26 Best Sights in The Oregon Coast, Oregon

Beachcombers love Cannon Beach for its often low foamy waves and the wide stretch of sand that wraps the quaint community, making it ideal for fair-weather play or for hunting down a cup of coffee and strolling in winter. This stretch can get feisty in storms, however, which also makes Cannon Beach a good place to curl up indoors and watch the show. Haystack Rock rises 235 feet over the beach on the south side of downtown, one of nearly 2,000 protected rocks that are part of the Oregon Ocean Island Wildlife Refuge, providing a nesting habitat for birds. Continue south past Tolovana Park—a playground located in the flood plain—to find the quiet side of Cannon Beach with a bevy of tide pools and few other souls. To the north of town, the beach gives way to Ecola State Park, a breathtakingly beautiful series of coves and rocky headlands where William Clark spotted a beached whale in 1806 and visitors still come to view them offshore during the twice-yearly migrations. From here, Sitka spruce and barbecues feature along the sands. There are a few excellent trails that hug the sometimes steep cliffs that rise above sand, including a 6½-mile trail first traced by Lewis and Clark, which runs from this spot past the Tillamook Head lookout and then eventually all the way to Seaside. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; walking.

The highest vehicle-accessible lookout on the Oregon Coast, Cape Perpetua towers 800 feet above the rocky shoreline. Named by Captain Cook on St. Perpetua's Day in 1778, the cape is part of a 2,700-acre scenic area popular with hikers, campers, beachcombers, and naturalists. Information, educational films and exhibits, and trail maps are available at the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center, 3 miles south of Yachats. The easy 1-mile Giant Spruce Trail passes through a fern-filled rain forest to an enormous 600-year-old Sitka spruce. Easier still is the marked Auto Tour, which begins by the visitor center and winds through Siuslaw National Forest to the ¼-mile Whispering Spruce Trail. Views from the rustic rock shelter extend 50 miles south. For a more rigorous trek, hike the St. Perpetua Trail to the shelter. Other trails lead from the visitor center down along the shore, including a scenic pathway to Devil's Churn, next to which a small snack bar sells sandwiches, sweets, and coffee.

One of Oregon's best coastal attractions illuminates the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest and provides visitors with a sense of the perils of guiding ships into the mouth of the Columbia River. Vivid exhibits recount what it was like to pilot a tugboat and participate in a Coast Guard rescue on the Columbia River Bar. You can tour the actual bridge of a World War II–era U.S. Navy destroyer and the 1951 U.S. Coast Guard lightship Columbia. Also on display is a 44-foot Coast Guard motor lifeboat, artifacts from the region's illustrious riverboat heyday, and details about Astoria's seafood-canning history. One especially captivating exhibit displays the personal belongings of some of the ill-fated passengers of the 2,000 ships that have foundered here since the early 19th century. In addition, the theater shows an excellent documentary about the river's heritage as well as rotating 3-D films about sea life. At the east end of the property, the city's former railroad depot now houses the museum's Barbey Maritime Center, which offers classes and workshops on maritime culture and wooden boatbuilding.

This contemporary 11,000-square-foot museum with expansive views of the Coos Bay waterfront contains an impressive collection of memorabilia related to the region's history, from early photos to vintage boats, all displayed in an airy, open exhibit hall with extensive interpretive signage. You'll also find well-designed exhibits on Native American history, agriculture, and industry such as logging, shipwrecks, boatbuilding, natural history, and mining.

See where the 30-member Lewis and Clark Expedition endured a rain-soaked winter in 1805–06, hunting, gathering food, making salt, and trading with the local Clatsops, Chinooks, and Tillamooks. This memorial is part of the 3,200-acre Lewis and Clark National Historical Park and is a faithful replica of the log fort depicted in Clark's journal. The fort lies within a forested wonderland, with an exhibit hall, gift shop, film, and trails. Park rangers dress in period garb during the summer and perform such early-19th-century tasks as making fire with flint and steel. Hikers enjoy the easy 1-mile Netul Landing Trail and the more rigorous but still fairly flat 6½-mile Fort to Sea Trail.

This 4½-acre complex brings visitors face-to-face with the creatures living in offshore and near-shore Pacific marine habitats: frolicking sea otters, colorful puffins, pulsating jellyfish, and even a several-hundred-pound octopus. There's a hands-on interactive area for children, including tide pools perfect for "petting" sea anemones and urchins. The aquarium houses one of North America's largest seabird aviaries, including glowering turkey vultures. In the popular Passages of the Deep exhibit, visitors walk through a 200-foot underwater tunnel with 360-degree views of sharks, wolf eels, halibut, and a truly captivating array of sea life. The aquarium is in the midst of a major renovation and expansion that has already added an outdoor amphitheater and play areas and will see the installation a new Indo-Pacific Coral Reef exhibit by 2024.

The largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America extends for 40 miles from Florence to Coos Bay. This favorite destination for ATV riding encompasses some 31,500 acres and draws more than 1.5 million visitors annually. Within the recreation area, 515-acre Honeyman Memorial State Park is a base camp for dune-buggy enthusiasts, mountain bikers, hikers, boaters, horseback riders, and dogsledders (the sandy hills are an excellent training ground). There's a campground, too. The dunes are a vast playground for children, particularly the slopes surrounding cool Cleawox Lake. If you have time for just a quick scamper in the sand, stop by the Oregon Dunes Overlook off U.S. 101, 11 miles south of Florence across from Crown Zellerback Campground; or hike the short and easy path to some towering dunes at John Dellenback Dunes Trailhead, which is 11 miles south of Reedsport, just south of Eel Creek Campground.

Each of the colossal rocks jutting from the ocean between Bandon and Brookings is protected as part of the 19-acre Coquille Point section of this huge refuge that, in total, comprises 1,853 rocks, reefs, islands, and two headland areas spanning 320 miles up and down the Oregon Coast. Thirteen species of seabirds—totaling 1.2 million birds—nest here, and harbor seals, California sea lions, Steller sea lions, and Northern elephant seals also breed within the refuge. Coquille Point, which is a short drive west of downtown Bandon, is one of the best places to observe seabirds and harbor seals. The dramatic point atop a steep sea cliff overlooks a series of offshore rocks, and a paved trail that winds over the headland ends in stairways to the beach on both sides, allowing for a loop across the sand when tides permit. Visitors are encouraged to steer clear of harbor seals and avoid touching seal pups. A complete list of Oregon Islands Refuge viewpoints and trails is available online.

Cheese and ice cream lovers of all ages have long made a stop by the largest cheese-making plant on the West Coast, as much to enjoy free samples and snack on delicious ice cream (try the marionberry pie flavor). At the striking, contemporary visitor center, learn about cheese making through informative signs and by watching the process from a glassed-in mezzanine. The impressive gourmet market stocks Tillamook's many varieties of cheddar, produced in part with milk from thousands of local Holstein and brown Swiss cows, as well as chocolates, charcuterie, and other mostly Oregon-made snacks and beverages, including wine and craft beer. Additionally, a huge food hall with soaring windows and ample seating dispenses Tillamook cheeseburgers, pizzas, mac and cheese, and sweets.

The tallest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast has been blinking its beacon since its head keeper first walked up its 114 steps to light the wicks on the evening of August 20, 1873. Next to the 93-foot tower is an interpretive center. Call ahead to confirm tour times.

Also known as "Old 300," this is a beautifully restored 1913 streetcar that travels for 4 miles along Astoria's historic riverfront, stopping at several points between the Astoria River Inn and the foot of 39th Street (although you can easily flag it down at any point along the route by offering a friendly wave). The hourlong ride gives you a close-up look at the waterfront from the Port of Astoria to the East Mooring Basin; the Columbia River; and points of interest in between.

Said to be the westernmost point in Oregon and perhaps the windiest—gusts clocked at speeds as high as 184 mph have twisted and battered the Sitka spruces along the 6-mile road from U.S. 101 to the Cape Blanco Lighthouse. The lighthouse, atop a 245-foot headland, has been in continuous use since 1870, longer than any other in Oregon. Hughes House is all that remains of the Irish settler Patrick Hughes's dairy farm complex built in 1860. The lighthouse and Hughes House are open in summer only. No one knows why the Spaniards sailing past these reddish bluffs in 1603 called them blanco (white). One theory is that the name refers to the fossilized shells that glint in the cliff face. Campsites at the 1,880-acre park are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Four cabins are available by reservation.

A few miles north of Florence, you'll find this interesting example of the rich plant life found in the marshy terrain near the coast. It's also a surefire kid pleaser. A short paved nature trail leads through clumps of insect-catching cobra lilies, so named because they look like spotted cobras ready to strike. This 18-acre park is most interesting in May, when the lilies are in bloom.

This earthen fort at Oregon's northwestern tip was built during the Civil War to guard the Columbia River against attack. None came until World War II, when a Japanese submarine fired upon it. The fort still has cannons and an underground gun battery, of which tours are available in summer (call for details). This 4,300-acre park has year-round camping, with 174 full hookup sites, 11 cabins, and 15 yurts. There are also bike paths, boating, swimming, hiking trails, and a short walk to a gorgeous, wide beach where the corroded skeleton—or the tiny bit that remains of it—of the Peter Iredale pokes up through the sand. This century-old English four-master shipwreck is a reminder of the nearly 2,000 vessels claimed by these treacherous waters.

Interactive and interpretive exhibits at Oregon State University appeal to the kid in everyone. More than just showcasing sea life, the center contains exhibits and tide-pool touch tanks, and it holds classes that teach the importance of scientific research in managing and sustaining coastal and marine resources. The staff regularly leads guided tours of the adjoining estuary.

The long stretch of white sand that separates the Pacific Ocean from the town of Manzanita is as loved a stretch of coastline as the next, its north side reaching into the shadows of Neahkahnie Mountain, right where the mountain puts its foot in the ocean (the mountain itself, which makes for a great hike, lies within Oswald West State Park). The beach is frequented by vacationers, day-trippers, kite flyers, and dogs on its north end, but it extends a breezy 7 miles to the tip of Nehalem Bay State Park, which is accessible on foot over sand or by car along the road (the auto entrance is off Gary Street at Sandpiper Lane). At the south end of the park's parking lot, a dirt horse trail leads all the way to a peninsula's tip, a flat walk behind grassy dunes—you can book horseback excursions from Oregon Beach Rides, which has a stable inside the park. Cross to the right for a secluded patch of windy sand on the ocean, or to the left for a quiet, sunny place in the sun on Nehalem Bay, out of the wind. Amenities: toilets. Best for: sunset; walking.

This relatively small, sandy cove is a great stop at the midpoint along the Three Capes Loop. It's especially popular with beachcombers and kids for both its shallow, gentle surf and the low-tide bowls and tide pools. When the water recedes, a tunnel appears through the north rock face, allowing passage to a second, rocky cove. There are a few fun, casual spots for ice cream and light bites steps from the beach. In summer, the small parking lot fills quickly, and a walk through the hilly side streets is sometimes required. Amenities: none. Best for: walking; partiers.

Atop the bluff that is Port Orford Heads, a trail loops the rocky outcropping between the Pacific and the Port Orford Lifeboat Station, taking in the hillside below, from which crews once mounted daring rescues on the fierce sea. From May through September, the lifeboat station and adjoining museum is open for free tours Wednesday–Monday, 10–3:30. Their motto? "You have to go out . . . you don't have to come back."

As you round a bend between Port Orford and Gold Beach, you'll see one of those sights that make grown-ups groan and kids squeal with delight: a huge, open-jawed Tyrannosaurus rex, with a green Brontosaurus peering out from the forest beside it. You can view 23 other life-size dinosaur replicas on the trail that runs through this property that's been delighting visitors since 1955.

In 1880 a sea captain rowed a small skiff into a fissure in a 300-foot-high sea cliff. Inside, he was startled to discover a 125-foot-high vaulted rock chamber inhabited by hundreds of massive sea lions—the largest bulls weighing 2,000 pounds or more. Now one of the coast's favorite, if quite touristy, attractions, the caves are reached by an elevator near the cliff-top ticket office and kitschy gift shop; viewing is from behind a wire fence. This is the only known hauling-out area and rookery for wild sea lions on the mainland in the Lower 48, and it's an awesome sight and sound when they're in the cave, typically only in fall and winter (in spring and summer the mammals usually stay on the rocky ledges outside the cave).

The first thing you hear at this small but fun 1930s-era aquarium is the clapping and barking of the dozen-or-so harbor seals just inside the door (which you can feed). Located on the 1½-mile beachfront Promenade, the aquarium has jellyfish, giant king crab, octopus, moray eels, wolf eels, and other sea life swimming in more than 30 tanks. The discovery center draws curious kids and grown-ups alike for its hands-on touch tanks of starfish, anemones, and urchins, as well as for a close-up exploration of the most miniature marine life. No restrooms on-site.

This nearly 7,000-acre reserve's fragile ecosystem supports everything from algae to bald eagles and black bears. More than 300 species of birds have been sighted at the reserve, which has an interpretive center with interesting nature exhibits, guided walks (summer only), and 11 nature trails that give you a chance to see things up close.

In the world's largest wooden structure, a former blimp hangar south of town displays a fine collection of vintage aircraft and vehicles, mostly from around the World War II era, as well as a vast trove of artifacts and memorabilia, including war uniforms, photos, and remains from the Hindenburg. The 20-story-high building is big enough to hold half a dozen football fields.

Some of the highest sand dunes in the country are found in this 50-acre park between Florence and Coos Bay, near the small town of Reedsport. The first Umpqua River Lighthouse, built on the dunes at the mouth of the Umpqua River in 1857, lasted only four years before it toppled over in a storm. It took local residents 33 years to build another one. The "new" lighthouse, built on a bluff overlooking the south side of Winchester Bay and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, stands at 65 feet and is still going strong, flashing a warning beacon out to sea every five seconds. The Douglas County Coastal Visitors Center adjacent to the lighthouse has a museum and can arrange lighthouse tours.

The "walk-through safari" on 21 acres has free-roaming wildlife (it's the visitors who are behind fences); more than 450 animals and about 75 species, including lions, tigers, snow leopards, lemurs, bears, chimps, cougars, and camels, make it one of the largest wild-animal parks in the United States. The big attractions here are the young animals: bear cubs, tiger cubs, whatever is suitable for actual handling.

The state's oldest wooden lighthouse was only in commission for three years (1871–74), because it was determined that it was built in the wrong location. Today the well-restored lighthouse with a candy-apple-red top shines a steady white light from dusk to dawn. Open to the public, it's the only Oregon lighthouse with living quarters attached.