Winter brings an idyllic, small-town flair to the Oregon coast’s tiny gem of a town and its seven-mile shoreline. Don’t fear the Big Dark here; winter in Rockaway Beach comes with a calendar chock-full of nature-y activities, and we’ve compiled the highlights.

Ride the Candy Cane Express

November 29 through December 23

Just after Thanksgiving leftovers are packaged away, the historic train at Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad gets a festive makeover to ring in December. All month, the steam engine chugs into the Rockaway Beach station decked inside and out with string lights—and stocked with hot cocoa and cookies on board. Young riders can pen letters to Santa and hand-deliver their wish lists when he makes rounds through the 20th-century cars.

Trim the Tree

November 29

Decorating Rockaway Beach’s town tree is a group effort: Like a scene straight from Gilmore Girls, residents and visitors alike adorn the annual holiday herald with homemade decor. The tree lighting festivities boast carollers, festive snacks, and downtown shops with their doors open late for a jump start on local holiday shopping.

Spy Gray Whales

Mid-December through mid-January

Rockaway Beach’s seven miles of shoreline boast ample whale sightings as nearly 20,000 gray whales travel south from their PNW summer homes to winter in Baja Mexico. Oregon State Parks makes a whole week-long event out of it: Knowledgeable volunteers station at 15 viewing sights along the Oregon coast to field questions and help spot the aquatic travelers. During peak migration, about 30 whales pass the state’s coast per hour, affording ample chances to spot a whale breaching, diving, or blowing.

Chase Winter Sunsets

November through March

Winter weather brings dramatic sunsets to the coastline, and Rockaway Beach’s iconic Twin Rocks landmark in the surf lends an artistic element to those sunset photos. Looking to cover the most shoreline miles? Troxel’s Rock Garden rents fat-tire bikes ready to spin on sand—and offers free beach-ready wheelchairs—to find the best sunset vantage point.

Hook a Steelhead

December through March

Rockaway Beach might be known for the ocean’s treasure trove of crabs and clams, but the coastal rivers boast their own winter prizes: sea-going steelhead trout. Charters guide anglers to the large catches known for putting up line-peeling fights and acrobatic stunts while nearby Lake Lytle’s public fishing dock and stocked waters offer a family-friendly, low-key day on the water.

Watch for Migratory Birds

November through March

Birdwatchers flock to the Oregon coast along with dozens of migratory birds seeking the shoreline and adjacent forests. Binoculars lend a view of herons, ospreys, and even bald eagles, while beachgoers often spot Western sandpipers, black-bellied plovers, sanderlings, and dunlins along the shoreline. February brings the worldwide Great Backyard Bird Count, a week-long grassroots research project to garner a snapshot of current bird populations. Quiet Manhattan Beach State Recreation Site is ripe with birdwatching potential, and launching a kayak on 65-acre Lake Lytle is sure to bring waterfowl into view.