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Destination: The Best of the Oregon Coast
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If you make it to the northwest this summer, here’s what not to miss
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BY KAREN NAGY
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| Watching cheesemakers in action at the Tillamook Cheese Factory; Haystack Rock, seen at the far end of Cannon Beach. |
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The 363-mile Oregon coastline stretches from the mouth of the Columbia River in the north to old-growth redwood forests in the south. In between, you’ll find rolling sand dunes, rugged cliffs, emerald forests and 9 lighthouses. Here are six of our favorite spots.
HAYSTACK ROCK
This 235-foot-high basalt monolith rises out of the sand just 1½ miles south of downtown Cannon Beach. A coastal landmark, the sea stack has appeared in a number of films: Ken Kesey’s Sometimes a Great Notion; Kindergarten Cop, with Arnold Schwarzenegger; and two Steven Spielberg films: The Goonies and 1941. At low tide, you can walk out to the rock and explore the nearby rocky reefs and tide pools brimming with starfish, crabs and sea anemones. Hundreds of tufted puffins journey here in summer to lay eggs and raise their chicks. Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site, Cannon Beach
TILLAMOOK CHEESE FACTORY
More than a million people visit the factory each year for a bird’s-eye view of cheesemaking and a taste of the award-winning products made here. (In 2010 Tillamook’s medium cheddar, created from the original 100-year old recipe, was named best in the world.) Kids love the “squeaky” cheese curds, sold exclusively at the factory, and the 38 flavors of ice cream and 30 varieties of fudge. Free daily tours 8 a.m.–8 p.m.; tillamook.com
OREGON COAST AQUARIUM
Newport’s indoor and outdoor exhibits explore the sandy and rocky shore habitats that provide homes for some 250 species native to the Oregon coast. The main exhibit is Passages of the Deep, a 1.32-million-gallon underwater world that holds 5,000 marine animals, including skate, rockfish and three types of sharks (leopard, spiny dogfish and broadnose sevengill). Visitors can walk through a 200-foot-long acrylic tunnel for 360-degree views of this deep-sea environment. Other highlights: daily sea otter and sea lion feedings, the open-air seabird aviary and the otherworldly 40-pound giant Pacific octopus named Atlantis. 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Rd., Newport; 541-867-3474; aquarium.org; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; $16, adults; from $10 kids
HECETA HEAD LIGHTHOUSE
In operation since about 1894, the red-roofed Heceta Head Lighthouse has become one of the country’s most photographed beacons. The 56-foot structure is set high on the cliffs above the Pacific Ocean, just off Highway 101 between the towns of Florence and Yachats. Its light, the most powerful rotating beam on the Oregon coastline, shines some 21 miles out to ships at sea. The lighthouse itself is currently closed for restoration, but the B&B in the keeper’s house remains open. 92072 Hwy. 101 S., Yachats; hecetalighthouse.com; 541-547-3696
SEA LION CAVE
Discovered in 1882, the Sea Lion Cave, 11 miles north of Florence, is heralded as the largest sea cave in the world, as long as a football field and as high as a 12-story building. The natural cavern of basalt rock is home to wild sea lions, which spend the warm-weather months sunning and breeding on the rock ledge outside. 91560 Hwy. 101 N.; 541-547-3111; sealioncaves.com; $12 adults, $8 kids
OREGON DUNES NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
This windswept area is the largest stretch of coastal sand dunes in North America, extending 41 miles along the Pacific from Florence to Coos Bay. The best way to explore this natural playground is by dune buggy. Visitors bounce along on a thrilling tour, climbing and descending the sand dunes, as much as 500 feet above sea level, with glistening ocean views from the top. Sandland Adventure, 85366 Hwy. 101 S., Florence; 541-997-8087; sandland.com; one-hour dune-buggy ride, from $14 per person
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: August 3, 2011
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Photos: Tillamook County Creamery Association; 123rf.com
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