Hunkering Down in Albany, Oregon and Seeing the Oregon Coast

Our stay in the Albany/Corvallis area did not go the way we envisioned. Shelly came down with the flu, so we spent most of our time hunkered down in the rig at the Albany/Corvallis KOA Journey. This KOA offers a variety of amenities, including a pool, putt-putt, horseshoes, social events, and a nature trail. However, the sites are close together and not very long, making it a tight fit for our "Beauty and The Beast." The campground backs up to a busy highway, so expect some road noise.

I ventured out for groceries and stumbled upon Carniceria Los Compadres, a Mexican market with the best al pastor I’ve had outside of Texas. We stocked up before leaving. I also took the Jeep to Discount Tire for a rotation and new tire pressure monitoring sensors. William, the service advisor, was very attentive and knowledgeable, even assisting in the bay. Highly recommend this store if you need tire work done in the area.

Marie, my sister, had her heart set on hiking the Trail of the Ten Falls at Silver Falls State Park.  Since Shelly was on the mend, I decided to join her. The trailhead indicated it was 8.7 miles, but it felt longer. We saw all ten falls, some of which were spectacular and allowed us to walk behind them. Winter Falls was not impressive, but as the name suggests, it flows more in the winter. By the last mile, we were both ready to be done. Highly recommend starting at the South Day Entrance to avoid the many steps back up to the canyon rim.

Once Shelly was feeling up for an outing, we decided to explore the Oregon Coast. We originally planned to have dinner in Newport but ended up in Yachats, a small town with gorgeous views, recommended by Shelly’s coworker. We stopped at the Yachats State Recreation Area to take in the ocean views and decide on dinner.

We chose The Drift Inn Hotel and Restaurant, which focuses on fresh ingredients with an eclectic mix of dishes. We started with Steamer Clams and House Made Mac N Cheese. The clams were tasty, and the Mac N Cheese hit the spot with cheesy goodness. For entrees, we had the Dungeness Crab Melt and Seafood Lasagna—both were amazing and loaded with seafood. For dessert, we couldn’t resist the Marionberry Cobbler, which was a perfect sweet ending.

After dinner, we visited Thors Well and Devils Churn. Although it was low tide and not as impressive as high tide, Marie got to mark another place off her list.

Despite Shelly being under the weather, we made the most of our stay in Albany and enjoyed exploring nearby attractions. From discovering a fantastic Mexican market and getting the Jeep serviced, to hiking the beautiful Trail of the Ten Falls and dining in Yachats, every adventure added a memorable chapter to our journey.

Until next time, keep spinning the wheel of adventure!

Happy RVing!

2KidsatHeart 🚐💨