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It was a nice place, we went on a tour inside but unfortunately it was limited to lower floor only.
Apparently the tallest lighthouse in Oregon! Found out I came here before but never went past the visitors center lol! It was super gorgeous and not busy at all. There wasnt a ton to do because we didn't book a tour of the inside but it was still fun to learn the history and see it for myself.
100% MUST visit while in Newport! Sweeping views of the magnificent pacific coast, tide pool access, and bird/sea lion watching. $7 entry fee (if you don't have a national parks pass) and was definitely worth it. While we didn't enter the lighthouse itself, we thoroughly enjoyed taking in the views and fresh air. We came on a Saturday afternoon in July and had no trouble with parking or crowds. Bring a jacket though as it was very windy even on a nice sunny day. Can't miss while in the area!
One of the highlights of going to the lighthouse is the look from the cliff of the seal and sea lions. We didn't stop at the interpretive center but am sure that is a good idea prior to your visit. When you enter the area in your car, there is a charge but the person at the gatehouse offered suggestions of discounts you might have and I have a senior pass that got us in free so we didn't have to pay the $10.00. Be sure to ask what discounts they offer. There is a path down to the sea level for a closer look at the wildlife and there are also some tide pools with a variety of animals. There is some seating at the top of the cliff if you don't want to take the path down which its a little steep. They warn you that if you go out on the rocks, you could get cut off when the tide comes in and we saw a couple of people that had a challenge getting back to shore without getting in the water. There were also a lot of coastal birds on the rocks nearby.
I wish I could say the stop at this light house was a great experience but the day we got there was not fun at all. We pulled into the road leading up to the light house and were stopped by a line of cars. No problem, the wait time ended up being 20 min but it was a blue sunny sky day or so I thought. We got up to the guard shack and displayed our national park pass and were told the look out may be packed so to visit the parking lot before for a better chance at parking. As we were driving up the road, the weather suddenly turned overcast and windy. By the time we got to the visitor center there was fog all around us. We decided to try the lighthouse parking lot because of the windy and coldness from the fog and found a few open stalls. Now this is where it got worse. The strength I had to use to force the door open was a lot. Talk about whole body weight to get myself out of the car. Now the other side of the vehicle we had to stop the door from swinging out and smashing into the car next to us. Walking to the light house was miserable with the wind and cold. I snapped one picture and walked straight back to the car. I could have done without the stop due to the time it took to get out there for us to not even enjoy being outside. Hard to think that just down the road at the light it was blue sunny skies. I couldn't tell if the light house was open or not because it said the tours were starting in July but I couldn't find any available tickets via their website. It also seems like they only open availability a month or two out so getting tickets the day of is impossible. You are better off stopping at Umpqua lighthouse in Reedsport for a tour. At least that light house they do tours more than twice and allow you to climb to the lens.
Visited from Eastern Washington with the family. Amazing views and wonderful place to watch wildlife!
Perched on the edge of the Pacific, Yaquina Head Lighthouse is pure magic. The moment you step out of your car, the coastal wind hits your face and the view stretches endlessly in both directions--crashing waves, rugged black basalt, and that striking white tower standing tall against the sky. We skipped the interpretive center, but met a very nice volunteer docent on the stairs that lead to the rocky beach. She gave us an extensive knowledge of the birds and seals, and some recent history. She even loans binoculars so you can get a closer look. The docents are warm, knowledgeable, and eager to share, they turn a visit into a deeper experience, pointing out wildlife, explaining the lighthouse's history, and offering fascinating insights about the surrounding marine life. A short walk takes you to tide pools that feel like tiny, living worlds. Sea stars cling to rocks, anemones sway in the water, and harbor seals occasionally laze on the nearby rocks. The trails wind to viewpoints where the coastline seems to go on forever. The $7 entrance fee is a small price for what feels like a front-row ticket to nature's best show. Between the views, the wildlife, and the welcoming atmosphere, Yaquina Head Lighthouse is a place that sticks with you long after you've driven away.
We walked to the lighthouse from our Airbnb and had an incredible visit! The paths are clean and easy to traverse. There are plenty of sings with information about the area. The lighthouse itself is gorgeous and is surrounded by a beautiful view. We loved walking on the rocky shoreline, seeing the seals and tide pools, and exploring the area. If you're in the area, this is a must see!
I love visiting lighthouses and this one won't disappoint you. This is your classic white lighthouse but also the tallest one in the Oregon coast. They do charge a small entrance fee. We went on a weekend in summer and it was moderately crowded. There's plenty of parking spots in the area around the lighthouse. Wonderful views of the ocean and the landscape nearby. The visitor center inside the lighthouse was closed on the day we went, it was still lovely to walk around the lighthouse and learn about the history.
Oregon's tallest lighthouse [Newport OR] Hubby and I love visiting lighthouses. There are two beautiful lighthouses in Newport and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse is one of them. Oregon's tallest lighthouse, she stands at 93-ft tall. It is located on the westernmost point extending a mile out into the Pacific Ocean from the coast. We did a self-guided tour around the perimeter of the lighthouse. There are plenty of interpretive signs to read along the paved trail towards the lighthouse. It had withstood winds and rains over the years since 1872. It took approx one year and over 370,000 bricks to build. We stood at the foot of the structure and savored the sight of Oregon's tallest lighthouse on the Central Oregon coast and with the majestic Pacific Ocean as the backdrop. We were not able to tour inside the lighthouse. We usually try to but I think we had to make reservations way in advance plus I'm not sure we could climb 114 steps that day. It was still nice to see. Review #3257
This whole area is sooooooo cool! The lighthouse is beautiful, the interpretive center has so much great info, the tide pools are AMAZING, and the quarry is awesome too. It's one of my favorite places in Newport!
The BLM manages this beautiful piece of history very well. The headlands are well maintained and preserved for all to enjoy. Lots of wildlife and a rich history as a lighthouse give you so much to see do and learn. The tide pools are great below the light house during low tide. The interpretative center provides a great deal Of information about the area and it's history. Worth a stop. We've been to the are many times and generally gravitate to the outdoors options. Often times there is wildlife in cobble beach and the staff does a great job of helping to maintain an appropriate amount of space between humans and nature so both can coexist with interference. Entry fee is affordable. We use our national parks pass to get in which is a nice bonus. I highly recommend stopping here whenever you are in the area.
Such a beautiful view point and beautiful lighthouse! A must stop along the Oregon coast. They do charge $7 fee upon entrance if you don't have a national park pass but sooo worth it. For some reason cobble beach was closed sadly so we just stopped by the Yaquina Head Interpretation Center before leaving. Definitely recommend stopping by, but be prepared parking gets busy!
2 months ago
Excellent stop About 1/4 mile walk from parking. No entry . From the point we saw grey whales come to the surface. peaceful read more
What a beautiful destination. We started out by walking down to the tide pools. We got there at low tide and the Ranger there was very helpful. To get to the tide pools, you have to walk across uneven rocks, so it is not easily accessible for people with balance issues. It's worth noting that the staircase in the lighthouse is under construction and not available. From there, we walked up the incline to get views of the cove and the north beach areas. It was just one perfect photo after another. We then hopped back into the car and drove down to the Cove parking lot. There are not many parking spaces there, but we were there early and had no problem. Just another wonderful set of views. read more
2 months ago
Definitely worth a stop. The views are beautiful. Less trees than other areas along the coast, so you definitely feel the wind. Even in the summer it might be a little chilly. There's a black pebble beach accessible by stairs. From there we're saw seals playing in the water, which was pretty neat. Just the black pebble beach was pretty cool. There's also a rock outcropping that was inhabited by a large number of noisy seabirds. Stop for the views and the beach! read more
2 months ago
Apparently the tallest lighthouse in Oregon! Found out I came here before but never went past the visitors center lol! It was super gorgeous and not busy at all. There wasnt a ton to do because we didn't book a tour of the inside but it was still fun to learn the history and see it for myself. read more
100% MUST visit while in Newport! Sweeping views of the magnificent pacific coast, tide pool access, and bird/sea lion watching. $7 entry fee (if you don't have a national parks pass) and was definitely worth it. While we didn't enter the lighthouse itself, we thoroughly enjoyed taking in the views and fresh air. We came on a Saturday afternoon in July and had no trouble with parking or crowds. Bring a jacket though as it was very windy even on a nice sunny day. Can't miss while in the area! read more
One of the highlights of going to the lighthouse is the look from the cliff of the seal and sea lions. We didn't stop at the interpretive center but am sure that is a good idea prior to your visit. When you enter the area in your car, there is a charge but the person at the gatehouse offered suggestions of discounts you might have and I have a senior pass that got us in free so we didn't have to pay the $10.00. Be sure to ask what discounts they offer. There is a path down to the sea level for a closer look at the wildlife and there are also some tide pools with a variety of animals. There is some seating at the top of the cliff if you don't want to take the path down which its a little steep. They warn you that if you go out on the rocks, you could get cut off when the tide comes in and we saw a couple of people that had a challenge getting back to shore without getting in the water. There were also a lot of coastal birds on the rocks nearby. read more
1 year ago
I wish I could say the stop at this light house was a great experience but the day we got there was not fun at all. We pulled into the road leading up to the light house and were stopped by a line of cars. No problem, the wait time ended up being 20 min but it was a blue sunny sky day or so I thought. We got up to the guard shack and displayed our national park pass and were told the look out may be packed so to visit the parking lot before for a better chance at parking. As we were driving up the road, the weather suddenly turned overcast and windy. By the time we got to the visitor center there was fog all around us. We decided to try the lighthouse parking lot because of the windy and coldness from the fog and found a few open stalls. Now this is where it got worse. The strength I had to use to force the door open was a lot. Talk about whole body weight to get myself out of the car. Now the other side of the vehicle we had to stop the door from swinging out and smashing into the car next to us. Walking to the light house was miserable with the wind and cold. I snapped one picture and walked straight back to the car. I could have done without the stop due to the time it took to get out there for us to not even enjoy being outside. Hard to think that just down the road at the light it was blue sunny skies. I couldn't tell if the light house was open or not because it said the tours were starting in July but I couldn't find any available tickets via their website. It also seems like they only open availability a month or two out so getting tickets the day of is impossible. You are better off stopping at Umpqua lighthouse in Reedsport for a tour. At least that light house they do tours more than twice and allow you to climb to the lens. read more
1 year ago
Visited from Eastern Washington with the family. Amazing views and wonderful place to watch wildlife! read more
1 year ago
Perched on the edge of the Pacific, Yaquina Head Lighthouse is pure magic. The moment you step out of your car, the coastal wind hits your face and the view stretches endlessly in both directions--crashing waves, rugged black basalt, and that striking white tower standing tall against the sky. We skipped the interpretive center, but met a very nice volunteer docent on the stairs that lead to the rocky beach. She gave us an extensive knowledge of the birds and seals, and some recent history. She even loans binoculars so you can get a closer look. The docents are warm, knowledgeable, and eager to share, they turn a visit into a deeper experience, pointing out wildlife, explaining the lighthouse's history, and offering fascinating insights about the surrounding marine life. A short walk takes you to tide pools that feel like tiny, living worlds. Sea stars cling to rocks, anemones sway in the water, and harbor seals occasionally laze on the nearby rocks. The trails wind to viewpoints where the coastline seems to go on forever. The $7 entrance fee is a small price for what feels like a front-row ticket to nature's best show. Between the views, the wildlife, and the welcoming atmosphere, Yaquina Head Lighthouse is a place that sticks with you long after you've driven away. read more
2 years ago
We walked to the lighthouse from our Airbnb and had an incredible visit! The paths are clean and easy to traverse. There are plenty of sings with information about the area. The lighthouse itself is gorgeous and is surrounded by a beautiful view. We loved walking on the rocky shoreline, seeing the seals and tide pools, and exploring the area. If you're in the area, this is a must see! read more
I love visiting lighthouses and this one won't disappoint you. This is your classic white lighthouse but also the tallest one in the Oregon coast. They do charge a small entrance fee. We went on a weekend in summer and it was moderately crowded. There's plenty of parking spots in the area around the lighthouse. Wonderful views of the ocean and the landscape nearby. The visitor center inside the lighthouse was closed on the day we went, it was still lovely to walk around the lighthouse and learn about the history. read more
Oregon's tallest lighthouse [Newport OR] Hubby and I love visiting lighthouses. There are two beautiful lighthouses in Newport and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse is one of them. Oregon's tallest lighthouse, she stands at 93-ft tall. It is located on the westernmost point extending a mile out into the Pacific Ocean from the coast. We did a self-guided tour around the perimeter of the lighthouse. There are plenty of interpretive signs to read along the paved trail towards the lighthouse. It had withstood winds and rains over the years since 1872. It took approx one year and over 370,000 bricks to build. We stood at the foot of the structure and savored the sight of Oregon's tallest lighthouse on the Central Oregon coast and with the majestic Pacific Ocean as the backdrop. We were not able to tour inside the lighthouse. We usually try to but I think we had to make reservations way in advance plus I'm not sure we could climb 114 steps that day. It was still nice to see. Review #3257 read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
The BLM manages this beautiful piece of history very well. The headlands are well maintained and preserved for all to enjoy. Lots of wildlife and a rich history as a lighthouse give you so much to see do and learn. The tide pools are great below the light house during low tide. The interpretative center provides a great deal Of information about the area and it's history. Worth a stop. We've been to the are many times and generally gravitate to the outdoors options. Often times there is wildlife in cobble beach and the staff does a great job of helping to maintain an appropriate amount of space between humans and nature so both can coexist with interference. Entry fee is affordable. We use our national parks pass to get in which is a nice bonus. I highly recommend stopping here whenever you are in the area. read more
Such a beautiful view point and beautiful lighthouse! A must stop along the Oregon coast. They do charge $7 fee upon entrance if you don't have a national park pass but sooo worth it. For some reason cobble beach was closed sadly so we just stopped by the Yaquina Head Interpretation Center before leaving. Definitely recommend stopping by, but be prepared parking gets busy! read more
3 years ago
Another incredible experience @ Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area near Newport, OR. !!! What a great St. Patrick's Day!! I absolutely love visiting this beautiful site. It has so much to offer from man-made structures of the glorious 93 foot Yaquina Head Lighthouse, Interpretive Center, and Quarry Cove to preserved nature sites of tide pools on Cobble Beach, views of Agate Beach, and hiking areas galore! This Outstanding Natural Area is exceptional and well-maintained by the State of Oregon, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean with protected land & sea animals comfortably enjoying their day and basking in the sun. Numerous parking areas throughout, as well as countless picnic tables, benches, and clean bathrooms. read more
A picturesque lighthouse surrounded by nature with a museum that explains everything that you might see on your visit here. If you're in to birdwatching or whale watching, or if you just like to hike some trails or relax and enjoy a moment of pure coastal/natural bliss, this is a great spot to do any of that. The grounds are immaculately kept, and the museum has a variety of informative exhibits that provide a nice guide to go along with your experience as well as a gift shop. There is a nice paved path that runs along the water to the lighthouse, as well as a road that allows you to drive all the way to it in case you don't feel like walking. This is a bureau of land mangement area so there is a small fee at the gate, or you can use a national park pass to gain entry. No reason not to stop here and take it in if you're passing through. Definitely worth an hour or so of your time. read more
This is a very fun and interesting place to visit! Beautiful, albeit windy, grounds with trails, a gorgeous lighthouse, and a special beach. We found the beach to be the best part, so unique! Black, smooth, cobblestones make up the entire beach. The sounds they make under foot, as well as the music the waves make as they toss them around...truly awesome. Cherry on top was getting to enjoy the seals playing around in the water just a few feet away. We didn't get to spend enough time, lots more to see and enjoy next time! read more
11 months ago
After (mistakenly) visiting the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, we drove the few miles here to Yaquina Head Lighthouse. The approach road intersects with Hwy 101 and there are signs for this. You proceed about a mile to the large parking lot for the visitors' center. You then have the option to drive the remaining 1/3 mile to the much smaller lot adjacent to the lighthouse or you can walk on a pedestrian trail which has great views of both the ocean and the lighthouse as you approach it. We checked out the visitors' center first. They had some exhibits on the construction and function of the lighthouse, plus local wildlife including whales. This was popular with families with shcool-age kids. The ranger on duty advised us that parking could be an issue out at the lighthouse, so we then opted to just walk the rest of the way. It was a sunny day and we had jackets against the wind. It turned out to be a nice walk with good opportunities to photograph the lighthouse. You also can see the hill which rises just behind the visitors' center; there appeared to be paths up to the summit, though we did not hike that. Parking did seem scarce at the small lot at the end of the road. There were quite a lot of people at the large circular plaza around the base of the lighthouse. Most were checking out a large rock with thousands of birds. However, there was also a passing whale, which you could see every couple of minutes as it came to the surface for a breath. I had never seen a while in the wild before, so it was an extra treat! The ranger indicated that (depending on the season) it was a good spot to see whales. I thought this was a highly worthwhile stop on our drive. read more
Until now I've never seen a lighthouse up close and in person. This was definitely worth the trip out to Newport! My boyfriend's mom has a national park pass so we were able to get into Yaquina Head nice and easy. We are staying in Lincoln City so it was about a 40 minute drive to here from there. We took her beagle down with us and he was so happy and excited to be here! Even though it was chilly and windy outside we had the most amazing view of the ocean. I wanted to go inside of the lighthouse but we weren't able to unfortunately. There are steps that you can use to go down on the beach and walk on the cobblestones. The cobblestones are a little slippery so watch where you are walking and keep your balance! I was worried that I was going to slip and fall but I didn't. My grandparents love lighthouses (they are from Maine) so I made sure to get a picture of it for them. If you're driving through Newport, then this is the place to stop by! read more
Seen one lighthouse and you've seen them all. But this one has such a dramatic setting with the churling ocean crashing against the cliffs and jutting rocks. Don't forget to head down towards the gorge as I almost missed a bunch of dozing sea lions. Quite windy so come prepared. After walking to the gorge I had to peel of a layer. Trails are short and well labeled. There is an entrance fee for vehicles but free for hikers and bikers. read more
This was a fun and picturesque stop! There's a $7 entrance fee, and although the interpretive center and lighthouse tours aren't available right now because of covid, we felt it was still worth it. We stopped first at the parking area for the Outstanding Natural Area. There's a nice paved path down to the rocks and beach viewing area. There were lots of birds around...binoculars would have come in handy. Our next stop was up at the lighthouse. Even though there are renovations happening currently, you can still get close enough for decent pictures. We also saw a trail access to the tide pools below. Would highly recommend! read more
3 years ago
My trip to Yaquina Head lighthouse was spectacular. We took the tour inside the lighthouse. Currently visitors are not able to climb to the top because of ongoing renovations, but it was still a nice, informative , short tour. The walk around the lighthouse provides good views of birds and seals and lots of photo opportunities. Be sure to take the stairs to the ocean in order to experience the black stone beach. If you go at low tide, there's great tide pooling to be done and you can learn about sea anemones, starfish and their sea creatures. read more
We thought this was going to be a bust due to COVID, renovations, rain and fog, but actually turned out to be the highlight of our day! Yay! - We found lots of sea goodies at the tide pools! - We've never seen a beach quite like this: filled with HUGE, smooth black rocks. Be careful! You can easily twist your ankle! - They're trying their best at social distancing and the hiking trails are set up to be one way loops. - The lighthouse still looks cool even though you can't get up close and personal. FYI: - Interpretive center closed due to COVID. - Lighthouse closed for renovations and no tours are available at this time (as of Nov 2020). - $7 entrance fee, waived if you have an annual National park pass. read more
I've been to Oregon several times and this is my first time on the coast. I believe it was about an hour drive from Albany with beautiful scenery on the way. The trees were huge and the forest and mountains were amazing. There's restrooms there (kinda like outhouse style lol) and free public parking. The light and views were amazing! We walked down to the beach and that was a whole new experience of beach for me. I'm born and raised in Hawaii and I'm used to white sand beaches and even black sand but never have I seen black smooth rock beach like this. These rocks are something we could only buy in stores and it's decorative rocks because it's nice and also expensive. The entire beach was covered in these rocks. The water was crystal clear and cold there's also lots of seals hanging out on the large rocks near shore. It's very peaceful and beautiful. During the time I was there, there wasn't much people which was great for us (probably because it's in the middle of December ). I definitely recommend visiting this amazing place and please pick up after yourself and keep this beautiful place beautiful! read more
This gorgeous, eerie lighthouse is the one they used in The Ring. It was made in Paris during the Victorian era and still uses its original Fresnal lens. It's also the tallest lighthouse in Oregon! This was a very short, easy walk up a paved roadway and walkways with lots of paved parking. They weren't charging any fees due to the interpretive center and interior of the lighthouse being closed due to Covid. We were pretty much the only ones there while visiting! They also have it labeled where to walk to keep everyone socially distanced and walking up one way and down another. Even in the fog, it's gorgeous and is a great place to play with my camera! Also has some breathtaking vistas around the cliffs. There's a large, whimsical compass etched into the concrete near the information signs. I'd love to come back and tour the inside of the lighthouse! There are some nice, clean restrooms at the interpretive center that are still open so that was useful! Will definitely come back once all is open again. read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
If you go to just one lighthouse while in Oregon, this is the one to go to! This was our favorite lighthouse we visited while touring the Oregon coast. It's breathtakingly beautiful to look at! It towers above all the rest and has the most amazing view of the Oregon coast. There is a fee of $7 to park but it is well worth it. From there, you walk along a paved path to the lighthouse, which has a beautiful view of the ocean below the entire length of the path. Seals can be seen in the rocks below and they were quite fascinating to watch. There is a very large visitor center which also serves as a museum and has several different exhibits as well as a gift shop. Several times a day they play a short film which covers in detail the complete history of the lighthouse, which I found very fascinating. We are planning another trip to the coast and this is definitely on our list of places to visit again! read more
4 years ago
We didn't even get the lighthouse tour and we felt it was worth the $7 for parking that is valid for three days, not one. The views from the lighthouse were outstanding! After checking out the lighthouse, we went down to the tide pools and spent a fair amount of time there, even spotting a small colony of seals frolicking not too far offshore. On our way out, we stopped at the visitor's center. It's small, yet the 15 minute movie about the lighthouse was informative, and our kids liked it. We live 400 miles away but will likely be back. read more
I love lighthouses and this one doesn't disappoint. This one is on BLM land and has an entrance fee and isn't open 24 hours. Gates close at sunset, which is a bummer if you'd like to see the light at night and maybe grab some astro-photos. There's an interpretative center before you get to the lighthouse. On a busy day, park there and walk the 1/4 mile as there isn't a lot of parking down lower. There are some tidal areas to explore next to the cobble stone beach if the tide's out. My visit saw plenty of birds, seals and a whale. There is a trail up the hill behind the lighthouse that brings you to eye level and above the actual light. No tours while I was there, but it's interesting if you get the chance. read more
I never pass a lighthouse. I find myself intrigued by the history and inner workings of a functioning lighthouse. I only wish the public were allowed a peak inside. The park is well maintained and parking is ample. You can buy a pass for all the coastal parks which we did. Worth it totally. We explored the area and checked out the tide pools but in my opinion the tourists were ruining my time by pulling things out of the tide pools and generally not being good stewards of the park. That's no reflection on the park of course. This is worth a stop. read more
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