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Old 02-25-2015, 10:31 AM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,479 posts, read 47,405,393 times
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In my opinion, the prettiest coast is between Depoe Bay and just north of Florance.

If anyone in your party is a senior citizen, or handicapped, go to a Forest Service office ad get a free annual pass. Some of the nicest parks and visitor centers on the coast belong to the federal government and the free pass will save you $8-$12 parking fee at each one.

The Oregon State parks are wonderful too. Some of them are free and some involve a fee, but there is no free pass available. You won't be here long enough to get your money out of the annual pass ($30).

If you start in Newport, go 1 1/2 miles further north and visit the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Stop at the visitors' center to see if you can get a pass to take the tour of the lighthouse. There are views like you won't believe.

If you are already in Newport, Depoe Bay is only 13 miles further north. They have a resident pod of gray whales, so there is a chance to see whales from the sidewalk that runs along the coast. The Devil's Punchbowl is between Newport and Depoe Bay and that is worth a stop.

Then turn south. The old Harbor in Newport is worth a visit, both for sightseeing and a bit of souvenir shopping. If you are at Newport at lunch time, just south of the bridge is a tiny restaurant on the west of the highway. All the sign says is "Crab" and it looks like a falling down chicken coop. Eat lunch there.

The South Beach park has miles of gorgeous sand beaches that are easy to get to for a beach walk.

The Devil's Churn has a nice walk and good views of the rugged rocky stormy coastline.

Seriously, stop at a visitor's center (in any town) and get a map of the coast. Hop from state park to federal park to rest area to viewing area and take it all in all along the coast, and especially between Newport and Florance.

Just north of Florance everything turns into huge sand dunes, so you will see sand and will drive along surrounded by forest at least as far as Reedsport. I haven't been south of Reedsport for many years, so won't make travel commentary.

Last edited by oregonwoodsmoke; 02-25-2015 at 10:45 AM..
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Old 02-25-2015, 12:16 PM
 
Location: Portland
1,620 posts, read 2,283,868 times
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"Crab" looks like MY kind of place.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=3640+...KkICU1Mq9nEhgg

South Beach Fish Market - Seafood, Seafood Restaurant & Fish Market
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Old 02-25-2015, 12:48 PM
 
Location: Portland Metro
2,318 posts, read 4,601,340 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke View Post
The Devil's Churn has a nice walk and good views of the rugged rocky stormy coastline.
This is one of my favorite places of all along the coast. An earthquake fault line that's exposed at the surface that ocean water injects into with each wave. Watch out at high tide because you might get wet!

Shore Acres might be nice as well, possibly with the gardens in bloom? Shore Acres State Park - Friends of Shore Acres, Inc.
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Old 02-25-2015, 04:14 PM
 
Location: Mountains of Oregon
17,608 posts, read 22,512,090 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jjpop View Post
Also you don't really need to go all the way to Eureka to enjoy the redwoods. There's plenty to see right around Crescent City. That would save about 90 minutes of driving from CC to Eureka.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods are by Crescent City "Beautiful"...

Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
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Old 02-25-2015, 04:57 PM
 
Location: Oregon Coast
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Get a Tide Chart for our Central and South Coasts or run one off online so if there's an extreme low or high tide you'll know what to expect beachwise.
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Old 02-26-2015, 12:38 PM
 
Location: Alaska
79 posts, read 221,534 times
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Such great suggestions! Thank you so much.

We arrive in Medford at 6:30 pm, so no, won't be driving all the way to Newport that night. That's why we considered cutting across to Bendon, then going north, then doubling back to head to the Redwoods. I'd rather see the coast twice than spend too much time on I-5.

No senior citizens! Just me and an able-bodied guy on a romantic-ish getaway.
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Old 02-26-2015, 12:48 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Why not start by taking 199 to Crescent City and then drive up the coast to Newport?
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Old 02-26-2015, 04:08 PM
 
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I'm not sure I'd go as far as scenic, but the stretch of I-5 from Medford to Eugene imo is relatively nice as U.S. interstate goes, particularly if you've never done it.

Still, if you'd rather see the coast twice, I think 8 days gives you time to make that work.

Given the time you're getting in, I'm not sure I'd recommend driving over to the coast that eve since stretches of most of those roads can be very winding. If it's dark or particularly dark/rainy (both possible if not likely in March after 6:30), that's not going to be a fun night drive for anyone not familiar with the turns, and it's not exactly a hop/skip/jump.

You'd likely crawl into Bandon after 10pm, or Crescent City after 9 feeling just a bit tense. And hitting a deer is at least in play driving in the dark or at dusk/dawn. Most of the roads over to the coast imo are worth seeing in the daylight anyway - worth taking in and appreciating the coastal range, both for the beautiful sections, the clearcuts, and whatever else the road offers.
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Old 02-26-2015, 04:24 PM
 
Location: Oregon Coast
1,872 posts, read 4,218,532 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bler144 View Post
..........

Given the time you're getting in, I'm not sure I'd recommend driving over to the coast that eve since stretches of most of those roads can be very winding. If it's dark or particularly dark/rainy (both possible if not likely in March after 6:30), that's not going to be a fun night drive for anyone not familiar with the turns, and it's not exactly a hop/skip/jump.

You'd likely crawl into Bandon after 10pm, or Crescent City after 9 feeling just a bit tense. And hitting a deer is at least in play driving in the dark or at dusk/dawn. Most of the roads over to the coast imo are worth seeing in the daylight anyway - worth taking in and appreciating the coastal range, both for the beautiful sections, the clearcuts, and whatever else the road offers.

This is true. This is our Slide time of year. Just a week or so ago Hwy 42 was having Slide problems when we had heavy rains. Keep on top of our road closures and detours thru the online Trip Check.
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Old 02-26-2015, 05:43 PM
 
Location: Coos Bay, Oregon
7,138 posts, read 10,965,016 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Piglet99645 View Post
I'd like to see the entire coast, but we only have 8 days, in and out of Medford, with our last night in AShland to go to the Shakespeare Festival. I'm thinking Heceta lighthouse is as far North as we will go, as I also want to see the Redwoods.

Keep that feedback coming! This is great.
If you want to see the entire coast, then why not start in Portland, instead of Medford, head up to Astoria, then all the way down the coast to the redwood forests, cut over to Ashland, and finish in Medford? That's less then 100 miles, 2 hours of driving per day. Pretty easy.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=P...,2,3,4&t=m&z=6
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