My friend and I will be spending six days exploring the Oregon Coast in mid-July.
Our lodging farthest south is in Bandon, and we plan to use it as a home base for exploring the southern stretch of the coast, which we've read is often considered the most spectacular.
If we only have one day to explore the beaches south of Bandon, what are the highlights we shouldn't miss? How far south should we venture in a day?
Thanks for your help!
Highlights south of Bandon, Oregon?
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what are you doing the other 5 days?
Here's our tentative itinerary. We're open to suggestions!
Monday: Drive from Portland to Coos Bay. (Overnight in Coos Bay)
Tuesday: Explore Southern Coast. (Overnight in Bandon)
Wednesday: Drive to Yachats. Spend the day at Cape Perpetua.(Overnight in Yachats)
Thursday: Explore more of Central Coast. (Overnight in Yachats)
Friday: Drive to Cannon Beach (Overnight in Cannon Beach)
Saturday: Spend the day in Cannon Beach/Astoria/Seaside area. Possible visit to Cape Disappointment State Park.
Drive back to Portland.
Sounds like a good plan to me.
For the Bandon/south area - you could take a jet boat ride from Gold Beach - up the fabled Rogue River - (google away - there are several companies) - and/or also check out some Redwood parks - either outside of Grants Pass - or further down the Coaast - into Cal - just south of Crescent City.
Another option if you like wine - is at Florence - head inland for about 45 minutes - toward Eugene - and check out the King Estate, Sweet Cheeks or Hinman/Silvanride estate - where we had a nice lunch at their picnic area - overlooking the vinyards. http://silvanridge.com/
Just double checked on Mapquest - and they show Florence to Hinman/Silvan Ridge as little over an hour. It's a pretty drive and as you probably know - they grow some great Piots in Oregon.
ia OR-126
1 hour 13 mins / 56.88 miles
You can adjust your route by Dragging the Route Line
The town of Gold Beach is good for walking on the beach. The C of C has been planting a few glass floats. They are also friendly to geocachers. I haven't heard of any Japanese tsunami debris this far south yet.
Coos Bay is not the most scenic of Oregon Coastal towns and would not be my first choice of places to spend a night- however, if you do, a visit out to Shore Acres is nice- its the former estate of a pioneer family and is a beautiful spot. There are several nice beaches close by- Sunset Beach is one of them.
If you need some vacation reading material on vacation " A Gathering of Finches" is an interesting book of the pioneer family that started Shore Acres- its historical fiction but I found it pretty interesting.
I second the idea of the Jet boat rides- Jerry's is usually the one I use and I do the whole day trip- you will need a reservation for sure. That is at Gold Beach.
In Bandon I would just explore the beaches and the Old Town area- pack a lunch and spend the day at the beach.
You could drive south to Ca and explore some of the Redwoods but that is quite a bit more driving- I would just hang around Bandon.
Bandon is only 22 miles from Coos Bay. I would skip it and go straight to Bandon from Portland which would take you about 5 1/2 hours if you go to Roseburg on I-5 then over HWY 42. Get there in time to eat dinner at Lord Bennett's and watch the sunset from the raised dining room. Old Town Bandon is worth an hour or so of window shopping. Good bakery there for treats. Great beaches off Beach Loop road with easy access. Drive south to Port Orford and have lunch at the Crazy Norwegian. Awesome view and great fish and chips. Last time we saw whales in the bay there. This is our most visited coastal spot from where we live on the east side of Roseburg. I second the motion of visiting Shore Acres, though. It is beautiful and worth the side jaunt. I would also like to try the Jerry's jet boat trip up the Rogue, but that is a ways from Bandon and I don't think you really have time for it this trip.
Your profile does not say where you are from so don't know if you are from PNW or not. If you are not from this area and would like some great canned seafood- there is a place in Charleston ( not far from the marina) that has a variety of canned tuna, salmon that they can on site. You will never buy Chicken of the Sea after buying there.
There is another store in Charleston- next door to the cannery, that is pretty amazing if you are into shopping- and I have forgotten the name- sorry. They have home items and clothes of wide variety- many of which you might choose to wear in Vegas if you were 70. Its pretty amazing though. The owner told us that he has clients that fly in private jets and shop while husbands fish. Its worth a stop if you actually spend the night in Coos Bay area-
I stayed in Charleston last fall at Captain Johns Motel- just an ordinary motel, close to a pretty good restaurant and the marina. Not a bad place to stay - but agree with Oregonmom that Bandon might be a better choice.