Michelle had a conference in Newport this weekend, so Ella and I tagged along to see the sights. We actually left Thursday night and got there in time for dinner with her boss overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Friday while Michelle was at “work,” Ella and I went grocery shopping for lunch and snack items, then went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. It was quite a treat for both of us, though by the time we got to the “passages of the deep” exhibit, a plexiglass tunnel through a massive tank, Ella preferred to run through the exhibit rather than look at the sharks and skates passing gracefully around us. Afterwards, we checked out the Yaquina Lighthouse, Rogue’s brewery, swam, walked to dinner, and swam again before settling down for a restful night. I’d already fallen asleep by the time Michelle got back, though she and her coworkers were socializing by this time, not strictly working.
Saturday Ella and I grabbed donuts then headed south in a hailstorm to Seal Rock. By the time we got there the weather had cleared and we were able to hike a bit and play in the foam created by the thrashing seas around the rocks. Then we checked out Ona Beach and played on the bridge before heading back to Newport to meet up with Michelle. Afterwards, we checked out the Aquarium again (it was really cool, and with the Bug, there was a lot that was missed) and went for an early dinner on the Bay and watched the massive sea lions on the docks.
Despite the on and off hail, there was plenty of sun, and was a delightful way to spend a weekend. I’ve not been to Newport for nearly 15 years, though I saw the store where my dad and I got our ideas for building skimmer boards for taking to Kalaloch. I definitely look forward to visiting again, though there are still many places on the list to visit first. I’ve added some pictures here.