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Newport, Oregon Coast
and Oregon Coast Aquarium
click on photos to enlarge
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| Native tide pool at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. |
A few photos we took on a recent weekend camping
trip to Newport, central Oregon coast.
There's so much to do and see in Newport, it's hard to absorb
it all, if you only have a few days. The most dramatic landmark
is probably the Yaquina Bay Bridge. When you drive across it,
you can see the harbor and historic bay front below to the east,
and the Pacific Ocean and miles of sandy beaches to the west.
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| Yaquina Bay Bridge. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is at the south end of the bridge. |
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| Yaquina Head Lighthouse, north of Newport, built in 1873. |
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| Sea lions at historic bay front dock. Just follow the barking noises, and you can't miss them. |
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| Harbor with commercial fishing fleet. Bay Blvd is lined with art galleries and restaurants. |
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| More lazy sea lions. |
One of the main attractions, the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
We spent a whole day here, and didn't even notice how
the time flew by. When you first enter, you're greeted by
big tanks filled with strange looking jelly fish illuminated by
psychedelic lights. Then there's the 200 foot long undersea
tunnel, where you feel as if you're walking under the sea,
surrounded by sea creatures. Marine life you'll encounter,
sea otters, seals, sea lions, giant octopus, and more.
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| Illuminated jelly fish. |
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| 200 foot undersea tunnel surrounded by sharks, rays, and thousands of other fish. |
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| Another colorful underwater scene. |
Walking through the large outdoor aviary, close up encounters
with native Oregon and Northern Pacific coastal birds.
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| Puffin in the aviary. |
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| Oyster catcher. |
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We spent a couple of nights camping at South Beach State Park.
It's a huge park, with biking and hiking trails to the ocean,
across the dunes, and trails to Newport.
Lots of sites, but it's often full on summer weekends.
In the winter, no problem. Park is open year-round.
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| Rocky Oregon coast. |
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| Aliens? |
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