Oregon Coast in Winter

A few weekends ago and on the heels of some major Pacific Northwest snowfall, my fiancé and I rented a car to drive down the coast to Oregon and pick up a car purchase in Portland. On the way back, we stopped for a night in the resort town of Cannon Beach, home to the oft-photographed Haystack Rock. The key to getting a fabulous beach view room and super speedy takeout from The Wayfarer for a pandemic-safe getaway? Do your oceanside vacationing during cold and windy off-peak times!

Astoria, Oregon

Across an elevated bridge from the southern border of Washington state is the picturesque town of Astoria. If you’re lucky to make the trip through river mist so thick the bridge before you is rendered invisible, the town emerges as a surreal, gorgeous surprise. A must-see: the view from the Astoria Column, from which the river valley below is like a Bob Ross masterpiece.