A Seaside Surprise Part I

I adore the Pacific Northwest.  My fondness for the area has grown so much over the years, and I can't imagine not living here.  The lush green foliage, majestic mountains and dramatic coastline speaks to my soul.  Even though I am hundreds of miles away from the beach, it is always worth the trip even if it takes seven hours to get there. I find that the only thing better than going to the Oregon Coast, is going to the Oregon Coast to meet up with family.  A semi-impromptu trip was made to surprise a loved one for her birthday, and gladly the surprise was a total success!  It's amazing how our group gathered in such short notice, managed to stay in the same hotel, and pulled off quite a celebration.

The coastal town of Seaside was the party destination, but since there was some time to kill before the surprise, my husband and I took our kids to Cannon Beach for a delicious meal at the ever-famous Mo's Restaurant.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a strong dislike for seafood, however I do find Mo's clam chowder to be quite edible.  In fact, the gray stormy weather on Saturday was the perfect atmosphere for slurping down the warm soup.  

Cannon Beach is an artsy tourist resort destination along the northern coast of Oregon that is famous for its "Haystack Rock", a tall monolith rock formation.  Regrettably, I did not get a photo of it because of the incredible amount of rain and wind on that day, but my daughter's drawing on the back of a menu will suffice just fine!  In fact, it is a rather accurate depiction if you ask me.

After our cozy lunch, we headed north to Seaside where my weekend adventure continues ...