Oregon Coast Attractions for the Whole Family

Start your family getaway with an exciting trip to Florence, the gateway to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which stretches 40 miles south to the Reedsport area. Kids, teens, adults and kids at heart will love a trip to the beach.

• Distance:  29 Miles
• Starting Point:  Florence

• Minimum Driving Time:  30 minutes
• Best Time to Drive:  Spring and Summer!

A Great Trip For:

• Children
• Couples
• Families
• Outdoor Enthusiasts
• Scenery
• Teens/Young Adults

1. Day One

Sea Lion Caves
From Florence, drive 11 miles north along the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway (Hwy 101) to the Sea Lion Caves. Here, you’ll take an elevator down 208 feet into the world’s largest sea cave. It’s as long as a football field and as tall as a 12-story building. Once inside, you’ll see tons of wild Steller sea lions in their native habitat.

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Heceta Head Lighthouse
Next, hop back on the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway and drive two miles north for some Oregon Coast history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Hecetea Head Lighthouse has been standing above the Pacific Ocean for 114 years. And it’s still helping guide ships with a beam that reaches some 21 miles out to sea. The nearby light keeper’s house is just as historic and doubles as an interpretive center and bed and breakfast. This is a good stop for a picnic lunch or a short hike. The Pacific Ocean views are incredible.

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Drive 35 miles north on the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway to Newport. There are a number of hotels and inns to choose from.

2. Day Two

Wake up early and go for a stroll on the open sandy beaches of Newport. Then eat a good breakfast because you’ve got a busy day ahead.

Oregon Coast Aquarium
You can spend hours exploring the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. It has a ton of fun exhibits and more than 500 species of sea life, including puffins, sea otters and sharks. Take the kids through the underwater tunnel, which is made of clear material so you can see the fish and sharks swim all around you.

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Build a Sandcastle
Load up on sandwiches and other goodies and head to the beach for a picnic lunch and an afternoon of sandcastle building.

At the Oregon Coast, a little imagination goes a long way. A small piece of driftwood becomes a drawbridge for a sandcastle moat. A dried bundle of seaweed doubles as mermaid hair. The options are endless. Many of our hotels and inns will even lend you buckets and shovels to help you build your masterpiece.

Beach Bonus
Cannon Beach Sandcastle Day: June 7, 2008

You can build a sculpture out of sand or watch as others turn Cannon Beach into an outdoor museum of sand art. Don’t miss it; this is one of the largest sand building contests on the west coast!

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