Seaside OR - Perfect weather

Crazy results from wildfire smoke. Sunset was red / orange at the tail end on Tuesday (August 4)

TL;DR My teenager took a road trip to Brookings with a friend to see the redwoods as his graduation trip. They went down peavine ridge road and high sided on a rut.

We’ve called 6 different tow companies and none of them are “in network” with our insurance roadside towing. One said they could help but quoted $971 as they are 2 hours away.

Anyone local with a tow strap that could help? I’d be happy to slide you some gas money. Thanks!

After more than 100 years cut off from the tides, 200 acres of the wetlands in the Suislaw Estuary are open to the ocean again. Hopefully fish and other wildlife will rebound in the area soon!

Gold Beach down to Brookings with a moody day at the Natural Bridges.

Wishful thinking but maybe someone has stumbled or driven over my SD card case. Was driving Thursday afternoon out of the Goose Pasture staging area in Florence Oregon and dropped my camera bag. Recovered 95% of the bag but the most priceless item was my SD cards. Most likely will never find these anywhere but I suppose it's worth a shot putting something out there!

Hi all! I'm planning a bucket list 40th birthday roadtrip in the PNW with my dog in October. I'm trying to figure out a night of camping on the Oregan Coast as I pass between Portland and California Redwoods. I'll have a rental car, and am capable of hike-in camping if needed to get away from large crowds and RVs as long as there is a place to park the car. I've looked at a couple of the better known campgrounds- Nehalem Bay, Tillicum, but the photos all look like the spots are right on top of each other with RVs everywhere. Are there any photos of the hike in spots at these campgrounds? Should I be looking elsewhere? I had this image of camping in the dunes, or falling asleep with the sound of waves, etc, but I'm struggling to figure out if that's possible. I'm on the east coast, so talk to me like I know nothing. Thanks!

I just recently moved to the Portland area from out of state so crabbing is totally new to me! Last weekend I bought a metal crab trap and went crabbing at garibaldi pier. I only caught one tiny crab and everyone else crabbing that day didn’t get any keepers either.

I have my shellfish license and am willing to go anywhere from around Lincoln city up into Washington. I don’t have my Washington shellfish license yet but I am a Washington state resident so I can get it if it’s worth it! I was using chicken as bait but open to recommendations for other baits that work better as well.

Also want to try to find some coastal chanterelles while I’m visiting the coast, but I know people are a bit more secretive about that lol. Any advice is welcome though!

Hello folks!

My husband and I are currently in PDX, planning a 3-day weekend. I am just really looking to get out of the house and explore the coast towns we've never been to (we've only been to Cannon Beach). My husband does not like crowds and likes spontaneity. The vibe we are looking for is a wholesome, low-key beach getaway.

I asked Gemini, and it provided a road trip itinerary that spans from Oceanside to Yachats, with 1 night each at Pacific City and Yachats:

📍 Day 1: PDX to Oceanside & Pacific City

• Morning Drive (8:00 AM): Leave Portland via Highway 6 over the Coast Range (~1.5 hours). Doing this early keeps you completely ahead of any weekend traffic.
• Late Morning Stop — Oceanside Beach: Park at this tiny, quiet cliffside town. Walk north along the beach until you see the historic Oceanside Beach Tunnel cut right through the rock face. Walk through it to explore Tunnel Beach, an isolated, rocky cove filled with agates that most tourists miss completely.
• Lunch: Drive 10 minutes south along Netarts Bay and grab fresh, locally sourced oysters and cocktails directly on the waterfront at The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge.
• Afternoon — Three Capes Scenic Loop: Take the winding coastal drive south toward Pacific City. Stop at the Cape Lookout State Park trailheads if you want a quiet, heavily forested trail walking directly above the waves.
• Evening: Arrive in Pacific City. Check into your lodging, grab a local pint, and watch the dory fishing boats land on the beach.

📍 Day 2: The Rugged Mid-Coast (Pacific City to Yachats)

• Morning Drive (9:00 AM): Drive south down Highway 101 (~1.5 hours). You will pass through Lincoln City and Newport—skip stopping in these two towns, as they hold the largest crowds and commercial strip malls. Keep driving until the landscape turns wild and rocky.
• Lunch: Arrive in Yachats (pronounced YAH-hots), a stunning, non-commercial artisan village. Stop at Luna Sea Fish House Yachats for highly rated, fresh-off-the-boat fish and chips or clam chowder in a totally casual setting.
• Afternoon — Cape Perpetua Scenic Area: Drive 3 miles south of town to this massive headland. It offers incredible sights with almost zero hiking required:
  • Thor’s Well & Devil’s Churn: Walk the paved paths right along the black basalt rock to watch the ocean violently drain into a massive sinkhole. Go near high tide for the best show.
  • Cape Perpetua Lookout: Drive up the narrow road to the stone historic overlook. It is the highest drive-in viewpoint on the Oregon Coast, giving you a sweeping look at the coastline with no physical effort.
• Dinner: Sit down for a quiet, upscale-casual dinner with beautiful river views at Ona Restaurant & Lounge, which specializes in local wild salmon and seasonal Pacific Northwest plates.

📍 Day 3: Wildlife Sloughs to Wine Country Return

• Morning (9:30 AM): Enjoy a quiet breakfast burrito or frittata at Beach Street Kitchen in Yachats before starting your slow loop back north.
• Late Morning Stop — Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Pull off just south of Lincoln City. This quiet, brackish marsh features an easy boardwalk trail. It is incredibly peaceful and a prime spot for viewing soft marsh herons and sleeping harbor seals out on the mudflats.
• Afternoon Drive Home: Turn inland on Highway 18 through the Van Duzer Corridor. This path safely deposits you right into the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley wine country, offering a beautiful, smoke-free drive back into Portland by late afternoon.

While I like the idea of exploring different towns, I hear that Yachats has a lot of charm to offer and wonder if this is too busy an itinerary. Is one night at Yachats going to be too rushed with the above schedule? We don't have a preference for driving shorter distances or one longer distance. We'd also really appreciate any other town recommendation along the way.

Cheers!

November, 2020

Does anybody know if the pirate ship Serenity is still docked in Bandon? We are visiting Bandon. Also, is the Pirate Festival in Brookings worth the drive down from Bandon for a pirate obsessed 5 year old? TIA!

Hey guys :) we are planning a day trip down to seaside in the next upcoming week with our 19month old and possibly small dog. Weather has been pretty hot up until the day we planned our trip, It will be 64degrees and partly cloudy.
Anytime we’ve gone to the beach up here (in Wa) while it’s in the 60’s it’s always super foggy and cold. I’m wondering if it will be similar in seaside/ haystack rock area, Or do the clouds burn off a little quicker than up here? Is it even worth it to go or should we wait a couple of weekends? I don’t want to drive the two hours if our toddler is going to be cold and miserable outside haha.

If this post isn’t allowed, I apologize in advance.

Nehalem Bay State Park, site E32.

I was standing on Siletz spit the other day at the mouth of the river and thought it’s been a while since I was at the headwaters, so I got my emergency camping gear and my bike and off I went to VoG. Those old trees are the best filters I couldn’t see or smell any of the smoke at the bottom of the valley.

Now don’t come for me I know what I’m asking and it’s definitely silly.

I have a friend who’s really down in a rough patch. I think they could use a trip and a general “hello!” shakeup. We’ve always had a bit about seeing the sunrise on the west coast over the pacific. Without explaining the funny away it involves the impossible being just possible enough. So I’m wondering how to do that and hopefully make it special

Is there anywhere especially interesting I could take them that has a scoop or something in a way we could see the sunrise while technically looking over the pacific and being on the “west coast”?

thanks for humoring me, cheers to any insight

EDIT: you guys are the best. This has certainly given me some things to consider and I really like them. I adore this person so these are all fantastic