Everything You Need to Know About Oregon Coast Cities

The Oregon Coast is one of the most stunning coastlines in the United States! It has sandy beaches, unique rock formations, cliffs and amazing sand dunes. If you are wanting to visit the Oregon Coast, this blog post is for you! I will share the best hikes, must-see landmarks, places to eat and campgrounds. Now, let’s work our way north to south!

Astoria

Astoria is a beautiful Oregon coast town that sits right at the mouth of the Columbia River. It has a riverwalk that takes you past hotels, restaurants and great views of boats passing by. You can see the house from The Goonies when you’re in town or hike around Fort Steven’s Park. This is also a popular campground, but it fills up fast so you will want to book a site in advance. Because it is a state park, you will want to have a state park pass or expect to buy a $5 day pass at one of the kiosks. This park is popular for its sandy beaches and the shipwreck you can walk right up to. If food is what you’re after, Buoy Beer Company and Mo’s sit right on the water giving you great meal views.

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach is one of the most popular town on the Oregon Coast because of its quaint downtown, local state parks and the famous Haystack Rock. The town is nestled between two state parks- Ecola State Park to the North and Oswald West State Park to the South. Both parks will require you display a state park pass in your window. At Ecola you can drive right to Indian Beach or hike to Tillamook Rock lighthouse. The hike is a 2.8 mile loop that is family friendly. It passes backpacker’s cabins, old mines and ends at a viewpoint of a lighthouse perched on a rock in the ocean.

Oswald West is famous for Sort Sand Beach. It’s a short 1-mile round-trip hike into a popular surfing beach. The best hike in the park is hands down the Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain overlook. The trail from 101 is 4 miles round-trip and the trail just south is 2.8 miles.

In Town Camping and Food

There are two campgrounds in town- Sea Ranch RV Park and Wright’s For Camping, a family run campground. Cannon Beach can be very crowded on the weekends, especially close to Haystack Rock. Go on a weekday or early if you want to have a view without the crowd. In town you can eat at Driftwood’s Restaurant for seafood or Pelican Brewery, which is family friendly. If you’re wanting a nicer dinner, EVOO and Bistro have great food. If a sweet treat is what you’re after, you want to stop at Schwietert’s Cones and Candy. They have a large selection of ice cream within a candy shop where you can stock up on locally made taffy.

Tillamook

Cape Meares State Park is a must stop for stunning coastal views. It also features a light house you can walk around. On the way there you can stop at Sort Beach which is just off the main road. It has a section of stairs that lead you down to the beach where you can explore some tide pools or enjoy the rock formations in the water.

Cape lookout is another great hike along the Oregon Coast and is just south of Tillamook. It is a 4.7 mile round trip hike that takes you to the end of the peninsula. The hike has a lush trail with views looking back at the coastline.

In Town Camping and Food

Cape lookout has a great campground within the state park. Sanbeach Campground is another great campground close to the beach and if a quiet destination is what you’re looking for, try Big Buck Campground.

This town is famous for it’s cheese factory, which is a must stop. Be sure to arrive with an empty stomach. You can watch the production lines, sample cheese and grab a bite to eat. The best part is ending your time with a scoop out their famous Tillamook ice cream.

Pacific City

This is a small town with one of the most beautiful dunes and rock formations at Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area. There is a parking fee you can pay for at the kiosk. When you walk out to the beach there is a massive sand dune to the right. If you hike to the top you will be rewarded with stunning red rock and turquoise water views. This area is very fragile and it’s important to not go over or under the fences. They are there to protect you and the environment. You can continue over the sand dunes and make your way to the beach on the other side. This area can also be very crowded on weekends and the summer so be prepared for crowds of go early.

In Town Camping and Food

Pelican Brewery is right on the beach and a great spot for food. Ben and Jeff’s Burger’s and tacos is a great quick stop and if coffee is what you’re after, head across the street to Stimulus Coffee. Pacific City has multiple campground options. Webb County Campground is great if you want to be close to the beach. If you head north there are two RV sites-Pacific City Thousand Trails and Pacific City RV & Campground. Hart’s Camp is my favorite RV resort with cute airstream rentals.

Lincoln City

Lincoln City has two of my favorite places just a short drive away. To the north is God’s Thumb, which you can learn more about in my “God’s Thumb” guide. This is a 4.4 mile hike that ends are a grassy knoll with beautiful views of the coast. South of Lincoln City is Devil’s Punchbowl, an amazing collapsed cave that you can even walk into if the tide is low enough so pack your water shoes! Farther south from Devil’s Punchbowl is Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Agate Beach. This is a great spot to watch sea lions in the ocean and explore the tide pools. Another great hike is Drift Creek Falls is just a 40 minute drive from town. It is a short hike with a suspension bridge and a waterfall.

In Town Camping and Food

The city itself is one of the larger towns and has a casino, outlets and plenty of hotels and restaurants. Most of the campgrounds in this area will be RV parks so if you aren’t looking for amenities while camping you will want to either head farther south or inland. Devil’s Lake RV Resort is a great in town spot and Beaverly Beach State Park is great for farther out of the city. The go-to seafood spot in town is Mo’s which is right on the water and is famous for clam chowder. Read’s Homemade Candies is a must if you want locally made candies and salt water taffy. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is not in Lincoln City, but is a short drive south in Newport.

Coos Bay

Coos Bay is the largest city on the coast, but it doesn’t really feel like it. It is a fun town to explore the marina and watch the fireworks for the Fourth of July. One of the most popular reasons to visit this area is to explore the Oregon Sand Dunes. There are miles of white sand dunes to explore either on foot or with a dune buggy, which you can rent in town. Coos Bay has dozens of campgrounds to choose from, but I prefer staying at the ones right on the sand dunes like Eel Creek or Tugman state park. Be warned if you stay in this area you fellow campers will take off late at night for night time sand buggy rides and it can be noisy.

Cape Argo State Park is a popular stop to explore to view miles of coastline or enjoy a picnic. The Coquille Lighthouse was built in 1895 and must if you love looking at lighthouses on the coast. From the lighthouse you can walk to Face Rock viewpoint, a beautiful beach with large rock formations. Another location that I have yet to check off, but want to go soon is Golden and Silver Falls, a 200 and 130 foot waterfalls. The road was washed out years ago adding an additional 1.5 miles on the road to reach the trailhead, making it a 6 mile out and back hike.

In Town Camping and Food

I haven’t eaten much in Coos Bay, but 7 Devils Brewery has a great outdoor space and good food options if you’re looking for a brewery. If you’re looking for a more unique seafood experience, Clausen Oyster is right on the water and has nice outdoor seating.

Bandon

This is my favorite Oregon coast town and area to explore because of it’s rock formations. It is pure rocky coastline magic and beyond beautiful. Samuel H Boardman Corridor is a must-stop spot and you can easily explore the area for multiple days. My favorite spot there is Natural Bridge, a rock arch in the ocean you can walk over. I would not recommend walking onto it though as it is a deadly fall and extremely narrow. Secret Beach is a steep, but short hike down to an alcove beach where you can often watch sea lions or explore the rock formations.

Harris Beach is one of the most amazing beaches if you want to see tide pools. There are thousands of starfish and other creatures just waiting for you to see. Remember to not touch them though! Cape Blanco is home to another must-see lighthouse and allows for anywhere between 1 mile to 7 miles of exploring. If coastal views are what you’re going for, Humbug mountain is a 5.5 mile loop that takes hikers to the top of a vista overlooking the coastline.

In Town Camping and Food

Bandon has plenty of fun spots to eat as well. Bandon Brewery has great pizza if you’re looking for a spot to grab a beer in town. There are a lot of seafood options right on the water like Bandon Fish Market or Tony’s Crab Shack. My favorite place in town is Angelo’s Italy, but last time we drove through is appeared to possibly have closed down due to Covid. They still have an active website and there were no signs on the door, so stop by and see if its open if you’re in town, you won’t regret it! It was my favorite Italian meal since being in Italy. If breakfast or coffee is what you’re looking for, stop by the The Rolling Pin Bakery & Brew for a fresh made biscuit sandwich.

Things to Know About

• Practice leave no trace by not marking on rock formations. If there are signs stating an area is close do no go past the sign for your safety and to protect the area.

• Check the tide schedule to know when to visit tide pools. Low tide is the best time to be able to explore the tide pools. (here)

• Check the weather! Stormy days can be fun, but being aware of sneaker waves and their dangers on a stormy day is important.

• Campgrounds fill up fast, especially on the weekend. Try booking ahead of time, often months in advance.

In conclusion, if you’re planning a visit to the Oregon Coast be sure to check out my “Best Oregon Coast Hikes” about my favorite coastal hikes. Many of them I’ve mentioned, but the post will go more in-depth on what to expect with each one. The Oregon Coast is one of my favorite places to escape and explore and I hope you come to love it too!

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