Newport

Bordering on both the Pacific Ocean and the large Yaquina Bay, Newport is so many things combined into one remarkable place. An active working waterfront, the Historical Bayfront area is home to one of Oregon’s largest commercial fishing fleets. It is also an intriguing cultural district, with shops, art galleries, chowder houses, and restaurants right next to fish processing plants and historic buildings. A second distinct area of town, Nye Beach, was the number one attraction on the Coast during the early 1900s, and is still a popular haven for the arts.

Newport has not one but two lighthouses — the original lighthouse on Yaquina Bay, and a second lighthouse built in the late 1800s on Yaquina Head, north of town. At 93 feet tall, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse is the tallest active lighthouse in Oregon. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is world class and grants passage to mesmerizing turquoise tunnels and large tanks filled with colorful fish, sharks, and even stranger creatures. Not to be outdone on striking landmarks, the Yaquina Bay Bridge is an iconic, art-deco arch bridge on Highway 101 that spans the bay.