Yachats scenery, relaxed attitude attracts visitors

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, November 22, 2006

YACHATS, Ore. – In Oregon, there are as many places to experience a winter storm adventure as the coast is long.

But there’s only one Yachats, where the tableau played out by nature is beautifully matched with an incomparably comfortable village vibe.

At first glance, Yachats might seem like a vacation spot only a minimalist could love, especially in winter.

A stop-light-free zone just a few blocks long, “the gem of the Oregon coast” can sometimes seem more like “the land of horizontal rain and wind” between October and April. But visitors can find a lot to love in Yachats, all the year round, despite the lack of many common vacation amenities: no mall, no cinema, no fast food.

As Tom Jones, owner of the rock and gem shop Planet Yachats says, “It’s a cool place to come and watch the storms, build a fire, read a book.”

Those in the know come for the magic of simple pleasures: The friendly and courteous people at the espresso stand, the chance to park your car and hoof it all over town, the slower pace, perfect for recharging one’s batteries.

The Chinook meaning of Yachats (pronounced YAH-hots) is “dark water at the foot of the mountain. “The area offers some of the best spots for picnics and bonfires on the entire coast. Accessible only by the coastal highway and located equidistant between Newport and Florence, Yachats’ remoteness and size have until recent years relegated it to the ranks of quaint retirement communities.

An infusion of entrepreneurial blood in the last decade has changed all that and rendered the village, population 617, an attractive destination for everything from a family reunion to a romantic weekend.

“Yachats has been found!” says Aren Bolles, operations manager for Ocean Odyssey Vacation Rentals, which rents more than 65 properties, small to large.

With that discovery, Bolles says winter traffic in Yachats has increased “considerably” in the last few seasons.

“We break records every year during the holidays,” he notes, adding that the agency’s homes are not yet fully booked for Christmas, “but they will be soon.”

Winter visitors can enjoy a 30 percent discount on daily rates for houses ranging in size from an intimate love nest to roomy accommodations for up to 30 people.

People often come to the coast in winter for whale watching and dramatic storms, Bolles believes, but the rising number of upscale cultural events, such as the Celtic Music Festival and the Yachats Music Festival in July, provide a strong draw as well.

Outdoor pursuits abound, with hiking and bird watching at the top of the list. South of town, Cape Perpetua Scenic Area contains 26 miles of trails and picnic areas where visitors can spot a black oystercatcher or a string of low-flying brown pelicans.

Along with storm, whale and bird watching, the long list of reasons to visit Yachats in the winter includes tours of Heceta Lighthouse, 14 miles south of town, where a Victorian Christmas open house will be held on two weekends in mid-December; the Yachats Ladies Club 78th Annual Christmas Bazaar, Dec. 2 and 3; the Seal Rock Garden Club’s Holiday Greens and Gift Sale on Dec. 9; the annual Crab Feed on Jan. 27; and a public Wedding Vow Renewal Ceremony at the Little Log Church on Valentine’s Day.

If winter hiking and storm watching aren’t enough, diverse stores provide an opportunity to buy everything from firewood to fine wine.

Perhaps the best time to visit Yachats is when nothing at all is on the calendar, says 14-year-resident Gary Church.

“You can relax. The crowds are gone and you have the place to yourself; it’s a great place to recoup.”