We decided to extend our stay here for a few more days, but that meant we had to move to a different spot as our current one has been reserved by someone else. So we found a vacant spot across the street and took that one.

Today turned out to be a beautiful sunshiny day. We went for lunch at one of the many restaurants in Newport’s Historic Bayfront area and then walked around for a bit. There are candy stores, and souvenir shops, museums, lodging, and more, even a Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

Newport’s Historic Bayfront

The marina is right there too, with all the fish warehouses and commercial fishing docks and boats. You can buy fresh caught fish right off the boat. There are fish markets where you can buy the fish and some are fish market/restaurants where they cook it right up for you to eat there. Can’t get any fresher than that.

Fishing Boats

We watched as a crabbing charter boat docked and unloaded its catch. The man on the dock had two large kettles boiling away when they arrived. The crabs they had caught were in plastic totes and they just dumped them right into the boiling pots right away.

Crab Charter

As we walked along the docks we heard a lot of noise. Barking.  California Sea Lions! Lots of them. They were hanging out on the docks. A sign gives information about them, that males come up here for most of the year while the females stay in California waters all year round. Then in the summer the males head south for the mating season. They sure make a ruckus. They are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and it is illegal to disturb or interact with them. Here’s a 23-second video (is your sound on?):

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The Historic Bayfront is right by the Yaquina Bay Bridge. This is one of Oregon’s most recognizable bridges, completed in 1937. We crossed over this bridge a bunch of times in the last few days. Designed by Conde B. McCullough, was built in the 1930’s, funded through the Public Works Administration as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal providing jobs to struggling families during the Great Depression.

Yaquina Bay Bridge

Also there by the bridge is the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse. It is the only wooden lighthouse on the Oregon Coast, and the only one with living quarters attached.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

When we returned to the campground we hiked a few trails and saw the beach again.

Paved Interpretive Trail at South Beach State Park, OR.

• Gasoline:   none
• Lodging:    $24