Places and points of interest on the Oregon Coast from Cannon Beach to Florence.   

Cannon Beach - This is an upscale, trendy little town with a very nice beach and good shops. It's a pleasant  place to stroll around town, and there is a free shuttle bus. It's a more expensive town than the rest of the coast.  Due to its' proximity to Portland it is often busy with visitors, and extremely busy in the summer.

Manzanita - Located off Highway 101, this is a quiet town that is slightly "new-agey".  Oceanfront lodging is limited to one older but serviceable motel. The beach is long and flat.

Nehalem - This small town is known for its' collection of antique stores and is located along the north bank of the Nehalem River.

Wheeler - A pleasant small town and an excellent place to kayak. Rentals are available.

Rockaway Beach - This is a long string of a town built beside the railway tracks.  Services are limited although there are a few fun shops, a long flat beach that is rarely busy, and friendly folks. Check out the little shops with crafts by local artisans.

Garibaldi - The old mill smokestack, dormant for many years, dominates the skyline of this fishing village. This is a quiet, down to earth town.

Tillamook - Located a few miles inland in a lush valley, many people think Tillamook cheese is the best there is. Visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory (for standard cheeses, watch the process or pick up some ice-cream for the road), or the Blue Heron Cheese Factory (for good brie).  The Aircraft Museum is inside a huge WWII airplane hanger.

South Tillamook County - Travellers have two options here: stay on Hwy 101 which is not on the ocean or take Three Capes Co. Road.  Hwy 101 passes through coastal farming areas with rivers and creeks. The three tiny towns of Beaver, Hebo and Cloverdale offer limited services.  ...  For the Three Capes drive, head west from Tillamook toward Netarts, then south to Pacific City, passing through Oceanside and Netarts. Sand Lake along here is dune buggy place.  The road is rough on the northern section and has ocean views for less than half the route. Road rejoins Hwy 101 south of Pacific City. 

Neskowin - This is a very quiet place. The beach is a little hard to access, but it's a good one.

Lincoln City - Another long string of a town, very busy all year round, 10 miles long and 1 mile wide. Lincoln City is home to the world's shortest river, the D River. The town is on the long flat beach beach, but Hwy 101 is not. Expect very heavy congestion in summer. There is an Indian casino on the north end of town.

Depoe Bay - Named for Chief Depoe, this little town bills itself as the "whale watching capital".  This area along the rocky shore line is a good place to watch the ocean.  Look for the spouting horn, which is a geyser that occurs when big waves hit the rock wall and water shoots through holes in the rock. During winter high tides the waves will splash up onto the road. Many small shops line the main street. 

Otter Rock - Devils Punch Bowl, is a good place to see tide pools and walk the beach, although there are quite a few steps going down to the beach.  Whales are often sighted offshore. This is a residential community with no services.

Newport -  One of the largest towns on the coast, it can be very congested in summer. Yaquina Head Lighthouse at the north end of town offers tours of the lighthouse as well as an interpretive center and tide pools.  Newport has the old bayfront with shops, deep sea fishing, crabbing off the docks, and a marina. Mo's is Newport institution noted for its clam chowder.  Yaquina Bay State Park has access to the north jetty and the beach, and South Beach State Park has equestrian trails, dunes and the south jetty.

Seal Rock -  This is a tiny town with a few shops and two well known wood carvers. Seal Rock State Park has big rocks jetting out into the ocean that are home to seals, sea lions and birds.  It is also a good place for interesting tidepool formations.

Waldport - This is a pleasant small town located on the Alsea Bay. Crabbing off the marina docks is popular, and boat & kayak rentals are available.  Waldport features a flea market downtown on Hwy 101, and an interesting interpretive center at the south end of the bridge.

Yachats - Calling itself the "gem of the Oregon coast", Yachats is a quiet, picturesque village. This stretch of coastline has fantastic views. Cape Perpetua has a  nice visitor center with a WWII observation site on the top of the hill. A bit farther south is the widely photographed Heceta Head Lighthouse and lightkeeper's house which is rumoured to be haunted.  Sea Lion Caves allows visitors to see sea lions in a natural sea cave.

Florence - Sitting inland tucked behind massive sand dunes, this vibrant town has a bayfront old town with many unique shops and restaurants. Dune buggy tours are very popular here.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area - Managed by the  Forest Service, this area offers camping, hiking, equestrian trails and of course, dune buggy and off roading areas.. The dunes start at Florence run 40 miles south along the coast to Coos Bay. Hwy 101 just touches on them, but they are visible from a vehicle at several points just off the highway.