Road Trip Along the Oregon Coast Days 3-4: Newport to Crescent City, CA
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Continuing on down the Oregon Coast, Days 3 and 4 of this 8 day road trip of Oregon and the Redwoods National Park got us just cross the border to California! These two days took us through the quieter and rugged south Oregon Coast. There are less people, but definitely not less beauty. This section of the coast features more dramatic views off the coast from sea rocks to sand dunes and lots of opportunities to see wildlife. In this itinerary, we break up the sights into 2 days but you can easily stretch it out into more days if you have time. Additional sights for each day are included in this guide, along with where to stay. If you haven’t read them already, visit our blog about days 1 and 2 and the overview of our whole trip and more tips about how to plan your trip along the Oregon Coast.
Overview
Day 3 - Newport, OR to Florence, OR. 1.5 hours of driving total. Stops at:
Yaquina Head Lighthouse & Natural Area
Hatfield Visitor Center
Cape Perpetua, Devil’s Churn & Thor’s Well
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Day 4 - Florence, OR to Crescent City, CA. 4 hours of driving total. Stops at
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
Shore Acres State Park
Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Otter Point State Recreation Site
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor
Map of Route
Where to STay
Night 3
Day 3 ended up being our slower pace and short driving day. We only drove 1.5 hours down the coast. We stayed in the beautiful Florence, OR. Florence is close to the dunes and Heceta Head. If you are wanting to spend more time at either of those stops, I’d recommend spending the night in Florence to give yourself the most flexibility. There is a cute Old Town to walk around and get a meal. In Florence, we stayed at Super 8 by Wyndham Florence OR which was easy walking distance to restaurants and the Old Town. We also enjoyed this hotel because it had EV charging stations so we could charge our car overnight. Other nice places in Florence include Driftwood Shores Resort and Landmark Inn.
If you were not planning on spending as much time on this day’s activities and wanted a location a little bit farther to even out the driving between these two days - consider Bandon or Coos Bay. Bandon has beautiful beaches right in town, near its charming old town with great restaurants. It is in a perfect mid-way stop. Some places to consider staying in Bandon are Sunset Oceanfront Lodging and Best Western Inn at Face Rock.
Coos Bay is the largest city on this stretch of the coast and has a good selection of accommodations that are affordable but it is not quite as charming as some of the other cities on the coast. If you are just planning to sleep in the hotel, this is a good option. Some places to stay in Coos Bay include Edgewater Inn and Suites and Quality Inn & Suites.
Night 4
And with Night 4, we have officially left the Oregon Coast and made it to California! We stayed in Crescent City, CA for two nights as our home base for the Redwoods part of our trip. Crescent City worked out perfectly for this because it is on the same route from the Oregon Coast. It has a great selection of hotels and restaurants. It is a good sized town with grocery stores and other services. We stayed in Lighthouse Inn and enjoyed it for its convenient location, decent breakfast, and large rooms. Other good places to stay include Oceanview Inn and Crescent Beach Motel.
Another alternative is staying in the National Park at a camp or RV site. There is also a couple lodgings like the Historic Requa Inn in Klamath, CA.
Day 3
We started Day 3 in Newport, OR and spent the morning in Newport exploring some of the must see attractions nearby.
Yaquina Lighthouse
We arrived at Yaquina Head Natural Area early, just shortly after it opened at 8am to make low tide. Be sure to check the tide schedule during your trip because the tide pools here were amazing. Entry into the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area which is run by the Bureau of Land Management is $7 per car and lets you come back for 3 days. If you have America the Beautiful National Park pass or the Oregon Pacific Coast Passport, you can use that for entry. We got an Oregon Pacific Coast Passport, but unfortunately these are no longer being sold starting in January 2026.
If you are able to visit during low tide, do it! The best place for tide pools is Cobble Beach which is just down the stairs from the parking lot near the lighthouse. Note that there is a bathroom in the parking lot that you may want to use before taking the stairs down to the beach. While we were there, there were naturalists there that gave us identification cards to give us names for what we were seeing. They also went over the rules and made sure that everyone was keeping the tide pools safe. The beach made of dark basalt cobbles was quite rocky and can be tricky to walk on, so take it slow and easy. Near the tide pools, the rocks are wet and need extra care. We were able to see barnacles, sea stars, anemones, mussels, hermit crabs, and so many seals! We were so focused on the tide pools at first that we didn’t realize that just a bit farther out there were dozens of seals resting on rocks and plenty more playing in the water. We spent a while enjoying watching the seals fight over fish and splashing each other. There were also tons of coastal birds.
After visiting the tide pools, we headed to the lighthouse. The Yaquina Head Lighthouse is the tallest in Oregon at 93 feet. Which, to be fair, is not that tall – all of the other lighthouses throughout Oregon are cute and stubby. You can view the outside and the view around the lighthouse base while the park is open from 8am to 5pm. There is an interpretive center back a bit that is open from 10am - 4pm. While there are occasional tours inside the lighthouse - especially in the summer - they are not on a dependable schedule. The lookout by the lighthouse is great for whale watching. This natural area also has several trails if you want to spend even longer here.
Hatfield Marine Science Center
There are two great options for aquariums in Newport, OR - the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center. This Marine Science Center is a lot more like what its name implies - a science center. There were just a few ocean animal exhibits but a lot of hands on science activities. We frequently go to the Seattle Aquarium and are fairly familiar with pacific coastal marine animal species so we opted for the cheaper of the two. We loved this science center. It was just $5 per person aged 5 and older. Since both our kids (3 & 4 years old) were under 5, we were able to get in our family of 4 for just $10. Comparatively, for obviously different experience, the Oregon Coast aquarium would have cost us $100.
The Hatfield Marine Science Center had an octopus, a great touch tank, and several fish tanks. It is relatively small but packed with activities that kept us there for about an hour. This is a great place for families with little kids. It might be lacking for adult only groups or families with older kids, but at $5 a person, it is hard to beat.
It was lunch time once we finished with the Science Center and we enjoyed a picnic lunch outside before leaving. You can also visit one of the great restaurants in Newport before heading to the next stop or in the town of Yachats.
Cape Perpetua Scenic area
A highlight on the south coast, the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area is a must see - whether you visit just one of these stops or all. To park in this area, you will need to pay $5 per vehicle which you can do at the on-site machines. Or the Oregon Pacific Coast Passport, Northwest Forest Pass, or America the Beautiful Pass will cover the fees.
Devil’s Churn
The first place to stop is Devil’s Churn - an eroded sea cave that is now a narrow inlet where thunderous waves crash about. It is best seen during high tide, but is worth it any time of day. There is an upper viewpoint near the parking lot or you can walk down a 0.4 mile trail to get an up-close view. Pay attention to all of the signs warning about how to stay safe in this area. There can be sudden sneaker waves and the volcanic rocks can be quite slippery when wet. We spent about 20 minutes in this area doing the short hike and watching the waves.
Whispering Spruce Trail & View
Next, drive up to the Cape Perpetua Overlook. This is the highest viewpoint accessible by car on the Oregon Coast and the views from here are incredible. There are several trails from the parking lot. The easiest to get the best views is the Whispering Spruce Trail. It is 0.4 miles through the forest a bit to the overlook. This trail connects to Amanda’s Trail – a moderate 6.3 mile hike through the forest.
Thor’s Well & Spouting Horn
Back down on highway 101, stop at Thor’s Well. The parking for which is just off the highway and can fill up during busy times. We had to wait a couple minutes for a spot to open up. Head down on Captain Cook Trail to the Spouting Horn and Thor’s Well. Thor’s Well is a 20-foot deep collapsed sea cave where waves flow into. It is most spectacular at high tide but worth visiting any time. Both cool geological feature are mesmerizing and can easily be watched for a while.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
A 15 minute drive south is the Heceta Head Lighthouse and Beach. The parking costs $10 for Oregon residents or $12 for non-residents or you can use an Oregon State parks pass. The parking lot is right next to the beach, which you can enjoy or you can take the 0.5 mile paved trail up to the lighthouse. You can get a slight or obstructed view of the lighthouse from the beach, but the best view is the trail. The first stop on the trail is the old lighthouse keepers home with a gift shop. We spent over an hour at the beach, playing in the sand and the creek that lets out on the beach. You can also get a great view of the Cape Creek Bridge.
There is another good view of the lighthouse a little further down 101 from a pull off.
Florence, OR
A short drive took us to our accommodations in Florence, OR. After dropping our off our bags, we walked around Old Town Florence. Florence sits along the Siuslaw River and this old town has a long history as first a winter encampment for the Siuslaw tribe and then in the lumber and fishing industries. You can walk through the old town, eat at one of the restaurants, walk along the Siuslaw river boardwalk, or hunt for the painted sea lion sculptures and street art.
More Stops along the way
Oregon Coast Aquarium – As an alternative to the Hatfield Marine Science Center, you can visit the popular Oregon Coast Aquarium. The aquarium includes great touch pools, puffins, otters, and walk through tunnels.
Yaquina Bay Bridge – this beautiful bridge built in 1936 is a great photo subject – you can get a good view of it from near the Yaquina Bay State Park. You can also walk across it. Or you can just enjoy a great drive on it when leaving Newport, OR.
Hobbit Trail – a one-mile hike through forests, a tunnel of bushy foliage and eventually leads you to a beach. This is a great short trail for families. Parking is limited and you may need to wait for a spot. There are no bathrooms on site.
Sea Lion Caves – a very popular spot along the Oregon Coast. The best time of the year to see the sea lions inside of the cave is in the fall and winter. This a paid experience and you will need to pay $18 per adult and take an elevator into the cave viewing area. People often note that the smell is quite strong.
Day 4
Oregon Dunes
Our first stop of the day was at the Oregon Dunes Overlook and Day Use area. We visited just before 9:00am and somehow had the place to ourselves. The Oregon Dunes Loop trail, a moderate 4.3 miles, starts from here. It is worth visiting the overlook and walking a little bit on the trail even if you don’t plan to do the whole thing. You immediately start in the dunes once you begin the hike. Walking through the sand is challenging, especially going uphill. If you are doing the full hike, it might take you longer than you expect. We got out on the dunes and our kids did some intentional sliding down the sand. It was a fun and unique stop, compared to all of the beaches and rocky cliffs.
Shore acres state park
After the dunes, head south again on 101 until you get to Coos Bay/North Bend. From here you will deviate from 101 a bit to explore the next state park. It is about an hour drive from the dunes to Shore Acres. You will pass Sunset Beach at Sunset Bay State Park on the way - a beautiful beach that we stopped at for their bathrooms.
One of the main attractions to this state park are the beautiful formal gardens that once belonged to a timber baron. From spring to summer, these gardens have beautiful blooms from daffodils to roses to rhododendrons. Entrance to the park is a $10 parking fee per vehicle (or included in a state park pass), but the gardens themselves are free. After walking around the gardens which will likely take an hour, you can visit the gift or go on one of the trails or overlooks of the coast. If are here around low tide, there are tide pools to explore. You might see sea lions, but if you don’t, you will definitely see them at the next spot.
In the winter, Shore Acres has an impressive holiday light show.
Simpson Reef Overlook
South of Shore Acres, still on Cape Arago Hwy, go down to Simpson Reef Overlook. I told my kids at the overlook at Shore Acres that we might see sea lions and we didn’t. When we drove to Simpson Reef, I said again that we might see sea lions and they didn’t believe me. They wanted me to check first before they got out of the car. Once I opened the car door, we heard the loud barking of the sea lions and they excitedly jumped up. You can definitely hear them before you see them. But once you walk over to the lookout, you will be amazed at just how many sea lions - but also seals - you will see. There were hundreds if not a thousand. They were loud. Some were sunbathing. Some were swimming in the water. Some were jumping off the rocks. The longer you look, the more you notice. That bumpy rock farther in the back, ohh ya that is also covered in sea lions.
At our pace, it was time for lunch after Simpson Reef Overlook - we ended up eating in Bandon, OR right before our next stop.
Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Back on highway 101, about a 45 minute drive away, is Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint. This can either be a quick lookout over the ocean to see the namesake rock that looks like a face or a longer excursion down to the beach. This was one of our favorite beaches along the Oregon Coast due to the low crowds combined with the impressive geological features along the beach. Along with the face rock, there are other huge rocks sticking out of the ocean that are named after what they resemble - cat and kittens, wizard hat, the castle, howling dog, along with more. There are also sea caves that you can explore at lower tide. At very low tide, you can go to the base at some of these rocks where there are some tide pools.
We visited the beach without looking to see what the face looked like, seeing if we could spot it on our own. We could not. Possibly because we were looking at the wrong spot of the beach - she is to the right a bit down the beach from where you enter from the stairs. We were also looking for an upright face rather than the laying down orientation that it is. After this, we started making our names for the rocks.
We unfortunately visited the beach one day before a local group of artists created an extensive labyrinth on the beach that you can walk. Visit their website to see if your visit will overlap with when they draw the circles in the sand. On labyrinth days, expect the beach to be more crowded.
Samuel H. Boardman State scenic Corridor
Near the end of the Oregon Coast is a stretch of highway 101 known for its jaw dropping natural beauty. The Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor is 12 miles long and has several spots to stop at. Secret beaches, dramatic sea stacks, beautiful forests with ancient Sitka spruces, and unique geological structures. You can easily spend a whole day in just this small section of the coast. We visited just the highlights.
Arch Rock
Arch Rock State Park was a beautiful stop with ample parking. There are gorgeous ocean views with several natural marvels along a short 0.3 mile hike. The main highly is the arch shaped rock coming out of the water just a short distance from the cliff. The hike is paved and loops so you can take it from either direction.
Natural Bridges
Along with Cannon Beach, this is one of the most photographed spots along the Oregon Coast. It is definitely a highlight of the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor. There is a viewpoint of the natural bridges about a minute walk from the parking lot area – if you are able to secure a spot in the small lot right next it. We had to park a bit further away, but it wasn’t too long to the bridge viewpoint. There is also a longer trail to a better viewpoint that we passed on. Before the trail there are multiple signs that say there is a risk of falling to your death. The trail is challenging and is especially dangerous after rain. With small kids it was an obvious no. The trail has been closed multiple times after deaths. If you are traveling with all adults and you want to take the trail, note that you don’t have to go the whole way and you can turn back if you are uneasy with your footing.
House Rock Viewpoint
A short stop to admire the views and the memorial for Samuel H. Boardman - the first Oregon State Parks superintendent.
Whaleshead beach
This beach is named after its whale-shaped sea stack that spouts water when hit by waves. This beach is a great one for its hiking trails, tide pools and gorgeous views. We drove down to the parking lot to get a quick peek of it but wish we had more time to check it out.
More options of places to stop along this scenic corridor and earlier are in the next section. The Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor ends at Brookings, OR which is by the border of Oregon and California. With that you have finished the Oregon Coast part of the trip! We continued on this day to our accommodations in Crescent City, CA to get ready for our next two days of exploring the Redwoods National Park.
More Stops along the way
Umpqua Dunes – Past the Oregon dunes day use area, there are more dunes including the Umpqua Dunes that have campgrounds and ATV/Dune Buggy rentals.
Cape Arago State Park – Near Shore Acres State Park, Cape Arago State Park is another gorgeous scenic spot if you have the time. The best things to do here are exploring the tide pool, looking for whales and hiking the trails.
Sunset Bay State Park – Also near Shore Acres State Park, this state park is known for its beautiful sandy beach where people often swim or kayak/paddle board from.
Coquille River Lighthouse – In Bandon, OR with Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, this cute lighthouse sits right between the ocean and a river. There is a nice jetty and beach nearby.
Old Town Bandon – Bandon, OR itself is a cute small town to visit if you want to do some shopping or enjoy a meal in its old town.
Gold Beach – a coastal city in Oregon with gorgeous stretches of wide sandy beaches. While in Gold Beach, check out Kissing Rock on South Beach, a prominent sea stack that was known to be a romantic meeting spot for couples.
Cape Ferrelo – Great short hike in Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor that starts at House Rock Viewpoint’s parking area. The hike takes you to an open, rolling grassy bluff overlooking the ocean.
Lone Ranch Beach – nice beach just north of Brookings, OR.
Chetco Point – in Brookings, this park has breathtaking views on a rocky peninsula. There is a paved walkway with some hills and beach access.
Battery Point Lighthouse – In Crescent City, CA, this is one of the oldest lighthouses in California and sits on a rocky islet that is accessible by a natural land bridge at low tide. There are tours in the summer that are tide-dependent.
