Take a 10-Day Oregon Coast Road Trip

For many travelers, following the coastal highway U.S. 101 along the rugged Oregon coast is the trip of a lifetime. Although the coast route counts just 360 miles, don’t try to rush this trip or squeeze it into anything less than three days. Twisting roads, slow-moving traffic, and jaw-dropping vistas are sure to slow you down, so start out by planning flexibility into your schedule.

large rocks jutting out of the ocean on the Oregon coast
The rugged Oregon coast has a number of jaw-dropping sights. Pictured here is Seal Rock. Photo © Matt Alberts/iStock.

If you’re not lucky enough to have time for a trip spanning the entire coast and need to sample just a section of the coast, it’s easy to use the I-5 freeway corridor (roughly 60-80 miles inland) as a quick north or south arterial, cutting over to the coast near your destination.

So feel free to tinker with this strict north-south itinerary. If you are flying in and out of Portland, it may make sense to leapfrog your way down the coast, catching the intervening towns on your way back north.

Day 1

From Portland, drive 95 miles northwest to Astoria, a city full of history and spunky do-it-yourself charm. Visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum to learn about the area’s maritime past (and present), and check out the city’s many art galleries. Walk the hilly streets behind downtown to view resplendent Victorian homes. Spend the night at the Cannery Pier Hotel beneath the more than four-mile-long Astoria-Megler Bridge, which spans the mighty Columbia.

Day 2

Drive south about eight miles to Fort Clatsop National Memorial, which features a replica of the winter home Lewis and Clark used in 1805 and 1806. If the day is fair, drive another seven miles to Fort Stevens State Park to stroll along the shore and watch the Columbia River roll into the Pacific, or simply continue 22 miles to Cannon Beach, with its dramatic shoreline dominated by sea stacks. Stroll through the town’s attractive and mazelike downtown shopping district, and spend the night at the Stephanie Inn.

Day 3

From Cannon Beach, drive about 10 miles south to drop through the lush temperate rainforest in Oswald West State Park, stopping for a hike to the beach or a stunning view of the ocean from 700-foot-high cliffs on the flanks of Neahkahnie Mountain. Stop for lunch in the commercial fishing village of Garibaldi, 21 miles to the south, with some of the freshest and tastiest fish-and-chips you’re likely to eat. In Tillamook (10 miles), it’s almost mandatory for visitors to stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, both for the cheese (now made off-site) and the tasty ice cream cones. Continue another 44 miles south to Lincoln City via U.S. 101, staying at the Starfish Manor Hotel.

Day 4

From Lincoln City continue 12 miles south to Depoe Bay, worth a stop to admire the pocket harbor and scan for spouting whales, then take the Otter Crest scenic loop, cresting at the Cape Foulweather vista. It’s only another 12 miles to Newport, so you’ll get there before lunch—which is lucky, because you’ll want to have two meals’ worth of eating to explore the good food here. Spend the afternoon at the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the night at the Elizabeth Street Inn.

Day 5

This is a short day of driving, because you’ll want to save time to hike. Proceed south to Yachats, one of the coast’s most charming towns and gateway to Cape Perpetua, a wonderful natural area where mountains meet the sea and acres of tidepools rise above the surf. Check in at the very comfortable Overleaf Lodge, and reward yourself for hiking along Cape Perpetua with dinner at one of Yachats’s excellent restaurants.

The view from atop Cape Perpetua. Photo © W.C. McRae.
The view from atop Cape Perpetua. Photo © W.C. McRae.

Day 6

Florence is set alongside the Siuslaw River 25 miles south of Yachats, and its riverside Old Town will briefly steal your attention away from the ocean. It’s a good base for exploring the Oregon Dunes, which start just south of town and rise up to 500 feet tall. Hike through this striking habitat, or go for the thrills of sandboarding or a dune buggy ride. Spend the night in Florence.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Park. Photo © Capricornis/Dreamstime.
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Park. Photo © Capricornis/Dreamstime.

Day 7

Although Coos Bay doesn’t beckon the average traveler, this city 50 miles south of Florence is the gateway to some astoundingly beautiful headlands and beaches just west. Don’t miss blustery Cape Arago and the gardens of Shore Acres State Park. Head south about 25 miles along Seven Devils Road and spend the night in Bandon. With its Old Town, beaches, and golfing at the internationally acclaimed Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, this town demands attention. Bandon is laid-back and easy to explore on foot, with more good restaurants than you’d expect.

Day 8

It’s tempting to shrug off Gold Beach’s jet-boat tours up the mighty Rogue River as hokey tourist schlock, but these rides are actually pretty great, with good commentary and the chance to see bald eagles and other wildlife. It’s 55 miles from Bandon to Gold Beach; be sure to get there in time to meet your boat.

Day 9

Between Gold Beach and Brookings (28 miles), the coastline is at its finest, with many pullouts offering paths down to secluded rocky beaches. Come prepared with a sweatshirt and a windbreaker and spend an afternoon exploring this stretch. In Brookings, it’s important to stop for a walk and some bird-watching at Harris Beach State Park, but it’s also worthwhile to get off the coastal strip and explore the Chetco River. Alfred A. Loeb State Park has good river access and a path through myrtle and redwood trees.

Day 10

If you’re heading back to the I-5 corridor after your tour of the coast, consider dropping down to Crescent City in California, and heading inland on U.S. 199. This highway, which you pick up 22 miles south of the state border, passes through the northern edge of the California redwoods on its way to I-5 at Grants Pass, Oregon (83 miles).


Travel Maps of the Oregon Coast

North Coast of Oregon
Central Coast of Oregon
South Coast of Oregon

W. C. McRae

About the Author

W.C. McRae has been exploring Utah for several decades, each time getting farther off the road and digging deeper into the landscape. Every trip has a different focus, whether it’s hiking into a new and more remote canyon, fixating on ancient rock art, or going deluxe at guest ranches. Bill has written for Frommer’s, Lonely Planet, and Mobile Guides, and has contributed to 1000 Places to See Before You Die. He has also edited books for National Geographic and provided content for websites such as GORP.com and Expedia.com. When not fixing up his old house in Astoria, Oregon, Bill has a day job as a high-tech marketing writer.

While visiting Goosenecks State Park, Judy Jewell realized that, like the river below, she might be an example of entrenched meandering. Perhaps so… her work on the Moon guides to Utah, Montana, and Oregon has taken her to both the popular destinations and the remote areas in these states. In Utah, there’s nothing she likes better than tromping through a dry wash in search of rock art or an old granary. When she’s at home in Portland, Oregon, Judy works as a technical and scientific editor and a yoga teacher.

Learn more about this author

Judy Jewell

About the Author

While visiting Goosenecks State Park, Judy Jewell realized that, like the river below, she might be an example of entrenched meandering. Perhaps so…her work on the Moon guides to Utah, Montana, and Oregon has taken her to both the popular destinations and the remote areas in these states. In Utah, there's nothing she likes better than tromping through a dry wash in search of rock art or an old granary. When she's at home in Portland, Oregon, Judy works as a technical and scientific editor and a yoga teacher.

W.C. McRae has been exploring Utah for several decades, each time getting farther off the road and digging deeper into the landscape. Every trip has a different focus, whether it's hiking into a new and more remote canyon, fixating on ancient rock art, or going deluxe at guest ranches. Bill has written for Frommer's, Lonely Planet, and Mobile Guides, and has contributed to 1000 Places to See Before You Die. He has also edited books for National Geographic and provided content for websites such as GORP.com and Expedia.com. When not fixing up his old house in Astoria, Oregon, Bill has a day job as a high-tech marketing writer.

 

Learn more about this author

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