Roadtrip Down Oregon’s Unique Northern Coast

During my travel nursing contract in Portland, Oregon, my mom came to visit. I wanted to show her the best the Oregon has to offer, so I planned us a mini roadtrip down the Northern Oregon Coast.

This itinerary will include the stops we made on our roadtrip as well as a few extras in case you have more time. We did this roadtrip in 1 day, but I recommend breaking this up into 2 days with an overnight stop. Mom and I did not visit Astoria or Tillamook Creamery during our trip due to time limits, but I did visit myself at other times.

This itinerary is planned from north to south, but it can be easily done in the reverse direction. Better yet, turn this into a full Oregon Roadtrip by adding in the Rogue-Umpqua scenic byway, Crater Lake National Park, Bend, Oregon, and the Columbia River Gorge Waterfall Corridor. If time permits, this will give you the best of what Oregon has to offer!

Tips for Visiting the Northern Oregon Coast

• The weather on the coast is moody. One minute it will be pretty and sunny, the next it will be cloudy or rainy. It’s also hard to predict the temperature on the coast. Be sure to bring layers, sunscreen and wind protection.
  • I was told by one of my local coworkers that the weather on the coast tends to contradict the weather in Portland. I don’t know if this is just a myth, but when my mom and I visited the coast, the weather in Portland was 100F. We were cold and needed many layers at the beach.
• I lost cell reception a few times during this roadtrip. I suggest downloading this section of the coast as an offline map. I use apple maps to download maps in areas that have spotty reception- this has saved me numerous times.
• Do stop if you see a roadside stand with fresh Oregon produce. Maybe it’s the climate, but Oregonians know how to grow some delicious fruits! Just don’t eat a full bag of cherries in one go (just a little joke between Mom and I).

Let’s Hit the Road on Oregon’s North Coast

Total Drive time starting from Portland, Oregon: 5 hours 45 min. I realize this sounds like a lot, but this is one roadtrip where the drive is truly part of the journey with beautiful views throughout. Add in another 2.5 hours for the drive back.

Here is a quick snapshot of the stops along this roadtrip (stick around at the end if you want to extend your roadtrip):

• Astoria, Oregon
• Cannon Beach- Haystack Rock
• Neahkanie Viewpoint
• Tillamook Creamery
• Cape Meares Lighthouse
• Depoe Bay Whale Watching
• Devils Punchbowl

Roadtrip Stop 1- Astoria, Oregon

Located in northwestern Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River, you’ll find the town of Astoria. If you’re coming from Portland, Astoria is a little under 2 hours away.

Astoria is a historic town and the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. It has several museums including the Columbia River Maritime Museum and the Oregon film Museum. Several movies have been filmed here including “The Goonies” and “Free Willy”. Other popular attractions in Astoria include the Lewis and Clark historical park and Astoria’s riverwalk.

Roadtrip Stop 2- Cannon Beach and Tide Pools at Haystack Rock

My mom and I started our roadtrip at Cannon Beach which is an hour and a half drive from Portland. If you are able to visit Astoria first (as recommended above), you’ll drive around 45 minutes south to get from Astoria to Cannon Beach.

Cannon beach is famous for Haystack Rock (pictured below). Haystack rock has more to offer, however, than just a stunning photo. If you go during low tide, you can view the tide pools. The tide pools around Haystack rock are full of interesting sea stars, anemone, and little crabs. Interpreters are usually on site during low tide to offer knowledge and answer questions. They also set up a spotting scope to view the puffin birds who live on the rock.

As with many of the stops on this list, Cannon Beach offers plenty more to do such as hiking at Ecola State Park.

Seaside is another well-advertised beach town north of Cannon Beach. Every local I spoke to in Portland said that Seaside is touristy and overrated, so I say skip Seaside.

Roadtrip Stop 3- Neahkahnie Viewpoint

Neahkahnie Viewpoint is simply a roadside pullout roughly 15-20 minutes south of Cannon Beach. While there isn’t much to do here besides enjoy the view and snap a photo, I think this stop is worth it.

Roadtrip Stop 4- Tillamook Creamery

Tillamook Creamery is the one stop on this list that is not by the sea, but it adds in a nice change of pace. It’s also a nice opportunity to get some food before continuing down the road. Tillamook is a 40 min drive from Neahkahnie Viewpoint.

The creamery is open daily from 10am-6pm. You can opt for a paid tour or take the free self-guided tour (I opted for the free version) to learn how cheese is made. There is also a free cheese tasting, a gift shop and a dining hall. Finally (if you are willing to wait in line), you can get some famous Tillamook ice cream.

Honestly, I found this stop to be a little gimmicky for my taste. However, others I’ve talked to love it, so I included it in the itinerary. To each their own, but feel free to skip it if it doesn’t sound like your thing.

Roadtrip Stop 5- Cape Meares Lighthouse

Another 25 minutes from Tillamook Creamery, you’ll find Cape Meares Lighthouse. Cape Meares offers some more awesome views, the lighthouse (of course), a free guided tour, an a funky looking tree called the “octopus tree”. When my mom and I visited, there were also some volunteers with spotting scopes set up for bird watching.

The lighthouse can be found down a paved 0.2 mile path (note that it does have a little bit of an incline), and the Octopus Tree can be found down a 0.1 mile path.

Roadtrip Stop 6- Depoe Bay Whale Watching

1.5 hours drive from Cape Meares, you’ll find Depoe Bay. Depoe Bay is known for whale watching. Gray whales migrate between March and June in the spring, and in December for winter passing through Depoe Bay. In addition, some grey whales stay in Depoe bay year-round.

If you want to see the whales up close, you can book a tour in Depoe Bay. However, unless you are planning to stay an extra day here, that’s pretty difficult to do on a roadtrip (especially if you do this in 1 day like we did).

Alternatively, you can bring a pair of binoculars to spot whales from the coast. In December and late March, Oregon State Parks have volunteers that help visitors spot migrating whales. If you want more information on the best whale watching spots, check out their page here. You can also stop by the Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center for exhibits on the gray whale.

Roadtrip Stop 7- Devils Punchbowl

Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area is located just 8 minutes south of Depoe Bay. The “punchbowl” pictured below can turn into a violent churn during winter storms – I assume this is where it got it’s name.

Viewing the punchbowl from above is more impressive during high tide, but you can go inside the bowl if you arrive at low tide. The catch is that the tide has to be at or below zero to safely enter. This is more likely to occur during daylight hours in the summer. The hike to get inside the punchbowl is around 1 mile. Always be mindful of the tide and watch for slick rocks.

Also, if you didn’t get a chance to check out the tide pools at Cannon beach earlier on this roadtrip, you get another chance here (again, if the tide is low enough). The tide pools are located to the north of the punch bowl.

More of Oregon’s Natural Beauty

My mom and I ended our Northern Oregon Coast Roadtrip with Devil’s Punch Bowl turning back for the 2.5 hour return to Portland.

If you are lucky enough to have more time to explore, I have recommendations for you!

More of the Oregon Coast

If I had more time, I would have continued south on Oregon’s coast to see both The Cape Perpetua Overlook and Thor’s Well near Yachats, Oregon. Both are located around 1 hours drive south of our last stop, Devil’s Punch Bowl.

It costs $5 to park in the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. Several hiking trails are available as well as another chance to view tide pools (check the tides here).

The Cape Perpetua Overlook is the highest viewpoint accessible by car on Oregon’s Coast, and I can only guess that the beauty is outstanding.

Thors Well is a natural wonder/rock formation similar to Devil’s Punchbowl that we saw earlier. It’s basically a gaping hole that fills during high tide and can become quite dangerous if you stand too close. It is best to view Thor’s Well at high tide. If you want more, Devils Churn and Spouting Horn are two other popular rock formations to see within the Cape Perpetua area.

Add in the Beauty of Inland Oregon

After seeing my last bucket list items on the coast, I would turn east to continue the adventure through central and southern Oregon. This loops into separate roadtrip that my husband and I took. We started in Roseburg, Oregon (around 2hrs 15min- 2hrs 30min from Yachats, Oregon). From Roseburg, we travelled along the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway (with many stops for hikes, waterfalls and hot springs). Next was the gorgeous Crater Lake National Park followed by the outdoorsy, beer town of Bend, Oregon. Click here if you want to checkout that roadtrip. You can add it onto this coastal roadtrip or turn it into a separate trip like we did.

I hope you enjoy the natural beauty and wonders of both Oregon and it’s coast as much as I did!