Unforgettable Southern Oregon Coast Road Trip Itinerary

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Explore the charming towns of Bandon, Port Orford, Gold Beach, and Brookings on your Southern Oregon Coast road trip adventure.

I enjoyed a road trip down Highway 101 along the Southern Oregon Coast on a recent vacation with my husband, Steve. We stopped and stayed in four unique coastal towns: Bandon, Port Orford, Gold Beach, and Brookings. Each of these seaside towns offered unique and comfortable accommodations, tasty coastal cuisine, and opportunities to experience exciting indoor and outdoor activities. Follow me on our travel adventures to these four exciting Southern Oregon Coast towns.

Getting to the Southern Oregon Coast

Bandon, Oregon, was the launching pad for our Southern Oregon Coast Road Trip. Bandon is approximately 4.5 hours southwest of Portland, Oregon. We began by taking Interstate 5 south from Portland and took exit 162 to follow OR-38 West, a scenic corridor along the Umpqua River. OR-38 West is one of Oregon’s scenic highways, with colorful rolling hills on one side and the wild and untamed Umpqua River on the other. At Reedsport, we went south on US-101 to Bandon.

Where to Stay on the Southern Oregon Coast

There are numerous places to stay along the coast, but on our Southern Oregon Coast road trip itinerary, we choose to sleep at some reasonably priced, unique, and exceptional inns, bed and breakfasts, and resorts.

Bandon

The Bandon Inn rests on a bluff overlooking Old Town Bandon, the Coquille River, and the Pacific Ocean. The inn is not far from the river, and the panoramic views of the harbor from my room and personal balcony were stunning. The Bandon Inn is centrally located, making it an ideal base camp to visit the Old Town, local beaches, farms, and the local yet world-renowned golf courses.

Port Orford

WildSpring Guest Habitat Resort, situated on five acres of ocean bluff, boasts a quiet forest filled with lush trees, playful and thought-provoking sculptures, and an eco-friendly environment that nurtures all five senses.

Gold Beach

Endicott Gardens Bed & Breakfast and Spa is the perfect place for a personal wellness retreat. It offers space to maximize relaxation, optimize self-care, enjoy transformational spa treatments, and savor delicious teas and treats.

Brookings

Whaleshead Resort features fabulous ocean views, is ideal for family fun, and makes an excellent base camp for adventures.

Where to Eat Along the Southern Oregon Coast

Oregon has some incredible food that focuses on fresh, local ingredients. The Southern Oregon Coast is no exception. We found tasty offerings along the way.

Bandon

Alloro Wine Bar & Restaurant is in the center of Old Town Bandon. Chef/Owner Susan Hayes studied at the Seattle Culinary Academy. Her cuisine feels Italian at its roots, and each dish is beautifully presented and delicious.

I had multiple courses throughout my dinner, but the most memorable was the lamb. It arrived accompanied by a cherry sauce and crisp-tender mixed vegetables. I enjoyed the lamb dish with a 2018 Ca’ del Baio, Barbaresco, and it was a spectacular and flavorful pairing.

The Loft Restaurant and Bar is another tasty eatery and serves decadent brunch dishes. I dined on the Crab Cake Benedict. The crabcakes, made mainly of crab meat with only a few spices and ingredients to bind them together, were lightly breaded and fried, then topped with poached eggs, brown butter Hollandaise, and capers. The two cakes sat on a bed of freshly chopped spinach and arrived with delicious crispy fried potatoes.

If you are looking for the quintessential crab cocktail and clam chowder, Tony’s Crab Shack is the place to go.

I love seaside fare; part of that is enjoying a sweet treat. Coastal Mist, owned by Kevin Shaw, a pâtissier, chocolatier, and glacier, offers visitors a plethora of chocolate delights: decadent chocolates, irresistible ice cream, and a unique trio of hot chocolates.

Steve and I indulged in tasting hot chocolates served in adorable demitasse cups. The cups were half the size of a regular cup, and each held different variations of the exquisite chocolate elixir. The Mayan hot chocolate was dark chocolate with a pinch of chili. The French caramel was dark chocolate with a splash of caramel, and the third was a traditional dark hot chocolate. Whip cream topped each of the decadent liquids.

Port Orford

Making pit stops on your Oregon Coast road trip is fun. You can check out some unusual stops for food. We took a break on our way to Port Orford to try a world-famous hot dog at Langlois Market. Steve and I made the recommended stop and thoroughly enjoyed the short, fat dog with a snappy skin, soft bun, house-made honey mustard, dill pickles, and onions. We savored this locally praised morsel at one of the picnic tables outside the store, along with chips and a soda.

Redfish sits on the shore next to Battle Rock in Port Orford. The ocean views are picturesque, and the food is tasty. Steve and I dined on a juicy steak and finished with a decadent chocolate mousse.

The Crazy Norwegian Fish & Chips restaurant is precisely what you would expect of a seaside fish and chips joint on the waterfront. They serve spectacular fresh seafood. Steve and I shared a huge platter of fried cod, prawns, and a crunchy, sweet, and tangy slaw.

Gold Beach

I love tacos and am always excited to try something new. Barnacle Bistro serves fish tacos with wasabi, a fantastic twist on the fish taco. The fish is crispy and tender, and the wasabi offers a different taste profile and zip than traditional salsa.

Brookings

You cannot say you have experienced an authentic Southern Oregon Coast road trip until you have had a crab dinner at Catalyst Seafood Restaurant & Lounge. I thoroughly enjoyed picking out large chunks of crab from the whole Dungeness crab served with drawn butter, loaded chowder in a bowl, a sampling of shrimp chowder, and a basket of fried clams. Steve and I shared and enjoyed this decadent seaside menu to the fullest.

The Blue Water Café and Lounge is the perfect place for breakfast in Brookings, Oregon. Steve dined on the Blue Benedict with onion, American cheese, and a sausage patty, and I loved the Veggie Benedict with spinach. The hash browns were crispy and delicious, and Steve’s bacon was cooked perfectly.

Southern Oregon Coast Attractions

There are so many options when planning an Oregon Coast road trip. The seaside attractions are the biggest draw to a Southern Oregon Coast road trip. Here are a few of our favorites at each stop.

Bandon

Bandon, Oregon, boasts stunning ocean views, beaches to walk, year-round fishing, crabbing on the docks, cycling, hiking, and world-famous golfing.

Bullard’s Beach State Park has a cool old lighthouse at the mouth of the Coquille River. In the past, Bandon was a great fishing port. Unfortunately, large ships can no longer enter the river from the Pacific as it is not deep enough, and it has been determined that it is too expensive to dredge. There are several trails to explore, but to view the lighthouse, it is easiest to park in the lot and walk directly to it.

Several other beaches in Southern Oregon and unique sights are worth a stop when staying near or in Bandon. Face Rock, where an American Indian legend says that some can hear a maiden’s voice in the wind, and from the cliff overlooking the ocean, you can pick out the girl’s face, Devil’s Kitchen, and China Creek.

The Bandon Historical Society Museum makes an interesting stop. Tons of history fill three rooms depicting historical events, local agriculture, and military memorabilia.

Washed Ashore Gallery and Volunteer Workshop is a gallery and workshop where a team and volunteers create elaborate sculptures and art installations made from recycled ocean trash. There are two workshops, one in Bandon and the other in North Bend. Both locations and installations scattered throughout coastal towns and beaches make for great Southern Oregon Coast road trip attractions to visit.

The Bandon Dunes Golf Resort features six different links courses. The Scottish word “links” means “rising ground or ridge.” Each course is built on sandy soil and is usually on the coastline of a large body of water. A links course is typically windy, boasts thick grass or heather, and has several bunkers and a few trees. Builders of link courses do not manipulate the land to create a particular terrain, but the grounds remain in their original form.

People who wish to golf on link courses must walk to and from each hole unless they have a doctor’s letter explaining that they need a cart. In that case, they can rent a cart driven by their caddie. The Bandon Dunes Golf Courses are considered destination golf courses and looked challenging to me.

Port Orford

Port Orford is the Oregon Coast’s oldest coastal town and fishing village. It has the only operational Dolly Harbor in the United States.

Cape Blanco State Park and the Cape Blanco Lighthouse are three miles north of Port Orford. The park includes the historic Hughes House, built in 1898. The lighthouse is open for tours, but guests must walk a quarter mile from the gate to the lighthouse to see the grounds and take a tour. The lighthouse was built in 1870, and visitors can climb the spiral staircase to the top and check out the Fresnel lens. This lighthouse sits on Oregon’s most westerly point and is the oldest continually operating lighthouse in Oregon.

Battle Rock Park is named after the historic battle in 1851 between Captain William Tichenor’s men from Portland, Oregon, and the Quatomah, an Athapaskan people who lived in the area.

South Coast Tours offers adventure trips out of Port Orford and other southern coastal towns in Oregon. Steve and I took a two-hour boat trip from the unique Dolly Dock with South Coast Tours owner Dave Lacey. We ventured out on the Black Pearl, a nearly unsinkable rigid inflatable boat, like the rescue boats that the Coast Guard uses.

We saw numerous birds, seals, sea lions, other wildlife, and unique southern coast geology during our voyage. I enjoyed photographing the puffins.

Gold Beach

I stopped at Otter Point State Park, three miles north of Gold Beach. The park includes two beaches with spectacularly carved sandstone. A short, steep trail to the north leads down to Agate Beach, stacked with driftwood. The trail to the south of the parking lot splits, with the right fork heading to the point and the left fork following the Oregon Coast Trail along the bluff and down to Bailey Beach.

The Prehistoric Gardens are located 17 miles north of Gold Beach. These gardens are part of an ancient Oregon rainforest. Meander around and check out the 23 life-size dinosaurs and the unique foliage.

Brookings

There are beautiful beach stops to make on an Oregon Coast trip. Approximately five miles south of Gold Beach is one of the highest capes on the Coast, Cape Sebastian State Park. This Cape is the second-highest Cape on the Oregon coast, with a view stretching 150 miles. There are opportunities to hike and fish. One of the most popular activities in the area is to take one of the original “Wild and Scenic” river rides or walk the Shrader Old Growth Trail and the Myrtle Tree Trail. The Rogue River Walk offers stunning views of the historic Patterson Memorial Bridge, built in 1932.

Meyers Beach is one of the most photographed beaches in the US and is famous for its tide pools and windsurfing, and Pistol State Park offers exceptional windsurfing, horseback riding, clamming, and sand dunes.

The Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor is a 12-mile drive with views from 14 different pull-offs. National Geographic considers it one of the top 10 most beautiful drives in the world.

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Planning Your Southern Oregon Coast Road Trip Itinerary

I hope you enjoy these suggestions for planning your own itinerary for a spectacular Southern Oregon Coast road trip. There are so many things to do and see, but these are my favorite places, indoor and outdoor activities, and tasty treats along the Southern Oregon Coast. Let Wander With Wonder be your guide when planning your next visit to Oregon or another road trip to explore the USA.

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