Connect more deeply to maritime culture and amazing wildlife with an expert-led tour.

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. 

2025March guides south
Jerry’s Rogue Jets

Water Adventures and a Culinary Tour on the South Coast

Walk the city’s charming Old Town while tasting fresh seafood, baked goods, Oregon wine and more with Bandon Tours. Its guided culinary tour offers behind-the-scenes tips and background that help you better understand Bandon and the people who call it home. Between bites, you’ll learn about the region’s history as a fishing and lumber town while getting a feel for the city’s historic maritime culture. 

To get out on the water in the warmer months with the entire family, hop on a cruise on the Rogue River on Jerry’s Rogue Jets (operating May through October). You’ll see stunning rock formations and wildlife along the way as you make your way upriver from Gold Beach. For a quieter adventure, take an inflatable-kayak tour to explore the ocean coves along the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor with South Coast Tours.  

2025March guides central
Whale watching (Photo by Joey Hamilton)

Beachcombing Science and Whale Watching on the Central Coast

No visit to the Oregon Coast is complete without a seaside stroll looking for shells or colorful rocks, as well as treasures washed ashore. It’s even more fun following the sandy footprints of a guide trained in coastal geology. Beachcombing Exploriences, offered through Explore Lincoln City by rock-hunting experts from Rock Your World multiple times in spring, allow you to connect with fellow beachcombers scouring the sands while learning about the science behind your finds.

Have you ever wondered why Depoe Bay is considered the whale-watching capital of Oregon? Let an expert guide answer that question aboard a whale-watching tour with Whale Research EcoExcursions. Led by naturalists who have more than 35 years of marine-biology experience, each excursion is a safe, comfortable and educational trip out on the Pacific Ocean. Tours are offered from late March to October, with the best chance to glimpse gray whales between June and September. Each tour also includes access to the Whale, Sealife and Shark Museum, which features a shark exhibit, educational videos, taxidermied seabirds and a life-size whale-tail fluke.

2025March guides north
Astoria (Photo by Joni Kabana / Travel Oregon)

Catching Your Own Dinner and Learning History on the North Coast

Beginners and experienced fishermen alike will enjoy the fishing trips offered by Garibaldi Charters. Spend the day out on the water with expert guides showing you how to fish for salmon, rockfish, halibut, lingcod and tuna. Crabbing can be added to many of its excursions, as well as on-site fileting of your haul. They also offer bay-clamming tours on which they show you how to find tasty treats.  

Spend the afternoon learning about Finnish culture and a historic waterfront district in Astoria at your own pace. You can book a self-guided walking tour on your phone via website link at Untold Uniontown, complete with audio narration and historic photos to guide your journey — as well as GPS navigation help. You’ll learn all about the city’s fishing roots, the impact of immigrants on the industry, and how diverse cultures shaped the Astoria of today. Each booking gives you a link to self-guided tour materials that are accessible for up to 72 hours.

For even more history book an intimate, expert-led tour from Portland with EcoTours of Oregon. Among a range of options, this outfitter hosts small groups for daylong excursions to see North Coast cities, trace Lewis & Clark’s route where the Columbia River meets the ocean, or watch whales on the Central Coast.

– By Emily Gillespie

Top photo: Jerry’s Rogue Jets