Whales, Wine, Yoga & Deals: 4 Tempting Reasons for a 1st Qtr. Tolovana Stay.

whalesSure, you might need to bundle up a bit, but don’t let that slow you down from visiting Cannon Beach during the first quarter of 2017.

Besides the unfailing appeal of the Oregon coast, with its natural wonders and special events, Tolovana Inn room rates are especially inviting this time of year. Now through March 23, if you stay two nights, you can enjoy a third night free.  Rooms are limited and some restrictions may apply.  Call 1-800-333-8890.  

So, besides great rates, here are some other things to consider.

The Gray Whale Migration is now underway

Gray whales head south from their feeding grounds in the Bering and Chukchi seas around Alaska from mid-December through January traveling to breeding grounds in Baja California, Mexico, where warm-water lagoons become nurseries for expectant mothers.  On the trip down, these giant mammals swim on a direct course, move quickly, and mostly stay about 5 miles offshore. At their peak, about 30 whales pass by each hour. Then from late March to June, the whales migrate north back to Alaska. On each trip, approximately 18,000 gray whales will pass close to the Oregon Coast.

Ecola State Park provides a great vantage point for whale sightings. In morning light with the sun at your back is best.  First locate whale spouts with your naked eye; then focus more closely with binoculars. 

Coming back, the whales travel much more leisurely and stay closer to shore—within a half mile is not unusual. The non-breeding males and females lead the way back with some early birds starting in late February. Mothers and young calves generally roll by starting in May.

Cannon Beach Yoga Festival, February 24-27, 2017

World Class Instruction in a World Class location.  That’s the three-day Cannon Beach Yoga Festival.  No matter what your level of experience, this is a wonderful opportunity to explore something new, as well as deepen your practice. Enjoy workshops, daily morning meditations, a community dance party and more. Everything you need to know, including a detailed FAQ can be found here.   Cannon Beach Yoga Festival.

Savor Cannon Beach, March 9-12, 2017

It’s a wine and culinary event you won’t want to miss this. The festival includes wine tastings, wine dinners and a wine walk throughout the town from over 20 Northwest wineries.  Tickets are now available and its usually a sell-out event.  Tolovana Inn is proud to be a sponsor and host site for this incredible favorite foodie  event!  

Make 2017 the year you experience something new in Cannon Beach, staying at the ever comfortable ocean front Tolovana Inn.

 

(information about whale migration provided by visittheoregoncoast.)

 

 

 

Meet at the Tolovana Wayside for the Solve Beach Cleanup, Sept 24.

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Since 1984, Oregonians have gathered for the annual Beach & Riverside Cleanup, an important, family-friendly event designed to keep our coastline healthy.

Why not be part of the solution?

As in the past, volunteers will gather on Saturday, September 24 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, at the adjacent Tolovana Wayside where beach captains will direct the cleanup effort.  This wayside is one of are 46 clean-up areas along the Oregon coast.

Guests of Tolovana Inn who join the Solve clean-up will be eligible for a discount for the September 23-25 weekend.   Ask about the special pricing when you call for reservations.

The SOLVE Beach & Riverside Cleanup is part of an annual worldwide effort to reduce the impacts of litter on marine life. In 2015, the International Coastal Cleanup mobilized 560,000 volunteers in 91 countries to collect more than 16 million pounds of trash along beaches and inland waterways. It’s a monumental effort.

SOLVE will provide bags and gloves, but would prefer volunteers bring your own reusable garden gloves. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own reusable bucket/bag and reusable water bottles to help reduce plastic waste.   You can also use an old colander or kitty litter scoop to sift the sand for tiny bits of plastics and cigarette butts, which are extremely harmful to shorebirds and marine life.

Hauling, disposal and recycling services donated by Recology Western Oregon.

Contact Solve for more details.

Cannon Beach 4th of July Parade: Hurray for the red, white and blue!

 Cannon Beach July 4th Parade!

There’s few things better than celebrating America’s Independence day with a good, old-fashioned small- town parade.

Join the fun on Saturday, July 4 in Cannon Beach—either cheering from the curb or marching along the parade being organized by the CB American Legion.

From Uncle Sam to Lady Liberty, you’re sure to recognize a few familiar faces among the stars and stripes!   Typical entries include antique cars and homespun floats to kids clad in red, white, and blue on decorated bikes.  All are welcome to participate—except for political entries.

Parade sign-up is from 9:00 to 11:00 am  Saturday at the American Legion at 1216 S. Hemlock.   The parade starts at 11:00 am at the corner of  Monroe and Spruce, and heads north on Spruce to 3rd, and then proceeds south on Hemlock through town ending with a social at the American Legion Hall.

For more information, call 503- 436 0424.

Hurray for the Red, White and Blue and Tolovana Inn Resort Hotel in Cannon Beach!

Seabird app to be introduced at Haystack Rock

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with the Friends of Haystack Rock and the Haystack Rock Awareness Program,   launched an interactive, place-based game app, Discover Haystack. The public is invited to attend its launch party at Haystack Rock. Visit the Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest Information Booth and pick up information on how to download the app.

Guests staying at the ocean front Tolovana Inn Resort in Cannon Beach  are just a short beach walk to iconic Haystack Rock.

Developed by Discover Nature Apps, the app teaches visitors about the diverse seabirds, marine mammals, rocky shore habitats and creatures of the Oregon Coast. The game includes a GPS-guided nature-based scavenger hunt; the ability for users to post and view field tips and photographs, and the opportunity to share their experiences on social media.

To play the “Discover Haystack” game, users must be at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. People visiting as a group can compete against one another, or families can opt to work as a team. The app also offers opportunities for users to capture photos of their discoveries, including field notes such as where they are seeing tufted puffins or sunflower sea stars. The discoveries, notes and photos are viewable in a digital photo gallery that will be accessible worldwide.

“With this app, we can reach exponentially more coastal visitors and residents with a fun and interactive experience that leaves them with a greater awareness and appreciation of Oregon Coast’s seabirds and their habitats,” said Dawn Harris, visitor services manager for the Oregon Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Funding for this smartphone app came from a special fund created to benefit seabird species that suffered in the aftermath of the New Carissa oil spill near Coos Bay in February 1999. The freighter ran aground, broke apart and spilled between 70,000 and 140,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil, killing an estimated 2,465 seabirds and waterfowl along the coast.

Source: The Daily Astorian, June 19, 2015