 connecting miles of freshwater river. Don, a former Bering Sea crabber, loves spending time on the ocean, as long as the conditions are stable. Newport’s picturesque Bayfront, home to one of Oregon's largest commercial fishing fleets, is a seaboard boulevard with art galleries, gift shops, fish markets, chowder houses, canneries, restaurants and family attractions in storefronts from a bygone era. Bayfront attractions include Ripley’s Believe It or Not, the Wax Works Museum and Undersea Gardens. Historic Nye Beach is Newport’s original oceanfront resort district and artists’ colony and is still a very popular haven for the arts, with the Newport Performing Arts and Visual Arts Center set among unique galleries, book stores, eateries, shopping and lodging. Newport has miles of beautiful sandy beaches for kite flying, sandcastles, beachcombing and sunsets. It is home to a year-round population of great gray whales and to two century-old lighthouses – one the tallest working lighthouse in Oregon; the other reputedly weirdly haunted. But start at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the real-life magic of its Oddwater exhibit where it’s okay to be weird. Photo courtesy Cindy Hanson, Oregon Coast Aquarium SCRIBBLES ETCETERAS Get to Know Newport, one of the top ten Best Small Towns In America and named one of the 100 Best Small Art Towns in America The Oregon Coast Aquarium, interim home of Keiko the orca whale, is Newport’s major attraction Marine Discovery Tours & Anchor Pier Lodge is a one-of-a-kind maritime attraction When it comes to Omelettes, Shirley's on 'D' Bay Restaurant don't count the eggs, they say, and you can believe it. The Italian and Polish Sausage is its special recipe. The sauces, gravies, and even the jam are homemade The Best Western, Agate Beach Inn has an incredible Pacific Ocean view location and one of the area's newest and largest conference facilities Enjoy the superb gourmet breakfasts at Ocean House Inn and its sister Tyee Lodge in their incomparable oceanfront setting Shilo Inn Suites Hotel Newport offers a panoramic and unobstructed view of the ocean from every guest room, restaurant, cafe and meeting room. For more information email newport@shiloinns.com With the Pacific Ocean as its dramatic backdrop, you can watch the surf's ebb and flow onto shore from your table at Georgies Beachside Grill , one of Newport's premium restaurants at Hallmark Resort. Three miles south of Newport is Stone Crest Cellars Bed & Breakfast, a perfect location for a wedding, reception or honeymoon.  Moving to Oregon? USstoragesearch.com is the largest online resource for self storage and moving advice. Search, compare and reserve storage all over Oregon from Albany self storage to Aloha self storage. |
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