Oregon Coast Road Trip

This stretch of coastline along the Pacific Ocean is like Hawaii’s punky, moody little sister.  She’s dotted with cute, historic towns, her waters bathe scattered sea stacks, and her sand is soft and fine like flour.  There are activities for everyone and for all ages: beach walks and bonfires, hiking, fishing, tidepooling, whale watching, birdwatching, and more. 

This is our itinerary for the Northern half of the Oregon Coast, starting from the northernmost port city of Astoria, and ending in Newport, OR. 

Our road trip stops, from North to South:
Astoria, Cannon Beach, Hug Point, Neahkanie Mountain Trail, Tillamook, Depoe Bay, Newport

Astoria

We drove in from the Seattle area, so by the time we arrived in town, we were ready for some caffeine & breakfast (highly recommend the local coffee shop, Rusty Cup).  We actually did not spend much time in Astoria, but the brewpub scene is definitely growing and worth checking out, as is the well known Astoria Column (a tower you can climb for a view overlooking the city).  Other points of interest are the Peter Iredale Shipwreck and the surrounding Fort Stevens State Park

Cannon Beach

Continue another 40 minutes south along Highway 101 to the picturesque coastal town of Cannon Beach.  This is where the Instagram-famous Haystack Rock lives. 

We were able to find free public parking by City Hall (at the corner of S Hemlock St & W Gower Ave) and then walked to the beach to take photos and dip our toes in the water.  

There are many, many restaurants, cafes and shops in this area.  We enjoyed our sandwiches from Sea Level Bakery + Cafe.

At the north end of town, we highly recommend visiting Ecola State Park. You’ll need to pay $12 for an all-day pass if you are not an in-state Oregonian. There are self pay-stations at the parking lot that accept credit cards. We wandered along a few short trails close to the parking area and were able to see these views.

Hug Point

This is a fun spot for a picnic or a bonfire, just a quick detour (5 miles south) from the busy Cannon Beach.  It is a small, beachy area that is fun to explore at low tide, including some sea caves!

Neahkanie Mountain

Of course we have to squeeze a hike into our itinerary!

There are two ways to reach the summit: from the north trail, or the south.

We took the south approach because it is shorter – 3 miles total (out and back).  A parking pass is not needed, and the hike is dog friendly.  It is a steady incline the entire way, with a very short scramble at the end. Reaching the summit rewards you with a gorgeous view of the coastline below.  On a sunny day, the water shimmers a shade of aquamarine you just have to see for yourself.  It took us 40 minutes to reach the summit. 

Tillamook

A visit to the Oregon Coast is not complete without a visit to the beloved Tillamook Creamery, a household name and primary provider of our cheese and ice cream products. We did the self guided cheese tour and of course treated ourselves to ice cream in waffle cones. 

Depoe Bay

This city is home to the world’s smallest navigable harbor, and also a great place to see whales!  Visit the Whale Watching Center and you’re very likely to see a few gray whales on any given day.  We decided to park at Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint to catch sunset and whale watch from this vantage point – we saw at least 5 gray whales swimming and spouting!  Seeing the whales from the shore (as opposed to on a boat tour) was such a unique and fun experience, certainly a highlight of our trip.

Newport

We have now reached the central Oregon coast.  Newport is home to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Yaquina Point Lighthouse, and the western endpoint of US Route 20, the longest road in the country (the eastern endpoint is in Boston)! 

We booked an Air BnB in the Nye Beach area, which we thought was the perfect location as it was walking distance to the beach and nearby cafes and restaurants.  Newport is definitely a bigger city compared to the previous smaller towns, so there are more amenities available (retail stores, grocery stores, fast food and more diverse types of food options)

Unfortunately we had to end our trip, but other nearby points of interest are by the town of Yachats (40 minutes south of Newport) include the Cape Perpetua and Thor’s Well.

We can’t wait to return to the Oregon Coast to complete our road trip and explore the southern half (Newport through Brookings) of Highway 101!  Happy adventuring!