About 7 miles north of Neskowin turn off Hwy 101 and get closer to the water by turning left onto Brooten Road to follow the signs for 3 Capes Scenic Route, a 39-mile detour along the water, through forests, and past the remote seaside communities of Pacific City, Sandlake, Netarts, and Oceanside. (You’ll have several opportunities to cut back to 101 as you go, in case you find yourself pressed for time.) A couple of miles past Pacific City, the coast unfolds dramatically as rolling, forested hills spill into the ocean. Take advantage of turnouts and viewpoints when you can. If you have time for a walk, we recommend the Cape Lookout Trailhead (about 2–3 miles before reaching Cape Lookout State Park), from which you’ll have your choice of three routes, ranging from 1-4/5 to 2-2/5 miles and from easy to difficult, through coastal rainforests and along rocky cliffs. Breathtaking views!
Three Capes
The 3 Capes Scenic Route will join 101 again near Tillamook, the center of Oregon’s dairy industry. You might want to stop here and visit the Pioneer Museum or drive 2 miles south of town to the Tillamook Air Museum, an impressive private collection of World War II aircraft. On your way north on the 101, you can watch cheese being made at the Tillamook Cheese Factory, just outside town. A few miles south of Nehalem, Manhattan Beach is wide and sandy, good for strolling and soaking in the sun (follow the signs off 101 to Manhattan Beach State Wayside and walk the short path to the beach). The town of Manzanita is funky and friendly, with great beaches and enviable ocean-view homes in the hills. The next stretch of 101 North from Manzanita is just beautiful. You’ll pass the verdant Oswald West State Park, a popular spot for camping and fishing, and the tiny romantic beach at Hug Point.
Cannon Beach
The next village of Cannon Beach is considered the center for artistic activity on the Oregon coast. It is more contemporary and more sophisticated, especially along Hemlock Street, than many of its counterpart coastal towns, all the while retaining a small-town feeling. Travelers come to enjoy the shops and restaurants. We enjoy staying right on the beach at Stephanie Inn or just a little further south in Arch Cape at Arch Cape House.
Cannon Beach
No visit here would be complete without a stop at the pristine and magnificent Ecola State Park. Ecola (“Whale Creek” to the native Indians) was the spot at which William Clark, Sacajawea, and the men of the Corps of Discovery traded with Tillamook Indians in 1806 for whale blubber and whale meat, in a no-doubt deliriously happy transaction to supplement their spartan and monotonous diets. So taken was Clark with this particular stretch of coastline, that an awestruck description appears in his journal. This 1,300-acre park includes a picture-perfect stretch of beach that’s great for walking. A waterside forest of old-growth Sitka spruce and western hemlock makes for a protected habitat for elk and deer. For a good 6-mile hike, try the Tillamook Head Trail beginning at Indian Beach. Prefer a short stroll to an amazing overlook? Try Ecola Point just 2 miles north of the park entrance, where a ¼-mile path leads you from the parking lot to the headlands.
Fort Clatsop
Speaking of Lewis and Clark, the Fort Clatsop National Memorial, where a 125-acre site honors the 1805–06 winter encampment of the expedition, is a must-see for those interested in this remarkable piece of American history (follow signs to Fort Clatsop Road off Business 101). A community-built replica of the explorers’ fort is the focus. A large Visitor Center includes two theaters and an excellent exhibit hall.
At the very top of the Oregon coast sits the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies, Astoria. It was first visited by the English Captain Robert Gray in 1792, then by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805, and thereafter by adventurous pioneers by the thousands. Today a great many restored buildings keep that history alive.
Founded in 1962, the Columbia River Maritime Museum is home to one of the nation’s finest displays of model ships and nautical relics. In a 37,000-square-foot space, the museum presents more than 7,000 artifacts, plus the lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark.
Astoria
Climb the 125-foot-high Astoria Column, patterned after Trajan’s Column in Rome. The mural art that makes up the exterior of the column is truly impressive, depicting the westward expansion of settlers into the area and Oregon’s early history. From the top of the column, you’ll have an excellent view of the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River, Saddle Mountain, and the Clatsop Plain. (From downtown, drive uphill on 16th Street and follow the signage.)
Astoria celebrates its Scandinavian heritage with the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, held every year in mid-June. This is when local Icelanders, Finns, Danes, Norwegians, and Swedes gather to celebrate their cultures with pole dancing, bonfires that destroy evil spirits, authentic Scandinavian music, a smorgasbord of old-world delicacies, crafts, and a parade.
Astoria
