Instead of starting the new year by committing to breaking bad habits — and then forgetting that you even made the resolution — try something new. I mean, literally: Commit to doing something you’ve never done before. Challenge yourself. Push yourself. Find yourself. And we know just where to start … Seaside, an easy, low-key spot to try new adventures in Oregon’s outdoors.
Hit the Trails
My new thing for 2018? Mountain biking. Why am I saddling up? Well, mountain biking happens to be my 15-year-old son’s newfound passion. So the best way to spend time with him is by eating the dirt spewed from his hardtail as I peddle to keep up. The logging roads and trails all around Seaside offer him plenty of challenges while being accessible enough for me as a newbie.
Ride the Waves
Mark this off your bucket list: Learn to surf. Oregon Surf Adventures offers private and group lessons. Or make a weekend of it; Northwest Women’s Surf Camp runs co-ed, couples and women’s surfing and stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) retreats. You can even try yoga on a SUP.
Find Your Zen
OK, is yoga SUP too much? Instead, opt to explore new forms of yoga and meditation on land with Seaside Yoga, which hosts both regular classes and relaxing getaways.
Swing the Club
Always wanted to pick up the game of golf? Head to the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi, Gearhart Golf Links, where PGA Club Pros Jason Bangild and Zdravko Barbic will be happy to introduce you to the game. Steeped in Scottish history, a round on this links-style course is certainly easier and cheaper than a trip to St. Andrews. Sitting along the Necanicum River, the nine-hole Seaside Golf Course was once the site of Seaside’s first resort. New owners continue the long-standing tradition of hospitality here, bringing welcome improvements to the course.
Start Paddling
Ever kayaked? Seaside is the perfect place to learn. Rent a single or double kayak for a paddle on Neawanna Creek to the calm waters of Necanicum Estuary, a partially enclosed coastal body of water where the river meets the Pacific. It’s here you’ll see Seaside’s greatest concentration of shorebirds. Remember: Always check tide tables before venturing out — rivers, estuaries and other waterways on the Oregon Coast are tidally influenced.
Learn to Soar
For the ultimate bird’s-eye view of the Oregon Coast, harness up for a tandem ride with Discover Paragliding. As you soar above Seaside, you’ll realize that this adventure is way better than making … and then breaking those resolutions.
