Let’s face it, it rains a lot in Oregon. Even if it’s not raining during the winter months, it looks like it’s going to and that is just how it is in Oregon, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying the Beaver State one bit. Last week, I was in Eugene, Oregon and on my last weekend there, there happened to be the biggest storm of the winter with 70 mph winds and a heavy downpour which lasted all through the night and trickled on throughout the next day. Personally, I love rain and I don’t let it get in the way of a good adventure.

We had been planning a drive to the Oregon Coast and didn’t want to let a few inches of rain get in the way of exploring, so we took off and had an amazing time. Regardless of whether it’s raining or not in Oregon, there are so many things to do both indoors and outdoors (preferably outdoors!)

Here is how to spend a (great) rainy day in Oregon:

Oregon is beautiful. Its green, its mountainous and even its dry desert landscape of Central Oregon is enticing. Anywhere you look, it is as if Mother Nature had a paintbrush and created a work of art. We started our adventure in Eugene by driving on the 126 towards Florence enjoying the scenic drive with the river flowing to your left and beautiful forests throughout, there is never a dull moment

Florence, Oregon

Our first stop on the Oregon Coast was a small town called Florence. In truth, all of the coastal communities we drove through or stopped in are small quaint towns.

We didn’t spend any time in Florence, but there was a cute little downtown down by the harbor that had restaurants and shops. We got there a little earlier in the morning so most of the businesses had not opened up shop yet.

From Florence, we headed north on the 101. While you’re driving up, you will see several sand dunes and I recommend stopping at one and check one out. In the summer, you can rent a board and go sand boarding. There is a place to rent them a few miles north of Florence, called Sand Master Park, but the real place to hit is the Oregon Dunes National Recreation area which is 20 miles south of Florence.

Darlingtonia Botanical Garden

Our next stop on the 101 was the Darlingtonia Botanical Garden, the only garden within the Oregon State Park system dedicated to the protection of a single plant species. It started to rain while we were here which ended up being fine because the trees around us worked as a canopy.

I’d never heard of a plant called darlingtonias or cobra lilys before stopping here and my interest definitely peaked once I walked into the garden.

Darlingtonia’s are carnivorous plants! They’re quite odd looking with green transparent patterns that after it tricks a fly into the plant for its nectar, it thinks that those are ways out. They end up finding themselves trapped and eventually falling into the bottom of the plant’s stock where there’s a pool of water, which eventually kills the fly, then the fly’s bacteria gets absorbed which provides the Darlingtonia it’s nutrition. Pretty crazy! The botanical garden is free and open to the public.

 

 

Hiking to Hobbit Beach and Heceta Head Lighthouse

Rain or shine, a hike is always good idea in my book, especially in Oregon. Although it helps to be a bit choosey about whether it’s a safe place to hike if it’s pouring down hard rain. There are two trails that begin at the same trail head that I would recommend. One trail is a hike to Hobbit Beach and the other is Heceta Head Light House.

 

To get to the trail head from where we started the hike, park in the pullout off the 101North just past Heceta Head Light House. It’s free to park there.

Cross the road and pick your trail! Even after the storm, the trail was just a little muddy and not difficult to hike at all.

The hike to Hobbit Beach was my favorite! Along the trail there were rhododendrons, one of my favorite trees since living in Humboldt County, and conifer trees covered in moss and ferns. The trail is only a 1/2 mile long and is a very easy hike and extremely scenic.

 

Once you get to the end of the hike, you have made it to Hobbit Beach! Think “The Goonies”- a cold, foggy mountainous beach. The waves looked relentless and we know from experience that the water would be chillingly cold so didn’t really try to get to close.

The northern coast is also notorious for sneaker waves that can sweep you away so never turn your back to the ocean, ever! Last year, in Humboldt County there was a horrible incident with 3 members of one family falling victim to sneaker waves. The ocean is serious stuff. 

 

Here are some more pictures of Hobbit Beach:

 

The trail to Heceta Head Lighthouse is a bit longer and instead of a beach you come across a lovely white lighthouse on the edge of the cliff.

 

Devil’s Churn

Our next stop northbound on the 101 was Devil’s Churn. Devil’s Churn is a rocky enclave that is quite the site from above. Whenever a strong current comes through, the water churns profusely out from the rocky sea cave that’s been formed from the waves crashing so fiercely against it. After seeing it happen a few times, you can walk down the path that leads to tide pools. We didn’t go down to the tide pools, but even with the winds and choppy waves, people were exploring the pools.

 

A Seafood Dinner in Newport, Oregon

Our goal for the drive through the coast of Oregon had a slight ulterior motive aside from the beautiful beaches and hikes on the coastal trails. Seafood. You can’t drive up the coast and not have seafood! We had been recommended a spot in Newport that is supposedly the best called Local Ocean so we decided to check it out.

 

 

What I ordered:

Fennel Slaw, Dungeness Crab Sandwich, Crab Chowder, Fries. I also bought a crab cake to cook for lunch the next day and it was perfection. They were out of cooked whole crab, so I wasn’t able to order that.

Newport is another quaint harbor town, with docks filled with fishing boats, but it also has a bit of cheesy Santa Monica Pier/Jersey Shore vibe with the Wax Museum and flashy arcade. The small businesses in the area had a small town-tourist appeal, with a couple of candy shops where we got bags of salt water taffy, Oregon pride souvenir shops, bars and fish ‘n chips restaurants.

 

 

Also Check Out…

We did make a few stops at various lookout points, but it was hard to stay at any for too long because it was extremely windy and I felt like I was going to be blown into sea! I recommend stopping at different vista points and taking it all in even if it is a dark and cloudy day.

 

While you’re in the area, check out the Rogue Ales Public House right on the bay in Newport. We didn’t stop there because we were hungry for seafood and it was getting late, but if you are in the mood for some Oregon beer, I recommend you check it out and schedule a tour. Since the brewery is right on the docks I’m sure its a cool experience to check out if you have time.

Newport was our last stop before we drove back to Eugene. Once we left Newport, the rain came down so hard that we had a hard time seeing anything in front of us on the drive. The winds had also picked up on some stretches of the highway towards Corvallis, knocking down a tree blocking a highway lane.

As Oregon actually experiences seasons unlike my home state of California, I didn’t mind the rain at all and was looking forward to a bit of a stormy adventure. Also, after living in northern California and traveling in Central America I have a new found appreciate for rain that doesn’t require an umbrella!

This was a great day well spent and the reason Oregon so green is because of the rain, so it would only be natural to embrace it. Most of the activities we did were free so cost is not an issue! There is so much to see and do and our day was just a small fraction of all that there is to be done.

What are some of your favorite things to do on the drive up or down the Oregon Coast?

 

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