Central Oregon Coast

The Central Oregon Coast runs from Lincoln City to Florence and Reedsport, with Newport's aquarium and harbor, tall lighthouses, sea caves and the start of the Oregon Dunes.

The Central Oregon Coast runs from Lincoln City south through Depoe Bay, Newport and Yachats to Florence and Reedsport. US-101 follows the shoreline, with headlands, beaches and small harbors every few miles. Lincoln City is known for its wide beach and kite festivals. Depoe Bay claims to have one of the smallest navigable harbors in the world and is a dependable place to watch gray whales. Newport is the region's main town, with a working harbor on Yaquina Bay, sea lions along the Bayfront, the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center. Nearby Yaquina Head Lighthouse is the tallest on the Oregon coast. Farther south, the forest at Cape Perpetua meets the ocean near Yachats, where Thor's Well and the Devil's Churn show the force of the surf. North of Florence, Sea Lion Caves is a large sea cave with a sea lion colony, and Heceta Head Lighthouse sits above a scenic cove. Florence has a restored Old Town on the Siuslaw River and is the north end of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which continues south for about 40 miles with sand dunes, lakes and trails for hiking, sandboarding and dune buggies. The coast is at its sunniest from July to September, and whales pass in winter and spring. Portland is about two hours away via US-20 and OR-18 or OR-34.