Toledo

“Your Alternative “Hub” For Coastal Exploring…”

There are a couple of towns on this website that are not really “”beach”” towns at all – like Toledo for instance – and you may be wondering why we list them. We do so because, while they are not located right on the shore, they are still very close to it and (for one reason oranother) make a good alternative “”hub”” for coastal vacation activities. For instance, when the weather is foggy or windy on the coast in Newport, Toledo (just 7 miles inland) is often sunny, calm and clear. Toledo, has something called a “”micro-climate”” – which means it is shielded by it’s location among mountains and the presence of the meandering Yaquina River from the occasionally averse weather happening only a half dozen linear miles away on the coast. This makes it a handy place to know about.

A Historic River Link to Bay and Sea…

Once the center of Oregon’s Logging explosion and the site of the largest plywood mill in the world. Toledo is the only inland coastal community with a deep water channel. It was first established in 1866 under the Homestead Act by an immigrant from Toledo, Ohio, who gave the new settlement the name of that industrial town. Toledo’s seal, however, bears the date of 1905 from a later civic re-organization and official boundary drawing. It is a genuinely historic place with a rich and varied history and some charmingly restored victorian homes and vintage downtown buildings. The downtown, in fact, seems like a throwback from another, kinder, gentler time. It is a little unfortunate that the nature of the industrial portion of town tends to overshadow this effect somewhat. Toledo, once a booming mill town, owes its very existence to the river and the old growth timber that used to surround it. There is still a large paper pulp mill that dominates half the horizon. It is still, largely, that mill that keeps the town economically vital.

Looking on the Bright Side…

Toledo continues to maintain its small-town atmosphere with warmth, hospitality, and friendly residents. If one can ignore the industrial part of the view, and simply enjoy the better weather (when the coast isn’t sunny), the many quaint buildings, genuinely hospitable people – adding to that some of the many positive local points of interest – you may have saved yourself a few vacation lodging dollars and made a new friend. There are quaint shops, cafes, art galleries, a glass blowing studio, and a vintage railroad museum to explore. There are parks, plus nearby river fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and a host of forest hiking (and coastal mushroom hunting) opportunities. Also, once a year if you are an vintage watercraft fan, there is the The Annual Port of Toledo Wooden Boat Show held in mid-August (this year on the weekend of the 18th and 19th). Give Toledo a chance. It’s a great location from which to explore the rest of the central coast, plus, you get to enjoy the small-town atmosphere, beautiful river, and rural vistas.

Dining and Accommodations:

There is only one hotel in all of Toledo, the Yaquina Bay Hotel, a nicely restored, vintage 1924, multi-story structure right smack in the middle of downtown with 40 rooms and all of the modern amenities. There are a number of restaurants, cafes and taverns close by for dining. There is even a vintage Dairy Queen on the outskirts of town near the highway (if that suits your fancy). See our recommendations for the “”best picks.””


Coupons

  • Cobblestone Pizza Co Toledo Coupon
    Cobblestone Pizza Co

    Cobblestone Pizza Co

    541-336-2663
    1127 NE Hwy 20
    Toledo, OR 97391

    Proud independently owned small business with the goal of bringing you the best quality food around.  We start with fresh dough made daily, the freshest ingredients, cheeses and sauce. We are here to serve you and bring you the best pizza experience around.

    $2.00 OFF Any Large Pizza!

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