There are a lot of wonderful things to enjoy on the Southern Oregon Coast. The ocean, the golf courses, and the bike trails will likely be part of your weekly routine. There are many other fun things to do including family-friendly 5K fun runs, art classes, art exhibits, museum yoga classes, and visits to a municipal park that may very well be the crown jewel of Coos Bay: Mingus Park. 

Some of the fun is free, some of the fun will cost you a canned good or two, some of the fun might cost you $5 or more, and one event will cost you a pair of socks (rolled into a ball and ready for the sock-ball fight, and then donated to charity). Here are some fun things to do in Coos Bay this fall in more detail. Enjoy! 

Stretch Your Legs in Style 

Mingus Park: Located in downtown Coos Bay this park has a little something for everyone. There are so many ways to stretch your legs here. The park is centered around a lake, and there is a one mile walking path that goes around the lake. Mingus Park includes a skate park, 18 hole disc golf course, two playgrounds, tennis courts, a softball field, a swimming pool, and an oriental flower garden. Aquatic birds love Mingus Park. Many birds call this park home. You can stretch your legs in style at Mingus Park, or just relax and feed the birds. 

Turkey Trot: Mark your calendar. The Turkey Trot happens every Thanksgiving Day. The admission price is two cans of food to take part in the Turkey Trot. It is organized by the South Coast Running Club and will be held at John Topits Park. You can pre-register or sign up at 8:00am on the day of the event. The 5k fun run/ walk/push a pram event is a family-friendly event with no numbers, and no timing. 

John Topits Park: Get the lay of the land and explore the trails at John Topits Park, before race day. There is an inner trail loop that follows the shoreline of Lower Empire Lake that connects to an outer trail loop by a number of yellow trails. The outer trail also follows a section of shoreline on Upper Empire Lake and Middle Empire Lake, home to waterfowl and birds. The trails are paved and wheelchair accessible, with gravel and dirt trails that connect to the main trail. 

There are benches along the trail to sit and enjoy the landscape and look for wildlife and plan your strategy for race day (the Turkey Trot is non-competitive, but you might need to make a strategic plan for your snacking areas and rest areas for younger family members and the best place for non-participating older family members to sit and watch). 

Art Exhibits, Art Classes, Yoga & Music 

Coos Art Museum: The art museum in Coos Bay was originally a 1936 Art Deco U.S. Post Office. The building was purchased by the museum in the late 1970s and opened its doors to the public in 1984. There are six galleries with rotating exhibits, art classes, lectures, and community events. The permanent collection includes over 600 works including fine art prints from American artists Alexander Calder, Robert Rauschenberg, and Larry Rivers. The current exhibition is the Cam Biennial featuring new work from emerging artists from October 14th through December 9th, 2022. Museum admission is $5 ($2 for students and seniors, free on 2nd Sundays). 

Yoga at the Museum: You can enjoy a session of yoga at the Coos Art Museum on Wednesday mornings from 9:30am to 10:30am for $5 (bring your own mat). After yoga you can explore the galleries, museum admission is included with the yoga session. 

Classes at the Museum: There are many classes held at the museum’s 2nd floor art Art Education Classroom. Current class listings include Life Drawing, Still Life in Oils, Beginners Watercolor, and Artist Studio Group. 

Egyptian Theatre: Enjoy a show at the historic Egyptian Theatre at 229 S. Broadway. The Egyptian was built in 1925, transforming a 1922 garage & service station into a 770 seat theater. The discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb in November of 1922 inspired the imagination of many designers and architects in America and around the world. This led to the Egyptian Revival style which became a staple of movie theater design in the 1920s. The Egyptian Theatre was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic places in 2010. The city hired an engineering firm to identify necessary renovations in 2010, received the engineer’s report in 2011, and re-opened in 2014 after structural issues were fully addressed including new roofing and enhanced electrical. Movies, concerts, and community events are regularly shown and held at the theater.

The agents at Coastal Sotheby’s International Realty look forward to helping you discover more fun things about Coos Bay and find your perfect home. Contact us today!