2011 Rode In On An Oregon Coast Wave
by Erika
So, on New Year's Eve, we decide to drive to the Oregon coast from our hometown of Vancouver, WA. It was the first sunny day in more than a month. The plan was to go down for the day and drive back in the early evening. It was my husband and kid's FIRST time to the Oregon coast (and my 150th, lol). We drove through Licoln City and down to Newport. We saw all the sites like the lighthouses and the Oregon Coast Aquarium (awesome!). After it got to be 4:30 or 5:00pm, we realized that 2011 was only a few hours away and we didn't feel like driving home. Immediately, we called around to all the BIG hotels and no one had a room under $350 and most places were sold out completely. After about 15-20 calls, we drove to Elizabeth Street because there were many hotels there. We saw a hotel I had never noticed before as a kid. It was the Elizabeth Street Inn and was very tall (maybe 5 stories?). They had a room available and the rate was about $119, so we took it! We were ASTOUNDED by how nice this hotel was (see my review for more details). We spent the night watching the beautiful waves crash ashore (it was cold, but not too windy and NOT raining!) We had packed our ski coats and we stayed perfectly warm on the beach that way. Our kids loved standing on the glass front balcony and were mesmerized (as we all are) by the beautiful, powerful ocean. I wanted to know what they were thinking, seeing something like that for the first time EVER. It was SUCH a peaceful, relaxing way to bring in the New Year. Watching the orange bobbing lights of the crab boats floating in the distance. Breathing the fresh air coming off the ocean. If you are not the party animal type and would prefer a calm, memorable New Year's Eve, I suggest you take a trip to the Oregon coast next Winter. We'll be doing the same! |
