Explore Newport Oregon

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Get Out & Do More In Newport!

First time guests to the coast are always asking us about activities for there travels. Besides the natural beauty, there are many activities for adults and children, up and down the coast. We thought we would break it down by different areas to simplify your search. It’s time to explore Newport.

Shopping

Newport has some of the best shopping around, you will find handcrafted items from local artisans such as hand bags all the way to decorative blown glass floats. The Historic Nye Beach, Historic Bay Front and South Beach areas have a many shops to choose from.

Food

When you are looking for something to fuel your day seafood and more can be found in Newport

Historic Bayfront

Here you will find many shops and local eateries plus these

Oregon Coast Aquarium

  • Opened in 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium ranks among the top 10 aquariums in the nation. Experience their newest exhibit “Passages of the Deep”, where you’ll experience the mysteries of the open ocean through a submerged acrylic tunnel. Indoor exhibits feature marine life found in wetlands, sandy and rocky shores and the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. Outdoor exhibits are home to sea otters, seals, sea lions and a giant Pacific octopus. The Aquarium has one of the largest walk-through seabird aviaries in North America.

Hatfield Marine Science Center

  • Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center creates a unique, dynamic environment for lifelong exploration and discovery. The Visitor Center encourages adults and children to enjoy marine science as they learn more about the natural world. Our exhibits, programs and classes demonstrate how scientific research enhances our ability to interpret the natural patterns and forces that shape our world, and equips us to better appreciate, manage and sustain coastal and marine resources.

Mariner Square

Perfect stop any day to see some a great collection of interesting things, local marine life and of course wax mannequins.

Visual Arts Center

Excellent space to see changing exhibits and take an educational class.

Preforming Arts Center

Home to a resident company and a stop for visiting performances, there is new a wrong time to see a show!

YoHo Bounce House

Need to run the energy out of the kiddos, then look no further. Great for younger children to burn off some energy.

Escape Rooms Newport

Perfect for groups of friends/families and or work retreats looking for a team building exercise.

Fishing Charters

Newport has some amazing fishing. Let the pros put you on the right spot!

Bike Newport

Its always fun to get out and bike. Didn’t have room to pack the bike, Bike Newport can get you a rental and point you in the right direction for trails.

Pacific Maritime Heritage Center & Burrows House

Learn about some of the colorful history of Newport and the Oregon Central Coast.

Exploring Cape Perpetua

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Exploring Cape Perpetua

Just a short 5 minute drive south of Yachats, Cape Perpetua Scenic Area offers many experiences for all to enjoy with tide pools, old-growth forests and stunning views. Covering 2,700 coastal acres and with the highest car accessible view point on the coast at 800 feet, Cape Perpetua should be on your list of places to see, when on the Central Oregon Coast.

Your first stop when in Cape Perpetua, should be the Visitor Center, which is open seven days a week most of the year, to get your bearings and learn a little about the area before venturing around. While at the Visitor Center you can view the interpretive programs, short movies and even set up a guided hike, during the summer months.  You can also pick out some souvenirs at the Discover Your Northwest Bookstore located inside the Visitor Center.

Hiking/Walking Trails

26 miles of trails meander through this area where temperate spruce rain-forest meets the sea. Trails to the beach/rocky shoreline, trails into the forest, trails to giant trees, trails to lookouts, there is a little bit of everything at Cape Perpetua. A few of the trails, Captain Cook Trail, Whispering Spruce Trail and the Trail of Restless Waters, are wheelchair accessible but be warned in advance, that they are rated as moderate to most difficult due to the steep grades in some sections. A great mountain biking trail is the Cummins Creep Loop Trail that starts just a little south of Visitor’s Center on HWY 101, off Forest Service Road 1050.

 

 

www.fs.usda.gov

www.fs.usda.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cape Perpetua Points Of Interest

There are many things to see during a trip to Cape Perpetua, we encourage you to find you own special locations within the scenic area, but don’t miss out on these must see areas in Cape Perpetua.

Devil’s Churn- Wave action created this narrow inlet over thousands of years in the basalt shoreline. During big swell events and a high tide the spray from the back of Devil’s Churn can reach hundreds of feet into the air. Please use caution while visiting the churn, as sneaker waves and slippery footing can cause injury.

 

Cape Beach Cove- Just a short walk down some stairs will place you on this small fine sand beach with great views.

 

Thor’s Well- Carved into the basalt coast line below Hwy 101, this sinkhole seems to endlessly fill and drain back into the Pacific. High tide or during a large storm is the optimal time to see this natural phenomenon but on low tide and small swell days you can peer deep into the abyss and see the hydraulic mechanism at work. *Please take caution if you venture down to the edge of Thor’s Well, sneaker waves do happen and can knock you off your feet and cause injury.

 

 

Spouting Horn- Located a few hundred feet south of Thor’s Well on the other side of Cook’s Chasm. Best viewed on high tides during winter storms this crack in the rock puts on a show by shooting water high into the air. Both Spouting Horn and Thor’s Well can be view from the HWY 101 turnout or along the wheel chair accessible observation point on Captain Cook’s Trail.

 

Cape Perpetua Overlook- This is the highest viewpoint (800 feet) on the Oregon Coast accessible via car. Once at the top parking lot you can step out and see views stretching up to 70 miles south and up to 37 miles out to sea on a clear day. Just a short five minutes along the walking loop will lead you to a stone structure created in the 1930’s as a place to enjoy the views during less than ideal weather.

 

Giant Spruce Tree- At over 500 years old, 185 feet tall and 40 feet in circumference, this Sitka spruce tree is located on an easy 2 mile round trip walk from the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center,   along the Giant Spruce Trail.

 

 

 

For more information on the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area, click here: Cape Perpetua

For more information on our Sweet Homes near Cape Perpetua, click here: Sweet Homes

So Many Wonderful Areas To Explore!

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Highlights Along On The Oregon Coast

When one drives along the Oregon Coast you will notice a many state parks and recreation sites along the Peoples Coast. These areas are the perfect place to get out and explore all that the Oregon Coast has to offer. Lets take a look at some of our favorites areas along the Central Coast. We will begin our journey around Lincoln City and head south to Florence. Hopefully you get to see them during your travels but if you don’t, that just means you’ll have to come back again!

D River State Recreation Site– Every June and October the air above the beach is filled with kites as D River is home to two of the largest kite festivals. D River is also claimed to be the shortest river at a mere 120 feet long.

Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint– Surrounded my craggy basalt formations Boiler Bay is a great location for bird and whale watching. At low tide, look for a glimpse of the boiler from the  the vessel J. Marhoffer that sank after an explosion in 1910.

Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center– The name says it all! It doesn’t take long to realize why Depoe Bay is the proclaimed whale watching capital of Oregon. Year round whales can be viewed in here along the lava rock shoreline.

Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint– Situated 500 feet above the shoreline, Otter Crest offers sweeping panoramas of the Pacific.

Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area– The rock formation at Devils Punch Bowl is a great place to watch any time of the year but especially exceptional during high surf. Watch as the water rushes to fill up the punch bowl like formation through an opening in the area. This area is also a popular place to learn how to surf. Grab a board and take a lesson with the local surf shop

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and Light House– This BLM managed area is home to Oregon’s tallest lighthouse, first lit on August 20th, 1873, basalt cliffs and tide pools to explore. Yaquina Head is a great local to spot whales. Stop by the interpretive center to learn more about the natural area.

South Beach State Park and Jetty– Offering a little bit of everything, surfing, horse access, scuba diving, fishing and clamming, this area is an underrated gem on the Central Coast is also the perfect spot to watch the ship set off into the Pacific.

Seal Rock State Recreation Site– Sea Birds, seals, sea lions inhabit the large rock formations just off shore. With open ocean views north to Newport and all the way south to Yachats.

Smelt Sands State Recreation Site– This small pebbled beach is home to a yearly smelt run and has some amazing tide pool opportunities. Its just a short walk from the heart of Yachats along the 804 Trail to this other underrated site.

Yachats State Recreation Site– Pull up the car and watch for whales and waves in the Yachats’ River Bay. Sea Lions and seals can be seen bobbing along in the bay.

Cape Perpetua– Stop by the Cape Perpetua Visitor Center, open seven days a week and learn more about this area full of amazing natural sites. A few of the great places here are Devil’s Churn, Thor’s Well, The Cape Perpetua Overlook. Be only the lookout for Whale Spoken Here signs at Thor’s Well parking area and stop in for assistance and information on whale spotting.

 

Haceta Head Light House– At 205 feet above the ocean, this lighthouse is said to be one of the most photographed lighthouses in the United States. It is also the brightest light on the Oregon Coast and can be seen 21 miles out at sea.

Sea Lion Cave– This privately help wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary is the perfect place to see Steller

 

Sea Lions, bigger than the other sea lion that inhabits the Oregon Coast, the California Sea Lion. Sea Lion Cave is the also the largest sea cave in America.

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area– This 40 mile stretch of sand is one of the largest temperate coastal sand dunes in the world. There are many fun adventures to be had from surfing to cruising over the sand in a dune buggy.

Spring Whale Watching Season Quick Guide

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Photo Credit: Whale Spoken Here

Spring Whale Watching Season Quick Guide

Spring is just around the corner and with spring comes the whale migration. During this annual migration about 18,000 gray whales pass just off the coast of Oregon. Yes, you read that right, 18,000! While there are some resident gray whales that stay year round just off the coast, this is the one of the best time to see them. During this time mother grays heading north tend to stay closer to shore with their young, which makes land based spotting much easier.

While the majority of cetaceans(marine mammal) involved in the spring migration the Oregon Coastline are gray whales, there are plenty of other species to watch out for any time you are on the coast.

Orcas– While they are spotted year round, spring tends to be the best time of year to spot Orcas.  This is when you will see them hunting along the coastline. Orcas tend to be spotted more in the area from Newport to Depoe Bay. From time to time they do venture into the bays especially Yaquina Bay in Newport.

Photo: Unknown

Minke– Reaching about 35 feet in length and feeding in the same areas as gray whales, the way to tell the difference is their white underside.

 

 

 

 

 

Blue– The mighty blue stays far offshore, 10 miles or more and are rarely seen closer to shore.

Humpback– Generally seen to 5 to 15 miles out at sea.

Dall’s Porpoise– Living only in the North Pacific this black and white porpoise can swim up to 35 miles per hour.

Harbor Porpoise– This small cetacean tends to stay close to shore and is a little timid.

 

Great Places To Spot Cetaceans On The Central Coast

  • The Whale Watching Center/Depoe Bay Sea Wall
  • Rocky Creek State Scenic Viewpoint
  • Cape Foulweather
  • Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area
  • Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area
  • Don Davis City Park
  • Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center
  • Cook’s Chasm Turnout
  • Sea Lion Caves Turnout – at the turnout south of the tunnel

 

Keep your eyes on the horizon and be on the lookout for the spray. Happy watching!

 

A Win-Win Proposition

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We’ve never been much for popularity contests — not when either of us were kids, and not now.  But we live in a new world, filled with new media, which creates new networks of friends, information, and opportunities.  So, some time ago Sweet Homes Rentals joined the Facebook and Twitter revolution as a means to connect our friends, customers, clients, and supporters to Sweet Homes and to one another.  It’s a virtual place for us to share information about the Oregon Coast, last minute specials, news about Sweet Homes, and great photos, videos and updates about our beautiful homes.  But if we’re going to do the social media thing, we want to do it right, do it well, and do it big!  Why have 500 pairs of eyes on our posts if we can just as easily have 5,000?  So, we decided to make it a win-win game.  We ask you, your family, your friends and your networks to visit the Sweet Homes Rentals Facebook page, “Like Us” and hit “Enter to Win,” and then we give you a chance to enter our Oregon Coast Fun Package Give-Away!  When we get to 5,000 “Likes” we’ll draw one winner from all of you who submitted your info, and that person will get the following prize package:

  • A Two Night Stay at The Sand Castle – One of our most popular oceanfront homes
  • 4 Tickets to the Oregon Coast Aquarium
  • A $100 Gift Certificate for Gourmet Dinning at Ona Restaurant in Yachats, OR
  • A Giant Dune Buggy Ride for 4 at Sandland Adventures near Florence, OR

So, we’ll trade you a “Like” for a chance to Win.  We’ll surpass our 5,000 Likes mark on Facebook, and you’ll also get to keep up with news, specials, events and info from Sweet Homes.  It’s a winning proposition for everyone!

Prize is redeemable from 6/1/13 to 5/31/14. Not redeemable during blackout & holiday dates. Gift certificates are not redeemable for cash or cash back after purchase. Not redeemable with other coupons or free night specials.