Oregon in 7-8 days Part II
 

Thanks so much to all for previous recs. We are firming up our plans for a July visit and have a question re the time on coastal Oregon. We will have from a Sunday afternoon to a Wednesday morning to spend visiting the coast from Florence to get back to Portland by noon Wed. We are trying to decide where to stay. We are interested in trying to get in some nice views, maybe a daily hike of 4 - 5 miles (or a combination of smaller hikes), lighthouses, maybe a boat trip, but not so much interested in shopping. We have had a suggestion of Yachats for two of the nights. Would that be a good location for those activities? The Overleaf Lodge looked really nice, but so did so many other places...See Vue and Adobe, and other lodgings up and down the coast...Sylvia Beach Hotel, and Inn at Otter Crest in particular. I have gotten several opinions to avoid Lincoln City and Seaside. So:

(1)Would two nights at Yachats serve us a well as a location for investigating mid-coast, and one night farther up the coast (where? Depoe Bay? Inn at Otter Crest looks nice)

(2)Ignoring any shopping and town, what areas would be highlighted for short scenic hikes?

(3)Would it be better to stay all three nights in Yachats and use that as a base for going up the coast, or does traffic make that time-costly?

(4)Would Newport be a better, more central location?

Thanks for all your help!

Yes, Yachats would be a great place to base yourselves for those activities. You definitely want to stay at the Overleaf rather than the Adobe--I don't know the See Vue, but I can't imagine it's nicer than the Overleaf. And I personally prefer smaller Yachats to busier Newport.

Good places for hiking near Yachats would be Cape Perpetua, Heceta Head and the dunes recreational area. The Overleaf website has information about nearby hiking trails, btw.

Spending one night further up to be closer to Portland and doing the 3 capes loop (with a hike to Cape Lookout and visiting the lighthouse at Cape Meares) wouldn't be a bad idea, but I'd look at recent reviews for the Inn at Otter Crest--I haven't heard great things lately (but I havne't been there recently myself). Take a look at the Inn at Cape Kiwanda--it gets mixed reviews but for one night it should be ok and it puts you closer to where you want to be for hiking, and a bit closer to Portland as well for your flight. Or if can find a place in the Cannon Beach, Arch Cape or Manzanita area that will take you for one night, that would be preferable IMO.

NWWanderer and I are pretty much on the same wavelength; Yachats would be great choices. And the Overleaf's spectacular setting should outweigh any preference you might have for a busier Newport.

The problem with moving after two nights is that most north coast lodgings, particularly in Cannon Beach and Seaside, have at least 2-night minimum stay requirements during the summer. So, I'd suggest either staying put in Yachats, or spending all three nights in Cannon Beach. You'd be happy either way, I think.

Another hike to add to NWWanderer's suggestions is the one out Cascade Head, six miles north of Lincoln City. You can catch the trail just uphill from the Riverhouse in Cascade Head Ranch. To get there, take Three Rocks Road west off 101 to Savage, up the hill into Cascade Head Ranch, then left, down the hill to the Riverhouse. The view south from the Head is one of my favorites on the coast.

Thanks for the info! After more research, maybe Inn at Otter Crest is not the best option. We found one night stays available in Arch Cape at Ocean Point Inn (but at $250 a little more than what we were looking to spend) and also at Inn at Cape Kiwanda (~$200 for one night). In Manzanita, Old Wheeler Hotel and Spindrift Inn had availability for a single night, but looked like little else there. Cannon Beach was tough...couldn't find anything decent available for one night. We'll have to do more searching.

It's possible that you might find a one night "gap" in CB closer to your travel dates but of course you'd want to have a backup reservation with a reasonable cancellation policy if you're going to go that route. I'd try the Cannon Beach Hotel or one of their sister properties if you're looking to keep under $200 or so. No views from most rooms but it's a cute place and perfect for just one night if they have a gap and can acommodate you.

I'm not familiar with Spindrift, but Old Wheeler Hotel is actually in the town of Wheeler, south of Manzanita. Kind of a funky old place overlooking the bay; okay, I think, as long as you're not expecting much: http://www.oldwheelerhotel.com/.

As usual, I'm in agreement with NWWanderer re Cannon Beach Hotel. Charming little place, with one of the best restaurants in town sharing the building.

We are in Seaside right now, having a great time surfing, bike riding, dining out and relaxing on the beach. It's been gorgeous here, have you checked out Ecola Creek Lodge in Cannon Beach? It's a cool place with great rates in Cannon Beach. Enjoy your trip! ***kim*** ((f))

kim--Yes, the local news said last night that yesterday was the coldest day on the coast in over a month. And lots of hail we had too. The sun is supposed to show its face again on Saturday. Will you still be here?

Gorgeous? In Seaside? Florida maybe, but certainly not Oregon! Temps are 7-8 degrees below normal for this time of year. And normal is mid-50's. You do like to embellish, don't ya, kimamom. ;-)

Ecola Creek Lodge does look cool, but, again, we run into the problem of more than one night's stay required.

Philsbert, did you call and ask about one night gaps, or just check online? I've found it's better to call and also ask when to check back closer to the date to see if they'd allow a one nighter.

If you don't mind being a little south of Cannon Beach, this place takes reservations for one night only: http://www.archcapehouse.com/.

There's been an ownership change since we stayed there (about five years ago), but I expect it's still nice.

Since we used to go to the Coast during the summer and off season, I have to say that rarely did we get gorgeous days at the Coast before July...we were in Arch Cape in early Sept last year and boy was I glad we had a fireplace in the room as well as warm sweaters.. maybe farther north in Seaside it gets warmer but I doubt it.

I would stay at the Arch Cape House in a minute!
I also liked the Inn at Arch Cape but they have a 2-3 night minimum..

Remember..a fireplace in your room is a good thing on the Oregon coast :D

We were admiring the Ocean Point Inn in Arch Cape last summer, it is right on a gorgeous stretch of beach, a very nice looking place, very upscale and well-kept. If you can swing the $250/night I would stay here! ***kim*** ((*))