Rather than spending hours under the hot California sun in line waiting to ride the biggest, fastest new rollercoaster, Oregonians may seek their adrenaline rushes closer to home.

Cindy Bedingfield, the Coos County Fair Manager, is expecting more people to opt to stay home to visit the Coos County Fair. In recent years, she has noticed a pattern of more visitors from the Willamette Valley spending time at the fair.

“It doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg and you still feel like you have done something special with your family,” Bedingfield said. “If families can’t go to Disneyland, at least they can go to a mini-Disneyland.”

High gas prices and a sputtering economy may stop people from taking extended vacations away from home, but the Oregon Coast with its beaches, numerous outdoor activities and festivals may be just the ticket.

“We are cautiously optimistic,” said Timm Slater, the executive director of the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. “The economy is softening a little and almost everybody’s disposal income is going down. People are really going to be looking at what they can do and do within their budget. We have a lot of things that don’t cost you anything, or very little.”

Exploring beaches and hiking trials are often free and a stroll through the gardens at Shore Acres costs only $3 per car load. Low-cost activities may be a draw this summer and dismantling of the New Carissa this year also will pull people over to the coast, Slater said.

“When you add all these things together, there is a potential for a lot of people coming through,” he said.

Bedingfield said she is keeping slimming budgets in mind as well. Fair pre-sale tickets go on sale Thursday at McKay’s stores at half price for this year’s fair, scheduled July 22-26.

The fair will be shifting its focus a bit in an effort to offer activities and exhibits to a wider audience. A marine stingray exhibit will be added this year to go along with the more traditional favorites, including livestock exhibits and the carnival.

Whatever people’s interest, Bedingfield wants people to come away with fond memories of the fair and of the South Coast.

“It’s always good to come back to the places we have our memories,” Bedingfield. “That’s what we’ve got.”