Only 2 1/2 days on Oregon Coast
 

I will soon be visiting Oregon for the first time, flying in to Portland, and will have 2 1/2 days of free time before a meeting in Eugene. So I plan to rent a car and head over the coast to explore. Everything I've read attracts me to the southern coast because it seems less congested and has a spectacular, rugged beauty (I am a Floridian, so a change from the flat sandy beaches here!). I thought I would take I-5 to Eugene and cut over to Florence and then head south to Brookings, stopping along the way of course. I am most interested in taking pictures & enjoying the coastline scenery and shopping for unique, local arts/crafts. Then, I would head back up I-5 to Eugene on the third day. In my short timeframe, will I have enough time to make this drive and enjoy it?! What are the must-see spots along here? Thanks so much for any advice. I am really looking forward to this trip!<BR>

Sounds like a good plan. Might want to come over at Salem instead of Eugene Cape Arago west of coos bay is neat. The seven devils road between Coos Bay and Bandon might be a side trip. Your only problem would be Brookings to Eugene via I5. To do this you would have to take 101 south to (just north of) Crescent City Ca. then get on US 199 to Grants Pass then on to I5 (there is a forest service road through the coastal mountians but it is a rough road) It may be faster and prettier to go back up the coast.<BR><BR>Have Fun<BR>GP

I suggest driving south to north so that the sun will not be eternally in yur eyes. I particularly like the area around Yachats. There are some rocky headlands in that area where the surf pounds in a spectacular fashion.<BR>There is one cape, Cape Perpetua, that seems to rise about 1,000 feet straight out of the water. <BR>I think you will enjoy the trip because of the variety. You get everything from a few wide sandy beaches to those rocky headlands and high capes.<BR>There are plenty of small state parks and byways where you can park and enjoy the scenery.<BR><BR>

I am not sure I would agree that the southern coast has the "rugged" beauty, I believe the mid-coast does. I don't believe you'll find that there is too much congestion anywhere along the coast. <BR><BR>I recommend driving from Portland to Seaside and 101 south to Florence. 101 does head inland for a little while through Tillamook (where they make cheese, a fun 1-2 hour stop) but soon heads back out along the coastline with many waysides and state parks. <BR><BR>Basically from Florence south to Port Orford is all inland driving. While it is pretty it certainly doesn't have the coast you seem to be interested in.<BR><BR>This also LOTS of driving. On I5 Portland to Eugene takes just under 3 hours. Ashland to Eugene is 3 hours - not including the curvy road from Brookings to Ashland (which according to the previous post is a detour south).<BR><BR>I am not very familiar with the southern coast but Bandon is a fun coastal town. It has a nice beach with driftwood and smooth sand (the main differences from Florida). <BR><BR>IF you were to stay mid-coast I recommend Astoria (north of Portland), it has great old houses, Fort Clatsop a reconstruction of the fort Lewis & Clark lived in, a great shipping museum, Seaside is fairly touristy but may have some things to see, Tillamook has the cheese factory and great ice cream. Newport has a great downtown area with some silly and nice shops, the aquarium with a great walk-through fish tank. Florence has lots of dunes and a cute down town. People really recommend staying in Yachats, south of Newport. If you do go south you might stop at Shore Acres and admire the garden.<BR><BR>Feel free to write and ask questions. Enjoy your stay, Oregon is beautiful!!<BR>

As a native Oregonian I got a good laugh out of the post which suggested to drive south to north so the sun wasn't in your eyes all the time. I assure you if the sun is in your eyes even for part of the time you should consider it very fortunate. The coast is beautiful, but having a sunny day is a gift not to be expected. I vote for staying at Yachats. The south coast is very beautiful, but you are talking about a whole lot of two-lane highway travel often full of RVs and campers.

Denise, I'd suggest crossing over at Newport, head south as far as Gold Beach or Brookings, backtrack to Reedsport, then follow Highway 38 back to the freeway and Eugene. Highway 38 parallels the Umpqua River and the road along its lower stretches is a very beautiful drive.<BR><BR>Along the coast, don't miss the pullout for pictures of the Heceta Head lighthouse, and check out Depoe Bay, Yachats, the sand dunes around Florence. There are many state parks along the coast, and seldom do they fail to please. And, while the Oregon coast is all about nature, don't fail to notice the many graceful - make that beautiful - bridges along US 101 - in Florence, Newport, Cape Creek, and other places.<BR><BR>As far as arts and crafts go, stopping at one "Myrtle wood" shop should do you fine. There are clusters of crafty artsy shops in places like Yachats or Bandon.<BR><BR>Be prepared - not all of the Oregon coast is unspoilt or pristine, and in towns like Coos Bay the global economy raises its sometimes less than lovely head. This is timber country, and right now timber towns are having hard times. Shop, stay, dine in some of these towns if you can - they can use the business.<BR><BR>Have a great time.

Your mention of "unique arts and crafts" suggests Cannon Beach to me. It's just south of Seaside. I would drive there from Portland (a gorgeous drive through farmlands, then amazing mountains.) Cannon Beach is a high-end "tourist" attraction, but really worth it for the wealth of art galleries, and spectacular beach.<BR><BR>I'd contine down there towards the southern coast.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip!

A person here above wrote "IF you were to stay mid-coast I recommend Astoria "<BR>Oh yes? Astoria is NOT on the coast and is as far north in Oregon as you can get in this area of the state so how in the world is it "mid-coast"? Does the Oregon coast now stretch up to Forks WA? If so that would make Astoria mid-coast.

Just wanted to say thanks to all of you for the great suggestions so far! Very helpful and definitely gives me some things to think about.

Ouch!! I know Astoria is in the north - I was simply suggesting an itinerary that kept her north of Florence rather than driving all the way to southern Oregon, where from Florence to north of Bandon is inland - seemed a waste if she wanted to see the coast. <BR><BR>Wish you had contributed to the discussion rather than stabbing at people who were trying to be helpful.

Haven't you heard about the recent cahnges to the west coast? Seems Northern California and Southern Oregon joined up and formed the state of Jefferson. That PO'd the rest of Oregon cause now it was so small so it annexed<BR>the Olympia Pennisula from Washington. Then that infamous 9.1 earthquake that all the scientist say is bound to hit the PNW coast anyday did.......and well now Astoria IS on the coast and IS mid-coast Oregon.

For art galleries, special shops, and a beautiful coast, I wouldn't miss Cannon Beach. Haystack Rock is quite spectacular. It's an easy couple of hours from Portland. Then head south. Florence and Newport are nice, but many of the coastal towns in Oregon don't seem to have reached their potential yet.

Depends on your definition of potential. Some are very stereotypical fishing towns with weatherbeaten houses and boats. Isn't that much of what the coast is about? I admit they aren't fancy cosmopolitan cities - but I enjoy their "quaintness". Just remember that and don't expect more than fishing villages and towns.

A MUST SEE IN FLORENCE IS THE SEA LION CAVES - POSSIBLY YOU COULD GO NORTH INSTEAD AND DRIVE TO YACHATS AND NEWPORT OREGON - YACHATS IS A QUAINT SEASIDE COMMUNITY AND NEWPORT HAS A FAIRLY DECENT 'AQUARIUM' THAT IS WORTH THE EFFORT OF STOPPING - THEN HEAD TOWARD I-5 FOR EUGENE????