Oregon’s coastline is one of the most beautiful diverse places to experience. Oregon has done a terrific job of situating scenic State Parks along the route, 18 in all.
Alfred Loeb State Park Beverly Beach State Park
Each park is unique in it’s own way. Some are day-use only, others offer camping (tent only or full hook-up). Many abut the ocean with access to it’s beachfront for shell seekers, surfers, fisherman, and walking along the gorgeous shoreline.
Bandon Coquille River Lighthouse
Picturesque lighthouses litter the drive along capes like Heceta Head, Yaquina Bay, Cape Blanco, and Cape Meares just to name a few.
Beverly State Park
Some are tucked along ancient forests of Sitka trees, which mostly only exist along the Pacific Northwest where rain and fog are abundant.
Other stops along picturesque coastline include little marina’s and quaint bays with scenic walking trails and plenty of fresh seafood. We even enjoyed the occasion to do some crabbing for fresh dungeness crab.
Kelly’s Marina at Brighton Bay
On the northern end of the Oregon Coast lies Ft. Stevens, home to the Military Historic Site and concrete artillery gun batteries and the popular tourist destination of the Peter Iredale wreck, left to rust, stranded ashore since 1906.
Peter Iredale Wreck
We barely scratched the surface of all the so many places to visit along the 343 miles (a mere 8 hour drive), that we did in 3-weeks. Maybe next time.
Coming from Arizona, Oregon is a whole new experience. While we are used to canyons and ridges, cactus and creeks, deer and elk, scenery loaded with oceans, pelicans, otters, and redwoods is foreign land.
We drove north to Astoria, then slowly worked our way down the coast, camping along the way. We stopped and picked up fresh caught fish from the docks caught that morning, fresh veg at local farmers markets, and bread, cheese, and condiments from charming artisan stores and bakeries.
The scenery was stunning throughout, though we got our fair share of fog and overcast days. Walking on the quiet beaches in the mornings was peaceful and relaxing. Though, I must confess the damp weather was something we weren’t used to from our dry-heat of Arizona. Everything we owned was damp, wet, and difficult to dry.
We stopped at a number of Oregon State Parks, each having its own allure. Some had beach access, while others had tons of trails. Several had campgrounds, many were day use only. It was stunning to see how many State Parks there were. There had to be almost 50 parks just along the coast.
The coastline was gorgeous as we traversed our way down coast. Around every corner was a new sight to see; a new place to stop; a new picture to take. We planned to go 50 – 60 miles / day. Normally that would take an hour, under city highway (no traffic) standards. Every once in awhile we would push to 140 miles give or take / day. We ‘d leave early in the morning to catch sunrise, and wouldn’t get to our next stop until late in the day. We never stayed any place just one day – always at least 2, up to 4 days.
We stopped for lighthouses, beaches, and markets. We stopped for overlooks, pull-outs, and food stuff. We’d relax in our camp at night and enjoy preparing great meals with our fresh goodies.
Our last stop along the coast was Bandon. We found Bandon to be particularly charming with its many rock formations and spectacular coastline. Fish & chips (and a tasty selection of grilled fish options, oysters, shrimp, clams, and chowder) could be had right on the water overlooking the boats, or fresh fish and shellfish picked up from several local choices. There were several restaurant choices in town, and even a fromager (cheesemaker), Face Rock Creamery. There is even a distillery, a cider mill, and nearby wineries (though not in Bandon).
It was an extremely pleasant trip along the coast full of tasty treats and sights. Maybe next time we will venture inland… or maybe not.
The Southern Oregon Coast is as picturesque as the Northern Coast, but with smaller towns and more nature walks and trails throughout. Again we are impressed by the magnitude of State Parks along the way, and Oregon’s celebration of their coastline.
The Southern Coast has more lighthouses, and more spurious rocks in the ocean jutting out, ocean spraying from their jagged edges, vs. Northern coast’s individually named singular rocks like Rockaway, and Haystack. This coast is more rugged, with windy roads and frequent pull outs.
Several lighthouses are part of State Parks including campgrounds and walking trails to allow one to spend time to appreciate and enjoy the super scenic area, complete with beach, rock formations, and lighthouse trails.
We’ve been up and down both East and West coasts. I’d be hard pressed to say which is more beautiful… so I won’t, because I can’t. They are both stunning. I love the rock formations jutting out from the ocean, trees overhanging the black sand, and sunsets on the beach. It’s all pretty awesome.
Along the way there are quaint charming little towns, and different rock formations with individual names. There’s Haystack rock in Cannon Beach and Rockaway Beach, and a dozen others up and down the coast filled with State Parks and walking trails to fully enjoy it’s beauty.
Oregon does a great job sharing their beaches with the community and it’s visitors through lots of maps, brochures, hiking / biking trails, camping, and wildlife viewing areas. They invite visitors to share in it’s grandeur.
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