Port Orford along the Oregon Coast. Photo © Tim Mossholder/123rf.
Pacific City is an out-of-the-way hamlet with an oversized brewery, and Lincoln City has hotels and the world’s shortest river. Tiny Depoe Bay is so close to the ocean it almost falls in. That’s one reason they see the most whales. Newport is a big town with big lighthouses, a working waterfront, and a renowned aquarium. Yachats is an unassuming bend in the road, while Florence is a genteel little town near the rolling coastal dunes.
Of course, there are constants along the entire northern half of the Oregon Coast—you’ll find saltwater taffy and clam chowder almost everywhere, and wildlife pops up in tide pools and along sandstone cliffs the whole way.
From downtown Portland, head east on State Route 26, also known as the Sunset Highway. Route 26 intersects U.S. 101 in about 75 miles, between Cannon Beach and Seaside. Follow U.S. 101 north for 20 miles to reach Astoria. Alternately, take I-5 north for 46 miles to Longview, and then follow State Route 30 east for 50 miles to Astoria. Both routes take just under 2 hours.
Although I-5 is often a colorless drive south from Seattle, it’s the fastest route to the Oregon Coast. Leave the interstate at Exit 36A in the town of Longview, where Highway 432 travels east. After 2 miles, turn left onto Oregon Way/State Route 433, which immediately crosses the Columbia River into Oregon. Once on the Oregon side, merge onto Route 30 heading east to Astoria. The drive can be as short as 3.25 hours, but I-5 traffic usually lengthens the trip.
From Forks, U.S. 101 continues south for 185 miles through rural southwest Washington to Astoria, Oregon. It’s 77 miles from the town of Aberdeen to Astoria. The road sideswipes Willapa Bay, known for its oysters, and the long, skinny Long Beach Peninsula, which is dotted with the beach towns of Seaview, Long Beach, and Ocean Park.
