Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
The Ultimate Road Trip – Down the Oregon Coast
My dear hubby and traveling companion mentioned recently that he’d like to take a trip down the Oregon Coast.
“It’s been a while,” he said.
I laughed.
Actually, it hasn’t. We went twice last year; and every year before as long as I can remember.
My reply: “How about this fall?”
Why not, it’s a classic!
Just cross the bridge from Washington over the Columbia River and you’re in Astoria, ready to take the scenic route on 101 for the next 364 miles!
The hard part will be deciding where to stop and for how long. You’ll be tempted by every beach and small town you see and there’s an endless supply of both.
Click on pictures in the galleries to enlarge
Don’t forget the lighthouses, unique and beautiful. You have 11 to choose from – here’s a few.
And what’s a trip to the coast without stopping at the Oregon Dunes, “one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world,” according to the U.S. Forest Service website. Enjoy the views from the overlooks, take a hike or two, or if you prefer, rent a dune buggy!
And while you’re making your way through paradise don’t forget to enjoy the sunsets over the Pacific.
I can hardly wait.
Sharing with Sunday Stills.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
Beautiful photos!
Thanks so much! 🙂
Gorgeous shoreline!
Yes, it’s the best! 🙂
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I am so motivated to head down the Oregon coast a bit, soon, Susanne! Fabulous photos and how cool that you do this 1-2 times a year? I will be in the Portland area in late September, maybe I can talk my friend into taking a drive further down the coast! Fascinating about the Oregon Dunes! Hmm, maybe we’ll drive north on the Astoria Bridge (cool shot BTW) and check out the Washington Coast for a bit! Thanks for sharing, Susanne!
Thanks so much, Terri! It’s a magical trip, for sure. We usually head down the coast one or more times a year, to do all or parts of it. It never gets old! Sorry your comment didn’t show up right away. My spam and trash filters are working overtime!
No worries, Susanne! Have a wonderful day and stay cool this weekend!
Thanks, Terri, you too! Back to cool temps next week, hooray! (And I’m done using the ‘trash filter’ as it casts too wide a net!)
That’s a trip to envy, Susanne. I hope you get some good weather.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks so much, Pete. We’ll go in September after the kids are back in school. It’s usually the perfect time! I can hardly wait! And sorry your comment didn’t show up right away. My spam and trash filters are working overtime! I’m going to have to stop using the trash key word catcher as far too many wonderful comments are ending up in trash! I guess I’ll have to live with dozens of comments in spam every day!
It is truly a magical place as your photos prove!
Yes, it’s such a beautiful coastline and makes a magical road trip! And sorry your comment didn’t show up right away. My spam and trash filters are working overtime!
Oregon Coast magazine had an annual very detailed coast travel guide (you may recall this) but they ceased publication of the print version a couple of years ago. However, you can find their updated 2022 Mile by Mile Guide online. A lot of the Oregon Parks information has changed as has information about where to stay and where to eat so you might want to bookmark the guide on your smart phone (it’s free). If I may make a suggestion, a friend’s family owns the Anchor Inn in Lincoln City – bought and renovated a while back – it’s a wonderfully quirky and unique boutique style hotel. Very “Oregon.” It had been owned by a sea captain for many years and some of the collected seafaring memorabilia is still there. Heads up that lately the coast has experienced dense chilly fog most mornings but clearing mid-day. Further south you go the denser the fog – go online to the Coos Bay tv station kcby.com for latest weather reports. Have fun! I envy you, as I’m stuck in 100 degree heat inland in the sweltering Willamette Valley.
Yes, they still print it and I have a copy as I type this. We usually pick up the latest copy on the road. It’s a great guide! Weather is no problem to us. We always hope for sun and should get it in September, but the ocean is still beautiful and mysterious under fog and even rain.
Striicking!!!
It’s a very special coast indeed! Thanks for your comment! It didn’t show up right away as my spam and trash folders are casting too wide a net!!
We’ve talked about a visit to the Pacific NW for years now, and these pictures make it a challenge not to make that trip sooner than later. Deciding where to stop, and for how long, is exactly what we’d run head-on into. Beautiful photos.
Thanks so much! Even though I’m a Washingtonian the Oregon Coast is the best coast to follow for a road trip as you’re right next to the ocean the entire way. But still come to Washington for Olympic National Park, and Mt. Rainier, both are fabulous! And sorry your comment didn’t show up right away as my spam and trash folders are casting too wide a net!!
Oh you got some fantastic photos. I know most of those places. Yaquina Head Lighthouse (my favorite one) needs a makeover again. Thanks for the trip to the ocean 😀
Thanks so much for your comment! There is nothing like a trip down the Oregon Coast! 🙂 🙂
I so agree 😀 😀
Thanks for the pics. We drove the coast or parts of it and loved it. We used to visit my in-laws at Arch Cape back in the 90s when they spent summers there> It was always one of my favorite places.
So glad you enjoyed the pictures! I’ll never get tired of the Oregon Coast! 🙂
That’s a great drive, something to look forward to in the fall.
Really so! I can’t wait! 😊
It is the best road trip! I did it on the back of a Honda Goldwing Motorcycle. I wanted to stop every 5 minutes to take a picture.
Sounds fabulous on a motorcycle!
I can see why you’d want to go again and again. I’ve only been the once and I loved it!
It’s so close, we can’t resist going again and again! Its wonderful any time of year! 😊
We spend 2-4 weeks a year in Depoe Bay. Love the Oregon coast. We’ll bbe heading back in late September. Best coast in the USA. Great photos!
Thank you! Sounds wonderful! Agree with you, it’s the best coast!
LOVE the ORegon Coast…We live in SW Washington and hit the coast often. I recognized several of those places in your photos. A road trip down the coast though hitting different spots would be fun. My son in laws family has made many trips to the Dunes to ride their quads.Thanks for sharing. I’m finally catching up from last week.
Isn’t it wonderful? We often go to Long Beach then cross over to Astoria, down to Seaside and Cannon Beach. We’ll do all or parts of the coast from there, sometimes all the way to the Redwoods in California. It’s all good!
Are Oregon beaches way better than Washington beaches? I haven’t been to either one, but you always hear of people going to the Oregon coast, not so much the Washington coast.
Not necessarily. Washington has beautiful wild and rugged beaches in the north but they are more remote. There are more accessible beaches in the middle and southern part like Ocean Shores and Long Beach. But no single highway follows Washington’s coast; there’s wilderness and other interruptions between. Oregon’s coast is special since you can follow 101 the entire coastline from top to bottom with many more cute towns and services along the way, in addition to the ocean views and beaches.
That makes sense.
It makes for a perfect road trip.
Beautiful
Thank you. 🙂