Regal View Heceta Head Lighthouse Shining Across Oregon Coast

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Oregon Coast

A drive along Oregon's coast is a scenic adventure any time of year. Rocky headlands loom high above the ocean, providing astounding vistas, while craggy rocks lie scattered along the shoreline like oceanic sentinels. The Coast Range is deeply etched by great rivers and patched with forests, offering outdoor enthusiasts excellent boating, fishing and hiking. The Oregon Dunes – among the largest coastal dunes in the world – stretch for more than 50 miles and, just offshore, gray whales migrate from Alaska to Mexico and back.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • White water from a wave crashing against a rocky shoreline in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area along the Oregon Coast.

    Cape Perpetua Scenic Area

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Located 3 miles south of Yachats, this volcanic remnant was sighted and named by England's Captain James Cook in 1778. Famous for dramatic rock formations…

  • Oregon Coast Aquarium

    Oregon Coast Aquarium

    Northern Oregon Coast

    The region's top attraction, this cutting-edge aquarium is especially fun if you have kids along. Marine celebrities include seals, sea otters and a giant…

  • Heceta Head Lighthouse

    Heceta Head Lighthouse

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Built in 1894 and towering precipitously above the churning ocean, this lighthouse, 13 miles south of Yachats on Hwy 101, is supremely photogenic and…

  • USA, Oregon, Oregon State Park, Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock

    Haystack Rock

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Haystack Rock is Cannon Beach's iconic symbol, a beautiful hulking monolith that rises 235ft and has had cameos in several movies. It's part of the Oregon…

  • Ecola State Park

    Ecola State Park

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Located just north of town, Ecola State Park offers seclusion, various hikes and great picnicking. Short paths at Ecola Point lead over the headland to…

  • Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

    Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Stretching a mile out to sea is the popular Yaquina Head, a grassy headland just north of Newport. Short trails lead to viewing areas for shorebirds,…

  • Fort Stevens State Park

    Fort Stevens State Park

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Ten miles west of Astoria, this park holds the historic military installation that once guarded the mouth of the Columbia River. Near the Military Museum…

  • Columbia River Maritime Museum

    Columbia River Maritime Museum

    Northern Oregon Coast

    Astoria's seafaring heritage is well interpreted at this wave-shaped museum. It's hard to miss the retired Coast Guard boat, frozen mid-rescue, through a…

View more attractions
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/top
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Oregon-Coast",
  "region": "Americas",
  "continent": "North-America",
  "country": "The-USA"
}

Articles

Latest stories from Oregon Coast

Filter by interest:

Sea stacks at Crescent Beach.

Beaches

The 10 most beautiful beaches in Oregon

Jul 6, 2024 • 8 min read

Read more articles

Go Beyond

Oregon Coast and beyond

Beyond Oregon Coast
  • placement: fullWidth
  • path: destinations/bottom
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [300, 250], [320, 50], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "destination": "Oregon-Coast",
  "region": "Americas",
  "continent": "North-America",
  "country": "The-USA"
}