The One Oregon Town That's So Perfectly Pacific Northwestern
By Sarah McCosham|Published May 11, 2021
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
The Pacific Northwest truly is the best place to live, with stunning scenery, an abundance of outdoor recreation, incredible cuisine, and big cities full of friendly folks who defy every city-dweller stereotype. In Oregon, people are flocking en masse to places like Portland, Eugene, and Salem; and while these big cities all have so much to offer, The Beaver State is full of small towns that boast all the amenities of their big-city brethren — and more. This is most definitely the case with Yachats, a small Oregon town along the coast that’s just so perfectly Pacific Northwestern. Charming coastal vibes, spectacular natural wonders, an abundance of outdoor recreation, and an amazing cultural scene — Yachats, Oregon is peak PNW living.
Yachats is a teeny-tiny town on the Oregon Coast, with just over 550 full-time residents.
Along the Saint Perpetua Trail, hikers get to traverse through some of Oregon's most resplendent old-growth forests.
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This trail also leads to one of the most iconic vistas in all of Oregon: an unencumbered view of the Pacific Ocean that will absolutely take your breath away.
It's a place of startling contradictions: the "well" is essentially a hole in the ocean floor. When the tide comes in, the water fills up; when the tide goes out, the well empties. This amazing effect happens only at high tides.
In addition to having a front-row seat to Mother Nature's most spectacular coastal shows, the ocean provides a bounty that absolutely informs the region's unique cuisine.
In Yachats, Ona Restaurant and Lounge is *the* quintessential PNW fine-dining experience. The menu boasts fresh-caught fare, and the restaurant sits perched atop a stunning scenic overlook.
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The nearby Luna Sea Fish House is about as classic PNW as it gets: a seafood shack offering fresh fare and charming coastal vibes.
This local coffee house roasts its own blends, boasts an expansive menu that includes CBD-infused cuppas, and has a cozy little dining area with board games, books, and gorgeous coastline views.
That's really what makes Yachats so 'quintessentially Pacific Northwestern,' really -- the way the town exists in harmony with nature. The buildings, the parks, the recreation, the cuisine -- in the PNW, we have a profound love and respect for where we are, and it informs and enriches our lives each and every day.
