Things to Do in Florence, Oregon

Up and down the Oregon Coast, quiet lakes and slow-moving rivers open up a world of adventure to paddlers of all stripes. You never know when you might see Roosevelt Elk grazing on the shore near Tillamook, ospreys hunting for fish in Lincoln City or the occasional black bear trundling through old-growth forests along the Rogue River.

When it comes to your Oregon Coast getaway, fun and relaxation top the itinerary. So why not get both by booking a guided adventure on your next trip? It’s a great way to try something new while letting someone else handle logistics and safety, or learn more about your favorite activities with a knowledgeable expert enriching your experience. You’ll not only learn more during your excursion, you will also be able to seek out off-the-beaten-path recommendations for your destination. Here are some new and classic guided adventures for your next visit to the Coast.

Whatever your adventurous curiosities, there’s nothing like the promise of a new year to start turning aspirations into experiences. And what better place than the Oregon Coast to try an adventure that’s new to you. From mountain biking and disc golfing to guided fishing trips, fat-tire biking and paddling, the Oregon Coast is packed with adventure. Here are five to try.

Digging clams for dinner is a beloved tradition on the Oregon Coast. Whether they’re steamed, fried or the star of a hearty chowder, bivalves are a prized ingredient from the sea. Armed with a license and a few tools, you can explore an entire menu on Oregon’s coastal bays, which are home to five major clam species including the gaper, cockle, littleneck, butter and soft-shell. Or head to the North Coast, where you can find the succulent razor clam on ocean beaches. Here are some top places for clam digging and enjoying these briny treats on Oregon’s coast.

On most days you can find Alanna Kieffer by the Pacific Ocean. She might be farming Pacific dulse for Oregon Seaweed or sharing her love of marine ecosystems with others through her business Shifting Tides, which connects people and place through educational adventures in Oregon’s intertidal zones. Or she might be planning special dining events for a multivenue series she co-founded, Winter Waters, which focuses on regenerative seafood. Regardless of where she is, however, one thing’s certain: She’s raising awareness about the habitats of the Oregon Coast.

For centuries mariners grappled with how to navigate channels up and down the Oregon Coast. The Columbia Bar, for instance, sits where the Columbia River empties into the Pacific Ocean — and has been the site of roughly 2,000 shipwrecks since 1792. Though nowadays things are much safer with jetties and bar pilots, the bar’s rough waters earned it the nickname “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Other passages have less dramatic but no less powerful stories of their own.