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The Oregon Coastal Highway
Also known as U.S. Route 101, is a road tripper's dream come true. Running down the western edge of the state, it offers awe-inspiring ocean views, charming small towns, and countless outdoor adventures. Whether you’re a travel enthusiast, a nature lover, or simply someone seeking an unforgettable getaway, you're in for a treat.
This guide will walk you through the best spots along an Oregon Coast Road Trip, from hidden gems to breathtaking viewpoints, as well as share practical tips to help you plan a memorable trip. Buckle up—this road trip is the adventure you've been waiting for! Plus, you will learn the best times to visit.
When I did this road trip I fell in love with the area. So much so that I dream of moving here, even though I know I doubt it will happen. That's ok though, that just means I will get to take more vacations in the area and explore all these little parks, viewpoints and cities more. I will discuss my favorite spots on this route in a section below, in hopes that it will make you want to take a road trip in Oregon too. It is a great place for scenic views with miles of coastline, amazing animals and friendly people.
Astoria – The Perfect Starting Point
Begin your trip in Astoria, a city brimming with charm and history. You’ll find the iconic Goonies House—a must-visit for movie buffs—and plenty of places to explore. Stay overnight to soak in the small-town atmosphere, enjoy local seafood, and prepare for the road ahead. The mouth of the Columbia River empties into the Pacific Ocean in Astoria and the Astoria Column is nice to see.
There is a train ride you can take in the town during the summer, plus plenty of things to see and do, you could easily spend a whole day here at the beginning of your road trip. Fort Stevens State Park out near the mouth of the Columbia River has the one of the largest campgrounds in the United States and a Fort that was in use for 84 years, from the Civil War to World War 2. Nearby is also the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, for the famous Lewis and Clark expedition. This is where their adventure met the Pacific Ocean in 1806. You will learn a lot about those explorers and their expedition that Thomas Jefferson commissioned.
Ecola State Park – Stunning Coastline Views
Just south of Astoria, Ecola State Park offers panoramic views of Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, and the sprawling Pacific Ocean. Ideal for hiking or wildlife spotting, this spot is a photographer’s paradise. Don’t forget to pack a pair of sturdy hiking shoes and explore the northern Oregon coast! You will have a good time with this visit with a short trail for those that are not hiking beasts, easy access to sights from parking areas and plenty of picnic tables if that is something you are interested in. Also remember if you are a Goonies fan, parts of the movie were filmed here.
Cannon Beach – Where Elegance Meets Nature
Cannon Beach is the crown jewel of the Oregon Coast. Its sandy shores, iconic tide pools, and upscale galleries will leave you enchanted. Treat yourself to fresh, local seafood and book a stay at one of its boutique hotels for a luxurious experience. If you would like to stay here longer, I would agree with you. I love this little town, but it will be crowded in the summer. Puffins and other sea birds can be spotted on Haystack Rock during the summer. This is one of very few places in Oregon where Puffins do visit in the summer,
Secret Beaches and State Parks of Northern Oregon
Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site
Looking for a quieter stretch of sand? Arcadia Beach is a hidden gem perfect for picnics and beachcombing. Enjoy tranquility away from the crowds. Honestly when you are driving by the Recreation site you will not think it is much, as the parking lot is not large, and it does not look like anything special. I am here to tell you this is a must see stop, especially at low tide. Just look at these pictures I took. This is the spot where I fell in love with the coast of Oregon.
Hug Point State Recreation Site
This magical beach features a picturesque waterfall and caves you can only explore during low tide. It's an intimate little spot to relax while marveling at nature’s wonders.
Arch Cape
Tucked between Cannon Beach and Manzanita, Arch Cape is a serene retreat with uncrowded beaches and stunning coastal views. It’s the perfect stop for those craving peace and quiet.
Oswald West State Park
Craving adventure? Oswald West offers miles of lush coastal forest trails that lead to secluded beaches and rugged cliffs. Don’t miss the sweeping views from Neahkahnie Mountain.
Northern Gems
Nedonna and Manhattan Beach
Head further south, and you’ll discover the tranquil beauty of Nedonna Beach, perfect for families. Manhattan Beach adds a touch of wonder with agate hunting opportunities and picture-perfect sunsets.
Rockaway Beach
Rockaway Beach boasts an expansive shoreline, and the unique Twin Rocks Arch. Grab a bite at one of the local eateries and take in the charming small-town vibe. The sea stacks are natural wonders and all over the coast in Oregon
Tillamook County – A Foodie’s Haven
Bay City
This small town is a haven for kayaking, crabbing, and fishing enthusiasts. Enjoy the flavors of the coast while basking in stunning views of Tillamook Bay. This part of the drive takes you away from the west coast for many miles, but it is still part of the coastal highway, and you will be back in view of the rocky cliffs and coast in no time.
Tillamook
Cheese lovers, rejoice! Tour the Tillamook Cheese Factory and indulge in their famous dairy products. Don’t leave without trying the Tillamook creamery for their creamy ice cream or grabbing fresh beef jerky for the road. Until my visit to Tillamook, I did not realize anything about the company and its products, but ever since, I spot their products in grocery stores even on the east coast of the United States. I love their beef jerky now and buy it any time I want.
Cape Meares
Take a detour to Cape Meares for jaw-dropping views and a visit to the historic Cape Meares Lighthouse. While you’re there, check out the oddly shaped Octopus Tree and marvel at nature’s creativity. Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint is one of my favorite pictures of the beach facing north.
Central Coast Wonders
Lincoln City
This vibrant city offers plenty of action—a casino, scenic vistas, and endless beach accesses, to name a few. Stretch your legs at the North American 45th Parallel Termination Point and explore the lively dining scene. If you are a serious hiker, you might want to look into hiking God's Thumb. This is a difficult hike and 4.3 miles long but considered one of the best in Oregon.
Boiler Bay and Depoe Bay
Marvel at Boiler Bay’s rugged waves or watch gray whales breaching off Depoe Bay, the whale-watching capital of the Oregon Coast. We pulled off the side of the road at a roadside stop to look for whales and you could see them in the distance when they came up for air. There is a brief spray of water shooting up out of the ocean when they do this, making it easier to spot the whales.
Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area
Stay mesmerized as waves crash into this natural rock formation, creating a dramatic whirlpool effect. Visit at low tide for tide-pooling adventures. If you are confused by the thoughts of the Devils Punchbowl near Los Angeles California, you are correct, there is another Devils Punchbowl, but the one near LA is not nearly as cool as the one in Oregon.
This towering lighthouse offers an incredible view of the coast and a glimpse into Oregon’s maritime history. Nearby, you can explore tide pools brimming with marine life, but it is a steep walk down from the light house, but it can be done. When walking near the right side of the light house, near the railing look down into the ocean. I will almost guarantee you will see Sea lions swimming or resting on the rocks down below. In the 5 minutes I stood at that spot I saw 3 sea lions. As you enter into the Lighthouse area there is a museum and gift shop you can stop in for a few minutes. There is an entrance fee you pay as you enter, it is only $7 for a carload of people. This is a beautiful light house and a great stop for everyone if you have the extra time on your road trip.
Newport
With a bustling beachside scene and attractions like the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport has plenty to offer. It’s a great overnight stop on your road trip. There are plenty of places to eat and get a good night's sleep in Newport, but there are several places and coastal towns to the south that are fine too for a night's stay.
If heading south consider a stop at Seal Rock, Waldport, Thors Well near Yachats, Heceta Head Lighthouse and the Sea lion caves, just a few minutes north of Florence is a must see stop.
Southern Coastal Highlights
Florence and Beyond
Florence, and its nearby Oregon Dunes Day Use area, is a stop worth staying for. Explore the towering sand dunes and ride ATVs or simply absorb the peaceful coastal breeze. The city of Reedsport is a great place due to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Siuslaw National Forest.
Bandon
This quaint town is a delightful place to spend the night. Wander its charming shops and dine at local eateries before continuing south. Random Fact, Bandon is the Cranberry Capitol of Oregon, with over 1600 acres of cranberry to harvest in the area nearby. The sea stack formations in Bandon are some of my favorites in all of Oregon. Face Rock, Howling Dog and basket of kittens, although some people call it a basket of raccoons. And of course, the stories from the Indian tribes of the area are really neat on how these rock formations were formed in the ocean.
Gold Beach and Brookings
At Gold Beach, take a scenic walk at Arch Rock State Park. Meanwhile, Brookings, the last major city before reaching California, offers mesmerizing views of giant redwood trees—hinting at the adventures awaiting just over the border.
Don’t Miss the Scenic Viewpoints
Your road trip wouldn’t be complete without pausing at these breathtaking viewpoints along the way!
Silver Point Interpretative Lookout: Enjoy views of dramatic cliffs and rolling waves.
Neahkahnie Viewpoint: A fantastic spot for whale watching.
Devil’s Churn and Thor’s Well: Both natural marvels where water and rock collide beautifully.
Little Creek Scenic Overlook: Peaceful Ocean views perfect for a quick break.
Cape Perpetua Overlook: One of the most dramatic viewpoints on the coast.
My 3 days on the Oregon Coast
My trip actually started in Seattle Washington and ended in San Francisco. If you would like to read more about other sections of this trip, or the whole trip, check out some of the blog links below. Each blog has something neat and useful for anyone planning a Pacific Northwest adventure.
For the intents and purposes of this blog, which focus on the Oregon Coast Highway, I started in Portland, and I drove to Cannon Beach. Missing Astoria and Ecola State Park was disappointing, but this was the best route to Cannon Beach from Portland. The drive on this route to Cannon Beach is super easy and not a scary road. When you are getting close to Cannon Beach from this route, you will start down the mountain and look down and see Haystack Rock and Cannon Beach. As I was driving down, I saw a pack of Roosevelt Elk with their fluffy white bums.
Cannon Beach is perfect for a night stay, plenty of hotels or rentals, restaurants and a cute downtown area for shopping. Plus, a large sandy beach area. During the summer months Cannon Beach is a great spot for bird watching. Look out at Haystack Rock and you can see Puffins. The city offers Puffin watching classes to check with the visitor's center when you arrive to see the events that are happening when you visit. On this trip we ate at Tom's Fish and Chips, the chowder was amazing.
My favorite spot nearby was Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site. A roadside stop with access to the beach by steps and walkway. Steps can be steep and not the most handicap friendly. At the bottom the beach was amazing and low tide allowed for large beaches, tidal pools and some of the most amazing pictures from my whole trip. The parking area was not crowded and neither was the beach, but still there were about 20 people walking the beach or just enjoying the scenery like me.
Just south of here was the Silver Point Interpretive overlook and it was perfect. I spotted whales off in the distance from the overlook. I brought my binoculars, but did not need them to spot these magnificent creatures. There were plenty of parking spots and plaques to read as you walked around to learn more about the area.
End of Day 1 was in Wheeler Oregon at a stay at Wheeler on the Bay Lodge. Such a cute place where they give you a picnic basket of food and you have access to fishing and kayaks. My room was the Otter room with Otter pictures, sink and pillows. This made perfect sense wince there are otters that live in the water at the Lodge. If you want a chance to spot them, early mornings near dawn they are out and about starting their day swimming and finding food.
Day 2 started with a drive south, stopping at Rockaway Beach for some pictures and sandy beaches, Tillamook for gas and then we jumped off the Oregon Coastal Highway for Cape Mears. This state park was nice, but the best part was the view from the overlook. This is the best view of the trip, looking back to the north from the cliff. This cliff is famous for paragliders and there is even a plaque on the ground about it. After this little side adventure, we jumped back on the pacific coast highway, with many stops at overlooks, and lighthouses.
The best stops were"
Devils Punch Bowl- Large parking area and neat rock formation where water enters into. We were there at low tide, so it was not as neat as when the high tides are coming in, but it is a short walk from the parking lot and there is a restaurant there that serves clam chowder. We were at this spot for less than 30 minutes
Yaquina Head Lighthouse- the museum/ visitor center/ gift shop was fine, and a perfect spot for a bathroom break, but we did not stay there long. We were more interested in the lighthouse and the views from the cliffs. We stayed here for about 45 minutes
Thor's Well: Near Yachats- The parking lot is up top with a paved walkway down to the well. This walkway is handicap friendly and paved, but downhill. At the bottom you can walk out on the rocks, but please be very careful not to fall. I did not do this, but my friend did. It is a beautiful place neat to see the waters shoot up Thor's well when high tides are coming in. We only stayed at this spot for about 30 minutes.
Sea lion cave- visiting the sea lions at the sea lion caves were my favorite stop on this section of the drive. You walk in the gift shop that is always crowded with people and same thing with the parking lot. take a downhill walk that is handicap friendly but slightly steep, then take an elevator down into the cave. I spotted at least 40 in the cave resting with a few int water swimming and some being noisy, fussing at each other. It was a great experience as I had never seen sea lions in the wild before. Sure, I have seen them in zoos, or at aquariums but to know that these wild sea lions are free and able to leave the cave whenever they want to explore and fish the Pacific Ocean was neat. This was our longest stop of the day with an hour at the cave. We did not spend any time in the gift shop, just bought a soda as we were eating in Florence tonight.
You might think we were crazy, but we stopped at an A&W fast food joint in Florence. We had never seen or eaten at one before and knew we still had miles to drive before arriving at our hotel tonight in Bandon. This is why, from now on I will always recommend not trying to slam so many activities in on a one day drive, we should have split this day up.
There were many large cities we passed by, and didn't stop as this was the longest drive of the trip in hours, as we did not stop till we hit Bandon Oregon. If you ever do this drive, spend more time in the area. Plan an overnight stay in Florence at the latest, but Lincoln City, Depot Bay or Newport would be great also, you need several days to enjoy this area and to make sure you don't feel run down by driving so much.
Day 3 started in Bandon where we spotted the huge rocks in the ocean. This is a lovely little town that I highly recommend you spending some time in. Honestly if I had realized how much I would love this area I would have stayed for an extra day. Some great shops and galleries. Coos Bay is nice too. This day's drive took us all the way to the California line. This area is one of the best places to start seeing the redwoods that California is famous for. But in southern Oregon near Brookings, you will spot them too. This was a bad weather driving day, we stopped for food in Port Orford at The Dive. The oyster po-boy was the best I ever had. The Dive was full of locals escaping the horrible rain and we saw that they have live music from time to time. The rain and wind were so bad it literally pushed us into the door before we could open it to enter. My friend had clam chowder and loved it. We drove slowly for hours, stopping at times just because the wind and rain were rough. We wanted to stop at Cape Blanco State Park, but the wind and rain were too much. The only spot we stopped where we actually were able to get out of the car and take a walk around was Arch Rock State Park and that was a short walk because the wind and rain started again.
As the day came to a close, we were at the California line, and the rain and wind was slowing down. We then spotted some more Roosevelt Elk; they greeted us on the scenic drive just before crossing into California. The road trip itself in Oregon was short and needed to be at least 2 days longer to get the most out of it and to feel like we were not so rushed. When our trip ended in San Francisco 2 days later, we were exhausted. The total trip from Seattle to San Francisco was only 7 days, with 2 days in Seattle at the beginning and 2 days in San Francisco at the end. So, if you plan on doing a similar trip, take a few extra days in Oregon. At the end of my trip I realized that most of the best things I saw were in Oregon. So, I need a trip back real soon.
Essential Travel Tips
Accommodation Options: Large cities like Newport, Lincoln City, and Florence make great overnight stops. Smaller charming towns like Bandon and Tillamook offer quieter retreats.
Dining Suggestions: Stop for fresh seafood along the way; Tillamook has excellent cheese and jerky, while Newport offers a mix of family-owned and upscale eateries. Every day my friend ordered I ordered clam chowder from somewhere along the route and it was not disappointing along the entire Oregon coast.
Packing Essentials: Bring layers, as the coastal weather can be unpredictable. A camera, reusable water bottle, and comfortable shoes are must-haves. Know ahead of time if you are going to do lots of hiking, so you can pack accordingly.
Check the routes for delays and detours. Things can happen on the coastal highway due to weather or rock slides.
Know when high tide is happening. Especially if you are wanting to play in tidal pools at low tide at a certain spot. You will find all kinds of neat marine animals in the tidal pools
Travel Times
My trip was in April, and even though there were some severe rainstorms at times, I would consider this one of the best times to visit. Summer is often crowded, and winter should be avoided at all cost due to weather issues. Did you know there are times that this road will be shut down to travelers due to snow, wind and severe storms. There have also been times recently roads have been closed due to rockslides or the road just giving away due the cliffs below falling into the ocean. My trip I was extremely lucky and didn't have any issues with this, but I hear of issues all the time. The best time to visit would be early fall. Crowds are gone from all the summer fun and less traffic is always a good thing.
Embark on Your Coastal Adventure!
There’s nothing quite like the Oregon Coastal Highway. The entire coast has breathtaking beaches, hidden trails, lively towns and delicious food stops. Every twist and turn that this road offers is something magical. It’s a road trip that’s as much about the moments you'll capture as it is about the memories you'll create.
Pack your bags, fill up the gas tank, and set out on this unforgettable adventure. Have you explored the Coastal Highway before? Share your favorite spots in the comments or tell us about your upcoming trip!
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Very interesting, wish I was there.