Best of Neskowin
Neskowin, Oregon
Some of the best parts of Neskowin come in forms of simple adjectives such as, calm, cozy, charming, romantic, and slow. The bustling over crowded coastal towns most people are drawn to doesn't fit the mold of Neskowin. The vibe is chill here, slow down, take a walk, or quite honestly, just watch the waves come in and move out. You can feel the heartbeat of the planet along these shores.
Neskowin sits along the Oregon coast between Lincoln City and Pacific City, directly off Highway 101. Everything the Oregon coast is famous for you can find here in this itty bitty town. There are rugged cliffs with hilltop homes soaking in the views of the beach and it’s rock formation and sometimes you can even see ghosts if the tide is right.
Ghost Forest
The Ghost Forest is a plateau of Sitka Spruce trees that is said to have fallen into the Pacific ocean during the Cascadia earthquake some time during the 1700s. This earthquake abruptly lowered the trees and covered them with mud. In the winter of 1997-1998 there was a fierce storm along the Oregon coast that battered the shoreline and removed much of the debris that had been protecting these trees from the saltwater. Researchers have dated these trees to be over 2,000 years old. Learning how this forest came to be is fascinating to me. I, by choice, enjoy what some may call “nerdy” details, it’s kinda a thing of mine.
HINT:The best time to see the Ghost Forest is at low tide in the wintertime.
Proposal Rock
Sitting on the Neskowin beach is a large basalt sea stack named Proposal Rock. Local legend has it that a great Sea Captain took his beloved to this rock and asked for her hand in marriage. This information makes for a lovely fable of love and adds to the fact that we are actually here celebrating Valentine’s Day. Aww, how sweet is this?!
Proposal Rock
Neskowin Trading Company
The general store is named Neskowin Trading Company. The Trading Company is the only grocery store I came across while staying here and what a fine bodega it is. This place has a well stocked wine bar, a nice cheese selection, baked goods, morning coffee, even prepared breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices. Though my favorite was the deli case, when I saw they had Stromboli, the Trading Company moved Neskowin up a few more notches on my internal ranking system. This store has what I like to call “the finer things”.
The Streets of Neskowin
Mostly small shingle sided homes are the staples of the Neskowin neighborhood. A majority of the homes have hand painted signs in their front yards reminding drivers to slow down. The signs added just a bit more coastal charm to this place. The neighborhood also has its own book exchange cupboard and I imagined living here and exchanging books with my neighbors.
Time seems to move slowly here in Neskowin but it may be that it’s the middle of February on this visit. I’ve been told that come Fourth of July it gets busy and bonfires line the beach. A beach full of people and bonfires sound like sooooo much fun. Now I have to come back, see you again Neskowin.
