Ever since Jon, Lia, Chris and I graduated from college three years ago, we’d talked about getting together. It was ridiculous we hadn’t, considering we’d all relocated to Portland, Oregon. But between planning our weddings (Jon to Lia, and Chris to me), and getting careers going, we let too much time pass.
After about four minutes on FaceTime, we all agreed on a spontaneous getaway to Lincoln City. Its lush forests, sandy beach and gorgeous Pacific Coast location sounded perfect. That Friday, we all skated out of work early, tossed our duffels into the trunk, and headed to Lincoln City with nothing on the agenda except to stay at the oceanfront home we’d rented.
When we arrived, we immediately hit the beach to toss a Frisbee around and get our feet wet. Then we hopped back in the car and went looking for food. We found an unassuming little restaurant called Hearth & Table in a nearby strip mall. The inside of the tiny café-style restaurant was casual and comfortable, but it was the welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff that quickly won us over.
We chatted with the chef/owner before ordering up at the counter, and it quickly became clear this place was a foodie gem. The menu was filled with super fresh options that changed weekly based on whatever produce was in season. Jon ordered a Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich served on a flaky biscuit with a delicious honey drizzle and Lia chose bay shrimp and grits along with a creamy oyster stew. Chris and I decided to split a 12-inch pizza.
Then we all sat at a table, sipping selections from their craft beer menu while the experts crafted our dinner. We chatted with a few locals seated nearby, and they told us about a hike we could do at Drift Creek Falls the next day. It sounded cool.
Our food arrived and I took a bite of pizza, tangy sauce and cheese oozing onto my fingers. It was pizza-lover’s gold! The thin, New York-style crust was chewy-crispy with just the right char and perfectly singed. Our pizza was topped with caramelized onions, homemade sausage, Kalamata olives and pickled jalapeños—a winning combination, fired to perfection on the signature stone hearth. For dessert, we shared slices of zucchini cake with fluffy cream cheese icing, and these brown butter walnut cranberry cookies that were amazing!
The next morning, we arose to the crashing sound of the surf, ready for our early morning hike. We drove east out of the city to the Drift Creek Falls trailhead, tucked within Siuslaw National Forest. Inhaling fragrant pine-scented air, we hiked along a hard-packed dirt path and over small footbridges. The trail ran through fern-carpeted woods of towering Douglas firs, alders and moss-covered vine maples. When the trail forked, we followed the locals’ advice and took the north loop through a half-mile of lovely old-growth forest.
Our first view of the falls was from the middle of a 240-foot-long suspension bridge spanning a canyon. The bridge rippled with our footsteps. I don’t know what it is about water falling, but there’s something captivating about it. We took in the beautiful horsetail waterfall gushing along a sheer rock face and plunging 75 feet down to an ongoing misty conclusion at the rocks below. The entire hike was an easy out-and-back three and a half miles, so we still had plenty of day ahead of us when we got back into the car.
“What should we do next?” Lia asked.
While Chris drove, I did a quick search on my phone and suggested watersports at Devil’s Lake.
“Let’s go!” Jon said.
Spread over three miles, 685-acre Devil’s Lake is hidden right in the middle of Lincoln City, and sheltered from coastal winds in a secluded world of its own. Lia and Jon rented a tandem kayak, and Chris and I rented stand-up paddleboards. Chris and I had never “SUP-ed” before and wanted to give it a try.
After a brief, amusing trial-and-error period, we paddled through the shallow waters, soaking up the lake’s tranquil beauty while meandering comfortably without aim. We navigated among clusters of lily pads, and watched herons standing near the shore. Loons dove beneath the lake’s surface while at one point, a bald eagle rode wind currents high overhead. We didn’t see any this time, but I was told to look out for deer, which often wander through the shadows of the shoreline trees.
After relaxing at the beach house for a bit, we went beachcombing along the shore, enjoying sweeping ocean views. We passed a few families flying kites, their colorful displays decorating the deep blue of the sky. There was also a solo artist out there, expertly whipping around a sleek, neon orange flyer as if he were a conductor.
For dinner that night we carried hot dogs, popcorn, wine and s’more supplies down to the beach to cook over a crackling bonfire. Between mouthfuls of popcorn and sticky bites of our s’mores, we talked, laughed and watched the sun melt into the ocean in a blaze of brilliant color.
I felt like this was what life was supposed to be about—or at least deeply infused with. These moments of kicking back with friends in a gorgeous spot after an adventure. There’s got to be time to get muddy, sandy, drenched and s’mores-kinda-gooey! Time to take the conversation outdoors and off the agenda. Time to fly by the seat of our pants, then sit on them watching the sun set. I felt like we found our place—our back-to-basics home base.