The spectacular Oregon Coast
is situated in the Pacific Northwest, just a three-hour drive from Seattle, or a one-and-a-half hour drive from Portland. This is a coast where time is measured
not in seconds, but by the tides. Where years are measured in the
fading patina of fishing floats, and centuries by the fall of rocky
sea stacks and the rise of redwoods. A visit to the Oregon Coast is more
than just a trip to the seaside; it’s a series of unforgettable moments strung together by one of the USA’s
great scenic drives, Highway 101. And thanks to visionary
legislation enacted in 1967, Oregon’s coastline, all 362 miles of
it, offers free public access to all. Welcome, to The People’s Coast. Oregon’s Coast starts in the
state’s far north, at Astoria, where the waters of the mighty
Columbia roll into the Pacific. It was here in 1805, a year and
a half after leaving St. Louis, that Lewis and Clark staggered out
from the wilderness and shouted, “Ocean in View, O Joy!” Trek back in time at the Lewis and
Clark National Historical Park. Here, a re-creation of Fort Clatsop
lets you experience the cramped quarters where the expedition hunkered down through
a brutal winter before returning east. Oregon’s oldest city has
come a long way since 1805, but Astoria has never turned
its back on its rough-hewn and sometimes rowdy past. Visit the Heritage Museum and learn
about the region’s First Peoples, and the fur traders, fishermen, and
lumbermen who followed Lewis and Clark. Drop anchor at the Columbia River Maritime Museum, which honors the seafarers and
fishermen who braved the Columbia Bar, which earned this stretch of coastline
the name, The Graveyard of the Pacific. Step into the now-silent
interiors of the Hanthorn Cannery, the last of the 22 canneries
which once made Astoria the Salmon Canning Capital of the World. But this city is no museum
piece trading on past glories, Astoria is still a working port. So head down to The Riverwalk, where the jetty pylons of old
are reclaimed by time and tide, and freighters slip off to ports unknown. This is where you’ll find the
true, timeless spirit of Astoria. From Astoria, the road trip begins. Just a 20-mile drive south is the town of Seaside, which marks the eastern end
of the Lewis and Clark Trail. When the railway arrived in
the late 1800s the town boomed, becoming Oregon’s very first coastal resort. While the beer, menu items and streetscape
may have changed with the times, Seaside’s natural gifts have
been a reassuring constant throughout history’s ebb and flow. Ten miles south of Seaside is Ecola State Park. Follow trails through old-growth forest, and along clifftops where
offshore stacks, ribbons of beach, and the heart-calming rhythm of wind ‘n’
sea beckon you further down the coast. A little further south is the
coastal town of Cannon Beach, home to iconic Haystack Rock. Call into the history centre
to see the city’s namesake: a cannon which washed ashore in the 1800s. Catch a performance at the local theatre. Or just wander the weather-worn
perfection of this place where salt lingers in every
shingle and every grain of wood. Before Oregon’s coastal
highway was built in the 1930s, stagecoaches raced along
the sands from Cannon Beach all the way down to Cape Arch, hugging
the headlands to beat the incoming tides. To appreciate the bravery of
Oregon’s early road builders, follow the highway through Oswald West State Park, where forests tumble toward the
Pacific and scenic pullovers offer heart-stopping views
down the coast for miles. Once back at sea level, sink your
toes in the sand in beachside towns like Manzanita and Rockaway Beach. Or grab a paddle or throw in a line
at the historic riverside timber towns of Nehalem and Wheeler. A few miles on, the coast arcs inland around Tillamook
Bay to the Port of Garibaldi. Take a ride on the scenic railway,
or just hang out by the docks. This is the kind of place where
the best thing to do, is relax. From Garibaldi, mosey around the bay to Tillamook, the bustling gateway to The
Three Capes Scenic Loop. If you’re short on time, this 40-mile loop makes for
an easy day trip from Portland and is the perfect sampler of all
that’s special about the Oregon Coast. For those with more time,
the road unwinds ever south, through Pacific City…around Cascade
Head…and onto the sands of Roads End, the start of Oregon’s Central Coast. Call into the North Lincoln
County Historical Museum, which celebrates the pioneers of old, and the early vacationers of the Central Coast. And check out the collection
of foreign fishing floats, lost at sea and carried by wind
and wave to Lincoln’s shores. Those floats were onto something, for there are few finer places
to wash up than Lincoln, where one perfect day fades into the next. You’ll find even more perfection a
further 20 minutes down the coast, at Depoe Bay, where whale-watch
cruises put out to sea from the world’s smallest navigable harbor. If you’re not the seafaring type,
you’ll find plenty of opportunities to spot whales below the
highway south from Depoe Bay, which offers some of the Central
Coast’s most dramatic scenery. After six miles of twists and
turns, pull over for a breather at the tiny hamlet of Otter Rock
and peer into the Devils Punchbowl. Then, rent a wetsuit and board and hit
the waves in the marine reserve below. From Otter Rock, the sands stretch
away for miles to Yaquina Head, home to the tallest of
Oregon’s eleven lighthouses. Lose a dreamy hour or three, exploring
the rockpools beneath the lighthouse. And when the tide returns, take to higher
ground just down the coast in Newport. Newport is home to miles of sands, two
lighthouses, a marine research centre, and a working bayfront complete with
barking sealions and circling gulls. If ever there was a city with salt
in its veins, surely this is it. The salty flavors continue, just across
the Yaquina Bay Bridge at South Beach, where you’ll find the best fish
and chips on the entire coast. Ten-minutes down the highway, keep a lookout for Seal Rock,
an enchanting haven for artists, and a rest-stop for seabirds on their
long migrations to far-off shores. The magic continues in Yachats, a town wedged between the Siuslaw
National Forest and the sea. Here, life’s challenges are reduced
to what flavor ice cream to choose, and whether to bait your hook
with clam necks or sandworms. Three miles down the highway, don’t
miss the turnoff to Cape Perpetua. Here, at the highest viewpoint on
the Oregon Coast accessible by car, take in views that extend 40 miles out to sea. After exploring the dizzy
heights of Cape Perpetua, head a little further down the coast to Sea Lion Point, which offers
views north to Heceta Head, all the way south to the
mouth of the Siuslaw River. But the main attraction here is the
200ft elevator ride down into the fascinating and whiffy world of Sea Lion Caves, the largest sea-cave system in America. Discover another of nature’s oddities just six miles away at the
Darlingtonia State Natural Site, an 18-acre reserve blanketed with patches
of the rare carnivorous Cobra Lily. After taking in the dizzying heights, subterranean lairs and primordial
wonders of the central coast, kick back in Florence, where the living is easy. With its Art Deco Bridge,
old-timey vibes, and calm waters, it’s easy to see why people retire here, to
spend their days happily checking crab pots and playing with the
grandkids on the silver sands. From Florence, it’s just a 20-mile
run down Highway 101 to Reedsport, the gateway to Oregon’s Southern Coast and The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. After exploring the dunes, shake the
sand out of your shoes at Coos Bay, the largest natural harbor
between San Francisco and Seattle. Spend an hour or two at the Coos Historical Museum and follow the Bay’s European
story from its castaway beginnings, to its heyday as the largest
timber port in the world. Just a short drive away is the South
Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. Spend an afternoon in this
6000-acre park on the Coos Estuary, a vital nursery for marine and bird life, and a veritable pantry for the region’s
First Peoples for thousands of years. Coos Bay is also close to another
of the coast’s great scenic loops, which takes in a trio of stunning
state parks, including Cape Arago, which offers views to seal and
sealion colonies just offshore. After exploring the intertidal and
coastal treasures around Coos Bay, follow the winds of adventure
south, to Bandon-by-the-Sea, one of Oregon’s coolest and
craftiest coastal towns. Throw in a crab pot from Webers Pier,
and while you’re waiting for your dinner, walk up to Coquille Point, to
feast on the endless views. From here, the Southern Coast stretches
away for another 90 wild miles south, all the way to the Californian border. Whether you visit just one part
of the Oregon Coast for a weekend, or take a month to explore its
entire length, every cove and trail, every wisp of sea-mist, will
greet you like a long-lost friend. For these are your sunsets,
and these are your shores. Welcome home, to the People’s Coast.
