If you’re planning a trip to the PNW, let us help you! We just got back from a week in the Oregon coast, and it was so magical. This part of the United States is unmatched, but it can be tricky to plan a trip there without knowing what to expect.
So we’re sharing with you our Oregon coast itinerary- our best recommendations for how to spend your week!
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How this itinerary is structured:
Rather than telling you what to do on Day 1, Day 3, etc, we are going to list out the places we recommend going and how many days we could realistically spend there.
We actually did the coast part of our drive in less than a week, then went inland, but we could have easily stayed longer at some of the places on the coast and been very happy.
This route will take you North to South, but would be just as beautiful in the opposite direction too!
Getting to Oregon
If you’re flying to Oregon, we recommend flying into Portland because from there, you can easily drive directly west to the coast and head to the first destination on our list!
Even if you decided to go to the northernmost town on the Oregon coast, you could get there in about 2 hours from Portland.
Stop #1: Cannon Beach area
This is a place that we unfortunately didn’t get to go to, but we know it’s worth adding to this Oregon coast itinerary. Stunning huge rocks line the shore, which are iconic. I’m sure you’ve seen some photos online!
While we haven’t been here, we are 100% adding it to our next trip down the coast.
Stop #2: Tillamook area
This was our first stop, and we really enjoyed the area.
I said ‘area’ because things are kind of spread out here and going to eat might look like driving 10 minutes to what is technically a different town, but still feels close by.
Our top recommendations for visiting Tillamook area:
Where to eat:
Garibaldi Portside Bistro (delicious American food-type cuisine)
Barview Jetty Taqueria (tacos & such)
Hygge Kitchen (great coffee & pastries)
Downie’s Cafe (breakfast)
Where to stay:
We stayed in these tiny homes in Bay City and while they weren’t super exciting, they were nice for a night or two and close to the water!
What to do:
We HIGHLY recommend taking a tour of the Tillamook (Till-uh-muhk) Creamery! We enjoyed this so much- you get to see how their products are made, try samples, and they even have a food hall where you can try their food.
We had a grilled cheese & fries, then finished it off with some Marionberry Pie and Oregon Dark Cherry ice cream, which was all delicious.
How long to spend here:
We stayed here one night, did the creamery tour the next day and then left. We feel like this was plenty of time here, as there are more exciting places on the coast to visit if you only have one week.
Tillamook area photos from our trip:
Stop #3: Depoe Bay
Depoe Bay is a place you will definitely want to spend some time at. We loved this little town for so many reasons.
What makes Depoe Bay so special is that it’s the whale watching capital of Oregon, and one of the best spots in the country to view whales year-round.
In most places, you get whale-watching “seasons”, but here you have a chance of seeing whales no matter what time of year it is.
In December-March you can often catch them migrating south to Mexico.
In late March-June, they migrate north to Alaska.
Then from June-November, you can catch a glimpse of their resident gray whales, which hang out here due to the amount of shrimp that thrive on this rocky shoreline.
This place is truly amazing.
Our top recommendations for visiting Depoe Bay:
Where to eat:
Tidal Raves– we ate here twice because we enjoyed it so much. This place is a little pricier than other restaurants, but the food is great and the views are amazing.
Pioneer Joe’s Coffee– There are a few locations around Depoe Bay, but we visited the one in Gleneden Beach and it was such a vibe. Cozy, moody spots to sit and work/read, and the coffee was great!
Otis Cafe– This is cute diner-y type spot with good breakfast! The portions are HUGE, so make sure you’re hungry!
Where to stay:
We stayed at the most adorable little place in Depoe Bay, it is definitely one of the nicest Airbnbs we’ve ever been to.
It was walking distance from places like Tidal Raves, and the view out the door was absolutely amazing.
Here is our link if you’re interested!
What to do:
Book a whale watching tour. The best way to have the greatest chance of spotting whales is to book a whale watching boat tour.
Our top recommendation for this would be Whale Research EcoExcursions, because you get to actually go out on a boat with the scientist who discovered the reason that whales hang out in Depoe Bay throughout the summer/fall (and her dog!). Her boats are also said to be smoother for those who (like me) experience motion sickness. We recommend booking early because her spots fill up fast!
The next-best pick would be Dockside Charters!
Keep in mind that whale watching tours are weather-permitting. We had one booked and then it got cancelled/refunded due to storms & choppy waters, unfortunately.
Whale watching from the shore: If you want to try to spot whales but aren’t keen on boats, you can check out one of the many places on shore that you can try and spot them! There is an actual ORPD Whale Watching station set up with binoculars for your use. You can also grab your own binocs and head to somewhere like Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint!
How long to stay here:
We would recommend at least 2 days in Depoe Bay. We stayed for 2 days and felt like we could have easily stayed longer. There are so many beautiful spots, activities to do, little shops, and yummy restaurants. It’s such a quaint and beautiful town.
Note: As you leave Depoe Bay, we highly recommend stopping at Newport and going to Sea Lion Docks! Up close encounter with sea lions, it is loud and smelly but so cool!
Stop #4: Yachats
This place is one we stopped at on our way from Depoe Bay to Florence, and we wished we had booked at least one night/full day here.
There is so much beauty in the area, and so much to do.
Our top recommendations for visiting Yachats:
Where to eat:
We only stopped long enough to try one restaurant, but it was a great one!
It was Luna Sea Fish House, and we got Oysters & chips, and Fish tacos.
What to do:
Visit Cape Perpetua. There is so much natural beauty in this area with Cape Perpetua being just a couple of miles away. We did the Captain Cook Trail at Cape Perpetua, which let us see Thor’s Well. We absolutely recommend doing this! It’s not too strenuous or long of a hike, and you have the option to walk around down on the cliffs/near Thor’s Well or not. But if you are able to, we highly recommend it!
Even if you don’t do any hiking, you still can (and should) see Cape Perpetua. The visitor’s center has great views, so we’d recommend doing that at the very least!
How long to stay here:
I would give this place at least one full day, maybe even two. There are a ton of outdoorsy areas and scenic points, and they also have a lot to do within the town, like galleries and shops.
Stop #5: Florence
Florence is a stunning place, located near the Oregon Dunes.
We only stayed here for a night, but quickly realized there would be so much more to do during a longer stay.
Our top recommendations for visiting Florence:
Where to eat:
River Roasters– the BEST coffee. We only stayed in Florence one night and still went to River Roasters twice because we loved it so much. And we’re picky about coffee!
The Waterfront Depot– fancy dinner that’s worth the hype. Multiple locals recommended this place to us and it was so worth it. Make a reservation because seats are limited and in high-demand!
What to do:
Check out downtown. Florence’s downtown area is super cute, with lots of coffee shops, stores, and restaurants (including the ones listed above).
We also highly recommend going to Heceta Head Lighthouse if you’re up for the hike. It’s a 0.5 mile hike each way, so not super long, but it is pretty much all uphill. However, there are a ton of places to stop and take in the views if you need breaks.
Check out Oregon Dunes. Did you know this set of dunes is what inspired the ‘Dune’ books? There are several areas along the dune stretch of the coastline that you can visit for different reasons. Some are used for things like dune buggies and ATVs, while some are more reserved for wildlife refuges and nature preserves, allowing you a more peaceful visit.
Where to stay:
We really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Florentine. These are renovated ‘cabins’ but are designed to be super modern and cute. They sit on a lake, and you can rent kayaks to take on the lake, through the dunes, and all the way out to the ocean. If we were to visit again, we would probably rent the Vanilla Villa because it looks so cute!
Most of the rooms are their own private cabin, while some, like the Midnight Marina rooms, are set up more like a motel with multiple rooms next to each other.
How long to stay here:
We were here for roughly half a day, and wish we could have stayed longer. We’d recommend at least a full day, sunrise to sunset, maybe even two if you thought there was enough to keep you busy. We really loved Florence’s downtown area and would have liked to spend more time exploring it, along with the Oregon Dunes areas.
If you needed another stop further south: Bandon
This is not a place we visited on this trip, but a place we would have added if we’d had time.
Bandon is a beautiful spot with tons of rocks lining the shoreline, and would be a great place to visit if you needed another spot!
It’s about a 1.5 hour drive south of Florence.
Where to stay:
We have not stayed here, so we can’t tell you what we actually think, but we did find this highly rated place that looks super nice while researching for our trip.
How long to stay here
Most locals online recommend spending at least 2 days in this area to really experience it fully.
What’s the best time to visit Oregon?
Before you make use of this Oregon coast itinerary, let’s figure out when you’ll go!
One of the things about Oregon that is so great is that their weather is pretty decent year-round, and the dramatic scenery means you’re always going to good a good view, no matter when you go.
But each season has their own thing. We went in March, and the weather was misty and a bit chilly, but not bad at all. But going during this month meant little to no crowds, and things like waterfalls were even more beautiful.
Spring is the best time for low crowds and activities like waterfalls.
Summer months are the sunniest, but also the busiest.
Fall gets back to lower crowds and you get the beautiful foliage and peaceful beaches.
Winter is chilly and wet, but of course lower crowds. However, you may also run into some shops & activities being closed for the season, so keep that in mind!
And that’s it! There you have a one-week Oregon coast itinerary that we truly think you will enjoy!
We loved this part of the United States and we’re already planning our next trip!
If you want more US travel tips and guides like this one, we’d love to have you as part of newsletter!
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