Toledo

Antique hunters can head east of Newport [1] six miles up the Yaquina River on U.S. 20 to Toledo, where “junque” shops abound. This small town’s fortunes have risen and fallen with the timber cut. At one time the world’s largest spruce mill was here, but in the era of big timber’s swan song, dealers of collectibles have sprouted up to take advantage of coast-bound traffic from the Willamette Valley [2].

Most of the antique shops are located on Main Street. Timber has enjoyed a resurgence here with the mill getting old-growth logs submerged in Yaquina Bay during World War II.

Even if you’re not interested in antiquing, the back road from Newport’s Bayfront [3] to Toledo gets you away from the touristy seaside and gives a glimpse of what it’s actually like to live around here.