Oregon Coast

Oregon Coast is the most popular place to visit in the Pacific Northwest and for good reason: all 363 miles of Oregon’s coast are freely accessible by the public. Filled with lighthouses, dramatic scenery and fishing villages, the entire coast is peppered with singular sights you won’t see anywhere else in the world. Enter on to Highway 101, known as the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, and start a one-of-a-kind fly-drive holiday.

See lighthouses and shipwrecks and breathtakingly beautiful shores – the Oregon Coast has nine historic lighthouses each with a unique maritime story, but Heceta Head and Yaquina Head Lighthouses are highlights so don’t miss out on one of their guided tours. The coastlines are stunning, from rugged oceanside cliffs like Gleneden and Nye Beach, filled with tide pools and nesting seabirds to otherworldly rock formations as can be found at both Brookings and Cannon Beach. Walk right up to the iconic Haystack Rock towering at nearly 72m or let the tide wash over your feet as you take in the stunning stones.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the Coast: go kayaking or take a surf lesson; fishing and crabbing are popular pastimes, and whale-watching and wildlife boat tours from places like Newport Beach will help you see grey whales, porpoises, sea lions, pelicans and bald eagles in their natural habitat. Oregon’s southern coast has the state’s nearshore reefs for snorkelling, and miles upon miles of sandy beaches are just waiting to be explored.

Stop along the Coast is one of the many delightful towns. Newport is a working harbour and has a charm that is worth an overnight stay. Lincoln City is wonderful for a stroll along its many shops, and an easy hike around Tillamook Bay will work up an appetite for a visit to the century-old Tillamook Cheese Factory, which still produces some of America’s finest cheeses to this day.