Running more than 350 miles, the Oregon Coast provides many coastal towns where you and your family can escape for a long weekend or take a week’s vacation and enjoy the beaches, sailing, and exploring tidal pools. All along the coast are soaring bluffs that drop off to the Pacific Ocean below and sandy beaches filled with rock formations. You’ll also find many cozy and welcoming vacation rentals to provide a home base for your explorations of the coastline. Here are the top 10 locations to start your search for your perfect Oregon Coast vacation rental.
1. Cannon Beach
In northwest Oregon, the coastal community of Cannon Beach welcomes families to come and spend their days exploring the beaches. While walking along the beach, you’ll notice a large rock jutting out of the surf called the Haystack. Be sure to take plenty of photos of this iconic rock formation. In town, spend the days’ window shopping at the many art galleries and quaint local shops. At the Icefire Glassworks, watch a demonstration on how to create blown glass and shop for a one-of-a-kind piece to take home.
2. Newport
The coastal town of Newport offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean when you choose a vacation rental close to the water’s edge. Days here feature bike riding, flying kites on the beach, and reconnecting with your family. The community offers a municipal pool where you can take the kids for a swim in warmer water than the ocean. If the weather turns, take the kids to the Oregon Coast Aquarium to see its exhibits of otters and fish that are native to the area.
3. Agate Beach
With a stay at Agate Beach, your days become a blur of outdoor activities and quiet relaxation. The Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area is a great place to explore on foot or by bike. As you do, you’ll catch glimpse of the Pacific Ocean between the trees. Another popular attraction is the 93-foot Yaquina Head Light that first lighted the way for sailors in 1873.
4. Neahkahnie Beach
Nestled along the Oregon Coast is the small coastal community of Neahkahnie Beach, where time seems to slow down and allows you some much-needed rest and relaxation. Take the kids to the Oswald West State Park for a hike that weaves its way throughout the park, or take a kite out onto the beach. When visiting the park, be mindful of the tide so you don’t get caught too far away from the trail back.
5. Manzanita
Pick a vacation rental in Manzanita to spend your holidays biking around town, kayaking on the ocean, and hiking at the nearby state park. For a unique experience, schedule a trail ride for your family through Oregon Beach Rides. Imagine how much fun you and your family will have riding horses along the beach and through the local state park.
6. Beverly Beach
At this beach community, you can access the local beach at the Beverly Beach State Park by following a tunnel underneath the road to allow you to pass safely. On a clear day, you can see all the way down to the Yaquina Head Light. Most days the wind off the ocean makes this beach one of the best places for flying a kite.
7. Otter Rock
Stark rocks spring out of the ocean along the beach located in the town of Otter Rock. Vacation rentals in the area include quaint cottages and single family homes. Grab your camera, binoculars, and kids for a ride out to the Otter Rock Marine Garden. Inside the garden is a massive rock in the ocean where seals soak up the sun on beautiful days. Your kids will love seeing these adorable animals.
8. Holiday Beach
In southwestern Oregon, you and your family can spend some time in Holiday Beach. Let your kids have a unique encounter when you take them to the Hatfield Marine Science Center for the octopus feeding. The center also offers many exhibits about the local marine life. To pick up some one-of-a-kind seashells, spend some time strolling along the beach near the Yaquina Estuary Trail.
9. Brighton
Along the Oregon Coastal Highway, you’ll find the town of Brighton, where the locals are always relaxed and laid back. The biggest boom of activity occurs in June when the town hosts the Nehalem Bay Crab Derby or the Oregon Ocean Day Beach Cleanup Celebration. Other than that, while away the days, biking, hiking, walking along the beach, and reconnecting with your kids.
10. Gearhart
Stay in the bustling town of Gearhart to enjoy a beach vacation with something for everyone in your family. Find a cedar-shingled cottage close to the Gearhart Ocean State Park to enjoy days walking on the beach, riding around town, and shopping in the downtown area. At the Gearhart Golf Links, play 18 holes, or stop by Gearhart Bowl & Fultano’s Pizza to find out who the best bowler in your family is and chow down on some tasty pizza.