Traveling the Northern Oregon Coast: Breathtaking Views and Historical Reviews

How to get there: If travelers are flying in, Portland International Airport (PDX) is about 90 miles east of Highway 101. Reach the coast via U.S. 26 westbound from Portland, passing through the Coast Range (elevation about 1,600 feet). Most national car rental chains are located at PDX.

The first coastal town one will encounter after leaving U.S. 26 is Seaside, a tourist-centric little city with lots of hotel/motel space. A lengthy beach featuring a great surfing area is at the south end of town, adjacent to the promontory known as Tillamook Head (experienced surfers will do better here due to the rocky shore). Unlike the temperate seas near Florida and California, the water here is almost always cold. The Seaside Aquarium is a fun way to spend a few hours and during the summer months, and here are amusements such as bumper cars and indoor garden golf along the main business/tourist street known as Broadway. For seafood with a view, try the Shiloh Inn at Broadway on the "prom," a promenade walkway that parallels the beach for two miles. For better seafood without a view, one cannot do better than Dooger's (also found in Cannon Beach and Warrenton).

Historically, the Seaside area is recognized as the end of the Lewis and Clark Trail. Toward the south of town is the site of the duo's salt cairn, where the explorers collected salt by boiling seawater. In addition, modern explorers might like to hike over Tillamook Head to Cannon Beach in the south and see the same terrain that Lewis and Clark viewed over 200 years ago. The explorers traversed the promontory to view a dead whale that had washed up near what is now Indian Beach. There are two well-equipped picnic areas near Cannon Beach; but if you prefer not to hike, the town is only a ten minute drive south of Seaside. Cannon Beach is recognized as a leading Oregon arts community and there are many galleries featuring paintings, sculpture, glass, and fiber pieces. Several motels line the main street and offer reasonable seasonal rates.