Attractions

These days the hottest thing in town is the Chinook Winds Casino, 1777 NW 44th St. (tel. 888/CHINOOK [244-6665] or 541/996-5825; www.chinookwindscasino.com), a massive casino run by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and located right on the beach at the north end of town. The casino offers blackjack, poker, slot machines, keno, and bingo. There's plenty of cheap food, as well as a video-game room for the kids. Big-name entertainers help attract folks who might not otherwise consider visiting a casino.

You can catch live jazz at Eden Hall, 6645 Gleneden Beach Loop Rd., Gleneden Beach (tel. 541/764-3826; www.edenhall.com), a big club and restaurant just south of the Salishan Lodge.

The casino may actually be second in popularity to the Tanger Outlet Center, 1500 SE E. Devil's Lake Rd. (tel. 541/996-5000; www.tangeroutlet.com), which is on the corner of U.S. 101.

Lincoln City has a surprising number of interesting art galleries and artists' studios. At the north end of town, the first gallery you'll come to is the Ryan Gallery, 4270 N. U.S. 101 (tel. 541/994-5391; www.ryanartgallery.com). South of Lincoln City proper, you'll find the impressive Freed Gallery, 6119 SW U.S. 101 (tel. 541/994-5600; www.freedgallery.com), which has an excellent selection of art glass and ceramic work, as well as sculpture and paintings in a wide variety of styles. Just off U.S. 101, north of Salishan Lodge, you'll find Alderhouse Glass, 611 Immonen Rd. (tel. 541/994-6485; www.alderhouse.com), the oldest glassblowing studio in Oregon. The shop and studio are open daily from 10am to 5pm between mid-March and Thanksgiving weekend. Nearby you'll also find Mossy Creek Pottery, 483 Immonen Rd. (tel. 541/996-2415; www.mossycreekpottery.com), with an eclectic selection of porcelain and stoneware by Oregon potters.

Finders Keepers -- Each year between mid-October and Memorial Day, Lincoln City hides more than 2,000 art-glass balls, similar to the much-prized Japanese handblown glass fishing floats that sometimes drift ashore on this coast. Look above the high-tide line for the colorful globes of glass. Some are hidden each week.