The lighthouse sits at the edge of a rocky promontory above the crashing waves of the Pacific. An elevator takes you down to a viewing window overlooking the largest sea lion rookery on the West Coast. In another six miles, look for a highway sign marked Darlingtonia State Natural Site pictured above.
Your lunch stop is Florence, which got its start during the California Gold Rush, when timber and provisions were floated toward San Francisco via the Siuslaw River flowing right through the heart of town. The wooden storefronts along the waterside promenade give the place some real historical character. You may not want to stop at all three state parks on the route, but each has its charms. The first is Sunset Bay State Park , a sheltered cove beneath high sandstone cliffs. Golfers from all over the world descend on Bandon to play at the six renowned links courses at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
But this coastal community, located where the Coquille River spills into the Pacific, was popular long before the duffers took over. The attractions may be gone from when passenger steamers stopped here on trips between San Francisco and Seattle, but the beach and rock formations pictured above remain awe-inspiring.
Also on the way: the octagonal Coquille River Lighthouse dating from Heading south from Bandon on U. Many of them are now part of huge corporate farming operations, but during the harvest season mid-October to early December some cranberry tours are available—and plenty of homemade cranberry jams and other products are for sale in town. A jet-boat trip up the Rogue is an exhilarating option for experiencing that waterway, but if you prefer less octane there are several excellent hiking options in the Gold Beach area.
The easily walkable Frances Schrader Old Growth Trail takes you to a stand of giant trees; the Rogue River Walk traverses a scenic area above the water.
The 28 miles between Gold Beach and Brookings is a scenic corridor with several pullouts and state parks such as Samuel H. Boardman , pictured above where you can stop to enjoy the view. This area of the South Coast is referred to as the "Banana Belt" of Oregon because the climate and somewhat sheltered topography foster the growth of semitropical plants.
From Brookings, U. The Oregon coast is wild, windy, rocky, forested, with a lot of towns and villages that almost look like afterthoughts. But this rugged seascape offers exciting sights and experiences like whale watching, surf-pounded white-sand beaches, giant headlands, lonely lighthouses, and scenic byways that leave the highway and take you to places of spectacular natural grandeur. Of course, you will need a car. Bring a fleece, a hoodie, a hat, and some kind of rain gear, no matter what time of year you visit.
If you travel with a tent or RV, there are excellent campgrounds in state parks all along the coast. The trip to Astoria, depending on your route, will take 1.
This historic river city, home to a good maritime museum, historic houses, and other sights, is worth a couple of hours, longer if you want to have lunch or stroll along the Riverwalk. Continue on to Cannon Beach , about 22 miles south of Astoria, for your first overnight stay along the Oregon coast. Cannon Beach is perhaps the most charming and affluent town along the coast, and it has any number of fine ocean-view hotels and restaurants that are definitely a cut above the average.
Try also to pay a visit to gorgeous Ecola State Park at the north end of town, with miles of beach and forested hiking trails with panoramic ocean views. Continuing south from Cannon Beach on U. Continue on U. If you get sea sick, skip it; otherwise, this is one of your best opportunities to view gray whales from the water rather than shore.
If you take a whale-watching trip, plan on spending at least 3 hours in Depoe Bay and on the water. You can push on to Newport, but we recommend spending the night in Depoe Bay. The busy coast town of Newport , with the largest commercial fishing fleet on the coast, is about 13 miles south of Depoe Bay.
The basalt headland here extends a mile out into the sea, with a series of dramatic offshore rocks that serve as wildlife sanctuaries for seabirds and seals. A staircase leads down to an unusual beach covered with cobbles, not sand, worn smooth by the sea. Plan to spend at least an hour here, in the visitor center, the lighthouse, and exploring the beach. From Yaquina Head, head south into Newport and get yourself checked into your hotel. It is really a two-story wooden house with a light atop the roof.
This lighthouse, one of the nine lighthouses on the Oregon coast, was decommissioned in , when the Yaquina Head Lighthouse went into operation.
You can tour the living quarters of the lighthouse keepers and enjoy a magnificent view over Yaquina Bay. Newport has one of the most famous bridges on the Oregon coast, a long, graceful span designed by Conde McCullough in the s. Cross the Yaquina Bay Bridge and follow the signs to the Oregon Coast Aquarium , the top tourist attraction on the Oregon coast and unarguably one of the finest aquariums on the West Coast. This is an excellent place to learn more about the sea creatures that inhabit the waters along the Oregon coast.
Give yourself a minimum of 2 hours here. Newport was one of the first resort towns on the Oregon coast, and many of the homes in Nye Beach date from the early s. This is also a good spot to have dinner. You will need to decide how long to drive the Oregon Coast based on your interests and allotted timeframe. To help you plan your trip, for each day of our itinerary, we have noted the driving distance in miles — as well as provided an estimated Oregon Coast drive time for each day.
However, those times are for actually driving the Oregon Coast — and do not account for the amount of time it will take for stops and sightseeing along the way or any traffic you might encounter. Sitting higher off the road, you will have a better view of the shoreline. We assume that you will be traveling the Oregon Coast from Portland — and arriving there by plane.
Use our tips for finding the best airfare to Portland. Once you get your flights organized, you will need to reserve a car for your Oregon Coast Hwy road trip. We share our top tips for renting a car so that you can find the best rate. Just keep in mind that it is likely worth the upgrade to rent a mid-size SUV. When renting a car, we use Expedia to search for the best rates.
An RV is another vehicle option for Oregon road trips. However, with the narrow, curving roads, we would only recommend experienced RV drivers attempt driving the Oregon Coastal Highway in a recreational vehicle.
Travelers planning an Oregon Coast RV trip can easily use our route for their road trip on the Oregon Coast, but we do not have any insight on overnight RV parking. We can tell you, however, that there are many places that do accommodate RVs along the way!
We carefully chose these specific cities for their location along the route, places to eat and things to do. For this Oregon Coast Trip Itinerary, we recommend staying in hotels. Our specific hotel recommendations for each city are included in the itinerary. As we already mentioned, it is possible to drive and stay in an RV when traveling the Oregon Coast.
Likewise, it is completely doable to plan an Oregon West Coast camping road trip using our trip plan as well. Every season has pros and cons for an Oregon Coast road trip — so it can be a bit difficult to pin down the absolute best time to drive the Oregon Coast.
From our personal experience, we think the best time of year to take a Pacific Northwest Coast road trip is in the summer or autumn. Oregon Coast weather is typically cool throughout the summer — and gets cooler in the autumn — but it tends to be dry and, overall, very pleasant. Longer summer days are perfect for enjoying the outdoors and Oregon Coast attractions along the route. That said, the summertime is the busiest time on the Oregon coastal road.
The heavy crowds can cause road trip delays, stressful sightseeing and more expensive accommodations. Winter and spring tend to be rainy and windy, making an Oregon winter road trip less favorable weather-wise. Furthermore, the Oregon Coast sunset time during the winter is before pm — and the shorter days allow for less exploration. While not our personal favorite time to make the drive, traveling the Oregon Coast in spring and winter can easily be done.
Our 4-Day Oregon Coast road trip is planned from north to south — which is the best direction, in our opinion. There are two reasons why we planned the road trip from Portland from the north to the south. First, we prefer driving south along the water so that we have a full view of the coast rather than looking across traffic. The second reason our Oregon Coast road trip planner goes from north to south is that is allows drivers to make easy right-hand turns into the numerous scenic roadside overlooks and Oregon Coast viewpoints.
That said, you could easily plan a trip to Oregon Coast in the opposite direction. Now that we have covered the FAQs, it is time to dive into the specifics of our Oregon road trip. Our Oregon Coast Road Trip Itinerary is packed with detailed information so that you can easily plan your trip. Organized to be completed over 4 days, our Oregon Coast road trip planner includes the best attractions, short hikes and outstanding Oregon Coast views.
This Oregon Coast trip itinerary includes everything you need to know. Save, Bookmark or Pin our blog post so that you can easily access it while planning and during your trip to Oregon! Distance : 80 miles. Time : 1 hour and 20 minutes. Map Map with Stops. Embark on your Oregon Coast road trip from Portland early in the day. The drive from Portland to the Oregon Coast leaves the city behind, weaves into forests and crosses over the Coastal Mountain Range. A good mid-way stopping point to stretch your legs or hop on a bicycle if you have one!
The paved path was formerly railroad tracks that connected the cities of Banks and Vernonia and was used to haul timber. The trail extends 21 miles, has multiple trailheads and can be used by hikers, bikers and horseback riders. For lunch, stop at Camp 18 Restaurant. The log cabin eatery, which is decorated in classic mountain motif, offers hearty home cooked meals, huge cinnamon rolls and an on-site museum that details the logging history of the region.
Named for a cannon that floated onto the shore in the mids, Cannon Beach is a top Oregon Coast destination. The small beach town is highlighted by locally owned shops and restaurants and is one of the best stops on any Oregon Coast road trip.
The iconic Haystack Rock , a sea stack monolith that rises feet-high, sits at the south end of the flat, wide beach. Sights near Cannon Beach include Ecola State Park hiking trails and viewpoints , Seaside a cute touristic town and Neahkahnie Mountain a challenging summit trail with amazing views south of Cannon Beach. These movies have inspired many people to take road trips in Oregon. As one of the top Oregon Coast destinations, there are many places to stay in Cannon Beach.
We think the best place to stay is at Hallmark Resort , which faces the ocean and offers impeccable views of Haystack Rock. In addition to the multiple pools, the resort also has an on-site spa and fitness center, free DVDs and popcorn and cookies in the lobby. Check rates and availability! While Hwy 26 is our preferred method of driving from Portland to the coast, it is not the only route.
In fact, there are two other popular roads that can be used for trips to Oregon Coast from Portland. Travelers who want to take a coastal Oregon road trip that covers the entire length of the Oregon Coast from north to south should take this route. Another route to the coast from Portland is to take Hwy 26 to Hwy 6. This route meets the coast south of Cannon Beach at Tillamook. Drivers taking a day trip to Oregon Coast from Portland could use this route on the return trip to the city.
On Day 2, drive south to Tillamook and use Hwy 26 and 6 to complete your loop back to Portland. Distance : 65 miles. Time : 1 hour and 30 minutes.
After a leisurely breakfast, depart Cannon Beach and continue on your Oregon trip itinerary by traveling south on Highway Otherwise, make your way leisurely down the coast through the towns of Manzanita and Rockaway Beach to Tillamook Bay. For lunch, stop at Tillamook Creamery — one of the best stops while driving the Oregon Coast. The local creamery is a cheese factory, museum and restaurant all in one! Take a self-guided tour of the facility, then tuck into a cheesy lunch…but definitely save room for ice cream dessert!
Stop at the Cape Meares Lighthouse , which was built in the s and join one of the free lighthouse tours but plan ahead for times. Other attractions at the lighthouse include ocean viewpoints look for whales and seals! The hike features a lush forest lining the top of the Oregon Coast cliffs. The often-muddy trail leads to spectacular viewpoints — and, in our opinion, is an Oregon Coast road trip must-see!
A laid-back beach town, Pacific City is a perfect place to escape the crowds for a relaxing night on the coast — and one of our favorite Oregon road trip stops. Highlights of the town are the gigantic haystack rock named Chief Kiwanda Rock , a foot sand dune on Cape Kiwanda and the local beachfront brewery. After getting settled into your accommodations, head straight for the Cape Kiwanda Beach — you can either walk or drive right onto it!
Fly a kite, sink your feet in the sand or start a beach bonfire and just enjoy the Pacific Ocean view and the sound of the waves. When you have worked up a thirst and appetite, head into the Pelican Brewing Company oceanfront taproom for refreshing craft beers and satisfying eats.
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