Paul Bunyan and the Trees of Mystery, Klamath, California

Between our first night in Eureka, California and second night in Gold Beach, Oregon, we had hoped to stop and ride the gondola through the Trees of Mystery in Klamath, California. We did stop but we didn’t stay. We had lollygagged enough that day. It was going to be about $30 for us to have to hike through the park on a tour, then ride the gondola back. We estimated it would be at least an hour stop. So, we checked out the large statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Big Blue Ox, listened to the invisible man in the Paul Bunyan statue call over his loud speaker, welcoming guests and talking directly to them – it was really funny! We took some pictures, utilized their clean restroom and hit the road.

Ireland’s Rustic Lodges – Gold Beach, Oregon

Gold Beach, Oregon, is a small community on the Oregon Coast. It seems to mostly be a tourist destination with several beach-side hotels and a population right around 1,500 people.

I had booked ahead of time at what seemed to be a really cool place called Ireland’s Rustic Lodges.

I didn’t really know what we were going to get when we arrived. I had read some mixed reviews about the place, but was excited that when I called to reserve our room, I was told there was a cancellation and I could get a private beach view cabin with a balcony and fireplace. When we arrived, I was pretty impressed to see what we got.

If you stay here, keep in mind that this is not a 4 or 5-star hotel. It is called “Ireland’s Rustic Lodges”. You will get rustic but you will also get comfort. We were able to park directly in front of our door. The bed in our cabin was big and comfortable and we both slept well. There were 2 large recliners with a table, so we weren’t confined to sitting only on our hotel bed. The TV was updated with a flat screen and cable. There was even in-room coffee! If you want to light a fire, they have supplied wood, kindling, newspaper, matches AND instructions on how to light the fire! My biggest complaint about my accommodations here – I actually ran out of hot water in my shower. I didn’t take an extra-long shower – I have long hair and by the time I was ready to condition it, the water was already starting to run cold.

There were hot tubs available at the ocean side, but we didn’t use them. We did tour their nice property and enjoy a beautiful sunset on the beach. We could have stayed in our room and watched it from the balcony, but we walked down to the beach and enjoyed every minute of the sunset.

All over the property were rocks painted and left behind by other guests. If you are planning to go, grab some paints to bring with you, collect a flat rock from the beach and leave it behind. The only paint I had with me was purple nail polish, so I mustered up the entire extent of my artistic skills and painted a purple heart.

Panther’s Den Pizza – Gold Beach, Oregon

We wanted to be able to get back to our room in time for sunset, so for dinner we went to Panther’s Den Pizza. I was pretty impressed with Panther’s Den. The décor may have been a little old but the place was clean and cared for. There was a pool table, pinball machines, and a real jukebox with real CD’s inside. Only 25 cents per play!

I ordered a small Veggie pizza and my husband ordered a chicken sandwich. Both were very good. I was impressed that my pizza had actual toppings on it – not just a couple onions and olives. It was perfectly loaded with veggies, not over sauced, not over-cheesed, and cooked just right. They were fast and really friendly, too! I would be happy to eat here again.

More vacation fun to come
~Amelia