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Albany, Oregon
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Bend, Oregon
gs logo Netarts Bay Garden RV Resort
Tillamook, Oregon
gs logo Lincoln City Premier RV Resort
Lincoln City, Oregon

Oregon’s North Coast

Discover a majestic coast that enticed Lewis and Clark

Flanked by temperate rainforest and punctuated by gorgeous rock formations, Oregon’s northern coast is a great place to shop, dine on fresh seafood, hike through landscapes or stroll along wide sandy beaches. It’s home to plenty of quaint towns, and the region’s proximity to the cities of Portland and Salem (Oregon’s capital), has led to excellent tourist infrastructure and an abundance of great shopping and dining opportunities. Lovers of the outdoors will enjoy hiking through forested trails, many of which lead straight to beautiful cove beaches.

Astoria

The northernmost of Oregon’s beach towns, Astoria marks the spot where Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific in 1805 after trekking across the continent for 18 months. It’s also here that the Columbia River meets the ocean. This cute little town sports lots of beautiful old Victorian houses and plenty of boutiques and quaint cafes. Movie buffs might recognize the town from the silver screen; flicks such as “Kindergarten Cop,” “Free Willy” and “The Goonies” were shot here. From Astoria, take a drive across the scenic Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia River for beautiful views.

Seaside

A popular getaway for families, Seaside is known for its mile-and-a-half-long ocean-facing Promenade, lined with shops, restaurants and even candy shops hawking saltwater taffy. The city also offers plenty of events throughout the year, from volleyball tournaments to classic car shows.

Cannon Beach

One of the most popular beach towns among weekend visitors from Portland, Cannon Beach is characterized by higher-end boutiques, fine restaurants serving fresh catch of the day, and dozens of art galleries featuring the works of some of the region’s finest painters, sculptors and glassworkers. Nearby Ecola State Park, just north of the town center, offers numerous trails and viewpoints for hikers of all levels, some of which provide direct links to otherwise inaccessible beaches. At the south end of town, the iconic Haystack Rock—accessible only at low tide—attracts beachcombers and marine life enthusiasts with its numerous tide pools and provides an excellent nesting spot for area puffins (just remember to pack your binoculars).

Garibaldi

South of Cannon Beach, tiny Garibaldi is a quiet port town driven by the fishing industry. There are lots of little shops and restaurants here, and while it’s usually pretty calm, the fourth weekend of July attracts large crows thanks to the annual Garibaldi Days celebration. Events include a parade, free outdoor concerts and plenty of concession stands.

Tillamook and Netarts

Tillamook is known for its tasty cheeses that are shipped across the country, and most visitors here head straight to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. This self-guided tour gives you a birds-eye view of how more than 171,000 pounds of this famous cheese are produced each day. Sample a variety of cheeses on the tour, including the “squeaky” cheese, before heading to the cheese shop for an astounding selection of this dairy product, along with fresh yogurt, sour cream, butter and over two-dozen flavors of homemade, extra-creamy ice cream.

The factory is a cooperative dairy that attracts more than a million foodies each year. During the tour, visitors can watch workers producing and packing cheese.

Despite the heavy foot traffic, cheese fans should be assured of the painstaking measures that Tillamook goes through to ensure quality. Many of the cheeses are aged for as long as three years.

If you are a fan of Monterey Jack cheese, it should be noted that Tillamook Monterey Jack has won the best in its class at the United States Championship Cheese Contest.

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After the tour, work off the extra calories by visiting Tillamook Bay, just to the east. Here, you’ll see stunning intertidal rocks that stand like pillars. Visitors will discover outstanding crabbing and hiking along 12 mapped trails. Head to nearby Netarts for fantastic clamming; crab pot rentals are available at the Netarts Spit Marina. Located off the beaten path, the town of Netarts offers a tranquil retreat. Nestled amid 2,300 acres of coastal rainforest, Netarts is a relief from the crowds.

Pacific City

Just south of Netarts, Pacific City is a quaint little town with beautiful, wide beaches flanked with large cliffs and is home to the Bob Straub State Park, an excellent spot for beachside bird-watching. Visitors to this area’s pristine shores can hunt for a variety of treasures, including sand dollars, hermit crabs and driftwood. A bike path runs through downtown Pacific City, giving visitors easy access to shopping and dining. Fishing, golf, hiking and kite flying are on offer.

Lincoln City

One of Oregon’s more popular beach getaways, Lincoln City is best known for three things: kites, tide pools and clam chowder. The city has great shopping, with little stores selling everything from quartz crystal to stained glass and most visitors in the know like to stop off at Mo’s for a cup of the iconic restaurant’s famous chowder. Gamblers have lots of options here, including the Chinook Winds Casino Resort right in town and the nearby Spirit Mountain Casino, about 30 miles inland.

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Depoe Bay

Considered the Oregon coast’s whale watching capital, Depoe Bay’s most famous residents are its pod of gray whales, which linger here for much of the year. There are also plenty of spouting horns just off the coast that can spew water up to 60 feet in the air.

Newport

A hot spot for tourism, Newport is best known for Yaquina Head Light, which, at 93 feet tall, is Oregon’s highest lighthouse. It’s also an excellent spot to shop, with dozens of gift shops and art galleries, and lots of restaurants serving high-quality meals. Crabbing is also a popular activity here, and most visitors try to pay a visit to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, housing one of the largest outdoor seabird aviaries on the continent.

Waldport

Just south of Newport, Waldport offers great opportunities to catch your own crabs just off of the free crabbing dock on the Alsea River (crab pots are also available for rent). Waldport also offers plenty of spots to whale watch and kayak, plus a popular bakery, Pacific Sourdough, which sells breads, pastries and coffee from its own retail outlet in Old Town.

For More Information

Oregon Coast Visitors Association

888-628-2101

www.visittheoregoncoast.com

 

Travel Oregon

800-547-7842

www.traveloregon.com