at a glance: on the oregon coast off of highway 101, toketie cove is a small town in the metro area of a small city. it’s considered hard to get to for anyone traveling along interstate 5 (i-5), but once you make it there, it’s not difficult to see why people love to visit or to stay.
toketie cove
along the oregon coast lies a small, gray town called toketie cove. the main access is a two-lane highway, and in the past, it was usually a pit stop on the scenic route to bigger, brighter, and noisier cities. as the economy shifted away from the thriving fishing and timber industries in the 1980s, the residents have done their best to attract tourism to support their livelihoods.
the farmers and artisans market that runs on the boardwalk in the summers has always been a point of interest, but with the addition of a world class golf resort and an up-and-coming brewery in the past twenty-five years, toketie cove has a steady stream of tourists year round. location-wise, it's a bit out of the way, but it's part of the town's charm. with stunning ocean vistas, a quaint old town district, a variety of outdoor recreational activities, local food and drink, and for the most part, friendly hospitality, it's no wonder that they have so many repeat visitors. once people get to toketie, they fall in love.
the weather may be dreary, wet, and windy throughout a good portion of the year, but it's what you make out of it. their attractions are "always in season" if you're willing to brave the weather. a little too turbulent out there for you? toketie cove is known for great storm watching as well. in any case, you're probably going to want to bundle up! "going to the beach" doesn't mean slapping on tanning lotion and wearing your swimsuit—it means putting on a pair of sweats, a coat and a good pair of walking shoes to go out and take your sweet time. toketie cove is a place to slow down and pace yourself; to most it's a vacation, to the residents it's their way of life.
location
with a population hovering just over 3000, toketie cove is considered part of the umpqua bay metro area. the city of umpqua bay is about a half hour drive away; it's definitely a remote small city, but it has its own local news station, a small mall and movie theater, a few large grocery stores, a community college, and a small airport to name a few of the resources not available directly in toketie. the closest large city (100,000+ people) is about an hour and a half to two hour drive, and portland is about a four hour drive.
local attractions
OLD TOWN – ten blocks of shopping, dining, history, art, and outdoor recreation! the shops and galleries here are mostly run by independent business owners, some have been here for decades, others are new, repurposing a site. a boardwalk runs parallel to the beach alongside old town, offering unobstructed views of the ocean, the basalt sea stacks, and the lighthouse on the river next to the marina. in the summers, it’s known for hosting art shows and other festivals.
MESAHCHIE BREWING CO. – established in 2005, the mesachie brewpub aimed to be a place that's not just a beer place with food, or a food place with beer, but a place where they could pair together for an unforgettable experience. it's a hotspot for locals and tourists alike being one of the largest restaurants in the town, but they've managed to still give it an intimate feel without seeming big and obtrusive.
TOKETIE GOLF RESORT – established in 1996, the resort has added five link courses in the past twenty years to unprecedented success. it’s one of the largest employers for the residents of toketie— no, not everyone's a caddie, but there are a few restaurants and a pub on site, a massage center, a gym, a couple different lodging options, shuttle services, and of course, a store, to name a few of the resources on site!
PELTON NATURE RESERVE – a small, protected forest bordering the south side of toketie, featuring numerous hiking trails and a campground.
WILD CREEKS SCENIC BIKEWAY – fifty miles of paved back country roads if you want to take in the beauty of the area!
jobs
the largest employers for the residents of toketie cove are the toketie golf resort, umpqua bay health district, and toketie cove school district. there are a number of smaller businesses in town for people to work at, but it's not uncommon to commute to umpqua bay either! we have a few workplaces outlined, but you have the freedom to write-in a business or write up an entire description of the workplace. as long as we don't have 50 flower shops in a 3 mile radius, i'm sure most ideas will fit right in. family farm on the outskirts? totally cool. just keep in mind it's incredibly unlikely for a large corporate business to be headquartered in a small city like umpqua bay, much less toketie cove—it's rural and a little difficult to get to.
a few ideas to get your gears turning: independent business owners, customer service workers, toketie cove government employees & other public servants (postmen, firemen, forestry employees, etc.), golf resort employees, brewery employees, hazelnut elementary staff, wapatoo high school staff, jack's crab shack staff, gas station employees (you can't pump your own gas in oregon!)
