Lincoln City Live Cam

Every one of the Inn's 120 rooms offers a breathtaking view of the ocean, dazzling sunsets, wild winter storms or kites dancing in the breeze. The Inn At Spanish Head is located in Lincoln City on Oregon's coast, renowned for its pristine beauty, where the rugged coastline meets soft, sandy beaches. Lincoln City is a comfortable hour and a half drive from Portland, Oregon's major metropolitan area.

My friends, said the old scout to the family traveling along the Oregon Trail, you are headed for the Garden of Eden. Indeed, this still is a place teeming with life, where all kinds of fresh, ripe or aged-to-perfection ingredients together create exciting cuisine in our various restaurants.

With around 175 different commodities, Oregon's agriculture is perhaps the most diverse of any comparable geographic area on earth. Many family farms in the Willamette, Rogue and Hood River valleys welcome you to take tours, sample the goods at their fruit stands, and see why Oregon leads the nation in many products, including winter pears, blackberries, boysenberries and hazelnuts. If you're ready for more, wander through the Columbia Basin near Hermiston, where potatoes, carrots, corn and watermelon grow. The Snake River Basin serves potatoes and onions with a side order of sugar beets. The southern Coast boasts the largest cranberry harvest this side of New England.

The lush pastures along the northern and southern Coast are Oregon's dairylands. Happy Holsteins produce milk, cream, butter and some of the world's finest cheeses. The Tillamook County Creamery and the Bandon Cheese Factory enjoy international reputations for taste and quality. So stop by for a slice of heaven.

If you haven't already heard it through the grapevine, Oregon's Pinot noirs, rieslings, chardonnays and other wines consistently win awards around the world. Most fine wineries in the Tualatin Valley near Portland, the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon are delighted to offer tours and tastings.

Beer drinkers don't go away empty handed, either. Oregon's wide variety of hops, robust barley and pure spring water creates an assortment of excellent microbrews. You can quaff the local favorites at breweries in almost every city in the state.

The sea offers a delicious bounty of salmon, halibut, ling cod, snapper, and especially shellfish. So in almost any coastal town, there's no need to wait until Friday for a great bowl of clam chowder.Fresh waters produce a mouth-watering variety, as well. You can sink your teeth into six types of trout, including brown, brook, cutthroat and the ever-popular rainbows. Depending on the time and place, you're apt to find chinook, coho, Atlantic and kokanee salmon, not to mention bass, bluegill and catfish.

After all this talk about food, set the table with fresh Oregon flowers. In April a rainbow of tulips blossom in the Willamette Valley, while rhododendrons, irises and azaleas steal the scene in May. As spring turns to summer, everything in Portland is coming up roses, and mountain meadows become wall-to-wall carpets of wildflowers. Then, just before vine maple sets the western slopes ablaze with fall color, dahlias are on display in the Willamette Valley. Finally, as the holidays approach, it's Christmas tree harvest time. Enjoy the unforgettable smell of freshly cut Douglas fir and holly at farms in the Coast Range and the western Cascade foothills.

Perhaps no other state welcomes winter like Oregon. Storms not only replenish lakes, rivers, forests and fields, they refresh the cities and create pristine alpine playgrounds. Winter is a time of honored holiday traditions and festivals, as well as frequent visits to the snow and the Coast.

Less than 60 years after the first rope tow was built on Mt. Hood, skiers and snowboarders can now reach nearly 400 trails at 14 Oregon ski areas. That's a massive variety of bowls, chutes, and glades no matter how you carve them.

Starting at Mt. Hood, Timberline is Oregon's only ski in, ski out resort and stays open through Labor Day. Mt. Hood Meadows features three high-speed quads and six chairs for night skiing. Mt. Hood SkiBowl is America's largest night ski area with 33 lit runs. Cooper Spur and Summit Ski Area are perfect for beginners.

Farther south, Hoodoo Ski Area offers a spectacular setting and night skiing on weekends. Majestic Mt. Bachelor delivers a nationally recognized ski experience, with a seventh high-speed lift scheduled to add steeper and deeper runs in 1996-97.

Willamette Pass is a well-kept secret for those who like a casual atmosphere and wonderful scenery. Snowcat skiing on Mt. Bailey at Diamond Lake Resort assures skiers get first tracks in nearly 3,000 vertical feet of powder.

In the Siskiyous, the summit of Mt. Ashland offers a dramatic panorama and 23 exciting ways to get down. Eastern Oregon's four ski areas, Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, Spout Springs and Ferguson Ridge in northeast Oregon, and Warner Canyon near Lakeview are powder paradises with short lines, inexpensive lift tickets and family fun.

Major ski areas provide groomed trails for cross-country skiing, as well as equipment rentals and lessons. Sno-Parks with miles of marked trails are all over the higher elevations. Sno-Park passes are required from November 15 through April 30. With the influx of lightweight, compact snowshoes, vast areas of remote terrain are now accessible on foot. Telemark skiers seek out secluded powdery bowls at Tumalo Mountain in Central Oregon and Mt. Howard in the Eastern Oregon.

Having a snowmobile, dog sled or a horse-drawn sleigh provide the power is a great way to experience Oregon's winter wonderlands. Outfitters can set you up with snowmobiles or guided tours. Some Sno-Parks are reserved for snowmobiles or share terrain with cross-country skiers. With a professional sled dog racer at the helm, dogs in training for the Iditarod enthusiastically take you into the Deschutes National Forest at Mt. Bachelor. Sleigh rides right out of Currier & Ives are available at most winter resorts and private lodges.

The Coast is a favorite winter destination for those who'd rather browse shops and galleries than chill out in the snow. Oceanfront hotels and rental properties are perfect for curling up with a hot drink and watching storms whip up the waves. When things are a little calmer, watch migrating gray whales pass close enough to be spotted with the naked eye.