The Ultimate Coast Roadtrip
Travel the majestic Pacific Coast Scenic Byway and enjoy miles of spectacular scenery from lush green forest to expanded beach views.
This 110-mile section of the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway takes you from the mighty river to the peaceful pasture.
The Oregon Coast Scenic Byway is not meant to be traveled in a single day. It expects you to stop and savor its stunning viewpoints. Explore the secluded beaches and bountiful state parks. And absorb the charming atmosphere and diverse activity of towns along the way. So put away your wristwatch, your itinerary, and your drive-thru mentality for a few days. And travel a road that’s in no hurry to get from point A (Astoria) to point B (Brookings.)
Waysides and state parks along the Coast make excellent vantage points for watching gray whales migrate between December and May.
1.
Astoria
The mouth of the Columbia River opens wide as the Scenic Byway begins in the shadow of the impressive Astoria-Megler Bridge. Shadows of the past are waiting to be explored in the city of Astoria, the oldest U.S. settlement west of the Rockies.
The area’s history is evidenced in many gracious Victorian homes scaling the hillside, as the living testaments to the harsh lives of early explorers and settlers. Don’t miss the 1883 Flavel House, the shipwreck of the Peter Iredale at Fort Stevens State Park, and The Fort Clatsop National Memorial, a life-size replica of Lewis and Clark’s 1805-06 winter outpost.
From here you can follow the Lewis and Clark trail to the resort town of Seaside, famous for its two-mile beachfront promenade. Next stop is Cannon Beach, a popular artist community highlighted by massive shoreline monoliths known as Haystack Rock and The Needles.
2.
Garibaldi and Tillamook
Continuing south, the Byway passes breathtaking Hug Point, Oswald West and Nehalem Bay State Parks before reaching the busy fishing port of Garibaldi on Tillamook Bay. Soon you’ll venture inland to pastoral valleys of rich dairyland, where the city of Tillamook features the West’s largest cheese factory. The Byway returns to the shore again at Neskowin Beach before climbing the forested ridge of Cascade Head.
The highest waterfall in the Coast Range is an easy side trip from the Byway. Seven miles south of Tillamook, watch for a small sign to Munson Creek Falls and follow the narrow road a mile-and-a-half to the parking area. A short stroll takes you to the base of this 266-foot cataract.