My best days are spent at the coast, the beach is my happy place. Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint…read moreis my favorite spot to just sit quietly and watch the ocean. I've seen whale spouts -some 10-16 feet high- almost every time so I know they are out there. When whale migration is in full swing, there are usually volunteers from the Whale Museum in Depoe Bay or a Ranger walking around answering questions and sharing their binoculars. If you see one, take advantage of their vast knowledge and listen. The seagulls & pigeons are always hungry and will wait patiently while you decide to do the right thing and throw them a piece of whatever you're eating. This is one of the best places in Oregon to see ocean-going birds like shearwaters, albatrosses, grebes, pelicans, loons, & oystercatchers. I've seen osprey and bald eagles fly over too. It's pretty windy most of the time but that never stops us from picnicking at one of the many weathered picnic tables set up around the parking lot. Even when it's raining, we pick up a snack at one of the many eateries nearby and eat in the car while the wind howls outside. Parking has never been a problem and it's FREE. There are real flush toilets and the bathrooms are fairly well maintained as far as I've experienced. I've never noticed any "strange characters" hanging around but there are lots of people with dogs and visitors from out-of-state enjoying the view. I like to take my sketchbook and do some quick drawing when I can. I've also been known to pull into a parking spot facing the water, roll down a window and take a nap. There's nothing better than the sound of the waves to lull you to sleep. It's worth the time to stop and check out the view, you'll never be sorry you did.

Boiler Bay has always delivered for me whenever I stopped here for sunset while waiting for sunset…read more What A Magical Spot!

Oregon has more hiking trails than one could hike in a lifetime, so you can't hike them all. If I…read morehad to pick only ONE trail in the state to hike, I would pick Cascade Head. The trail starts at Knight Park, right on the estuary. After viewing the river, you hike through the old growth. The hike starts with some elevation, but the trees provide shade and lots of places to stop and rest. After crossing streams and bridges you come out to the grass field with a million dollar view of the Salmon River and Pacific Ocean. Bring a head lamp and stay for the view through sunset, it is incredible. The trail continues through the grass with more switchbacks to the upper viewpoint. While the Upper viewpoint is fantastic, if you are short on time, the lower viewpoint is fairly comparable (view wise) to upper. This hike is really the highlight of the Oregon Coast. The trail does not allow dogs (or pets) so plan accordingly.

Great trail...loads to see and a real workout in the process…read more We arrived at the trailhead at 8am to be the first in the lot on a Saturday. By the time we returned the lot was full. There's a decent amount of parking...spots for cars, RVs, and trucks with boat trailers. The pre-trail wanders in and out of the trees and road for a bit, but they have great signage to lead you to the actual head. The trail is great, as you get a smidge of everything you could ask for along the way...some shaded forest, wildlife, wildflowers, stunning coastal views, and a pretty butt-kicking workout to the top viewpoint. Keep in mind, we aren't young, and neither are our hips and knees. There are a good number of high clearance steps to climb that weren't the easiest for a gal with short legs and bad hips. Not to mention that the trail is pretty steep as you zig-zag your way up the non-shaded knoll to the second viewpoint at the top of the lower trail (where it meets the upper). The trail is narrow most of the way, especially on that hillside as you push your way through the tall grasses and flowers. You definitely need to watch your step constantly going up and down, as there are hidden steps, rocks, and uneven surfaces beneath the grasses. We almost ended our trip at the lower viewpoint, but after a bit of contemplation decided to push through and up the hillside to the top. I'm super glad we made the choice, but we definitely felt it! So much to see along the way. We got to watch the elk herd as it grazed the knoll at the first opening, so beautiful. Halfway down the hill from the top a fast moving fog bank came off the coast right at us, engulfing us and removing everything from sight for a minute, while providing us with much appreciated and FABulous cold air... a very cool experience for sure. I highly recommend this trail. Go early if you go on the weekend. And if you're now young ONLY at heart, be prepared for a decent workout if you plan to go to the top...but do it, it's worth it. :)

What a great little park. Located near beach access but kinda out of the way, In a residential…read morearea. We rented a house for the weekend and this little hidden gem was across the street. My Wife and I walked over on our way out. What a pleasant surprise. Granted, there is stiff competition with the ocean only a few yards away, literally but this small park has tons of charm. We sat on the bench next to the water and it was awesome. My Wife noticed a secret path that takes you further down the waters edge for some awesome relaxation. We startled a couple ducks chilling on the edge or rather, they startled me when I almost walked up to them before they moved and I noticed them. lol It's also a good place to let your pets roam but there are no pet waste bags available. So... BYOPPB The bathrooms were clean and the parking lot has several spots to add for beach access. There is even a place to store your surf board's while you're using the parks amenities.

Nice beach. Great for a walk. Fine sand, not much obstacles or rocks along the sandy part…read more Beautiful view with drastic contrast of cliff and ocean, winding nicely with depth. Not a long descent from the parking spot, just a dozen stair steps or so, unlike a lot of other places where you need to walk down 50 stairs.

Beautiful stretch of land surrounded by an estuary and wetlands. We just happened upon it while…read moreroaming recently. When you leave Sand Lake Road you hit the Whalen Island County Park first, including a boat ramp and cute small campground. Just beyond those is the circle parking area, with vault toilet and picnic tables, for the trail head. The trail itself is a loop, with a few short off-shoots, that meanders through the island for a little over a mile. The trail scenery is pretty fun, as it passes through varied landscapes: estuary waters, wetlands, sand, sea, and trees. The path was pretty well-maintained and easy to follow (of course you loose the look of a path as you enter a couple sandy sections, but it's simple to pick it back up). We really enjoyed the trail and the feel of the island overall minus one aspect, the noise. The Sand Lake Recreation Area is directly beyond Whalen. So while otherwise the trail would've felt very peaceful, the constant sounds of nearby ATVs definitely robbed us of true serenity. We still enjoyed ourselves though, nice place overall.

I was here for the first time in October 2019, on my last (and I hope not final) trip to Oregon…read more Neskowin is a very, very low-key beach community full of holiday homes of of equally low-key Portlanders. While Cannon Beach has become a circus and unfortunately Manzanita looks to be on its way to share the same fate, Neskowin still retains its sleepy, off-the-beaten path vibe. Most people come here either for the beach, Proposal Rock itself or the Ghost forest. When I came, it was an overcast but warm October day with a deluge of rain that came in maybe 5 minutes after I left. The tide was also coming in high. As a result, I had the beach entirely to myself but Proposal Rock was completely surrounded by rough and dangerous surf. As the name suggests, there is indeed legend attached to Proposal Rock and many brides-to-be are proposed here. Unfortunately the waves here are very unpredictable and there have been a number of deaths and drownings around the Rock in recent years and persons taken out by rogue waves and never found again. So if you do decide to hike the Rock, make sure it's during low tide and during a safe day. The Ghost forest is another interesting feature of Neskowin. No one even knew it was here until 2007 when winter storms finally first exposed these ancient tree stumps in the water for the first time in who knows how long. It's the remains of a forest that was here when we can assume Jesus was walking around the Sea of Galilee and Romans were watching gladiator fights in the Coliseum. It's not much to look at but it's very interesting to meditate on given how old it is.

What a fun place to walk on the beach! Great place to capture videos. Nice clean restroom options…read morenearby! Felt like a safe area!

Came to Oregon coast and stayed walking distance from here. It's beautiful, especially when it's…read morenice out. There's parking if you feel like driving. We found a message in a bottle, too (see pics)! I love this beautiful beach and I can't wait to come back!

A five- to ten-mile drive north of Neskowin, you'll find the quiet neighborhood of Winema Beach…read more Off the beaten path, visitors must drive through steep, windy gravel roads to get to this quiet local beach. Winema Beach of primarily for its coastal property owners whose homes line the cliff above. Here the views, soft sand and most of all privacy are not taken for granted.

"A must see on horseback one of the most Beautiful places in Oregon"…read more Bob Strub state park is almost a square mile of gorgeous wildlife trees shrubs the most beautiful views on the Oregon coast with hay stack rock in the background. I highly recommend taking a horseback ride on the beach and also on the dunes at Bob Straw Park. Picture you and you family on a horse with the wind at you're back beautiful blue clouds rolling waves crashing ! The squeaking of the sand on the horses hoves It's like sound of no other. Green Acres Beach & Trail check out their website beach-rides.com

Perfect place to get out and stretch your legs. Clean restrooms with flush toilets available off…read morethe parking lot. Great beach access and not as busy as the beach access in Cape Kiwanda. When we were there we only saw one family when we arrived and two families as we were leaving. Makes for a lot of room to let your dog run on the beach without bothering anyone. A family was flying a kite while we were there too...made us wish we would have bought one. It was the perfect weather for it!

This place is unbelievable and is truly a hidden gem. You can walk from the Surfrider easily or…read morepark in the parking lot. You enter and wind through a short dark "Hobbit" forest then come out to the most amazing views in the world. Rain or shine, it will not disappoint. You can see all the way towards the north past Lincoln City and south to Whale Cove. Keep in mind to watch the kids or animals as there are sheer drops here.