You know you want to getaway, you know who is coming, now you need to figure out the location.  To do this, requires that you answer a few basic questions:

1. Where is everyone coming from, and how far are they willing to drive/fly to get to the location?
2. What type of environment does the group like? (urban, rural, etc.)
3. What activities is the group interested in doing during this time? (shopping, hiking, etc.)
4. Does the location need to be family/kid friendly?
5. What type of amenities are a must have? (public parks, ocean access, pool, etc.)

Once you’ve answered these questions, a location can be determined that matches most of the needs of the group.

What are some other factors that you consider when planning your getaways?

As part of one of our trips in the North West, my husband and I found Cannon Beach on the coast of Oregon. This is a very quaint, beautiful and relaxing spot. The people are nice, the views are incredible, and the local food is good. The first time we found this beautiful place, we were driving up Highway 101 for two weeks, from Southern California to Seattle. We had planned on a one night stop, but it became 3 nights/3 days.

Canon Beach at Sunset

The trip was in October of 2004 and paralleled the playoffs and World Series, so every town we stopped in had to have a place to watch the game. Well, Cannon Beach provided what I think became our favorite spot to watch the games. Bills Tavern. Oh yes, the Jalapeño Poppers, the blackberry beer that is seasonal (and tastes so good with a a burger or a sandwich and fries), all fantastic! My mouth waters just thinking about it. They make the beer on the premises and it is awesome! We went there every night, and one night, we left our little digital camera behind by accident, and it was turned in. The couple who turned it in took pictures, and made us smile… because, this is a town where people turn in your camera when you leave it behind.

Bill’s Tavern

We stayed at a great place that had direct access to the ocean and great views… The Waves Motel. We had a little kitchen with our own coffee maker, oven, refrigerator and sink. It was so great to get up in the morning, make a cup of coffee and sit on our deck with the seagulls. In the afternoon I’d go down to the local candy store, Bruce’s Candy Kitchen, and get some homemade salt water taffy and walk through the town.

The Waves Motel – Fabulous

Cannon Beach is home to haystack rock, which is incredible at all times of the day, but at sunset, is absolutely breathtaking. It looks different from all angles, but always looks like… well, a haystack. The beach is rocky and sandy, and if you go walking on it in the morning you are bound to find fresh shells, sand dollars or just amazing patterns in the sand from high tide.

Haystack Rock

To get here, you can come up (or down) Highway 101, or you can come in from Portland by going west on Highway 26 and then south of Highway 101. You may want to plan on adding a day or two to your planned trip as you will want to stay longer once you get there.

]]> http://topshelfescapes.com/blog/2009/07/canon-beach-oregon/feed/ 0 http://topshelfescapes.com/blog/2009/07/santa-cruz/ http://topshelfescapes.com/blog/2009/07/santa-cruz/#comments Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:23:03 +0000 topshelfescapes http://topshelfescapes.com/?p=121

I love Santa Cruz and have spent a considerable amount of time there.  This is just a quick peak at an area I love and will definitely write more about in months to come.  For now, enjoy some pictures from around the area.

If you’re looking for nature, head to Henry Cowell Park in Felton; a few miles outside of Santa Cruz, where you can drive in for $6 or park on the street and walk in for free. You will instantly smell the redwoods, the clean air and will feel the temperature drop by multiple degrees as you are under the canopies of the giant redwood trees. You can follow one of the numerous trails… I took the river trail this trip which was as beautiful as I remember.

If you’re looking for a great browsing experience, especially if you like to browse records, check out Logos in downtown Santa Cruz, you may find great album covers like this:

Any questions… feel free to ask in the comments section.