Best of Oregon’s South Coast

Shore Acres State Park [1]: The regal manor house is gone, but the formal gardens from a one-time private estate still thrive above an especially rugged stretch of beach.

South Slough Estuarine Research Reserve [2]: Here where freshwater meets saltwater is a nutrient-rich environment that supports many wildlife species. Hike or paddle, but either way, pay attention to the tides.

Bandon Historical Society Museum [3]: Learn all about cranberries, native cultures, and frontier coastal history at this well-curated regional museum.

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort [4]: This links-style course on the coastal headlands is evocative of Scotland. There are four golf courses, each expertly designed in a setting that is strikingly gorgeous, even by the standards of the Oregon coast.

Humbug Mountain [5]: The three-mile trail to the top of Humbug Mountain passes a spectacular array of native plants. Even if the promised mountaintop view is shrouded in fog, it’s a great hike.

Cape Blanco State Park [6]: The most westerly point in Oregon, Cape Blanco, with its towering lighthouse, juts into the Pacific. This is the only lighthouse in Oregon that allows visitors into the lantern room, with its massive Fresnel lens.

Cape Sebastian [7]: Hike up Cape Sebastian for some of the most expansive views on the southern coast and a front-row seat for springtime whale-watching.

Rogue River Jet-boat Ride [8]: Even diehard paddlers won’t regret succumbing to a jet-boat tour up the Rogue River. Boaters often get to see ospreys and eagles fishing along this stretch of river; even if wildlife doesn’t show up, your tour operator will point out all sorts of interesting sights.

Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor [9]: North of Brookings, the roadbed winds hundreds of feet above the surf, allowing you to peer down at one of the most dramatic meetings of rock and tide in the world. Trails lead down to secluded, often nearly deserted, beaches.