More on the Oregon Coast

Even though our last trip to the beach was cut short due to a nasty cold, we still managed to see some of the gorgeous Oregon Coast in the few days we had.

Our first stop was Pacific City, a popular location for surfing, kayaking and kite flying. Here we enjoyed lunch at Pelican Pub and Brewery. After lunch we strolled along the beach and enjoyed the views.

After lunch we headed to Proposal Rock (which is actually an island) near the community of Neskowin. We strolled along the picturesque Neskowin Creek until the island came into view.

According to legend, it was here in 1900 that Captain Charlie Gage proposed to Della Page. Della’s mother later dubbed the island Proposal Rock in honor of the upcoming nuptials. Today, it is a popular location for marriage proposals.

The next day we took a drive along Otter Crest Loop, a two mile stretch of road that meanders along the ocean between Depoe Bay and Newport.

There’s a viewpoint just after crossing Ben Jones Bridge that offers spectacular views.

Ben Jones was quite active in Oregon politics and civil affairs in the early 1900s. He was mayor of two coastal towns, a mail carrier and had other careers as well. His work as a mail carrier along the rough coastal roads inspired him to push for a highway in the area. Highway 101 was eventually built and now covers many miles along the west coast of the US.

We also stopped at Cape Foulweather which is the highest point along highway 101 in Oregon. This point was named by Captain James Cook in 1778. Here is his journal entry dated March 7, 1778:

The land appeared to be of moderate height, diversified with hill and Valley and almost everywhere covered with wood. There was nothing remarkable about it except one hill… At the northern extreme the land formed a point which I called Cape Foulweather from the very bad weather we soon after met with.

We stayed at the beautiful Salishan Lodge, which was a perfectly relaxing place to return to after a busy day of beach-combing and sightseeing.

There is so much to see along the Oregon Coast; sea stacks, lighthouses, beautiful beaches, surfers and if you’re lucky, you may even spot some whales. We never get tired of visiting this gorgeous location.

We were disappointed we had to cut our trip short, but we’ll be returning next week to make up for the loss.

Check out theTravelsketcher’s current posts if you’d like to know more about our current activities.

What do you think of this section of the Oregon Coast? As always, I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment if you’d like.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia