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A Quick Guide To Climbing Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Borneo
The majestic and awe-inspiring Mount Kinabalu is one of the premier destinations for thousands of visitors to Sabah, Malaysian Borneo each year. Kinabalu National Park, a designated World Heritage Site, boasts an estimated 4,500 species of plants...
Family Vacation Money Saving Tips
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How Would YOU Like to Have a Travel Buddy Who Knows How to Pick up Girls!
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Suzy’s Journal of the Christmas Markets Germany
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Ten Essential Tips For Bali Vacation
Bali is a small, beautiful island famed for its unique arts and
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Family Fun and Finery on Oregon's Coast
It's a place of incredible romantic possibilities, with
unbelievably pristine beaches and rugged shorelines, and plenty
of hidden spots perfect for long walks hand-in-hand, finding
yourselves all alone. With such gushiness-inducing qualities,
it's no surprise you'll soon wind up reproducing.
Lucky you. Oregon's coast is perfect for families as well. Those
hidden spots put you and the little ones right in the middle of
some of the best nature can show off with. Then there are the
myriad of kid-friendly lodgings, restaurants and towns which
pull out the stops for the kidlets or bring out the kid in
everyone.
Still, you don't have to sacrifice the finer things when you
bring the kids.
On Oregon's north coast, the tiny town of Manzanita is endowed
with a mysterious, woodsy vibe just above its vast expanse of
crystalline beach. Here, the San Dune Inn provides a vast array
of freebies like bikes, game equipment, popcorn and movies. Stay
at this charming, unassuming place just blocks from the beach
and you'll find stuff for volleyball and other games suitable
for the sand, as well as beach balls, bikes and simple
sandcastle-making gear like buckets. They have an enormous
selection of movies, and their choice of board games is a kick
as well. It's a kid's dream come true.
It's also very pet friendly. www.sandune-inn-manza
nita.com. 888-368-5163.
Head northward, and you'll encounter dozens of sandy and rocky
beaches perfect for playtime. Drive about 12 miles and you'll
find the ritzy resort town of Cannon Beach. Near a famed Lewis &
Clark landmark, Fultano's Pizza sits and emits wonderful smells
of Italian cuisine. With an outdoor patio here, you can still
see some of the sights available at the end of Second Street,
and enjoy exceptional - even gourmet quality - cuisine at a
family pizza joint price.
Fultano's delivers to local hotels, and they feature slices for
lunch. They have a special thin crust recipe that's especially
tasty, crunchy and yet still tender in a way that manages to
combine both those latter qualities seamlessly.
There are many of the standbys, as well as gourmet varieties
like the Margherita (garlic and herb olive oil, three cheeses,
red onion and more), a Greek-themed specialty, a Goat Cheese
pizza, and specialties with Teriyaki Chicken, Linguica, BBQ
Chicken and a variety of seafood selections. One item features a
distinctive sausage with mashed grapes for the sauce, providing
a subtle, sweet tang. The sausage is spicy and zippy, making a
nice balance to the slight sweetness.
One must-try is their pasta (about $10). They have a homemade
tomato sauce that is one stunning, mother-of-all sauces, and
their meatballs are a serious delicacy. Still, even with
its
decent wine and microbrew selection, this is a place that
welcomes the kiddies nicely. 200 N. Hemlock and Second Street.
(503) 436-9717.
Drive north again, to Seaside, and you'll find a beach town
full of things to do for children - most notably Broadway Ave.
with its almost dozen arcade businesses, ice cream vendors,
kooky gift shops, bumper cars and other attractions. See www.seasideor.com for more.
One highlight is Seaside Helicopters, which whizzes you around
above the town for about $25 per person. It's thoroughly
spectacular, as the helicopter takes you over the headland of
Tillamook Head and Cannon Beach as well, allowing you
unforgettable glimpses of the sea and these landmarks from this
unusual vantage point. You even get to see "Goonies Rock" -
where part of the cult film was made. Hwy 101, S. Seaside. www.seaside-helicopters
.com. (503) 440-4123.
Down on the Central Oregon Coast - about 100 miles south - it's
a vast playground for kids and adults. Lincoln City is filled
with miles of super clean beaches and tons of shops and
restaurants.
Just south of Lincoln City, you'll find another haven for
families in a very unique resort called Bella Beach. Rally, it's
a collection of rather upscale, gorgeous beach cottages that are
vacation rentals or for sale. There are about 40 rentals
available inside this pretty place, and more are still being
built.
The philosophy of Bella Beach is to create a place with a
"neighborly feel," and indeed they've succeeded. Set in the
midst of a Central Coast wooded area, there are the rustic
architectural themes common to places like Manzanita or Cannon
Beach, where garages are tucked away behind the buildings and
front porches are the emphasis.
There's a playground for the kiddies, and the homes vary from
hideaway lodgings for two with oceanfront hot tubs, to larger
accommodations for bigger groups. Bella Beach also offers up
accommodations for groups as large as 60, if you happen to have
a business retreat or reunion of some sort.
Then there's that wondrous beach. Like many of the beaches in
the area, the tide line is at a rather steep slope, so waves
come in fast and hard, but dissipate quickly to shyly lap at
your feet. 866-994-7026 or www.bellabeach.com.
For more on the Oregon Coast, including extensive virtual tours
and Lewis & Clark Bicentennial information, see
www.beachconnection.net
About the author:
Andre' Hagestedt is editor of Beach Connection, a
tourism publication that covers the upper half of Oregon's coast
- some 180 miles.
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