Oregon Coast Day Trip.

Pounding surf and sand between your toes means one thing – the beach. Plan a day trip and travel to the Oregon Coast during your Portland vacation. The Oregon coast is a wild and scenic place with a huge variety of attractions ranging from Victorian-era homes, whale watching, Coney Island-like amusements, and even a cheese factory.

Winding your way down the coast is slow-going so don’t be too ambitious on your day trip. You can create a loop by starting out heading west on Highway 30 towards the coast, working your way down Highway 101 along the coastline and then heading back inland via either Highway 26 or Highway 18.

Just before you reach the coast, stop by the charming town of Astoria, Oregon where you will see lovingly restored Victorian homes on the hillsides and numerous historic buildings. This community is the oldest American settlement found west of the Rockies and was listed in the 2004 National Historic Trust’s annual list of America’s Distinctive Destinations. You’ll find plenty of history in this town including a living history demonstration that re-enacts the 1805-1806 winter encampments of Lewis and Clark.

Your next stop is south to the town of Seaside. This beach town features amusements, miles of sandy beaches, and a boardwalk. You can spend all day here before heading back to Portland. In the spring, this is a terrific place to try to spot a whale. Any time of the year is a great time to rent a bike or go for a jog or stroll along the boardwalk. The Seaside Aquarium is another wonderful distraction. For hikers, hike the Oregon Coast Trail between Ecola State Park and Seaside. You’re sure to see plenty of wildlife and scenic views spread out before you.

Cannon Beach, Oregon is a fun beach town known for art galleries, shopping, beachcombing, and surf fishing. Be sure to check out one of the world’s tallest monoliths, Haystack Rock.

From here, you can cut across Highway 26 and head back to Portland. If you’re up for more, continue south to Tillamook and tour the Tillamook Cheese Visitor Center. Another highlight of this town is the World War II memorabilia collection found at the Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum.

Get a dramatic view of the wild Oregon coast by driving to Cape Mears. The Three Capes Scenic Drive will give you stunning views of Cape Mears, Cape Lookout, and Cape Kawanda. To get back to Portland, take Highway 18 to Highway 99 through the scenic Oregon wine country. If time allows, stop at the Evergreen Aviation Museum, just past McMinnville, where you’ll see the famous “Spruce Goose”.

Touring the coast is exhilarating but it is a long day, especially if you go all the way down to Highway 18. Leave early so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the sights along the way.

Helpful Links of Interest.

Oregon Coast Loop Map
Astoria Oregon Hotels
Cannon Beach Oregon Hotels
Seaside Oregon Hotels
Tiilamook Oregon Hotels
Oregon Coast Visitor's Association

For the convenience of our users, we've included common misspellings and
abbreviations such as oragon, oregan, origon, or, ore, oreg, oregon and oregone.