Beaches

Manzanita Beach and Nehalem Bay State Park. The long stretch of white sand that separates the Pacific Ocean from the town of Manzanita is as loved a stretch of coastline as the next, its north side reaching into the shadows of Neahkanie Mountain, right where the mountain puts its foot in the ocean (the mountain itself, which makes for a great hike, lies within Oswald West State Park). The beach is frequented by vacationers, day-trippers, kite flyers, and dogs on its north end, but it extends a breezy 7 miles to the tip of Nehalem Bay State Park, which is accessible on foot over sand or by car along the road. At the south end of the park's parking lot, a dirt horse trail leads all the way to a peninsula's tip, a flat walk behind grassy dunes—you can book horseback rides from Oregon Beach Rides (971/237–6653 www.oregonbeachrides.com), which has a stable inside the park. Cross to the right for a secluded patch of windy sand on the ocean, or to the left for a quiet, sunny place in the sun on Nehalem Bay, out of the wind. Amenities: toilets. Best for: sunset; walking. Foot of Laneda Ave., Manzanita, Oregon, 97130. 503/368–5154; 800/551–6949; www.oregonstateparks.org. Nehalem Bay State Park day use $5 per vehicle.