We drove through this rather large coastal city while on our way to visit family in Charleston, OR…read morefor the weekend. It's known as Oregon's 'Bay Area', and it definitely has that feel with hills and all. Coos Bay is a major port for maritime commerce, namely lumber. Population is over 15,000. It's home to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and hometown of iconic runner Steve Prefontaine. It offers natural beauty for outdoor adventures at Shore Acres State Park and Sunset Bay State Park. There's plenty of hiking and storm watching opportunities. Golden and Silver Falls are popular hiking destinations. If you're a gambler, the Mill Casino is also a popular destination offering lodging at their hotel and RV park. Visit the Marshfield District for shops, restaurants, galleries, historic buildings, museums and theaters. And don't forget the fresh seafood abound. One of our favorite things while driving along highway 101. If you're in the area, I recommend stopping to take in what this coastal city has to offer!

The history of Coos Bay dates back to the days of Lewis and Clark. One of the most famous…read moreresidents, Coos Bay was the birth place of Steve Prefointaine. People come from around the world to participate in the memorial race that was set up in his memory. But, what is Coos Bay known for today, first, world class golf (not my thing), but they are known for it. Second, the sand dunes. The Umpqua Dunes in northern Coos County are the widest and highest in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This section of dunes is closed to off-highway vehicles, so hikers love them. Whether you are looking for hiking, beach exploring, mountain biking, sea lion watching .... it's all within a short distance of Coos Bay. Kind of the hub for the Oregon Coast if you are in the middle region of the state.

This is a surprisingly nice memorial. It's simplicity and openness gives more gravitas to the…read morememorial's message, and it's location in Skinner's Butte Park, next to the Willamette River, is quite fitting.

The lighthouse museum gift shop is a great little place to stop and grab some lighthouse shirts,…read morejackets, toys, or snacks if you aren't able to do the museum/lighthouse tour. They were serving hot and cold foods as well as drinks (coffee) when I was there July 2025. Make sure to check them out if you are able to stop in!

I don't think this place gets much traffic in December because there were several decent sales and…read morea very chatty clerk. This was a fun little place to explore with a range of souvenirs, books, local goods, and kids toys. Mermaids and yetis we're among the topics covered - so I had several happy kids. There was a selection of local jam, marinades, wine.... And even chocolate.

In A Nutshell: -It's…read morenot too often you can actually walk down to a dam & watch real fish inside the water like an aquarium. -You can do that at Winchester Dam and Fish Ladder, which is a National Historic Landmark in our great country the USA. -You can easily find parking in the small lot, then walk down the concrete/mental stairs towards the dam. -There are plenty of places to take some really nice photos of the entire dam & Umpqua River. -As you walk down the steps towards the fish count area, you will be able to see real fish struggling against the strong currents through glass. -You can see all sorts of fish if you wait a little. Overall, this is a nice place to take your family.

This was the first place I ever went to when I first got to Oregon in 2018. It was a wonderful…read moreclimb down but going back up at my age and my disability was hard but I love it. I love going over the bridge and seeing the waterfall. I think everybody would enjoy that's just my opinion.

This is one of the reasons we are on the Coast. Chase…read morelighthouses -active or not. This one is a not but you can go in. At the head of the river entrance. The light was 28 seconds white , 2 seconds no light. And a coal fired fog horn. Whata Life.

Nice park. Loved the partially restored river lighthouse. Enjoyed the gift shop. Staff at friendly…read moreand knowledgeable. I'm a little puzzled by a lack of lighthouse shirts and sweatshirts. I surely would have purchased two as my wife who could not enter with her wheelchair still made me go back and double check I didn't miss it the first time. It's a well set up attraction. While the opportunity to raise funds by selling items, I gladly donated the price of a shirt to hopefully move park service towards further developement of this gem.

When you visit it, the Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House comes alive with history. Here, you'll get…read moresome good insights into some strong women's lives. Tip: The stairs are steep so be aware; they're not recommended for small children or people with mobility issues. When you ascend to the attic, you'll find an impressive replica of the house, and also a nice collection of war memorabilia (Swords, flags, photos, medical instruments, etc.). We very much enjoyed learning more about the history of Eugene; the docents were both friendly and knowledgeable. The furnishings and architecture are from a different time and the tour was informative.

Read a review from 3 years ago and it said it was only $6 to get in and guess what? It's still only…read more$6 to get in! The docent was a very kind and friendly lady who knew the most about Aida but knew something about all of them. I appreciate her honesty when we asked a wished didn't know she would tell us she was not sure but would offer a maybe because... or probably because.... She pointed out what pieces of furniture were original to the home and explained how the rest were donated. So much history! She said the last lady who owned the home was raised in the Campbell House Inn which is actually where we stayed! I didn't take a bunch of photos as I was enjoying the moment and listening to the docent tell us the history of the home. Also many other people have posted great photos here already so no point in being redundant. The docent said it is decorated for Christmas during the holidays and recommended to visit it if I'm the area during that time. The theme was weddings do when we visited as the docent explained that someone had donated a tremendous amount of wedding gowns to the museum.

This is near our stay. We wanted to go down to the beach…read moreto tide pool search but it was still too wet. 60 degree water is chilly. Maybe next time.

This is a great place to come to find gourmet products. They run a classy operation by providing…read morefree cheese samples for their creations. I was happily surprised to see they also sold my favorite Italian Asiago cheese. The only bummer was looking into the ingredient list for there Umpqua over the counter ice cream to find it is ultra processed using high frutose corn syrup to make this product.

It's about a half mile hike from the parking lot at the beach and it's not too difficult. If you're…read morelucky the lighthouse will actually be open and there were Volunteer docents who were very helpful. Especially the educator inside the lighthouse who was telling us stories about the original interior versus the later developed. There was a smaller building that felt to be like a chapel but wasn't, it contained a small library and everything from gasoline/fuel to the original light bulbs that were the lamp. There's also a gift shop on the way up. And you could see the homeless where at least a couple of the lighthouse keepers lived perhaps with family. There was a soft mist rolling in as we left... the view is beautiful. One of the most beautiful things about reaching the lighthouse is the drive there. Take advantage of the vistas that you can pull over to take photos of the ocean, the wall, the lighthouse from afar. It's an incredibly beautiful part of the world.

Stop here. Go here. Heck, stay a while…read more Heceta Head is one the most prominent sites on the amazing Oregon coast. The combination of Pinnacle & Parrot Rocks, the inlet with a walkable beach, and the iconic lighthouse & viewing spot makes it simply sensational. It is another fantastic Oregon state park, so be sure to pay your parking & visit fees to help keep this state as gorgeous as possible. The 'climb' (it's really like a long ramp) from the parking lot up to the lighthouse is a little over 1/4 of a mile, and it is paved with a very walkable, even wheelchair accessible, gravel. Even the Oregon rain doesn't make this a muddy, sloppy mess and the walk pales in comparison to the views. About halfway up the slope, there is a gift shop with plenty of keepsakes, souvenirs, and even a few snacks & drinks. The shop is open pretty much every day with limited hours, but it's a wonderful opportunity to commemorate your visit. When you get to the top near the lighthouse, the view of the rocks down below will almost always have wildlife. Cormorants and other seabirds will nest on the rocks and if you're lucky, you might see some California sea lions hanging out on the southwest part of Parrot Rock. Park rangers will frequent the lighthouse area in nicer weather, and sometimes will have scopes set up for a birds-eye view of, well, birds. My lovely wife couldn't get enough of the view of the nesting seabirds and their littles during hatch season. What a magic memory! Be mindful of the tides, and if your visit happens to coincide with King Tide season, then take the opportunity to view from above. The sea gets ANGRY, the winds get crazy, and it is a humbling reminder of how powerful Mother Nature can be. Heceta Head is still a functioning lighthouse, and when the ocean is super choppy, then you can certainly see how valuable a light can be to warn ships along the coast. The mariner's friend is always a beacon in a storm, communicating safe haven or dangerous rocks, dependent on tides and winds. The turn to the state park comes up quickly off the 101, so keep your eyes sharp. There's plenty of parking, there is an accessible restroom, and if you don't make the climb up to the lighthouse, then the beach is a wonderful alternative. If you have the time, then just don't miss it. It is one of the most beautiful spots on the beautiful western edges of a beautiful state.