Road trip guide: must-see sights along oregon’s coast


DAY 4: FLORENCE TO BANDON (72.5 MILES) After coffee and breakfast pastries at local favorite River Roasters, on Bay Street, head next door to the Siuslaw River Bridge Interpretive Center, a

pocket-sized park dotted with signs recapping Florence's pioneer history. Continue walking along Bay Street, passing historic wooden storefronts, to a scenic boardwalk and wander among

the boats docked at the marina. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, a vast expanse of massive golden sand dunes, stretches for 40 miles between Florence and Coos Bay. Saddle up with

C&M Stables, just north of Florence, for horseback riding through a forest, over the dunes and onto the beach, a relaxing ride even for novices. Back on 101, cross the picturesque

Siuslaw River Bridge en route to North Bend, about 45 miles on. A short detour brings you to the Cape Arago Highway and four state parks hugging the coast. Pull into Sunset Bay for a swim,

one of the few places on the coast with water calm enough to enter. Or stop at Shore Acres State Park, the onetime home of a 19th-century timber baron, for verdant botanical gardens. End the

day in Bandon with a crisp Willamette Valley pinot grigio and plump fried oysters at Edgewaters, on the Coquille River. WHERE TO STAY: An ideal location overlooking the harbor makes the

family-owned Bandon Inn an inviting option in Old Town Bandon. Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor Justin Renshaw / Alamy Stock Photo DAY 5: BANDON TO BROOKINGS (83.1 MILES) You've

seen plenty of incredible scenery, but Bandon Beach may just be the star of the show, with its sweeping shoreline and myriad sea stacks. Make the short drive to Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint

to marvel at the beach's beauty. If the timing works out, you may be in town when labyrinth artist Denny Dyke hosts one of his sand-art walks, Circles in the Sand, a seasonal series of

meditation strolls along pathways created at low tide. Golfers may prefer teeing up at one of the five links courses overlooking the ocean at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. Its eponymous

Bandon Dunes course ranks No. 7 on _Golf Digest's 2021 America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses._ The 83 miles to Brookings are all about the views, especially once you pass Gold Beach.

For the last 12 miles, the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, a linear state park, runs parallel to the highway. From numerous pull-over spots, eye windswept bluffs, secret beaches

and offshore rock formations. WHERE TO STAY: Backtrack 25 miles to the Pacific Reef Hotel in Gold Beach for oceanfront condos with full kitchens or cozy economy rooms. Or head south to see

the California Redwoods. Enjoy some music along the route with this road trip playlist compiled for AARP by Adam Stern, associate conductor of the Oregon Music Festival orchestra.

_Editor's note: This article was originally published on August 26, 2020. It's been updated to reflect new information. _