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

   The Washington coast is nice and all…but nothing beats the concentrated lakes, dunes, trails, campgrounds, & beaches of the Oregon coast. Their closeness to the highways & interstate alone makes them easily accessible and so handy for car-camping (a.k.a. sleeping in a tent next to your car…at a campground). 
   We've taken numerous trips down south from Seattle over the years, sometimes with a stop in Portland for city-fun along the way, sometimes as a quick stop on the way to California, & sometimes just to go for the Oregon beaches' sake. We've camped multiple times at our favorite car-camping spot - the Waxmyrtle Campground - just 7 miles south of Florence, Oregon.  It's amazingly beautiful, secluded, and still has yet to make it onto Google Maps for everyone to discover…shhh…
   Trails leave here following the Siltcoos River to the nearby ocean (2.5 miles roundtrip) and even closer to the Siltcoos Lagoon. Although it's only open May-September, we got a spot easily a few weeknights last summer and had a blast!

   The quickest way to this neck of the woods is via I-5 south to Eugene, OR and then over to the coast. We, however, like the scenic way (mostly 2-lane) via McMinnville & Lincoln City. Whatever you do, don't miss the super scenic Yachats to Reedsport drive (map)…epic coastal driving! Also, note that the Google Map above is to a campground directly across the street from Waxmyrtle. Check the links at the end of this post for exact directions. Upon settling down at our Waxmyrtle camp site, we decided to try the Waxmyrtle 2.5 mile roundtrip hike to the beach.

   The trail was a little deep-sandy at times, but totally worth it…what a view! Back to camp for a nice fire…Our next post: hiking in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area!  
    ~Paul, Amber, Mom

Links
Waxmyrtle Campground in Siuslaw National Forest
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

P.S. Waxmyrtle doesn't have showers…it does have bathrooms with running water…head into Old Town Florence for some free public showers (more on this in one of our next posts). Also, you can make reservations for the campground in the summer, although make sure to do it a enough days ahead of time or they won't let you make them. We tried to reserve a site but ended up getting a spot first come with no problem (weeknight, summer). Waxmyrtle is back open May 1st for the upcoming summer…get here!