If you’re looking for a fantastic Oregon Coast itinerary, I’ve got one that will satisfy your taste buds, fill your camera’s memory card, and create lasting memories that will make you want to come back to explore more of this great state.
The Oregon Coast is one of America’s truest natural gems. The coastline is rugged and forested; it offers amazing seafood and fishing, and, depending on where you visit, far fewer crowds than you might expect for such a beautiful landscape.
After nearly four years away from the Oregon Coast, it was finally time to come back and explore a new stretch, nicely dubbed the Oregon Adventure Coast, which includes Coos Bay, North Bend, and Charleston, and beyond!
For the entirety of my road trip, stretching from Coos Bay down to Port Orford, there’s something for everyone: family-friendly hiking, dune adventures, fishing, indulging in seafood, kayaking, and so much more await once you set foot here.
So, let’s dive into this 5-day Oregon Coast itinerary and show you what this place has to offer!
5-Day Itinerary from Coos Bay to Port Orford Along the Oregon Coast
This stretch of the Oregon Coast is magnificent and one of the most populated. Coos Bay and North Bend combined have the largest micropolitan population, at around 26,000 people. Coos Bay itself is the largest city on the coast, with a population of 16,000.
It’s also incredibly easy to reach by air, thanks to the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport (OTH/North Bend), which offers seasonal nonstop flights from Denver and San Francisco.
Denver to Coos Bay: Day 1
During the summer months, there are daily flights from Denver to Coos Bay. For me, it was to explore the Oregon Coast. 85% of the other flyers seemed to be headed to Bandon Dunes, the iconic coastal golf course 30 minutes south.
The three-hour flight from Denver to Coos Bay/North Bend was seamless, and after grabbing my rental car at the airport, I enjoyed delicious halibut tacos at Shark Bites Seafood Cafe. Seriously, you get so much fish; it was amazing!
Kayaking on Empire Lakes
From there, I headed to John Topits Park and Empire Lakes, which offer self-rental kayaks. I grabbed one and headed out onto the lake to enjoy the lovely weather and nice forest views.
You can only kayak on the lake you put in from, which isn’t too big. But it’s a nice way to spend 60 minutes in the area.
Shore Acres State Park
After checking into the Itty Bitty Inn and chatting with Rik the Inn Keeper, I grabbed a delicious dinner at Tokyo Bistro and headed to the coast in hopes the clouds would break up just enough for sunset.
This stretch of coastline, about 15-25 minutes from Coos Bay, is comprised of three state parks. From South to North: Cape Arago, Shore Acres, and Sunset Bay State Parks.
Sadly, the clouds didn’t dissipate as I had hoped, but it was still great to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time since moving from Seattle, Washington, last summer. With sunset a dud and the park locking its gates at 9pm, I headed out with muted light still in the sky, but stoked for the upcoming Oregon Coast itinerary that awaited me!
Where I stayed: Itty Bitty Inn
Where I ate: Lunch: Shark Bites, Dinner: Tokyo Bistro
Exploring Coos Bay – Dunes and more: Day 2
My first full day on the Oregon Coast was a great one. I started with breakfast in town and swooped by the farmer’s market for some fresh blueberries, Rainier cherries, and cinnamon rolls. The local farmer’s market happens each Wednesday from 9am-2pm, so if you’re in town and want fresh goodies, this is the place to be.
Oregon Dunes
From here, I headed north to hike the John Dellenback Trail in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. In its entirety, the round-trip to the beach is 6-7 miles and, thanks to the slow pace of hiking on sand, can take four hours. I didn’t have that long, so I meandered a couple of miles, enjoyed the dunes, and came back.
The Oregon Dunes are the most expansive dunes in North America, stretching 40+ miles from Coos Bay to Florence, with some rising to 500 feet in height. But the coolest part of the dunes is that there are pine trees next door. I’m used to the dunes in Death Valley or Great Sand Dunes National Park, where it’s only sand and nothing else lives.
Seeing such a diverse ecosystem here was striking.
South Slough National Estuary
After a quick lunch at the Front Street Food Trucks, I headed south to the South Slough Estuary. It’s a thriving, vital coastal ecosystem, full of mudflats, salt marshes, forests, and water channels.
I met with a team member who showed me around and detailed the trail improvements and environmental rehabilitation they’ve been undertaking over the last few years. One of their big improvements is the construction of a boardwalk and the removal of invasive grass species from the Fredrickson Marsh Trail.
Overall, I enjoyed walking the Wasson Creek Trail and Fredrickson Marsh Trail (part of it is under trail rehab), but especially being among the towering trees and lush green ferns brought me so much joy. This 1.5-mile loop is good for the entire family.
They also have a great Visitor Center where you can learn more about the slough, the area’s history, and native culture!
Where I stayed: Bay Point Landing
Where I ate: Breakfast: So It Goes Coffeehouse; Lunch: Front Street Food Trucks; Dinner: Miller’s Cove Bar & Grill
Crabbing, Bandon, and the Oregon Coast: Day 3
Growing up in Arizona, crabbing isn’t a thing. So, it’s no wonder I had never done it before. But that would soon change! After a filling breakfast, we headed to the Charleston docks and grabbed our crab pot, some bait (chicken works great), and got situated.
A morning crabbing
Once the bait was locked in, I threw the crab pot (more of a mesh, malleable, open-air container) into the water, and we waited. While the crabs were scurrying around the harbor floor, three seals were playing some 20 yards away. Watching their lively antics, including one making a mockery of a fish head, was a great way to pass the time.
That first throw proved to be the most productive! On this throw, we landed a male Dungeness crab that we could actually keep. Oregon has strict size restrictions: they must be at least 5 3/4 inches across. We tossed all of the smaller crabs back into the water, swapped sides of the dock, and tried again.
We did this a total of four times, finally landing a decent-sized Red Rock crab that would make for a nice snack. From here, we walked to Captain Johns Fisherman’s Wharf Seafood Market (Sharky’s if you’re browsing on Google Maps). Here, they cleaned and boiled the crab.
Then, the final piece of the puzzle was sitting down at Monkey Business for lunch, where they provided us with some butter and a crab cracker, and the rest was history! (I also enjoyed a crab cake and some fish tacos as well. Super yummy!)
Bandon Tours
After lunch, I headed to my next stop on the Oregon Coast road trip itinerary: Bandon, Oregon. This little town on the coast is nationally known for the Bandon Dunes Golf Courses residing north of the town center.
But for me, I wasn’t golfing. I was taking a food tour through Old Town Bandon, tasting delicious dishes from eight different restaurants while learning about Bandon’s history. Below are all the places we stopped at during the two-ish hour tour.
- Farm & Sea: clam chowder
- Warehouse Coffee Cafe: cranberry mimosa
- Bandon Sushi: sushi sampler & miso soup
- Big Wheel General Store: fudge
- Cranberry Sweets: cranberry pate and chocolate creams
- Wheelhouse & Crowsnest Restaurant: stuffed shrimp and crab mushrooms
- Alloro Wine Bar and Restaurant: Manhattan chowder and wine
- Coastal Mist: drinking chocolate and truffle
Bandon Tours is just a couple of years old, founded by Charis McGaughy to connect people with local restaurants and share more about this historic area that dates back some 14,000 years.
Bandon Beaches
With a full belly and a wealth of knowledge about the area, I drove the short distance from Old Town Bandon to Coquille Point/Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge/Bandon Beach. I headed down to the water to see Elephant Rock and the Sea Lions lounging on the rocks. After 40 minutes, I hopped back into my car and went to Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint.
The area was beautiful, and I was so happy to finally have laid eyes on the rugged Oregon Coast without low-lying clouds merging the sky and ocean.
Where I stayed: WildSpring Guest Habitat
Where I ate: Breakfast: Cape Arago Cafe; Lunch: Monkey Business; Early Dinner: Bandon Food Tours
Kayaking and Hiking: Day 4
It was an early and wet morning in Port Orford, but it didn’t matter. We were getting wet anyway. A smidge past 7:30 am, I parked my car at the South Coast Tours office at the dock and met my guide, Grant. Here, we put on our wetsuits, pushed the kayaks down onto the beach, and set out.
I’d later learn he was a US National Record holder for freediving, so I was in good hands for our Ocean Kayaking and Foraging Tour. (Side note: We combined two tours to make this one. They offer a kayaking and snorkeling tour, and then they offer a fish, forage, and feast tour via boat tour.)
Ocean Kayaking
It was windy and rainy, but we persevered kayaking into the wind until we found safe haven in Nellies Cove below Port Orford Heads State Park. Unfortunately, there was minimal water visibility – I couldn’t even see my hand three feet away – but that didn’t stop Grant.
As we snorkeled (well, I floated haha), Grant impressively dove down to find a few sea urchins and a scallop. This was the beginning of our feast!
With a bag full of goodies, the three of us (his buddy Tanner joined us) set up a tarp to shield us from the ever-increasing-rain and built a fire for warmth. This was where I tried my first uni – the meat inside of a sea urchin. Initially, I was hesitant. But after that first piece, I was sold. The orange, spongy-looking meat was delicious. A combination of salty ocean water and sweetness was perfection on the beach.
At 11am, we packed up and began the one-mile kayak trip back to the beach. At this point, the rain was coming down harder, and we were battling 3-5 foot waves. It was exhausting and decently hard to paddle, stay balanced, and work with the waves as they sloshed me from side to side. Eventually, we made it back, all in one piece.
All in all, it was a damn good morning. I got to try new food, spend time with rad people, and experience what ocean kayaking is in the PNW.
Humbug Mountain State Park
I didn’t want to sit around on my final day of the Oregon Coast road trip, so I headed out into the rain to hike Humbug Mountain. My hope was that it would turn from rain to mist.
The trailhead is only 15 minutes down the 101 from Port Orford, making it an easy place to go hike. The trail is rated hard, thanks to about 1,800 feet of gain in 2.5-3 miles. I found the first 3/4 of a mile a bit tiring, though, thanks to the lack of a warm-up.
At the 1.5-mile mark, after enjoying the lush green landscapes and towering trees, I was soaked from head to toe. With fog descending into the trees (which looked really cool), I decided to call it a day. I didn’t want to get too cold and knew there wouldn’t be a view at the top.
I sped down the mountain, longing for the heated seats and hot air that would soon fill the car’s interior. Soon thereafter, I was taking my second hot shower of the day, warming up my frigid fingers, as the pitter-patter of rain hit the roof at the WildSpring Guest Habitat.
Where I stayed: WildSpring Guest Habitat
Where I ate: Late Breakfast: Battle Rock Coffee, Dinner: Redfish
Cape Blanco State Park and Final Day of the Oregon Coast Itinerary: Day 5
Final day of the Oregon Coast road trip! I had a flight a little before one, so I got a chance to see a little bit more of the Port Orford area before heading north.
It was finally not cloudy, giving me a chance to soak up the views from Battle Rock Wayside Park before stopping in at Cape Blanco State Park for a bit to see the lighthouse.
Unfortunately, they were quick stops, given the hour-and-ten-minute drive to the airport. Still, I was grateful to have at least seen them under better conditions and look forward to spending more time in this stunning part of Oregon.
— Story by Alec Sills-Trausch