Planning a road trip along the Oregon Coast? 

If you are planning a road trip up the Oregon Coast, I’ve made a list of some of my favourite stops. It’s one of my favourite places in America and I’ve been coming here since I was a child and now as an adult.

Where To Stop On An Oregon Coast Road Trip

Welcome To Oregon Sign

If there’s a sign at a border, take a photo! It’s a great memory from your road trip in the future!

As a solo road tripper, I used my tripod to shoot this!

Crissey Field State Park

Right on the edge of the border between Oregon and California is Crissey Field State Park. I love it here. Every time I’ve come it’s been pretty desolate and I have been able to get amazing photos. There’s a little Travel Oregon center here where you can pick up maps and pamphlets on what to do in the state. It’s impeccably maintained so the bathrooms are so clean and there’s even free Wi-Fi.

A nice solo walk on the beach (Thank you tripod!)

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Harris Creek State Park

I’ve only come here for a quick stop but Harris Beach is stunning. There’s a wildlife sanctuary here, the largest island off the coast of Oregon, tide pools, and sea stacks.

Gold Beach

Gold Beach is where the Rogue River meets the Pacific Ocean. The beaches near this area are clean, long, and quiet. Every time I’ve stopped at the different ones there were barely other people. Great place to stop for a picnic!

Siuslaw National Forest

From the Travel Oregon site:

The Siuslaw National Forest encompasses one of the most productive and diverse landscapes in the world. Thick, tall Douglas-fir, western hemlock and Sitka spruce forests laced with miles of rivers and streams, contrast sharply with miles of open sand dunes, beaches, and freshwater lakes. These rich settings form habitats for a broad array of plants and animals and provide endless opportunities for learning. The Forest also has hundreds of recreational opportunities.

The Siuslaw is one of the two forests in the continental United States bordering the Pacific Ocean. Elevations on the Forest range from sea level to 4,049 feet.

While I haven’t spent a lot of time in this forest, I have driven through certain parts like when I cut over from Corvallis on Interstate 5 to Waldport on the coast.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Bandon

I’ve driven by Bandon on past road trips but earlier this year (2015) I did an overnight here. I was trying to find a place to stop on the coast and found a lovely little Air Bnb in Bandon. My host was amazing and recommended that I check out Face Rock. I’m glad I did because now it’s a favourite!!

Read more here: Bandon, Oregon

Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint

Bandon Harbor

Sea Lion Caves, Florence

I haven’t actually entered the caves here but I recently stopped to admire the view. In the future, I’ll schedule a time for a visit because I do love sea lions and after looking at the website, it looks really cool in there!

Gorgeous view from the entrance to the Sea Lion Caves

Heceta Head Lighthouse 

On my latest drive up and down the coast, I missed Heceta Head Lighthouse. I didn’t notice a sign for the lighthouse and since the road around here is single lane and is windy, there wasn’t a safe place to turn around for a while. Would definitely love to come here to shoot photos in the future. It looks like there are cool hiking trails around here too.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Cape Perpetua – Cooks Chasm, Devil’s Churn, and Thor’s Well 

Cape Perpetua near Yachats is a current favourite. I stopped here on my latest road trip along the Oregon Coast. I only had a short time to spare but I’m keen on coming back. It was raining since it was early December so I am putting a visit in the summer on my to-do list. I did a bit of research into the area and there is a stunning hike to a viewpoint as well.

Powerful waves at Devil’s Churn

Cape Perpetua

Cooks Chasm – time-lapse shot on my GoPro

Cooks Chasm

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Three Capes Lookout  – Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout, and Cape Mears

If you’re planning on visiting the Oregon Coast, definitely make a stop at the Three Capes. I did a day trip with my friends who just moved to Portland and we had an epic day of exploring, shooting photos, and stopping for a beer. It was super fun and would love to do it again. We didn’t make it to Cape Mears so it’s definitely on my to-do list!

Read more here: A Day Trip To Cape Kiwanda On The Oregon Coast

Cape Kiwanda

Cape Kiwanda

The many sides of Cape Kiwanda

Cape Lookout

On the ground at Cape Lookout

Cape Mears courtesy of Flickr

Tillamook Cheese Factory

You may have come across the name Tillamook in your dairy section at the grocery store. It’s a town on the coast of Oregon and yes, there’s a dairy coop by the same name. There’s a cheese factory, ice cream shop, and a restaurant all rolled into one. Here you can see where the cheese gets packed and sorted as well as get a scoop of ice cream or have cheesy food like grilled cheese sandwiches or cheeseburgers!

You better believe I stopped in for ice cream!

Cannon Beach

With its famous monolith, Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach is a favourite stop on the Oregon Coast. I became obsessed with it after seeing Haystack Rock in the movie “The Goonies” as a child. My parents and I came here on road trips and I continue to do so as I’ve gotten older. When walking around during low tide, you will see a lot of starfish, jellyfish, crabs and sea anemone.

Read more here: Cannon Beach: An Easy Day Trip From Portland

Quiet beach walks on Cannon Beach (shot on my tripod)

Seaside

Seaside has been a popular destination on the coast for over 100 years. About an hour and a half from Portland, there are miles upon miles of beaches and surfable waves here. There’s a great promenade with shops and restaurants too. A great place for kids and families.

Photo courtesy of Wiki Commons

Astoria

Located on Northern Coast of Oregon is Astoria. It’s a small town at the mouth of the Columbia River. It’s famous for being the last stop of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the setting of the movie “The Goonies”! As mentioned above, I was obsessed with the Goonies so my parents took me here after the movie came out. I haven’t been back in a while so hoping to explore again soon.

Courtesy of Flickr

Goonies House courtesy of Flickr

Places I still need to visit on the Oregon Coast

There are so many more places I’d love to stop and spend more time on the coast. Here are a few and as I get to visit them, I’ll update this list!

• Manzanita
• Nehalem
• Ecola State Park
• Cape Falcon
• Cape Arago
• Samuel Boardman State Park
• The Wreck of Peter Iredale in Hammond

Share your favourites from the Oregon Coast in the comments!

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