Scenes from the Oregon Coast from my Solo Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip.
“You have to visit the Oregon Coast,” was the (sometimes solicited) advice I got from a lot of people when I started sharing my plans to begin a long term solo road trip of the US this summer.
I always responded politely, but my thoughts were, “Eh, I’ve seen the beach.” I had lived at the beach for about 10 years with over 5 of those in San Diego, California, which I still think is the sunset capital of the US.
I figured I’d drive part of the Oregon Coast since I was going north anyway and you know, road-tripping the Pacific Coast Highway is kinda a big deal in the travel world, so why not? But, it wasn’t the part of the trip I was most looking forward to. I figured it’d be “nice.”
Turns out the Oregon Coast is more than nice – it’s freaking awesome. Like California, Oregon has a diverse coastline. Coastal Oregon scenes range from natural rock bridges in southern Oregon to steep coastal cliffs to wide sandy beaches and surfable waves at Cape Kiwanda to sea stack packed seas at Harris Beach to massive sand dunes at Oregon Dunes.
The magic of the Oregon Coast is more than just the views. There’s something about the vibe; it just feels good to be there. Thanks to the 1967 Oregon Beach Bill, the shorelines of “The People’s Coast are accessible (fo’ free, fo’ all). Yet, with a short walk, and sometimes no walk at all, you can always find a quiet spot or corner to soak it all in, even during peak summer season.
Photos from My Oregon Coast PCH Trip
I ended up spending a total of about 10 days, split between June and September, along the Oregon Coast during my travels. Here’s are some photos from my time there:
Cape Meares, Oregon Coast 
Coquille River Lighthouse, Oregon Coast 
Cape Lookout Hike, Oregon Coast 
Samuel Boardman Hwy, Oregon Coast 
Bandon, Oregon Coast 
Harris Beach State Park, Oregon Coast 
Natural Bridges, Oregon Coast 
Natural Bridges, Oregon Coast 
Cape Kiwanda, Oregon Coast 
Cape Kiwanda, Oregon Coast 
Cape Lookout State Park, Oregon Coast.
Plan Your Coastal Oregon PCH Trip
Travel Oregon: Pacific Coast Scenic Byway
Lonely Planet Guide: Pacific Coast Highways
Backroad Ramblers: The Perfect Oregon Coast Trip for Outdoor Adventures
100 Steps on the Oregon Coast
Dani the Explorer: Things to do on the Oregon Coast & Norther California for 48 Hours
Lonely Planet Guide: Washington, Oregon, & The Pacific Northwest
Rand McNally Atlas
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Tara
Hey, thanks for the shout out! Your photos are beautiful – totally makes me want to drop everything and head back to Oregon!
sortoflegal.com
Thanks, Tara! I really try to make an effort to only link to other sites people will find helpful….and yours is fantastic! Me too, such a beautiful place. Although, I’m currently in SoCal with perfect weather so no complaints. I’ll see if I can find you on the ‘gram and connect. 🙂