The One-Day Oregon Coast Trip: Where to Go for Fun and Variety of Activity

Considering your humble, Oregon Coast-loving writer lives not all that far away from Oregon's beaches, I admit that I've done more one-day trips there than staying overnight. But since I know that many tourists who either live in Oregon or from out of state only have limited time to visit certain locations, it sometimes works out that visiting the Oregon Coast means just a mere afternoon of cursory fun and relaxation. Once the tourist realizes how much there is to see and do along the Oregon Coast, there may be a tendency to get overwhelmed on what to do in a matter of hours instead of days or weeks. If you don't want to drive long distances to have fun for all members of the family, you'll be happy to know that the Oregon Coast offers various places where you can spend a few hours and have variety within short driving or even walking distance.

As anybody who's traveled with limited amounts of time in each location, parking is always going to be a problem in wasting time. When driving to the Oregon Coast, it's frequently recommended that you go either right before summer vacation starts or, better, in September or October when kids are back in school. The fall is actually the best and warmest time over say May or early June when the chances of rain or general cooler weather are more common. And I always recommend heading to the central to northern regions of the coast first where you'll find the most enjoyable beaches.

I've spent most of my life each summer visiting one of the best cities along the Oregon Coast where plenty of variety exists: Lincoln City. This small city is one I suggest you visit first if deciding where to go on the coast in one afternoon before moving on to somewhere else. Should you be traveling first in the valley, you can easily get to Lincoln City within a little over an hour via travel through the coastal mountain range. If you're in Portland, it might take a little longer, yet takes only an hour in the event you're in Salem the night before continuing your Oregon journey.

In Lincoln City, I've long had a secret hideaway place where you can park your car and have shopping/restaurants within walking or minimal driving distance. It's in the Nelscott Beach community that's several miles up Hwy. 101 after officially entering the city. The reason it's a hideaway area is because you can't see it from the highway. Just look for a little shopping center on the right at the corner of South 32^nd & 101 (this as the official collection of quaint shops in the Nelscott community), turn right at either one of the little roads on each end of the shops, and head...well, down.

You obviously figured out this road takes you down into a steep decline that means you'll have to ride your brake for a few seconds. Once you meet Anchor Ave. down at beach level, turn left (or right if you took the other road down) and look for a little parking lot between some private homes. Now, know this parking lot only holds about four cars, so if you're there during the height of summer, chances are good it'll be filled with cars. If they are, head south up a little farther on Anchor Ave. a little past the Sandcastle Beachfront Motel (formerly the Nelscott Motel years ago), and turn right into another little parking lot that holds about three cars at most.

If that one is also filled, you can park anywhere along the side of Anchor Ave, even though I don't recommend parking in front of a private residence. Once you're parked, you have excellent beach access for as long as you want, have fascinating shops back up the hill on Hwy. 101, plus numerous restaurants within short driving distance. Considering the internationally famous Factory Outlet stores are not far up Hwy. 101, you can also head there for an exponential shopping experience that includes some higher-end stores.

However, you can stay right there in the Nelscott community for an entire afternoon and have fun you won't want to see end. Should you just stop at a fast-food restaurant prior and take your food with you in the car, you can park in the little Nelscott parking alcoves and gaze out over the ocean in your car while you feast on that greasy hamburger or hopefully something healthier. After you eat all the junk food, you're mere steps away from having miles of beach to walk on to burn off the calories.
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Lincoln City isn't the only excellent place to spend a few hours in an afternoon. Let's say you're heading up Hwy 101 from somewhere in the southern regions of Oregon. The most logical place to see first might be Newport, which many people prefer over Lincoln City in variety of things to do. Nevertheless, if you like things a little less boisterous, I'd suggest heading back up in to the central region to two places where you'll find plenty of parking and things to do within a few hours without feeling you're missing out on anything.

As you're heading north on Hwy. 101 after leaving a city or town in the southern valley, you'll find the charming Gleneden Beach community that I've written about here in the past (see source links below). Here, you'll find a lot more consolidation in having things to do in a small amount of space. This consolidation comes in the Marketplace at Salishan named after the Native-American tribe that once resided in the area thousands of years ago. The Marketplace is a unique mall full of unique stores you'll find occupying your family for hours. You'll even find a couple of small restaurants (or actually delis) within the mall where you can grab a moderately-priced lunch.

Across the street, you'll see the extremely expensive Salishan Resort that won't have to entice you, because you'll only be here for one day. Yet it's the Marketplace that'll grab all your attention and where you'll likely buy something, despite perhaps having to spend a little more than in a discount mall. The architecture and ambiance is pure class, though, which means it doesn't hurt to stay there all afternoon. Outside of that thought, getting down to Gleneden Beach off the side roads is worth the effort if you want to put in another couple of hours here.
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For an alternative to Gleneden Beach, the perfect place for extensive parking and myriad activity is Depoe Bay that I've also recommended in past articles about the Oregon Coast. Known as the locale where the famous fishing boat scene took place in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", the parking spaces here are in the hundreds along the harbor where fishing and tour boats sail back in with seasick tourists. During the height of tourist season, these parking spaces fill up with everybody playing bumper cars to get one. But once you get one, you have dozens of charming shops and restaurants within short walking distance to spend time in and to fill up a meaningful four to five hours.

Yes, it is possible to obtain relaxation at the beach in a one-day trip. If you ever decide to live in the valley of Oregon, you'll find that driving to the beach and back in one day is utterly workable--just as long as you get plenty of sleep beforehand...and after once you get home.

For your consideration: Past articles where I covered the magic of and most interesting locales along the Oregon Coast...

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/317408/the_oregon_coast_one_of_the_best_us.html?cat=16

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/598463/the_oregon_coasts_forgotten_history.html?cat=37

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/989832/gleneden_beach_and_salishan_resort.html?cat=16