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The Pacific Northwest has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. From rugged cliffs and pounding surf to mile long sandy beaches, the Oregon coast provides all that you might want in scenic wonder. For the most part, the warmer weather draws the tan-seeking masses to California (summer temperatures on the Oregon coast stay in the sixties and seventies), leaving Oregonians and their visitors to wander their shoreline with barely a crowd in sight. While holiday homes and extensive logging operations detract somewhat from the natural beauty, the entire coast is public land: when private ownership threatened to turn Oregon's beaches into havens for the rich during the Sixties, the state passed a bill preserving the lot for "free and uninterrupted" public use. State park after state park line the shore and often isolated beaches offer a multitude of free activities, from beachcombing for glass floats and sea-carved driftwood, to shell-fishing, whale-watching, or, in winter, storm-watching. In spite of Oregon's perservation bent, the Oregon Coast has not escaped commercialism: small fishing towns, hard-hit by decline, are jumping on to the tourism bandwagon, and it's a lucky traveller who finds a cheap room without booking ahead in July and August, especially in the more beguiling resorts - Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Lincoln City, Bandon and others. This tourism bandwagon is not all bad, however, as beautiful art gallerys and fascinating stores of all types abound in the coastal villages. The coast is perfect for cycling (pick up the Oregon Coast Bike Route map from any tourist board, which also shows inclines, wind directions and other handy information for cyclists). US-101 follows the coast closely right down to the California border, sometimes offering spectacular panoramas, and it's possible to make diversions onto the many, smaller "scenic loop" roads that cling to the clifftops or wind through the inland forests. |