About this time of year I usually find myself moaning about the unbearable desert heat, groaning about this ever-lasting summer season and wishing away my precious time. This year however, my husband and I decided to make an unlikely escape, taking a break from our typical summer Sierra adventures. We wanted to try something new, so we traded in the alpine lake with that picture-perfect campsite for a luxurious beach house with a never-ending ocean view.
We both love the Pacific Northwest, but neither one of us has spent time exploring the area. We do love our mountains, we love our desert, we love our summer adventures. But we were looking forward to a change, ready for something new and we needed a real vacation. So, we headed to the beach. Our destination was Brookings, a small town on the southern end of the Oregon coast, just beyond the California border. Arriving at our coastal retreat, in a literal fog, in the middle of the night, there wasn't much to see and we just went straight to bed. The following morning, with shades drawn and sleepy eyes, I awoke to a lazy day ahead. Now, this beautiful beach house has a wall of windows looking out on an ocean view. So, one by one, I opened the shades to reveal a mystical scene with fog rolling over the shore and rock formations peeking through a sea of mist. On the deck, I settled into a cozy chair to enjoy my early morning coffee hour, taking in the magical seascape. It was at that point I officially entered vacation mode.
After a luxurious and leisurely start to the day, we wandered out and about to get acquainted with the local area. One does not have to venture far to find many magical, mystical places to explore in this area of the Oregon Coast. Tree-lined trails meander all along the rugged coastline, wandering through rain forests thick with beautiful greenery. Just a few miles north, we happened upon a path leading us to a little beach tucked secretly away in a small cove. There, we took off our shoes to bury our toes in the sand (I do so love that sensation!). The sun suddenly emerged and the fog dissipated as we waded in the cool, and oh-so-refreshing, ocean waves. Aaaahhh. Now that's a pleasant relief from our brutal desert heat!
I have more to share about our adventures and explorations, but this house was just such a wonderful retreat, I can't help but go on about it. Back at the beach house, we ventured down the wooden staircase leading us right to the beach. With bare feet we wandered around scouting out possible viewpoints for photographing the night sky. Had it been low tide, the opportunities for observing the sea life would have been abundant. Even still, we delighted in our discoveries. So many sea anemones, hermit crabs, mussels and barnacles. Crabs hiding in the cracks and little shrimpy guys scuttling about the sand. And the sea stars...well, one can see how fitting the name, the Seastar Retreat.
Being the adventurous sort that we are, even the fog was a welcome treat for us, especially in the midst of our scorching desert heat. We simply enjoyed mindlessly strolling along in the fog. And, of course, we found plenty of places to climb around, even in bare feet ;)
Ascending that wooden stair case from the beach leads one to a luxurious retreat, indeed. Even the seagulls can't help but pause to soak in the view of the sea from the balcony.
I mentioned before, the wall of windows in
this beautiful beach house. Needles to say, the view, whether indoor or out, is absolutely amazing. One can sit for hours, reading on that cozy couch, swinging lazily in the hammock, lounging with coffee in those adirondike chairs, enjoying a glass of wine or a candlelight dinner on the balcony as the sun sets over the sea...all the while, soaking in that stunning view. In fact, even with all the
wonderful things to explore in and around the area, you never really need to leave this house to feel like you are on vacation. It is a true retreat, all on it's own. And we enjoyed every single moment.
The front yard is a paradise all it's own, with beautiful blooms of passionflower, fuchsia and hydrangea in every nook and cranny.
Complete with pinwheels and a magical treehouse, it is like a secret little hideaway, a wonderland of adventure for grown-ups and kids alike.
We stayed for an entire week and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. It was a perfect vacation, just what we needed. Revived and refreshed, we are already looking forward to a return trip. For there are so many things yet to see, so many places to explore, so many moments to capture. And that view from the balcony...how can you not long for more.
Take some time to escape. Revive, refresh, retreat :)
Labels: Hiking, Nature, Ocean, Outdoors, Photography, Summer
