I'll never forget this trip and look forward to dipping my toes in the sand in warmer temperatures…read more It's not too crowded and you'll want to kick your shoes off as soon as you see the soft white sand. We couldn't resist climbing the top of the giant steep sand dune, and I'm glad we made it! Stunning views of the ocean from the top, and it's fun to people watch too. Our dog made it too. Some ran back down, others skipped, some used sleds. It's fun either way! You'll be able to rinse your gear as you head to the parking lot. There's clean bathrooms and plenty of parking. Hungry? There's restaurants near too.

What a great little getaway! Did I think it was secluded? No. Did I expect it to be busy? No,…read morebut it was. We first checked out this place on a lovely Juneteenth Friday afternoon. The temperature was in the low 80s, but the cool ocean breeze made everything just right. It had been raining all week prior, so we thought we'd explore and give our little mutt, Tha 'il Nana, some much needed sun. So, here's a few things about Cape Kiwanda: First off, there's a public parking lot at the beach where Pelican Brewing is located that requires a Daily Fee of $10. Just remember to place the parking pass on your dashboard. The lot probably holds about 125-150 spaces, so we had no issue finding a spot. People coming and going as well. Second, expect high winds and sand blowing down the dune and along the beach. And expect those high windy days to kick up the sand along the beach. It's also pretty scenic so bring a camera or make sure your phone is fully charged. Speaking of dune, there were plenty of folks challenging themselves running up it. And usually folks would end up heading towards the tidepools. There's definitely a lot of interesting things to see from crabs, to green anemones, to fancy sandstone rocks, and starfish. Oh yeah, and speaking of high winds, there were plenty of folks flying kites too. Third, the beach is a long and wide straightaway stretch, so everyone has plenty of room to run and play in the cold water. Great for dogs to play fetch and intermingle with other dogs. Our mutt was all over the place and I could tell she was having fun. She simply loved it! As far as the sand in general, it looks fine and bright. Not as white as the beaches in Cancun, but definitely cleaner than the ones in Cali. Bring a towel or two and enjoy the sun. Hell, some folks even had a whole tent set up. Fourth, some fellow yelpers mentioned there are no public restrooms, but there actually is one public restroom way up in the corner of the parking lot. Maybe because of covid they were closed, I don't know. But from relaxing on the beach, I can see how long of a walk it would be just to wanna relieve yourself. In closing, we accomplished our goal of making our old dog happy, and getting away from the inland heat. I truly enjoyed it here and plan to return someday. One final note; I was told from a local, "pretty much from here to Astoria (north) the beaches will be packed, but south of here will be a bit more secluded". Gotta love the Oregon coast! Enjoy!

Came to Oregon coast and stayed walking distance from here. It's beautiful, especially when it's…read morenice out. There's parking if you feel like driving. We found a message in a bottle, too (see pics)! I love this beautiful beach and I can't wait to come back!

A five- to ten-mile drive north of Neskowin, you'll find the quiet neighborhood of Winema Beach…read more Off the beaten path, visitors must drive through steep, windy gravel roads to get to this quiet local beach. Winema Beach of primarily for its coastal property owners whose homes line the cliff above. Here the views, soft sand and most of all privacy are not taken for granted.

This is one of the COOLEST beaches I've ever been to - the centerpiece is a giant, mountainous rock…read morecalled Proposal Rock, there's a flowing tidal river, huge tide pools teeming with life and best of all - a GHOST FOREST! Well, for now anyway. It's mind blowing how much the beach landscape changes in just a year... Every low tide, the remnants of an ancient spruce forest emerge along the beach to the left of Proposal Rock. These historic tree stumps are over 2000 years old. My first visit was in early June 2022 and there were so many stumps - many of which were well over my head and I'm about 5'3"! But they're almost gone now - I visited again July 2023 and most of them are buried by sand now. Apparently this is a cyclical thing along the Oregon coast. These ancient relics were buried completely for many years - only to be unearthed by a series of coastal storms back in the late 90s. So anytime there's a series of coastal storms causing big waves, sand gets washed away and more of the stumps are revealed. It's about 1/2 mile walk to get to the ghost forest from the parking lot. Most of the walk is through deep sand and then you have to cross the tidal river so you're gonna get wet - highly recommend some decent water shoes. Back in June 2022 on my first visit, at low tide, this river was super fast flowing and deep - came up to my knees and calves at the shallow parts. Definitely a little intimidating - I had to do some rock scrambling at the base of Proposal Rock first and then make my way to where the river emptied into the sea where the waves slowed the water down lol. It didn't help that I was recovering from a broken ankle though so it's probably not as bad haha! But this time, in July 2023, the river had shifted, was about 2/3rds smaller, only came up to my ankles and was completely still - not flowing at all. Really crazy how dramatically the amazing natural features of this beach change over short amounts of time. The stumps are absolutely covered in barnacles - goosenecks, acorn barnacles, thatched barnacles - I tried to find the fabled Giant Barnacles but couldn't lol. The tide pools had so many starfish and I even saw an adorable harbor seal swimming up the river as the tide came in searching for fish - and I saw some Bald Eagles around Proposal Rock - just so much to see here! There's a tiny little village area at the trailhead with a great little cafe and a general store with its own little cafe. Plenty of parking in the beach lot if you come early - but it was completely packed by 10am. There are clean bathrooms with changing areas at the parking lot. On the other side of the lot is a wildlife preserve where salmon migrate through seasonally - just so much nature to see here - it's awesome!

The best for lip tattoos, and leaving your eyebrows naturally…read moreI really recommend to everybody

Beautiful clean beach Restrooms are plenty…read more Will be back in the future Love the area Get directions Cape Kiwanda

This is an easy beach to get to and have a quick Central Oregon coast experience. There are bars,…read morerestaurants, and a market nearby to pick up whatever you may need. The view is great and you will love it here.

There's a tiny free parking area a short walk to the beach. We stayed at a house within walking…read moredistance and only saw a few people each time we walked on the beach in November. If secluded is your thing, this is a winner.

It's tempting to keep quiet about a place like this; so far off the beaten path. But thanks to…read moreformer Governor Tom McCall all sorts of places like this are just part of the public domain. Remember, this is Oregon! How remote is it? Well, Neskowin looks almost like Redondo Beach in comparison. I know! Ewww, huh?!?! The saving grace is that unless it's a summer weekend it's just never all that crowded. You can meander north out of the Lilliputian parking lot and reach the Nestucca flowing into the Pacific, that is, unless it's a winter high tide. Then you run the risk of getting trapped on the north side of the group of rocks shown in the attached photo, that is, if you can get through at all. It's a decently long walk (20-30 minutes) up to the Nestucca. The landscape is always undergoing changes due to the Pacific Ocean pounding away, so keep your wits about you. The things you can find on the beach here! Russian shoe polish kits, Japanese whiskey bottles, fishing floats, surf boards ... We've seen more than a few dead critters over the years too, even a cow. Try this walk in a thunder and lightning storm. Try it in the dead of night in winter, just be sure the tide is going OUT.

Oregon has more hiking trails than one could hike in a lifetime, so you can't hike them all. If I…read morehad to pick only ONE trail in the state to hike, I would pick Cascade Head. The trail starts at Knight Park, right on the estuary. After viewing the river, you hike through the old growth. The hike starts with some elevation, but the trees provide shade and lots of places to stop and rest. After crossing streams and bridges you come out to the grass field with a million dollar view of the Salmon River and Pacific Ocean. Bring a head lamp and stay for the view through sunset, it is incredible. The trail continues through the grass with more switchbacks to the upper viewpoint. While the Upper viewpoint is fantastic, if you are short on time, the lower viewpoint is fairly comparable (view wise) to upper. This hike is really the highlight of the Oregon Coast. The trail does not allow dogs (or pets) so plan accordingly.

Great trail...loads to see and a real workout in the process…read more We arrived at the trailhead at 8am to be the first in the lot on a Saturday. By the time we returned the lot was full. There's a decent amount of parking...spots for cars, RVs, and trucks with boat trailers. The pre-trail wanders in and out of the trees and road for a bit, but they have great signage to lead you to the actual head. The trail is great, as you get a smidge of everything you could ask for along the way...some shaded forest, wildlife, wildflowers, stunning coastal views, and a pretty butt-kicking workout to the top viewpoint. Keep in mind, we aren't young, and neither are our hips and knees. There are a good number of high clearance steps to climb that weren't the easiest for a gal with short legs and bad hips. Not to mention that the trail is pretty steep as you zig-zag your way up the non-shaded knoll to the second viewpoint at the top of the lower trail (where it meets the upper). The trail is narrow most of the way, especially on that hillside as you push your way through the tall grasses and flowers. You definitely need to watch your step constantly going up and down, as there are hidden steps, rocks, and uneven surfaces beneath the grasses. We almost ended our trip at the lower viewpoint, but after a bit of contemplation decided to push through and up the hillside to the top. I'm super glad we made the choice, but we definitely felt it! So much to see along the way. We got to watch the elk herd as it grazed the knoll at the first opening, so beautiful. Halfway down the hill from the top a fast moving fog bank came off the coast right at us, engulfing us and removing everything from sight for a minute, while providing us with much appreciated and FABulous cold air... a very cool experience for sure. I highly recommend this trail. Go early if you go on the weekend. And if you're now young ONLY at heart, be prepared for a decent workout if you plan to go to the top...but do it, it's worth it. :)

Perfect place to get out and stretch your legs. Clean restrooms with flush toilets available off…read morethe parking lot. Great beach access and not as busy as the beach access in Cape Kiwanda. When we were there we only saw one family when we arrived and two families as we were leaving. Makes for a lot of room to let your dog run on the beach without bothering anyone. A family was flying a kite while we were there too...made us wish we would have bought one. It was the perfect weather for it!

Shame on the peeps who come to Saver this wonderful place, and burn their plastic, beer cans,…read morebroken bottles, socks, forks, ketchup, mayo, diapers, dog poo bags, water bottles, & condoms! wTHeck!!! And when I picked it ALL up, the camp host said: don't put it here, your littering! You have got to be kidding me!? He should have said," thank you, I should have been here before High tide!" This camp host is rude, and not from Oregon. This is my fav place. But now with him hosting , I feel a bit concerned? I will always be looking over my shoulder : ( Texas plate NSH 4723

Highly recommended. Owner was very thorough with tips and information, ATVs were simple to use and…read morehad zero issues, and the dunes were tons of fun. A highlight for sure

Rick is very organized and professional. We had a blast thanks to him he taught us how to load and…read moreunload the quads and how to operate them. everything went smooth thanks to him!