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Top Summer Activities to Look Forward to in Lincoln City – Part 1

You’re not alone if you’re looking forward to summertime and beach house rentals. Lincoln City, Oregon will be waiting for you when the summer arrives, and when people return to the local beaches and businesses. From secluded coves and seaside cliffs to local arts and culture, there is something for everyone in Lincoln City when summer rolls around. We have narrowed down 10 sensational summer activities in Lincoln City to look forward to, starting with these fabulous five:

Dear Honored Guests –
We look forward to being on the other side of this and hosting you at one of our Oregon beach homes or condos!
  • Antiquing. Lincoln City is known for its high concentration of antique shops and its popular Antique Week that takes place every February. The Little Antique Mall houses 80 dealers, the Taft District and Oceanlake District both have a number of antique shops, and several other antique dealers do business at other locations around town. Antique collectors are bound to leave with something special after visiting this stretch of the Central Oregon Coast.
  • Art Buying and Viewing. There are also countless art dealers, galleries, museums, and studios throughout Lincoln City. The Lincoln City Cultural Center is always a great place for art lovers to start. You could also spend more than a day perusing galleries and studio spaces such as the Artist’s Co-Op Gallery, Artist’s Studio Association, Freed Gallery, Hawk Creek Gallery, Matthew’s Galleries, Mossy Creek Pottery, Ryan Gallery, and The Sparks Gallery. In addition, the North Lincoln County Historical Museum showcases artworks made by indigenous peoples and other cultural artifacts.   
  • Beachcombing. One of the most popular activities in Lincoln City doesn’t cost a thing. There are 7½ miles of spectacular beaches along Lincoln City’s stretch of the Oregon Coast that visitors can spend all day walking on. You can always find a plethora of beautiful agates, fossils, petrified wood, rocks, and shells if you are a patient beachcomber. During certain times and days of the year, though, you can also find colorful glass floats made by local artisans that are dropped in easy-to-find hiding spots by volunteers in the early morning hours. If you find one, make sure to register it and receive a certificate of authenticity!
  • Boating and Paddling. If you’re staying in one of our beach vacation rentals, Lincoln City can be your home base for a number of water sports, including boating and paddling. Head to nearby Devil’s Lake for the day or for overnight camping and partake in a wide array of water sports and recreations, including canoeing, kayaking, motor boating, and water skiing. Siletz Bay is also home to a wildlife refuge where paddlers can take a guided trip through the bay. Equipment is available for rent at Siletz Crabbing & Kayak Rentals, Two Seven Zero Stand Up Paddle Sports, and other local businesses.
  • Glassblowing. Blown glass is a local passion in Lincoln City. Alder House Glass Blowers are the oldest glassblowers in the Pacific Northwest and are known for allowing visitors to watch artists at work. They offer a variety of pieces for sale as well as custom pieces made to your specifications. Volta Glass Gallery also allows you to blow your own glass if you want to have the experience of making it yourself. Other blown glass galleries and shops include Flannigan’s Glass Gallery, Lincoln City Glass Center, Summer Gap, and more. You can even find a blown glass float for sale if you aren’t lucky enough to find one on the beach.

From expansive vacation homes to cozy beach condo rentals, Lincoln City will have all your accommodation needs covered when summertime comes. For now, though, we can all keep dreaming of summer nights and sunny days. Check back soon for part two of our top 10 picks of summer activities to look forward to in Lincoln City! For now, stay safe and we’ll see you when the beach reopens.

A-1 Beach Rentals Health and Safety Update

We here at A1 Beach Rentals want you to know we are going the extra distance to sanitize our homes and keep our guests safe. In fact, you’ll find a note in every home detailing what we did that day. For example, the extra careful effort is being made to sanitize all surfaces, doorknobs, light switches, appliances, etc.

Other shops around the coast are taking the same steps. You may also note the Oregon coast has lots of wide-open spaces. The key is social distancing: keeping yourself away from others. However, if you are having any symptoms of any kind make sure you stay home. The coast will be here when you get better.

If you have any questions, please give us a call at (503) 232-5984. From all of us at A-1 Beach Rentals, please take good care of yourself and your family.

Celebrating 20 Years of Finders Keepers on the Beaches of Lincoln City, OR

Looking for an excuse to get away to one of A1’s fabulous beach house rentals? Lincoln City, Oregon residents are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Finders Keepers, a tradition in which “Float Fairies” hide blown-glass floats along the city’s beaches in a nod to the colorful spheres that used to float ashore from Japanese fishing boats in the days of yore. The “20 on the 20th” celebration kicks off on February 20th with a special drop of 20 limited edition glass floats, which will be a recurring event on the 20th of each month until May. If you’re itching to get away to Lincoln City’s 7½ miles of beautiful coastline, there’s never been a better time to book your beach vacation rentals! Lincoln City is waiting to share this special tradition with you.

Even if you don’t find a glass float on the beach, there are many galleries and blown-glass studios in Lincoln City where you can purchase an unnumbered glass float or other piece of beautiful glass art. It’s all part of the fun and a good excuse to visit this awe-inspiring stretch of coastline in Lincoln City, Oregon.

20 Years of Glass Floats on the Beach

Although Finders Keepers was first imagined by a local blown-glass artist in 1997, it was not until 1999 that Lincoln City sponsored the initial season of glass floats on the beach. The artist was inspired by tales and images of lustrous, blue and green, blown-glass floats that used to wash up on Oregon’s shores from Japanese fishing crews that used them to keep their nets afloat. The project was meant to mark the coming millennium and attracted tourists from across the country. Now, 20 years on, the tradition has cemented itself as a part of Lincoln City’s unique local culture and is sure to remain so for many years to come.

What to Expect on the Hunt for Glass Floats

The glass floats hidden on Lincoln City’s beaches are meant to be found, with their bright colors and inconspicuous positioning below the beach embankment and above the high tide line. The Float Fairies come along several times a day during daylight hours between October and May to place blown-glass floats made by local artisans in fairly conspicuous spots where visitors like you might find them. Barring extreme and unsafe weather conditions, these drops go on as scheduled rain or shine, and there are also special drops to commemorate holidays and other celebrations. If you’re lucky enough to find one, just make sure to register it online through the Explore Lincoln City website. You’ll be able to register your float with its unique number, learn about the artist, and get a Certificate of Authenticity.

More Special Glass Float Drops in 2019

The fairies drop a few floats every day during Finders Keepers season, and 20 limited edition Explore Lincoln City floats will be dropped on the 20th of each month for the rest of the season, so there’s always a chance to get your hands on one. There are a few other special drop dates to look out for as well if you’re thinking of booking a vacation home or one of A1’s cozy beach condo rentals. Lincoln City Float Fairies will be doing a special drop of 50 pink, red, and white floats February 16-17 for Valentine’s Day; 300 extra floats between March 23rd and April 7th for Spring Break; 50 Earth floats April 21-22 for Earth Day; 50 extra floats May 11-12 for Mother’s Day; and 50 red, white, and blue floats May 25-27 for Memorial Day.  Even if you don’t find a glass float on the beach, there are many galleries and blown-glass studios in Lincoln City where you can purchase an unnumbered glass float or other piece of beautiful glass art. It’s all part of the fun and a good excuse to visit this awe-inspiring stretch of coastline in Lincoln City, Oregon. 

Finishing Your Perfect Day in Lincoln City

With the right beach vacation rentals Oregon is like a summer wonderland for vacationers and Lincoln City is particularly amenable for travelers on both short getaways and long-term holidays. Even if you only have a day to enjoy Lincoln City you can pack in a whole lot of action and leisure. In our last blog post we discussed how you might start a perfect day in Lincoln City, so keep reading to see how you might end your day to get the most authentic experience of the Central Oregon Coast! 
Finish Your Day in Lincoln City
So, you’ve just finished lunch after a morning of exploring the beach in Lincoln City, Oregon. After a quick stop to drop off new kites and collected rocks at your beach home rentals Lincoln City awaits to continue entertaining you! Make the most of every minute:
2:00 p.m. – Enjoy the Local Arts Scene
Arts, crafts and culture are alive and well in Lincoln City. As you make your way down Highway 101 you’ll find numerous studios specializing in the area’s well-known blown glass artwork. Visit Jennifer Sears Glass Art Studio to watch a demonstration by a local artist, make your own glass art or make a purchase. Mor Art Glass Fusing Studio also offers one-day fused glass art classes. There are also local museums and art galleries if that’s more up your alley. 
4:00 p.m. – Make a Refreshment Stop
Whether you’re looking for a revitalizing cup of coffee, an icy milk shake, a relaxing glass of wine or a savory craft-brewed beer, you can easily find a nice spot to stop near the coast in Lincoln City. Some good local options include Logic In A Cup Espresso, Eleanor’s Undertow Takeout, The Bay House and McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub.
6:00 p.m. – Pre-Dinner Stroll
You might have already explored the tide pools, collected colorful rocks and flown a kite on the shore, but there’s nothing quite like a simple walk to really get to know your surroundings. Listen to the waves crashing on the beach, enjoy the feeling of sand in your toes, stop and sit on a piece of driftwood to see the thundering water rolling in, and just experience it all.     
7:00 p.m. – It’s Seafood for Dinner!
A trip to Lincoln City, Oregon wouldn’t be complete without enjoying some of the area’s fresh seafood cooked to perfection using gourmet local recipes. There are numerous fine dining restaurants serving fresh seafood and steak, as well as more casual eateries serving clam chowder, fried fish, seafood pasta and more. You could even grab some fresh seafood and other local ingredients and take them back to your holiday rental to cook yourself! The best beach house rentals Lincoln City has to offer all come fully equipped with modern kitchens.
As day turns into night, you and your travel companions might find that the beautiful sunset inspires a night out on the town. You can catch some live music at a local pub, enjoy a world-class concert at the nearby casino, or watch a movie in a historic theatre. Before you know it, though, tomorrow morning will come and it will be time to check out and move on. But don’t worry, Lincoln City will always be here waiting for you.