The Columbia Pacific is a beautiful place. We all know it. Evergreen forests, state parks galore, rivers, beach and sky. Theres a lot to love, and there are always new places waiting to be discovered.

Living here on the coast, it can be easy to get stuck in a routine: You stay in your town of choice, working hard and relaxing on the weekend (plus, theres that weekend summer traffic to avoid). But venturing out and about on a day trip to somewhere new can be a fun and memorable experience and there are a lot of choices.

Nehalem is one such great choice. A mere two miles south of Manzanita, it acts as an entryway to the Nehalem River and Nehalem Bay. Bring your kayak or paddle board and row down the calm river for a scenic adventure outdoors. The city maintains two public docks with direct access to the water.

Cute boutiques and shops line the short stretch of highway that is the downtown. Find upcycled, vintage and antique items at The Painted Poppy. If youre hungry, stop in for lunch at Capt. Lens BBQ, which shares a space with The Painted Poppy. Or venture down the street to The Pizza Garden, a charming restaurant with a deck on the river and tasty gluten-free and vegan options.

Across the street, find the Nehalem Beehive. A courtyard outside and an airy seating area inside make a great communal area to sit and relax. Theres a self-serve coffee, tea and herbal bar. In the connecting shop, youll find chocolates, beeswax candles, soaps, pottery, air plants, art and eye-catching jewelry.

Two miles south, across the river and a short way up Oregon Highway 53, sits the Nehalem Bay Winery, housed in the old Mohler Creamery, which produced products for the Tillamook Creamery Co-op from 1909 to 1959. Escape the summer heat in the cool tasting room, and admire the brick back drop behind the bar (and the fancy vintage cash register) as you try different varietals and fruit wines. Outside in the yard, take in the tree-lined mountains of Oswald West State Park.

The winery holds events with live music several times a year (next up: Bluegrass & BBQ Aug. 16).

July 4 and 5 saw bluesy bands and barbecue. My friend and I split a half rack of slow-roasted pork ribs slathered in sauce the best 10 bucks Ive spent in awhile. Blues guitarist Baby Gramps owned the stage with his folk-country grooves, beat-keeping foot stomp, word play and throat singing. It was easy to see why hes a staple at the Oregon Country Fair (this weekend in Veneta).

If you want to turn your day trip into two days, check out the Nehalem Falls Campground down the road in the Tillamook State Forest.