As promised, the second installment of your Oregon coast bucket list! We open up our doors to give you the most relaxing home base possible for an Oregon adventure, and we want to help you enjoy your visit as much as possible. Even though this is our second iteration of the bucket list, this still doesn’t cover everything that you can have here at the beach. We hope that you’ll add these to your itinerary for your next getaway and be inspired to visit the coast annually to take it all in. Don’t forget to share your photos and stories on social. You can find us at: @sweethomesgetaways on Instagram and @sweethomesrentals on Facebook.
Visit the Sea Lions
If you’ve never seen a sea lion in person, this needs to be at the top of your list! The Oregon coast is full of Steller sea lions, the largest member of the Otariid (eared seal) family. The males can be up to 2,500 pounds and 11 feet long with the females being almost 800 pounds and 9 feet long. We’ve had many guests spot sea lions from their Sweet Homes, but you can also visit them at the Sea Lion Docks in Newport or the Sea Lion Caves just north of Florence. The docks are located right at Newport’s Historic Bayfront and not only serve as a free space to observe these animals, but for 18 years it has also been a haul-out point to isolate and treat injured sea lions. The Sea Lion Caves are known as America’s largest sea caves. It has been a privately owned wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary since 1932 and is part of the Oregon/Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve helping to protect the local marine animals and marine environment.
See Thor’s Well
If you’re headed to the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve to visit the Sea Lion Caves, make sure you also stop by Thor’s Well and the other amazing viewpoints in the reserve. Thor’s Well is also known as the drainpipe of the Pacific, a roughly 20 foot deep hole in the rocks that seems to drain the ocean. It is believed that the well started as a sea cave carved out by waves and became the captivating attraction it is today when the roof caved in. This is also a great opportunity to teach kids about ocean safety and wildlife. Cape Perpetua and the surrounding areas are full of learning opportunities and resources, so be sure to stop and read the informative postings you’ll find as you explore trails and viewpoints.
Go surfing
If you’re ready to get up close and personal with the Pacific, head out on a surfing adventure! Whether you’re experienced or just want to cross if off your bucket list to learn, the coast is full of perfect opportunities. If you’re a pro, load up your gear and head to Agate Beach or Yaquina Bay. If you need a little help to catch a wave, you can head to a few different surf shops to rent all your gear and sign up for lessons. You can check out our mini-guide on surfing here.
Taphouse tour
Craft beer lovers flock to the coast, and we can’t blame them, drinking a unique beer by the ocean is a pretty relaxing way to spend the day. Find yourself a designated driver and then you can do a full brewery tour down the coast and hit quite a few taprooms from Astoria to Brookings. If you stop in Newport, you’ll be able to visit the national headquarters for Rogue Brewing and get a tour of the brewery and distillery! The central coast also has other breweries to explore like Rusty Truck Brewing, Wolf Tree Brewery and Yachats Brewing. Be sure to check out our taproom guide where you can find local taprooms that tap craft beer from all over the state and the Pacific Northwest.
We hope this helps you get excited for and plan your next central coast getaway! If you have any questions before booking your Sweet Home, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-519-0437 or email us at info@sweethomesrentals.com. We are staffed 7 days a week and waiting to help you easily plan your getaway so you can Stay Relaxed!
