A Condé Nast Traveler article includes four Oregon spots on its list of standout West Coast beach communities.

Through my travels, I’ve learned that small-boat fishing is a lonely trade—just you and the sea. One gives, the other takes. But the giver doesn’t always play fair, and the taker must know how to play the game—and when to step away. Still, they say, the sea always gives back in the end, even when it seems to have beaten you.

From the high-rise where we were staying above the Cinta Costera, we watched the city wake—early, very early. With the sunrise, everything began to move: cars weaving through this impressive avenue, birds slicing the sky, the breeze stirring gently, and the promise of warmth stretching over the bay. The ocean mirrored it all, calm and silver, holding the light like a secret.

There’s a peacefulness here, beneath the sheltering canopy of those trees. You walk these quiet streets, content simply to be present, to let time slow down around you. This is the heart of Mazatlán’s historic center—a place that feels like a refuge, a sanctuary for anyone who wants to feel the earth beneath their feet and breathe in the calm life that still lingers in the air, as if time itself has chosen to rest here.