Nehalem: Parks, Culture, and Coastal Views

For a trip to Nehalem, points of interest range from park views and kayaking opportunities to performances and local wine history.

Parks, Views, and Water

Nehalem City Park offers views of Nehalem Bay and the Coast Range. It also has play equipment for children ages 2 to 12, picnic tables, barbecue grills, and restrooms. The views and park amenities offer different highlights: alongside views of the bay and mountains, there are practical options for taking a break at a picnic table or barbecue grill.

Neil M. Walker VFW Veteran's Park offers views of the Nehalem River, the valley, and the Coast Range. It welcomes travelers on Highway 101 as they head north from the Nehalem River Bridge. The two parks offer different views: Nehalem City Park focuses on the bay and Coast Range, while VFW Veteran's Park looks out over the river and valley; the Coast Range is part of the view at both parks.

For a kayaking trip on the Nehalem River and Nehalem Bay, the Upper Dock at the Nehalem Boat Docks is the best starting point. Also near Nehalem, Nehalem Bay State Park lies on a four-mile-long sand spit between the ocean and the bay. Visitors can kayak, catch crabs, fish, and gather clams there. At the Upper Dock, kayaking on the two named waterways is the main draw; the state park offers additional activities.

Performing Arts and Community Theater

The NCRD Performing Arts Center hosts performances year-round in a 1930s building and has 192 seats. Its program includes community theater, variety shows, solo performances, and symphony orchestras. If you’d like to include a performance in your travel plans, check which shows are scheduled for your travel dates.

Riverbend Players is a nonprofit community theater group based in Nehalem and recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization under U.S. tax law. The group has a fully renovated theater venue in Nehalem’s recreation center. For more than two decades, Riverbend Players has staged comedies, dramas, mysteries, radio theater, and musicals on Oregon’s North Coast. The program goes beyond a single genre, encompassing both spoken theater and musicals.

Wine History and Local Recreation History

Founded in 1974, Nehalem Bay Winery is one of Oregon’s ten oldest wineries and was one of the first tasting rooms on the Oregon coast. Its offerings include traditional white and red wine varieties, as well as a wide selection of fruit wines. The winery’s history and variety of wines offer different insights: its founding places it within Oregon’s wine history, while its selection describes the types of wine it offers.

The history of the North County Recreation District (NCRD) is also linked to a former recreational facility. The district was established to preserve and support the historic 1930 swimming pool at the former Nehalem Lower Elementary School. The construction date and connection to the former school provide historical and institutional context for this purpose.

Discover more destinations: Neskowin, Rockaway Beach, Cloverdale, Garibaldi, Manzanita, Tillamook, Netarts, Cape Meares.

For the regional travel overview: Tillamook County.