You'll find great gifts with marine motifs, unique art by regional artists, delicious northwest specialties or the perfect item for the outdoor enthusiast. Shoppers at the Northwest coast can find the perfect gift for everyone on their list. Need a few suggestions? We've picked a few of our favorites ideas for great gifts from the Northwest Coast.

Glass Fish or Fish Glass

Whimsical hand blown glassfish ornaments from, glass artist John Cook of Gearhart are delightful little creations, which will brighten any home or office. Hang them with fishing line near the window or display them from a small tabletop stand. Each unique piece is individually blown into a mold, then the tail added by hand to the hot glass. They come in a variety of color combinations at $25 each. Cook has also created fish glasses, which sell for $26 each or a gift pack of four for $100. Other small items include glass seashells ($10) and sun tiles ($25). Many larger hand blown pieces are also available. A large blown fish sells for $300 and beautiful bowls; vases and lamp creations are available for bigger budgets. Cook's work is available at dozens of galleries across the country or direct from the Gearhart studio and gallery. All items can be packed to ship. John Cook Studios & Gallery, 3427 Hwy 101, Gearhart, OR, (503) 738-5122.

You'll find a selection of glass art at several other coastal locations as well. Icefire Glassworks in Cannon Beach is the working studio for artists Jim Kingwell and Suzanne Kindland. Visitors to their studio can often watch the glass artists at work. Sculptural bowls and vases start at around $50 and go up to about $1000. Icefire Glassworks, Hemlock and Gower, Cannon Beach, OR, (503) 436-2359

Several coastal galleries feature glass artists as well. RiverSea Gallery in Astoria features northwest glass artists Carol Hall, Claude Kurtz, Laurel Yourkowski, Tim Chilina and Chris Ward. RiverSea Gallery, 1160 Commercial St, Astoria, OR, (503) 325-1270. Beppu Gallery in Pacific City also represents the work of Tim Chilina. Beppu Gallery, 34930 Brooten Rd, Pacific City, OR, (503) 965-6911.


Taste of the Northwest Coast

From traditional smoked salmon to world famous Tillamook Cheese, a gift of regional Northwest specialties is a gift of good taste. Salmon and other types of seafood are smoked daily and can be found at many of the region's retail seafood counters year round. Many places are prepared to ship your order across the country. Karla's Smokehouse in Rockaway Beach, Oregon has been preparing and smoking fish for over 36 years. Some of the varieties include garlic and herb, Cajun, honey-lemon and hot pepper. They also smoke halibut, sturgeon, mahi mahi and steelhead when available fresh. Prices range from $10 to $18 per pound. All orders can be shipped Federal Express overnight or second day air. Custom orders may need one week notice. Karla's Smokehouse, 2010 Hwy 101 N, (PO Box 537) Rockaway Beach, OR 97136, (503) 355-2362.



Smoked salmon and usually at least 10 other varieties of smoked seafood can be found at the seafood counter of Pacific Oyster in Bay City, Oregon. Oysters are smoked in both a sweet brine and a sweet and spicy brine. Based on availability, you'll also find smoked prawns, tuna, scallops, halibut, sturgeon, swordfish, calamari and sea bass. Pacific Oyster can pack and ship for delivery anywhere in the U.S. You may find other interesting gifts in their gift shop with northwest nautical and marine items. Pacific Oyster, 5150 Oyster Dr, Bay City, OR, (503) 377-2323.

Other places to find smoked seafood include Josephson's in Astoria. Ecola Seafood in Cannon Beach, Bell Buoy in Seaside, Crab Pot Seafood Market in Long Beach and P&K Seafood Market in Ocean Park.

In addition to smoked or canned Willapa Bay Oysters, Oysterville Sea Farms on the north end of Washington's Long Beach Peninsula, offers an entire line of northwest specialty products. Known as Oysterville's Finest, the line includes Wholly Cow nature-grain cereal, Seaport Spices, Anna Lena's Select cranberry products, baking mixes, condiments, preserves and dried fruit. Design your own gift box and ship it direct from the cannery. Oysterville Sea Farms, at the historic cannery in Oysterville, WA, 1-800-CRANBERRY or (360) 665-6585.

Cheese has put Tillamook on the map. The visitor center at the Tillamook County Creamery, where Tillamook Cheese is produced, offers its own products and dozens of other regionally produced specialties for great gift baskets. The Creamery offers a number of standard gift combinations or shop for the products of your choice. A Tillamook Sampler includes six mini bars including medium, sharp and extra sharp cheddar, colby-jack and jalapeno ($15.95). The Best of the Northwest gift basket includes three Tillamook Snack Bars, Tillamook Cheese spread (pecan), hazelnuts, truffles, crackers, cheese spreader, sweet hot mustard, mountain blackberry preserves, cheese slicer and summer sausage ($67.95). Tillamook County Creamery, north of Tillamook on Hwy 101, (503) 842-4481, 1-800-542-7290.


One For the Books

If you know someone who loves books, the region's bookstores will have the solution to your gift giving needs. You'll find beautiful hardcover gift books on subjects such as lighthouses, sailing ships, Northwest history and nature. You will also find titles from Northwest authors ranging from national best-selling crime writer Ann Rule, to the locally published Letters To Uncle Mike, the Oregon Coast's unique answer to Dear Abby.

Cannon Beach Book Company offers a wide range of current releases, great works of fiction and non-fiction, nature and northwest titles, cookbooks, children's books and more. Cannon Beach Book Company, 130 N Hemlock, Cannon Beach, OR, (503) 436-1301. Titles from Saddle Mountain Press Books can be found at Jupiter's Rare and Used Books in Cannon Beach. In addition to Letters To Uncle Mike, by Michael Burgess, you'll find More Letters To Uncle Mike, Uncle Mikes Guide To The Real North Coast and Wildlife On The Edge By Sally L. Lackaff. Who knows what other treasure you might find at Jupiter's. Jupiter's Rare and Used Books, 244 N Spruce, Cannon Beach, OR (503) 436-0549

For the region's best selection of books on nautical, marine and Northwest history subjects, visit the gift shop at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Columbia River Maritime Museum, 1792 Marine Dr, Astoria, OR, 1-888-631-8800 or (503) 325-2323.

For the best selection of titles on Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery, check out the gift shop at Fort Clatsop National Memorial south of Astoria or the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Fort Canby State Park in Ilwaco, Washington.

For books on Northwest nature subjects including hiking, bird and wildlife field guides try Migrations in Pacific City, Oregon, an ocean view coffee house, book and nature store. Migrations, 33105 Cape Kiwanda Dr, Pacific City, OR (503) 965-4661.

Other bookstores to check out if you're in the area are The Bookvendor in Long Beach, Lucy's Books or Backroom Book Store in Astoria, Tillamook Head Books in Seaside or Rainy Day Books in Tillamook.


Wildlife Watchers

Outdoor lovers need a good pair of binoculars. There's whale watching to do and birds to spot. A decent pair of binoculars begins at around $60 though you can also spend several hundred dollars. Most avid wildlife watchers will spend between $100 and $200. The average user is fine with a compact, eight-power binocular preferably with a lens diameter larger than 30mm. Whale watching season peaks in late December and early January.

You can find a selection of binoculars as well as maps and field guides at Migrations in Pacific City. Migrations, 33105 Cape Kiwanda Dr, Pacific City, OR (503) 965-4661. In Cannon Beach, Wild Bird Shop offers binoculars, spotting scopes, bird books and field guides. Wild Bird Shop, 123 S Hemlock, 1-800-281-9806 or (503) 436-9806. On the Long Beach Peninsula, try Jack's Country Store in Ocean Park. Jack's Country Store, Hwy103 & Bay Ave, Ocean Park, WA, (360) 665-4988.


Classic Coastal Collectibles

Oregon artist Margaret Furlong creates intricately detailed porcelain-like figurines and home decor products with a seashore motif. Many of her works are produced in one-time limited edition quantities which are often snapped up by collectors. Her 20th anniversary release to debut in October is titled ‘Heaven and Earth' and is a four-inch round featuring a small angel in a seashell with the sun and stars ($20). New home decor items in the designer's line include a five and a half inch nautilus shell vase ($36) and a small ‘Urchin and Sea Horse' wall sconce ($25).

You can find Margaret Furlong's new release and other items in the collection at Cara's Cards & Gifts in Seaside. Cara's Cards & Gifts, 318 Broadway, Seaside, OR, (503) 738-5162.

Other Margaret Furlong dealers include Tis The Season in Cannon Beach, Trudy's Treasures in Astoria, the Tillamook Pharmacy in Tillamook and Anna Lena's in Long Beach.


Singing in the Rain

Celebrate one of the rainiest places on earth with an umbrella to fit any personality at Let It Rain in Astoria. Dozens of umbrella designs are on display in Astoria's most colorful store. Prices range from about $70 for a lifetime guaranteed workhorse model to colorful fashion statements in the $40 range. Let It Rain also carries raincoats (some which match umbrella patterns) and boots including duck and frog-faced boots for kids. You can also order your gift online at let-it-rain.com. Let It Rain, 1124 Commercial St, Astoria, OR, (503) 325-7728.


High Flying Fun

Kite enthusiasts come to the coast for some of the best flying conditions in the world. Kite stores in the region offer a wide range of colorful creations ranging from easy-to-fly single line kites to maneuverable dual-line stunt kites and a myriad of elaborate flying creations. Prices start at under $20 for a simple single line kites. Expect to pay $200-$400 for high quality stunt kites.

In Long Beach, look for Ocean Kites or Long Beach Kites. Cannon Beach has three kite stores including Once Upon a Breeze, Kite Factory and Wind Dancer Unlimited. Wind Dancer Unlimited also has a Seaside location.


It's a Rush, Dude

Where do you find the perfect gift for the radical dude in the family? Several stores in the region cater to the adventure loving set who live to play in the waters of the Northwest.

Surfboards, wetsuits and hot surf fashions are featured at Cleanline Surf in Cannon Beach and Seaside. Cleanline also carries skateboard and snowboard equipment and apparel. In Pacific City, try South County Surf. Cleanline Surf, 719 1st, Seaside (503) 738-7888 and 171 Sunset, Cannon Beach (503) 436-9726.

A full range of sport kayaks and equipment is available at Pacific Wave in Warrenton, Oregon. Pacific Wave features touring kayaks, sea kayaks and surf kayaks. Prices begin at about $400, but expect to pay $1500 to over $3000 for serious kayak fun. Pacific Wave, 21 Hwy 101, Warrenton, OR, (503) 861-0866. Nehalem Bay Kayak Company in Wheeler sells recreational kayaks for more casual users.


Tasteful Sippers

Several wine shops in the region feature a wide range of outstanding Northwest wines as well other fine domestic and imported wines for the sophisticated sipper on your list. Many Washington State wineries create highly rated red and white wines of several grape varieties. Oregon has particularly been successful with pinot noir.

You'll find hundreds of wines to choose from at the Wine Haus in the Seaside Factory Outlet Center. The Wine Haus features tasting daily. Owner Jeff Kilday reports that the 1998 vintage pinot noirs may be the best ever due to favorable growing conditions. Wine Haus, 1111 north Roosevelt, Seaside, OR, (503) 738-0201.

In the rural Nehalem Valley, Nehalem Bay Winery features wine tasting including their own dessert wine, a pinot noir and Cranper, a white Riesling blended with cranberries for a sweet tart taste. Gift packages and baskets available ranging from $25 to $100. Nehalem Bay Winery, one mile off 101 on Highway 53, south of Nehalem, (503) 368- 9463.

A bit further up Highway 53, Nehalem River Inn restaurant and wine cellar showcases their own pinot noir reserve, cabernet, pinot gris and chardonnay.

Northwest wines and wine tasting is also available at Blue Heron French Cheese Company in Tillamook and Nestucca Bay Trading Company.


Scooterrific Gifts for Kids

Can't get a handle on a skateboard? Try a scooter. The scooter craze first appeared in Tokyo when Japanese businessmen began using them to avoid snarled downtown traffic. After appearing in the Sharper Image stores for the Christmas of 1999, scooter-mania began to sweep the country. This revisit of the 50s-scooter is part skateboard with a high tech appeal. Tranz-x Scooters come with candy colored four-inch inline skate wheels, a handlebar that adjusts from 23 inches to 36 inches and a rear brake. It weighs only six pounds and folds up for easy transport in a backpack. Primary users are 5 to 12-year-olds, but the scooters are finding fans of all ages.

Mike's Bike Shop in Cannon Beach offers the Tranz-x, the latest design of the folding Scooters. Tranz X is the only front suspension Scooter available, selling for $129. Mike's Bike Shop, 2nd & Spruce, Cannon Beach, OR, (503) 436-1266.


Forever Yours

Jewelry is always a great gift and you'll find unique handcrafted jewelry at many coastal galleries and shops. Sharon Amber Gallery in Cannon Beach offers fine handmade jewelry in gold and platinum with rare gemstones and her own hand carved beach pebbles. Sharon Amber Gallery, upstairs in Sandpiper Square, Cannon Beach, OR, (503) 436-1494.

White Bird Gallery in Cannon Beach features a diverse group of jewelry artist offering necklaces, earrings, pins and pendants. White Bird Gallery, 251 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach, OR, (503) 436- 2681.

You'll also find custom creations in Ocean Park, Washington by master goldsmith Anthony Garzino. In Long Beach, Campiche Studios features handmade jewelry by a number of artists. In Seaside, try ExposureArt Gallery.

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