Coast communities - Visitors...blessing? or burden? (Newport, Florence: live, restaurants)

[leastprime]

https://www.surfline.com/surf-report...65fad6a77089b4
Looks like another fabulous day, noon, 8/11/2020. Lincoln City beaches. Miles of beach and not a person or dog in sight.

[Gulf of Aden]

Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell

Being welcome at the coast is the same as being welcome anywhere during these times. Don't crowd, and wear a mask when you are around others. If the beach is crowded, pick a different beach. There is no shortage.

In the summer there are dock side restaurants with outdoor seating. There's a fish and chips joint in Bandon that I won't willingly miss.

Typically the tourist season ends Labor Day Weekend, because it's the end of summer and the kids go back to school. This year, I don't know. The weather in September will probably be fine. I think reservations would be a good idea.

What is Bandon, OR like? Is it mostly touristy, or is it a cute quaint town?

Are the beaches crowded?

[redguard57]

Originally Posted by Gulf of Aden

What is Bandon, OR like? Is it mostly touristy, or is it a cute quaint town?

Are the beaches crowded?

It is both touristy and quaint

I don't know about the busiest times, but I've rarely been to any of the beaches south of Seaside (and Bandon is way south of that) that are particularly crowded. Sometimes they are crowded in the immediate area of campground or access point parking lots.

[Metlakatla]

Florence residents were slashing tires and leaving nasty notes on vehicles on in Old Town with out-of-state-plates a few weeks ago. This place really embarrasses me sometimes, especially since you'd be more likely to catch COVID from one of the hometown hotshots who believe making up is a conspiracy by Kate Brown to erode their liberty than from a self-respecting tourist.

[redguard57]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

Florence residents were slashing tires and leaving nasty notes on vehicles on in Old Town with out-of-state-plates a few weeks ago. This place really embarrasses me sometimes, especially since you'd be more likely to catch COVID from one of the hometown hotshots who believe making up is a conspiracy by Kate Brown to erode their liberty than from a self-respecting tourist.

Jeez... they do realize their unemployment would be WORSE with no tourists? It's not like the Oregon coastal communities are jobs engines on their own.

I've been annoyed at tourism lately, especially the obvious California yuppies. But I'm also very aware that we need their dollars.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Kate503

So here's the deal......I have a week off coming up in September, and almost more than anything I'd love to just come out for a couple of days, breathe the ocean air, and get away from the city. But - I've been reading about how hordes of people are descending on the coast, disrespecting the resources of the communities, not social distancing, not wearing masks, just....basically overrunning the communities. I don't want to be that person. At all. On the other hand, I also know that my respectful presence could help with the influx of my lodging/food dollars.

How to balance this? I don't want to endanger anyone, to be that person that you have to smile at in the service industry, because even though I'm endangering your community, you have to be there and endanger yourself so you can put food on the table.

Idk. Many Airbnbs around here are owned by out-of-state investors rather than local residents, so your influx of lodging dollars won't really help local communities unless you purposely seek out something that's locally owned. The restaurants in my little part of the coast are packed (not that you would catch me in one of them), and grocery stores are having trouble staying stocked. I think you should do what's right for you as long as you practice reasonable precautions.

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by redguard57

Jeez... they do realize their unemployment would be WORSE with no tourists? It's not like the Oregon coastal communities are jobs engines on their own.

I've been annoyed at tourism lately, especially the obvious California yuppies. But I'm also very aware that we need their dollars.

There's a lot of residual anger about the days of Big Timber being gone, but there's no real lack of employment here, and it's not all tourism jobs. There's a serious lack of skilled tradespeople, for instance. It's just really hard for young people just starting out because the vacation rental industry took all the housing.

[Cloudy Dayz]

I had to drive to Newport today. Traffic in Newport was the nightmare it usually is this time of year. I would say about 95% - 100% of normal. The tourists were out in full force. Though I don't know why. I saw many of the popular restaurants still had large signs, take out and delivery only. I'm not sure why any tourists would want to visit right now. I will say that the tourists I saw were all masked up, even walking on the streets. Personally after I took care of my business, I just went through the Burger King drive thru for lunch and then headed home. I didn't even stop at any of the usual beach spots. Dealing with the crowds right now is just not appealing.

[Cloudy Dayz]

Originally Posted by redguard57

It is both touristy and quaint

I don't know about the busiest times, but I've rarely been to any of the beaches south of Seaside (and Bandon is way south of that) that are particularly crowded. Sometimes they are crowded in the immediate area of campground or access point parking lots.

Bandon is usually crowed. It's very popular.

[leastprime]

Originally Posted by Gulf of Aden

What is Bandon, OR like? Is it mostly touristy, or is it a cute quaint town?

Are the Bandon beaches crowded?

1. There's an airport.
2. Many Private Jets.
3. If you like golf, This is the place to be. Which is why there is a 1. and 2.

Oregon Beaches are just not crowded as Southern CA or Maryland-NY beaches.
Just not many people in Oregon to make the miles and miles of beaches crowded.

I am mostly familiar with Northern Oregon Coast. June, July, August=Touristy. May-June and Sept-October = Second Homers. Nov-March =Desolate.