Spectacular Side Trips
Published: 09/26/2014 Updated: 08/16/2019
Rocky spires on the beach in Bandon Oregon
Photo by Gary Hayes
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You don't have to venture far off Oregon's stretch of Highway 101 to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Oregon Coast, but these side trips will make you glad you took the road less traveled.
It doesn't have to be the perfect day for a scenic drive. It doesn't even matter if it's raining sideways. These side trips off Coast Highway 101 will offer some of the coast's best views just steps from your car and even some from the driver's seat. Get off the highway and you'll discover a lighthouse that sits over 200 feet above the surf on a sheer cliff. You'll watch sea lions by the dozens, barking, basking and swimming along a rocky near-shore reef. You'll stand at the edge of an enormous sandstone cauldron where the ocean's waves roll in to create a frothy brew. And, don't be surprised if you spot the spout of a passing whale as you gaze out at spectacular scenes.
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Published: 09/26/2014 Updated: 08/16/2019
Rocky spires on the beach in Bandon Oregon
Photo by Gary Hayes
- 1 of 5
You don't have to venture far off Oregon's stretch of Highway 101 to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Oregon Coast, but these side trips will make you glad you took the road less traveled.
It doesn't have to be the perfect day for a scenic drive. It doesn't even matter if it's raining sideways. These side trips off Coast Highway 101 will offer some of the coast's best views just steps from your car and even some from the driver's seat. Get off the highway and you'll discover a lighthouse that sits over 200 feet above the surf on a sheer cliff. You'll watch sea lions by the dozens, barking, basking and swimming along a rocky near-shore reef. You'll stand at the edge of an enormous sandstone cauldron where the ocean's waves roll in to create a frothy brew. And, don't be surprised if you spot the spout of a passing whale as you gaze out at spectacular scenes.
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