Oregon Coast Adventure – Mile by Mile

The Oregon Coast is simply S P E C T A C U L A R !!!

I recommend driving south if this is your first trip.  Why?  You will be on the coastal side of the road, allowing for ease of turn offs for the multitude of photos you will want to take, not to mention the simplicity of throwing off your shoes and running across the sand.  Much easier to accomplish when not having to cross traffic every time.

 If you are flying into PDX and renting a car, my suggestion is to begin your Oregon Coastal Adventure from Cannon Beach via rural highway 26, easily accessible from downtown Portland, heading up the hill to Beaverton and continuing west.  Also providing a great option to stop in at Trader Joes (directly off the highway) to ensure you have snacks for the drive ahead. 

BUT if you are coming in from Seattle, my recommendation would be to cut west in Olympia (or better yet, avoid all city traffic completely and take the ferry from downtown Seattle to Bainbridge, cut over and cross the Hood Canal Bridge and follow highway 101 from here - this will add a good extra day to your adventure, but worth it), then head south from Aberdeen.  Much more scenic, and takes roughly the same time, without the hassle of Portland traffic and boredom of interstate 5.  This also allows you to drive over the incredible Astoria- Megler Bridge.   Stretching 4.1 miles, not for the faint of heart, crossing the mouth of the Columbia River, it’s span of 1,232 feet is the longest “continuous truss” in the nation.  There is a perfectly placed rest stop just before crossing on the Washington side, which will be on your right as you approach driving down highway 101.  Take a stretch, walk the dog if appropriate, relieve your bladder and take a moment to watch for whales, pelicans, eagles, cormorants and more as they frolic in front of you.  Then head over the bridge and continue on 101 South.

Regardless of how you get to the Oregon Coast, be prepared.  There will be few grocery stores, or at least not with as many options as you may be accustomed.  There will be however, a LOT of bridges, also critters.  Be on the lookout for larger furry friends like possums, raccoons, bunnies, deer, and elk, frequently spotted along the highway and on trails.  In and around the beaches, seals, otter’s and the aforementioned, whales, pelicans, eagles, cormorants, etc. Cell coverage will be spotty.  Most gas stations will provide a few pumps to self serve as well as an equal price to have your gas pumped for you - be sure to pay attention, based on your needs. The weather will change frequently, wear layers.  If you are coming directly from the Portland Airport, it will take you about 2 hours (not including stops) to Cannon Beach.  This is the quintessential beach town.  Adorable, walkable shopping area with galleries, eateries, shops, bars, surf stores – all overlooking a picturesque ocean front with the most recognizable monolith, Haystack Rock, sitting before you. Miles of soft beaches to run and play on.  Extremely dog friendly, with enough sand to build castles for days on end.  If you are driving down from Seattle, this is a great spot to spend your first night, it will have taken you just shy of 4 hours if you headed West from Olympia.

Cannon Beach to Tillamook is only about an hour, but this trip is made for meandering your way along gorgeous scenery.  The first few miles will hug the shoreline with some elevation allowing you to really see the stunning coastline.  Manzanita is a cutesy enclave, worth a stop, or an overnight, with plenty of Airbb options.  Easily accessible beaches adjacent to a fun shopping area, with eateries perfectly set up to watch the surf.  You will head away from the coast for a short while, then back on near Rockaway Beach before heading into Garibaldi and the beginning of many miles of dairy farms as you head past Tillamook Bay.  The Cascade Range is off to the east with emerald green pastures dotted with Holsteins as far as the eyes can see.  Arriving into Tillamook, the world renown cheese factory will be directly on your left.  By all means, take time to go on a tour, eat some delicious ice-cream, and grab some curds for later.  From here, you can either go the long way, heading west back out to the coast to Netarts Bay, where you will hug the shoreline and have some great hiking options at Cape Lookout Park, before heading back towards highway 101 south. If you choose to stay on the road into Tillamook City, you will drive by more cows and will be in a stunning agricultural scenic corridor all the way to Neskowin, where you will once again have a chance to dip your toes in the ocean if you like.  If not, the next big town is Lincoln City.  About an hour’s drive.  Like Tillamook, you will find a plethora of strip malls and weather-beaten buildings, gas stations, grocery stores and some 2 or 3 star national brand hotel chains.

The highway will not be directly on the water, but there will be a lot of access points (Gleneden Beach is one of my favorites) should you find the need to run around on the sand again, with your next stop, about 20 minutes more down the road, Depoe Bay.  Really only a block long, this tiny town is a phenomenal place to be during the king tides of winter and also known as the “whale watching capital of the world”, home to the world’s smallest navigable harbor.  This is not a beach town, but one of rocky shores and huge wave action.  Your parking spot will literally be feet from salty splashes, more so, depending on the time of year and tides.

 As a side note, coffee.  One of the great strengths of the Pacific Northwest, the plethora of coffee establishments found literally everywhere, many of them drive through.  Oregon is home to Dutch Bros. Coffee, and you will see their stands in most larger towns.  If you don’t like coffee, but do like sweet, this is the brand for you.  However, if you love coffee, I encourage you to visit Left Coast Coffee and Roaster, located downtown Depot Bay.  Every town will have one or more coffee establishments, some better than others. This is a tasty part of the adventure.

Just 10 more minutes and you will find yourself at Otter Rock and the Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area.  Plan on spending some time here, it is truly breathtaking. From here to Newport, is a short 15 minute scenic drive along a number of stunning beaches, all waiting for you to explore.  Newport is another “large” town where you will find grocery stores, chain motels and gas stations, also the tallest lighthouse in Oregon – Yaquina.  Currently closed for renovations but set to open later the year.  One hidden gem I encourage you to spend time at however, is Nye Beach, the oldest area of Newport.  Head to Blue Pig Bakery then take your tasty treat down the beach below.

10 more minutes of driving along the waves brings you to Seal Rock – a great spot to see seals, and view Elephant Rock a remnant of past lava flows.  With endless beaches and tide pools to explore this community offers small town charm with local shops and galleries, a great place to choose to spend the night with a number of Airbb options available.  Continuing on only a handful of minutes down the road you will find Waldport.  This community offers a large, protected inlet, perfect for those with small children, dogs who may not like the surf, or to go paddleboarding.  Smaller than Newport, but big enough to offer a number of eateries, a grocery store, and marina – this too could be a good overnight option. Waldport also offers highway 34, heading east to Corvallis, should you need to cut your trip short or only have two days to explore.

Another 15 minutes of gorgeous beach front driving, brings you to Yachats (y-a-h-o-t-s), no reason to stop here, but hold on, because this is where the coast really shows is grandeur.  In my most humble opinion, this is the most stunning portion of the route.  Lot’s of photo ops, have your camera ready. Neptune State Park a great beach to spend some time, you’ll probably have the entire beach to yourself.   The next handful of miles will continue to be breathtaking and will have several Bed and Breakfast or other accommodation options.  The iconic Heceta Lighthouse will be another 10-15 minutes away, perched 200 feet high above the ocean, its beacon can be seen 21 miles out at sea, first illuminated in 1894, it is the strongest light on the Oregon Coast.

Directly past, the Sea Lion Caves.  Hokey maybe, but one of my favorite attractions. Taking an elevator into a mammoth sized cave, filled with the roar of hundreds of sea lions.  It always takes me breath away.  Yes, maybe because it has a bit of an odor, but this spot has been special to me since I was knee high to a toad stool – and continues to impress visitors from around the globe.  Free parking and open daily from 9 to 5 (less a few holidays, check their schedule).  Insider tip, at the far South side of parking lot, there is a short trail which leads to a spectacular view of the coast below.

20 minutes later, you’ll arrive into Florence – and the beginning of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.  From this point on, until Port Orford (2 hours), you will not see the ocean.  There will be roads you can take to the water, but it will not be visible while driving.  Instead, you will be driving through the Siuslaw National Forest and Devil’s Staircase Wilderness.  Florence also offers you a chance to head back to Portland, via highway 126 through Eugene.  Should you continue south, there are a variety of hiking trails throughout this area.  There is also a bit of elevation, with road conditions not advisable during some stormy winter months.  If you have ever wanted to sand board, this is your day.  Rent an ATV, go on a tour – with dozens of local lakes, this region is perfect for non ocean activities.  Reedsport is another small town, located on the Umpqua river, about 30 minutes from Florence and would have some accommodation offerings.

Next up is Coos Bay, largest town on the coast with just shy of 17,000 residents, and a huge logging and fishing community with an immense protected harbor.  They have a wonderful visitor center, easily accessible and perfect for a bathroom break or to walk the dogs along the nearby docks.  Another hour of forest driving, brings you to the artsy town of Port Orford.  Fun fact, this small town is the westernmost city in the contiguous United States, it also features a unique dolly dock system, where fishing boats are lowered into the Pacific by crane every morning. 

Back to incredible views of the Pacific.  This portion of road can be quite precarious, with numerous challenges, and often has construction delays.  You’ll be too high for beach access, but the views are incredible.

As you come up around Humbug Mountain State Park, you come back down to near sea level and pass over a small bridge, a quarter mile or so later, to your left, is the entry to the State Park.  Signs will say you need to have a reservation, but you can drive in, all the way to the end, as there is a parking spot reserved for day visits.  From here, walk onto the path in front of you, towards the bridge you just drove over.  You will walk along the creek and come out to a magnificent beach.   Enjoy.  Upon returning to the main road, another mile or so on your right, is a lovely day use only park, with access to a refreshing creek (same one as before)….perfect for dogs or kids to romp in, lots of big grassy fields to play in, pit toilets, picnic benches.  A short 10-minute drive over the mountain, brings you to Arizona Beach.  This is one of the only locations where the turn in will be on your left.  Turn in, follow the road, which will end up taking you under the highway, to the most luxurious soft salt and pepper looking sand beach.  Pit toilets, picnic benches, you could easily spend a whole day here.  Also day use only, and rarely ever will there be more than one or two cars here. 

Twentyfive minutes later brings you to Gold Beach, which is not necesarily remarkable in any way, but does provide superb access to the Rogue River. I encourage a jet tour to view all sorts of wildlife and have exciting white water thrills. A more relaxed and historic option is the Mail Route Tour, offering a scenic 64 mile round trip to the remote town of Agness. Continuing South, a short 30 minute drive along more incredible ocean scenery, brings you to Brookings, the last town in Oregon before crossing into California. This cute community offers a variety of great accommodation options, a handful of tasty breweries and pubs, with some fantastic tide pool options on top of continuing never ending sandy beaches, including Secret Beach, Lone Ranch Beach and Whaleshead Beach.

Personally, going back to same way you came, offers a ton more view points you never would have realized, while also giving you a chance to stay at that cute motel you drove by. The other option is to cut over to Interstate 5 along the Smith River, which will get you to Medford Oregon in about 3 hours. If you are a vinofile, this option allows for a stop in Grants Pass, where you will find a plethora of amazing wineries to wet your whistle. You could of course also continue down highway 101 through to Crescent City and beyond to the mighty redwoods, another superb option. If so, be sure to stay at the Scotia Lodge - a wonderful off the beaten path opportunity, super dog friendly, I could stay here for weeks.

As always, take the path less traveled. Don't have a set agenda. If camping, be willing to wing it. Bringing your pup is always a great option. The coast is also perfect for kids. I woudl recommend a minimum of a week, down and back, but you could do this fully in 3 to 4 days. There are also a bunch of other excursions, nearby, whch could entertain you for another few weeks, should you want to play hooky for a month or longer. Enjoy!