The Old Town area of Bandon gives the impression of a New England seaport village, but it is distinctly West Coast, and that in my book is a great thing!
It is easy to find Old Town since there is a large arch over the main drag which proclaims, as one would expect, "Welcome to Old Town Bandon". Whoever put this sign up deserves props for resisting the temptation to spell the word old as olde; that decision alone makes you want to spend more of your hard earned cash here while visiting.
The town itself is tiny but has enough shops, restaurants, bars, coffee joints, and picture perfect views to keep you busy for at least a few hours. If you just walked leisurely through the town and didn't stop in to any of the above diversions it would take you no more than 30 minutes stroll down 1st and 2nd streets which are the main drags. That would be a mistake however.
The storefronts and buildings are diverse enough in their architecture to keep things interesting, with a distinct nod to seaside practicality in their predominantly wood materials. The color pallete of weathered blues and greys is fitting for a seaside village and there is a lot of trim in a variety of colors to keep things appealing to the eye; for added contrast there are rusty red lamp posts which line the main streets of town and help to unify as well as demarcate the boundaries of the main shopping and tourist area.
Along 1st street., which parallels the Coquille River, you will find boats, the pier and a really nice boardwalk. It can get blustery while walking along the water so hang on to your hats (and wigs) as you stop to pose for those pretty as a postcard pictures you will surely take, and eventually post on FB, in order to make your friends jealous that they're not here in this cool little town along the Pacific Ocean. read more