N. OR Coast in 3 Days?!
 

My prior post was questioning how to spend 9 days in Oregon considering 3 nights in the middle must be in Portland due to a conference. Now, I am still puzzled on the best way to spend 2 nights and 3 days on the Northern Oregon Coast. We are 2 adults and a 15 yr old from the Mid-Atlantic and like scenery and the outdoors.

With such limited amount of time:
What would be your best 3 days along the Coast?
What hikes/drives not to miss?
What coastal town would be the best spot to be based in?

Thanks in advance!

I would spend one night in the Seaside/Cannon Beach area to explore Ecola State Park, the town of Cannon Beach, and Haystack Rock which has great tide pools at low tide.

I would spend the other night in the Newport/Yachats area to explore the Cape Perpetua region, which is south of Yachts and north of Florence.

Newport is the larger of the two towns. It has a good beach, a popular aquarium and an interesting working harbor.

Here is a guide to hikes on the Oregon coast: http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_gu...on_Coast_Hikes

If you are a member of AAA, they can provide you with an excellent detailed map of this section of the Oregon coast.

There are loads of little towns along the way. The fun of the drive is what you might discover serindipitously. There are lighthouses along the way, including the one at Yaquina Head, just north of Newport.

HTtY

PS Book your rooms as soon as your dates are firm. You are traveling during the height of the tourist season. Rooms are very expensive and many of the hotels are firm about a 4:00 p.m. check-in.

What time do you land at PDX? If you can get out of the airport before noon, go south on I-5 to Albany (US 20) and go west on 20 to Newport. Get a room in Newport and the next day see the Oregon Coast Aquarium (south of town across the big bridge.) Head back north on US 101 and see whatever interests you including Cape Meares near Tillamook. Stop to see Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. If you can find a place to stay for 1 night in Cannon Beach do it. Otherwise go a few miles up 101 to Seaside or Astoria for your second night.
If you stay in Cannon Beach or Seaside, come back to Portland on US 26. If you go to Astoria, go over the huge bridge over the Columbia into Washington and then back to Portland on the Washington side of the river.

Go to www.oregoncoastmagazine.com and read their mile-by-mile descriptions.

In my post on your other thread, I mentioned Forest Service Road 25 in the Gifford Pinchot NF. The road may be reopened by late summer after a lot of work. http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/giffor...d=fseprd486364
The one time that I drove all the way out to the Mt. St. Helens area from I-5, I had to turn around before the visitor center because of snow on the road.
It can snow on Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens in October or it can be nice and in the 60's. You never can predict.