Check other posts in here under Oregon for a wealth of information/opinions. And a lot depends on what you think your family wants to do.

I am partial to Depot Bay - just south of Lincoln City - and in particular - like the Surfrider Resort. http://www.surfriderresort.com/ You can walk on the long beach - or hike in the nearby parks, and also see whales from there.

Many feel the prettiest driving section of the Oregon Coast if from Lincoln City down to the big sand dunes - south of Florence.

We like the area around Cannon Beach. It is only 2 hours from PDX and an easy drive.

We do the multigenerational trips often and enjoy having one house for everyone.

Living here in OR, we are very familiar with all the great places to visit. Cannon Beach ticks all your boxes, and has quite a few rental homes. Also take a look at Gearhart and Manzanita. Both are nearby and have homes for rent and are great areas for families to enjoy.

Schooner's Cove in Cannon Beach would be ideal for your purposes. It is on the beach (near tide pools), it has a grassy yard for the 2-year-old, and it is a short walk to shops and restaurants: http://www.schoonerscove.com/

HTTY

Lincoln City/Depot Bay is also 2 hours from Portland - and not nearly as crowded as Cannon Beach.

Presumably the Oregonians on the board are referring to Depoe Bay .

With a week presumably you're looking at a house rental rather than a motel/hotel, or maybe you ought to consider that. Sites like VRBO ("Vacation Rental by Owner") might be helpful if you go that route.

With that long a time and presumably a couple of cars, maybe some location where there are not only local things to do - beaches, tidepools, etc. - but also interesting places to go for day trips, might be useful. Two alternative thoughts:

While I'm no huge fan of Cannon Beach/Seaside/Gearhart, that area does have the advantage of being close to several excursion-worthy places, like Tillamook to the south (cheese factory/ice cream mayhem, but very kid-friendly) and the gorgeous Cape Meares just to the west; or north to Astoria, the Cape Disappointment area on the Washington side of the Columbia's (awesome) mouth, or even Long Beach WA and Willapa Bay - huge drive-on beaches (big kite-flying area) and wildlife in the refuge.

Or, much farther to the south, the area around Gold Beach on the south coast. IMO the southern portion of the Oregon coast - from Bandon to the California line - is the most scenic part of the coast (others may disagree) with umpteen great state park beaches, but also with the Rogue River canyon, and, an hour away, the northern Redwood groves across the California line, starting right around Crescent City and extending a little eastward and south toward Eureka. The contrast - rugged, rocky coast, pounding surf, etc., then the silence and misty grandeur of the Redwood groves - wow. Plenty to occupy little kids and their parents and grandparents too.

Gardyloo--Yes, except Tomsd isn't an Oregonian He lives in southern CA.

"Yes, except Tomsd isn't an Oregonian" Though he plays one on TV . . .

Thanks so much everyone. The coastline sounds just breathtaking. I am beginning to get a feel for the different areas, but deciding which one for our family base is tough. We love nature. The kids love to hike, mountain bike, want to explore tide pools, enjoy great local food. We will be looking for a rental house on the coast. I have started looking at VRBO as advised. Deciding what we wanted to see inland was easy. The coast is harder, but probably want to stay within 2 hours of Portland.

Open to your ideas. Thanks again!!

Only moved to Oregon when I was 2 - first being in Portland, then La Grande and the rest of the time through high school in Klamath Falls. Even in thoswe early years - pretty much covered the state - either with my parents traveling - or with traveling sports teams in baseball, basketball and football - or doing some hunting - and then after undergrad in Colorado - went back for an MBA.

Since then - have been back on average more than once a year several times to look at property in various parts of the state. Have also driven all over the state and I mean ALL over!!!! Can't think of an area I have missed.

And - if you really dig in - ost travel "experts" (not just Portland folks) - agree the prettiest part of the Oregon Coast is from Lincoln City down to a bit south of Florence, but if you can - the whole drive is beautiful. I have probably only driven it about eight times, aside from numerous trips to Florence while going to Grad school at U of O.

Do check out the prices at the Surfrider - overlooking Depoe Bay - and I think they also have some suites/cottages for families.

Personally - I don't like to stay one place for a week - and you could break it up say there/Surfrider and maybe down by Bandon Dunes - and try taking a jet boat part way up the fabled Rogue River at Gold Beach - (BTW - did you see Meryl Streep and xxx Bacon in the movie where they ran the Rogue - the other way - down the Rapids - as he took them hostage - she being a former river guide - to get away after a bank robbery) - and also take in some big Coastal Redwoods.

Does anyone know anything about the Neskowin area?

Neskowin is a beautiful area! Very quiet, but a great beach area.

BTW - the movie is The River Wild, 1994 was it?

Only drove by/through Neskowin - and it's very pretty. If you can get a good deal - why not?

Couldn't cut and paste on the laptop - so here is some more info on what I think is a great movie - at least as far as the acting and the beautiful scenery - The River Wild.

Now I have fished for Steelhead several times in the Rogue river (first made internationaly famous by western writer Zane Grey ) - but this movie made me want to run this river, whichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zane_Grey )- which friends of mine have done in kayaks, a real adventure "trip" for sure.


Myrl Streep does her usual great job of acting - and actually looks like she could guide a zodiac down the river, and Kevin Bacon is hauntingly sinister as the bank robber/kidnpper - especially with his evil smile.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110997/ and for great scenes: http://tinyurl.com/8bx6vfu

Now driving from around the Lincoln City area to Gold Beach - the mouth of the Rogue - is an incredibly beautiful - but somewhat long 5 hours - and you might consider possibly doing this drive one day - renting a place overnight in Bandon Dunes or Gold Beach - and then taking a morning jet boat ride up the Rogue - which I have always wanted to do.

Years ago - the only way to deliver mail was by use of these shallow draft boats - bravely venturing up the river just about every day of the year.

see: http://www.roguejets.com/ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC-zIqeJx28 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r21IRUFGZkk&feature=related