Banana Belt on Oregon Coast?
 

We are looking for a vacation house rental for a week beginning May either on the North California or Southern Oregon coast. The Oregon rentals seems to be priced more to our budget but is there really a "sunshine or banana belt" along the Oregon coast as some advertise? Is Brookings or Port Orford a generally good vacation area or is Gold Beach better (weather wise, scenery). We've driven the Oregon and California coast but never spent more than one night at any one location. Any thoughts appreciated.

Anywhere from Gold Beach to Brookings, I'd say. In a weeks time you might want to see the Redwoods at the border, hit the Oregon Caves and Crater Lake, and drive inland a ways on the Rogue River- Gold Beach/Agness Road. That's in addition to the Beach. Port Orford has less options for my tastes.

Meant to add, yes the weather is much better/dryer/warmer in the Southern Third of Oregon.

Brookings is the banana belt. It stays much milder there than other places. You can drive to either Crescent City or Gold Beach and it can be 15 - 20° cooler, depending. Gold Beach is a nice area, but I wouldn't say there is better scenery, it's probably comparable. If you are looking on the Northern California coast, look further south than Crescent City. That area is not an especially pretty coastal town. My first choice would be in the Brookings area.