Top Things to do in Oregon Coast
Top Hotels in Oregon Coast
- 1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Seaside-Convention Center, an IHG Hotel
- 2. Hallmark Resort
- 3. Inn at Cannon Beach
- 4. Bandon Inn
- 5. The Whaler
- 6. Salishan Coastal Lodge
- 7. Best Western Salbasgeon Inn & Suites of Reedsport
- 8. Starfish Manor Oceanfront Hotel
- 9. Beachfront Manor Hotel
- 10. The Coho Oceanfront Lodge
Things to do in Oregon Coast, Oregon Coast: The Best Geologic Formations
The Southern Oregon coast is home to isolated beaches, rugged cliffs with breathtaking views of the Pacific and quaint seaside towns. If you stay in the Bay Area, go whale watching at Coos Bay or explore the region on a bike or a hike along the coastline. Antique shoppers will want to explore old town Bandon while golfers hit the links at the world-renowned Bandon Dunes golf course. And don’t forget to bring your fishing gear – you’ll want to cast for salmon and other Pacific Northwest fish at Gold Beach, one of the region’s top fishing spots.
The Central Oregon Coast is a great place for fishing, clamming, hiking, golfing and other outdoor activities. Take the kids and visit the Sea Lion Caves near Florence, the world’s largest. Head up to Newport for a view of the state’s second-tallest lighthouse and shopping in this seaside town popular with vacationers for the last century. Go fly a kite on the beach in Lincoln City, kite capital of the world.
The Northern Oregon Coast offers a relaxing way to enjoy the region. A stay in the scenic town of Astoria on the Washington border will allow you to explore the western edge of the Lewis and Clark trail, with views of the Columbia River and the Pacific. Walk the sandy beaches in Seaside and Cannon Beach and then grab saltwater taffy and other treats while shopping these seaside towns.
Restaurants in Oregon Coast
1. Haystack Rock
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,201 reviews
Haystack Rock is a unique 235 feet monolith that attracts wildlife and tourists alike and is part of the Oregon Coast’s geological history, formed millions of year ago by lava flows that created many of the dramatic capes and headlands along the coast. Haystack Rock is protected under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a seabird nesting colony and it is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and is a State protected Marine Garden. The Rock is home to nesting seabirds in the summer and marine invertebrates all year. Tidepool seekers are beckoned by its wonders every day. The Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) is a stewardship and environmental educational program whose mission is to protect, through education, the intertidal and bird ecology of the Marine Garden and Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge at Haystack Rock. HRAP offers an extensive interpretive program on the beach during the spring and summer months around low tide.
Reviewed By CreateCourageAdvent - Salem, United States
Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach is a huge Oregon Coast attraction. At 235 feet tall, this basalt beauty is one of the best-known symbols of the Oregon Coast in general and an image you see on every Oregon Coast Travel Blog out there (including this one!) At low tide you can explore vast tidepools and walk all the way to the rock itself. Tufted Puffins, Bald Eagles, Brown Pelicans, Common Murres, and many other birds are abundantly present on and around Haystack Rock depending on the season making this location a Pacific Northwest birdwatchers dream come true.
2. Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 774 reviews
This scenic coastal spot features a large rock with face-like features.
Reviewed By babydoctoral - Parkland, United States
Face Rock State Park has a myriad of beautiful sea stacks that make for exceptional photography in the right lighting conditions. Face Rock itself is not all that interesting on its own, but the large number of beautiful sea stacks are simply terrific. Definitely worth a stop if you are near Bandon Beach,
3. Devil's Churn
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 540 reviews
Tidal Pools along Oregon Coast Highway
Reviewed By DanW440 - Portland, United States
This is an amazing water sight, a phenomenal creation of nature that helps define what the ild Oregon Coast is all about. Mesmerizing to watch, an easy hike down and worth the time to stop.
4. Cape Foulweather
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 162 reviews
Reviewed By MrsCfamily - Newport, United States
Cute lighthouse and store inside with unique gifts. The views are outstanding. Right off of hwy.101 between Lincoln City and Newport but closer to Newport. Stop to whale watch certain times of year, shop, or stretch. They have a porta potty outside.
5. Thor's Well
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 200 reviews
Reviewed By WaitForIttttt - Hazlet, United States
My husband and I visited Thor's Well on our trip exploring the west coast, and it ended up being one of our favorite stops. Thor's Well is such a unique and interesting natural feature! On the path down, there are all sorts of signs warning about the dangers of the waves so, obviously, exercise caution if you proceed down. Once we got to the bottom, we had to traverse the rough rocks and the tidal pools to get to the well itself. We were both wearing waterproof hiking boots, which held out just fine against the water of the pools. The water was pretty rough as it crashed into the rocks and filled the tidal pools, so there was good reason for all of the warning signs. There were a few other visitors down there as well, including a couple with two dogs, which made us nervous for the dogs but they seemed to do ok. We were able to stand on rocks that were adjacent to the rocks of the well itself and got a crazy cool view of the water rushing into and out of the well. If you decide to go down, you're going to get wet. The water jumps pretty high out of the well. This ended up being one of the most unique and fascinating places we visited on the coast, so I definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the area!
