Our mini Oregon road trip wouldn't have been complete without telling you a little secret kept in the quaint, historic old town section of Florence (map). Not the sprawl part of town…I'm talking near the Marina/RV/Campground exists...free showers!!! Boo-yes stinky travelers!!! We had been camping at nearby Waxmyrtle, exploring the Dunes and other stops (here & here). Our campground didn't have showers so we were on the lookout. We stopped at a pay to do laundry/shower place in the newer part of town and a nice gentleman told us to search for the free showers near the port! He was right!
   Old town Florence has lots more to offer (not just the showers) - cool restaurants, coffee, shops, river walk, and more. It's a great 1/2 day trip if you're close! A clean ending to a great Oregon Coast adventure!
   ~Paul, Amber, Mom   ETC

   Scenic viewpoints and mini-hikes litter the Oregon coast around the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. Short interconnected trails connect a lot of the good stuff - the Cape Cove Trail, the Trail of the Restless Waters, the Oregon Coast Trail, the St. Perpetua Trail, the Whispering Spruce Trail, and the one we checked out - the Captain Cook Trail. It's a .75 mile mostly paved trail down to the "Spouting Horn" - a geyser-like high tide wonder...we weren't there at high tide but it was still super cool and a quick stop. The campground and lighthouse nearby makes this a sweet place for a future stop…!
   ~Amber, Paul, Mom   ETC

   We got super lucky on our Oregon summer road-trip and stopped off at the Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint - or Neptune Beach as we call it. It's an awesome roadside beach on the Oregon Coast and has great sea life/tide pool viewing if you get there at the right time. Here's a quick photo tour to temp you into stopping by one day (get a tide app so you can get there at low tide like we did!).
   ~Paul, Amber, Mom   ETC

   A must see when traveling the Oregon Coast is the Oregon Dunes Overlook. Located on the road between Florence and Reedsport (11 miles north of Reedsport), it's an easy stop with multiple viewing platforms, a bathroom, and picnic tables for a quick lunch with an amazing view. Spend a 1/2 to full day hiking the Oregon Dunes Loop Trail to take it all in - ocean beaches, dunes, and coastal plant & wildlife. Want more? We noticed lots of canoe/kayaking groups camping in the sand along slow moving streams that lead out to the ocean…they seem to connect the inland lakes to the sea...a future adventure?
   
   ~Paul, Amber, Mom    ETC

Links:
Map of the loop trail
Info from the US Forest Service