Coastal Oregon // Travel Guide
Whimsical
One of the greatest blessings in my life is having a wife who is down to try new things, and do so on a whim, when feasible. Naturally, when I pitched a wild 16 day road trip to her, about two weeks prior to our potential departure and she didn’t write me off as crazy-- it only reaffirmed that I married the coolest person out there.
After showing her on a whiteboard (see below) my thorough, bizarre transcription of what the trip would entail in thorough detail, she agreed it was the trip of a lifetime. When I told her it could be done under $1,850 for all lodging and food she was MUCH more interested. (We are fortunate enough to have free gas via a company car).
Heceta Beach Lighthouse
Driving from Portland to Heceta is only about 1.5 hours. Though you must park and pay $5, you will find unparalleled views of the Oregon coast readily available. We couldn’t take our eyes off the coastline, which juts in and out of the beach, with large pine trees cascading up and around the shore. Crazy beautiful. Must do.
Manzanita
My favorite Oregon beach for actual “beaching it.” Manzanita is down high US 101 about 20 miles from the popular Seaside (very crowded), and offers a large, free, scenic beach. The air on the Oregon coast is unforgiving, even in July, and topped out at 67 degrees. Most of the days were hovering around 60, so definitely bring your long sleeves and a light jacket for your beach going.
Haystack Rock/ Cannon Beach
The iconic, and surprisingly enormous, rock sits just offshore from Cannon Beach. The breadth of the beaches near Haystack are majestic, and the homes are reminiscent of Cape Cod. Hannah was, per usual, enamored with the houses as much as the ocean. I, on the other hand, utterly relished in the ocean and Haystack rock views! Cannon beach is an oceanside town that combines some touristy elements with small town America.
We wanted to visit the state park, but the line to get in was over an hour wait, and thus, spent time eating and hanging out in the downtown instead. We found a natural foods market, and explored the quaint, seaside village.
I'm a sucker for the ocean, the mesmerizing coast line and the waves that the west coast has to offer. Coastal Oregon is a special and easily traveled to departure from Seattle or Portland. We highly encourage a visit!
After multiple moves (see our many home design and moving posts), I've buckled down and have 12 posts coming your way every 3 weeks from here onward. I hope these guides serve as a resource and enable you to travel, see amazing things, and to do so on a budget!
Best,
Ty and Han.
Upcoming guides: Salt Lake City (pictured below, iPhone photo with no edits!), Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Seattle
