Itineraries for Travel Along the Oregon / California Coast

The area from south of Crescent City, CA to north of Reedsport, OR covers about 180 miles and could be covered in about four hours. However, there is so much to see and do in the area, that you will want to take much longer. As one visitor from Switzerland said, "we were in 'heaven'. You might know that a lot of people rave about the 'Garden Route' in South Africa. Well, the scenic drive between Eureka and Bandon is THE MOST SENIC DRIVE I ever took! One of the best kept secrets in the world which we need to make available to everyone!"

Traveling from South to North - Towards Portland

Traveling from North to South - To San Francisco

If you are heading south, towards San Francisco, then here are itineraries for you.

Driving South Towards San Francisco

Part 1

The first town is Reedsport, the heart of the Oregon Dunes. This is the town to spend some time exploring these amazing dunes. Plan on a stop at the the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Visitors Center at the intersection of OR 38 and US Highway 101.

Side Trips

•Be certain to stop at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, just east of Reedsport, along OR 38.
•Consider stopping at the Umpqua Discovery Center.
•Schedule a fishing trip with one of the many fishing guides located in Reedsport or Winchester Bay.

Part 2

After reaching the end of OR 38, turn left (south) on US Highway 101. Drive towards Winchester Bay. Turn into Winchester Bay and explore this small fishing community and note the quaint restaurants and shops along the harbor. Drive through the harbor area onto Salmon Harbor Drive by the Umpqua Lighthouse and the ocean views, back out onto US Route 101 South. Continue onto North Bend / Coos Bay.

Distance: 30 miles (48 km), 50 minutes

Side Trips

•In addition to the above listed Umpqua Lighthouse (plan for a tour), consider a side trip out to Lakeside.
•Stop by any one of the ATV centers, receive a quick lesson from the helpful employees, and head out on an ATV into the Oregon Dunes.

Where to Stay

Reedsport has several hotels / motels. Winchester Bay is quite small, but there are a couple of hotels there. North Bend / Coos Bay is the largest community on the coast and has several hotels, mostly at the southern end of the drive through town. Or, if it is still early enough in the day, head onto Bandon (but don't miss Charleston!). There are a wide selection of RV Parks and campgrounds throughout the area.

Part 3

After North Bend / Coos Bay, follow the signs out to Charleston to explore a part of the coast that those in a hurry will miss. Spend some time in the harbor area and explore the restaurants and fish markets. Then head south out of town towards Shore Acres, Cape Arago Lighthouse and Cape Arago State Park. Backtrack to Charleston, turn a hard right and follow the road out to US 101. Continue south on US 101 into Bandon. Park your car downtown and explore Old Town and wander along the docks. If you did not pick up lunch in Charleston, this is the place to do so.

After lunch, head south. If you are still hungry, stop in the Langolois General Store and pick up a famous hot dog. Head down into the small quaint town of Port Orford (see side trips, below).

After Port Orford, drive south towards Gold Beach being certain to stop at several of the roadside parking lots to enjoy the view.

Distance: 100 miles (160 km), 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Side Trips

•Perhaps the best lighthouse on this part of the coast is the Cape Blanco Lighthouse. While there, explore the Hughes House.
•Take a right turn on 9th street in Port Orford, then turn left and go up the steep hill to Port Orford Heads and the former Coast Guard Station.
•Stop in Port Orford at Battle Rock or take a turn down into the port area to see what the fishing boats look like out of water in one of the more unusual harbors.
•Pull into the Mount Humbug Campground or Arizona Beach and take a quick little hike under the highway and out to a secluded beach.
•Just before Gold Beach, take a right turn onto Old Coast Road and visit Otter Point (a five minute level hike is required for the view).
•See the wreck of the Mary D. Hume in the Port of Gold Beach.
•Plan on spending half the day or longer in Gold Beach for an exciting jet boat trip up the Rogue River.

Where to Stay

Bandon has several very nice hotels, some near Old Town, others further south along the coast with ocean views. Port Orford has a small hotel and a unique charming "Guest Habitat", while Gold Beach has several hotels with views of the ocean or the Rogue River. There are RV parks and campgrounds near Charleston, just north of Bandon, at Cape Blanco and along the Rogue River near Gold Beach.

Part 3

From Gold Beach, continue south on US Route 101. Visit the top of Cape Sebastian, just a few miles south of town. Continue south through Pistol River, one of the most photographed sections of the coast, and onto the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. Be certain to stop at Arch Rock and the Natural Bridge. Continue through Brookings and, immediately after crossing the Chetco River, turn right for a loop around Harbor, then back out to US 101. Continue south and say goodbye to Oregon and enter California. Turn left on CA Route 197, then left onto US Route 199, then right onto Howland Road and drive through Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. Exit the park, turn left and back out to US Route 101.

Distance: 70 miles (110 km), 2 hours

Side Trips

•If you are up for a 15 minute hike, stop at Thunder Rock Cove.
•For drivers, plan a detour to Whales Head Beach, Lone Ranch Beach or Harris Beach State Park.
•While in Crescent City, take a drive out along the coast for views of the harbor and ocean.

Where to Stay

Brookings / Harbor has several hotels / motels out on US Route 101 and a few down near the water in Harbor. Crescent City has several hotels in town and more towards the south. There is tent and RV camping along the Chetco in Brookings / Harbor and in the redwoods near Crescent City.

After Crescent City

The easiest route south is to continue on US Route 101 to San Francisco. The advantage of staying on US 101is the additional scenery further south, and the Redwoods, especially the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. This parkway runs parallel to US Route 101. Driving through does not add to the time or distance of your trip, unless you end up pulling over to enjoy the scenery. It is highly recommended.

Alternatives are to take US Route 199 east to I-5, or continue onto Eureka and then take CA 299 to I-5. Both 199 and 299 are prone to closures during inclement weather, so be certain to check before proceeding. CA 20 is another alternative to driving over to I-5. Otherwise, stay on US 101 and cross the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.

Driving North Towards Portland and Seattle

Part 1

Crescent City is the gateway to the Oregon coast. It does not matter if you are arriving from US 101 or US 199, you have to go through (or near) Crescent City. This is a great way to start because Crescent City is home to the California Redwoods as well as the beautiful Smith River.

Side Trips

•While in Crescent City, take a drive out along the coast for views of the harbor and ocean.
•If it is before 5 PM, just south of town on US Route 101 is a traffic light for Elk Valley Road. Turn east, then turn right onto Howland Hill Road through Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park (a well maintained dirt road). Enjoy your drive through the park. On leaving, drive to the end, then turn left onto US 199 and return to Crescent City. Or if you have completed your Crescent City visit, turn left on US 199 and turn right on OR 197 until it ends. Turn right on US 101, and continue north towards Brookings.

Where to Stay

Crescent City has several hotels in town and more towards the south. There is camping and RV spots along the Chetco in Brookings / Harbor and camping near and in the redwoods near Crescent City. If not staying in Crescent City, then Brookings / Harbor has several hotels / motels out on US Route 101 and a few down near the water in Harbor. Brookings is about 25 miles to the north.

Part 2

From Crescent City, head north on US Route 101. If you have not already seen the Redwoods at Jedediah Smith State Park, do so before you leave. Cross into Oregon. There is a visitors center on the left, shortly after the boarder. Prior to entering Brookings, turn left at a traffic light onto West Benham Lane and travel through Harbor. Optionally, there is a left at the Best Western, to drive out to the boat basin and a view of the ocean and back. Continue around Harbor. If you are ready for lunch, there are several excellent small restaurants in Harbor. On leaving Harbor, turn left to go under US Route 101, then right at a stop sign, to return on 101 north. Cross the Chetco River and drive through Brookings.
Continue into the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. This portion of the drive is one of the most scenic in the world. Be certain to stop at Natural Bridge and Arch Rock. Continue north through Pistol River, one of the most photographed sections of the coast. If the weather is good, visit the top of Cape Sebastian, which is a must see. Continue north into Gold Beach.

Distance: 55 miles (90 km), just over 1 hour

Side Trips

•For drivers, plan a detour to Harris Beach State Park, Lone Ranch Beach, or Whales Head Beach.
•If you are up for a 15 minute hike, stop at Thunder Rock Cove.
•Plan on spending half the day or longer in Gold Beach for an exciting jet boat trip up the Rogue River.
•See the wreck of the Mary D. Hume in the Port of Gold Beach.
•Drive east from Gold Beach to visit the tiny town of Agness.

Where to Stay

There is tent and RV camping along the Chetco in Brookings / Harbor and at Harris Beach. There are several hotels in Brookings and Harbor. Gold Beach offers several hotels / motels as well as RV and tent camping along the ocean and up the Rogue River. Port Orford (which is about 25 miles to the north of Gold Beach) has a small hotel and a unique charming "Guest Habitat".

Part 3

After Gold Beach, continue north on US Route 101. Drive north and look out at the beach at Ophir to look for whales. Continue north up around Mount Humbug, then burst out into the open just south of Port Orford and enjoy the view. North of Port Orford, the road swings away from the coast. Note the cranberry bogs along the road. Just south of Bandon, turn left onto Beach Loop Road (see the map for details) and follow to 7th, then onto 4th, then left onto Edison and follow to 1st street. Park and enjoy Old Town Bandon. If you did not stop in Langolois at the market, then this is the place to eat lunch.

Distance: 57 miles (92 km), 1.5 hours

Side Trips

•Just north of Gold Beach, take a left turn onto Old Coast Road and visit Otter Point (a five minute easy hike is required for the view).
•Pull into the Mount Humbug Campground or Arizona Beach and take a quick little hike under the highway and out to a secluded beach.
•Stop in Port Orford at Battle Rock or take a turn down into the port area to see what the fishing boats look like out of water in one of the more unusual harbors.
•Take a left turn on 9th street in Port Orford, then turn left and go up the steep hill to Port Orford Heads and the former Coast Guard Station.
•Perhaps the best lighthouse on this part of the coast is the Cape Blanco Lighthouse. While there, explore the Hughes House.

Where to Stay

Bandon has several very nice hotels, some near Old Town, others further south along the coast with ocean views. There are RV Parks around Bandon and Bullards Beach State Park, a few minutes north, has RV and tent camping.

Part 4

After Bandon, head north on US Route 101. After a little more than 9 miles, turn left onto West Beaver Hill Road and follow the signs to Charleston. W Beaver Hill becomes 7 Devils Road. Just prior to entering Charleston, turn a hard left onto Cape Arago Highway and follow it until it ends, stopping along the way to enjoy the sights. Backtrack to Charleston and visit the working harbor. There are several good places to eat in Charleston. Continue through Charleston on Cape Arago Highway and follow it into Coos Bay / North Bend. Cape Arago Highway becomes Newmark Highway and ends on US Route 101.

Distance: 43 miles (70 km, 1.5 hours)

Side Trips

•For bird lovers, there is Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, just north of Bandon.
•Coquille River Lighthouse is in Bullards Beach State Park, just across the river.
•South Slough National Estuary Reserve is on the way to Charleston.

Where to Stay

North Bend / Coos Bay is the largest community on the coast and has several hotels, mostly at the southern end of the drive through town. There are a wide selection of RV Parks and campgrounds spread through the area.

Part 5

Drive north of Coos Bay / North Bend and cross the bay. You are now entering the Oregon Dunes. No matter your age or expertise, it is worthwhile to rent an ATV from one of the many helpful area suppliers to see the dunes. Drive north and then turn left onto Lighthouse Road, just south of Winchester Bay. Just prior to this turn is an overlook on US Route 101 that offers a great view of the dunes. After visiting the area around the lighthouse, drive down through Winchester Bay. There are several restaurants to eat lunch. Continue back out to US Route 101 and north to Reedsport. Reedsport also has many excellent restaurants.

Side Trips

•Schedule a fishing trip with one of the many fishing guides located in Reedsport or Winchester Bay.
•Also, stop at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Visitors Center at the intersection of OR 38 and US Highway 101.
•Consider stopping at the Umpqua Discovery Center.
•Be certain to stop at the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, just east to Reedsport.

Where to Stay

Most of the hotels / motels are located in Reedsport although there are a couple in Winchester Bay. There are a large number of RV and campgrounds in the area of the Oregon Dunes.

After Reedsport

Either head back over to I-5 via OR-38, which is a scenic and fairly easy drive, or continue north along US Route 101 along the coast. If heading north along US Route 101, please keep in mind that the traffic congestion picks up further north, but there are several nice views and towns. For those in a hurry, I-5 is the way to go.