2 Days of Wellness on Oregon’s Adventure Coast

Rejuvenate with a coastal nature and mindfulness retreat.
Oregon's Adventure Coast,  Photographer
February 27, 2023

With easy access to miles of coastal hiking trails, wide-open beaches and windswept dunes, Oregon’s Adventure Coast has long been a hit with adventurous travelers. This vibrant South Coast community encompassing Coos Bay, North Bend and Charleston is an equally excellent spot for nourishing your body, mind and spirit on a wellness getaway, any time of year. Here’s how you can experience a weekend of healing and restoration in this less-crowded but completely alluring part of the Oregon Coast.

Day 1: Restore Yourself Through Forest Bathing

Kick-start your wellness weekend with a light breakfast at Green Street Organic Juice Bar, where you’ll find all sorts of juices and espresso drinks, plus tasty avocado toast. The smoothie menu is impressively extensive, with innovative blends of fruits, nut butters, milks and alkaline water — perfect for an early-morning vitamin rush. Once you’ve had your fill, head over to Coos Head Food Co-op to pick up everything you need for a picnic lunch. Choose from an assortment of grab-and-go deli items, or pick up some organic sandwich fillings and freshly baked bread.

Pack your provisions and head to the woods for a day among the trees. Dedicate the rest of your morning to a private, beginner-friendly forest-bathing experience led by Sailee Clemens and Daniel Houghtaling of Coos Bay’s Mossy Lotus Mother Earth Goddess Temple. The duo draw from their decades of experience in field biology, yoga and mindfulness to create personalized half- and full-day eco experiences designed to leave you refreshed and recharged. While each experience is unique, you can count on a mix of meditative practices, yoga asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing techniques), the benefits of which are enhanced by Mother Nature. These experiences, which should be booked ahead of time, usually take place in Yoakam Point or elsewhere along the stretch of forested coastline that runs from Bastendorff Beach to Cape Arago State Park.

 

Coastal forest of Shore Acres State Park

By the time you’re finished, you’ll probably have worked up an appetite for lunch. There are tons of pretty picnic spots along the Oregon Coast Trail, from tables with ocean-facing views to downed logs, nature’s own makeshift benches. With virtually no homes or hotels along the beaches on Oregon’s Adventure Coast, you’ll find plenty of peaceful spots to meditate. Among the most beautiful are the Two Guardians, a pair of windswept trees that stand together on a small promontory, right over the sea. Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the trails and lookouts along the coastline, including Shore Acres State Park, known for its beautifully manicured gardens, and Simpson Reef Overlook, a great spot to view seals and sea lions congregating just offshore. 

In the evening, head over to Wildflour Public House in North Bend for a gourmet, farm-to-table take on hearty pub fare. You’ll find plenty of classics made primarily from locally sourced ingredients, from fish and chips to surf and turf, along with seasonal salads, healthy bowls, veggie burgers and soups — including chowder served in a sourdough-bread bowl.  

After dinner, retire to your hotel for a good night’s sleep. While there are plenty of options right in town, Bay Point Landing, about a 15-minute drive from downtown Coos Bay, is a great option for those in search of quiet repose. Here you’ll find contemporarily furnished cabins, sleek revamped Airstreams, RV campsites and a clubhouse with a saltwater pool and a fitness room spread out over a quiet stretch of bay-facing land.

Day spas in Coos Bay offer a variety of massage options.

Day 2: Pamper Yourself With Spa Treatments and Sea Air

Start your second day with breakfast back in downtown Coos Bay at So It Goes Coffeehouse, where you’ll find all sorts of coffee specialty drinks plus hearty breakfasts and lighter baked goods. Give yourself plenty of time to digest before heading over to Beautiful You Medical Spa, where you can get a stress-melting massage or create your own mix-and-match morning wellness program. Along with massages and reflexology, this waterfront spa offers facials, cosmetic medicine and invigorating vitamin infusions, which take place in a spacious room with views out over the bay. After your pampering, head across the parking lot to check out the exhibits at the waterfront Coos History Museum, most of which focus on the cultural and natural history of Coos County and the surrounding area.

Next head over to The Tin Thistle Cafe for a nourishing lunch. The menu at this North Bend restaurant is entirely plant-based, so you’ll have no problem getting your fill of nutritious veggies. The food here is hearty and filling, with everything from house-made burgers made from oats and protein-packed walnuts to British-style pasties (hand pies), as well as tasty tacos loaded with cauliflower and freshly made desserts.

Once you’re fueled, make your way north to the Horsfall Beach Day Use Area at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for an afternoon of self-directed mindfulness practice set to the soothing hum of the ocean. The southern stretch of the beach here is off limits to off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and doesn’t get much foot traffic, so it’s not uncommon to be the only person on this massive expanse of ocean-flanked sand. Spend as little or as much time as you need taking in the restorative sea air before making your way home, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. 

About The
Author

Margot Bigg
Margot Bigg grew up in Portland and England and after many years living in Europe and Asia (including six years in India), she once again calls the City of Roses home. When not traveling and writing, Margot spends her time studying new languages, discovering new music and seeking out new places to explore. She speaks English, French and Hindi, and is the author of Moon Living Abroad in India and Moon Taj Mahal, Delhi & Jaipur; and a co-author of Fodor's Essential India, Fodor's Oregon, and Fodor's Pacific Northwest.

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