On The Coast Again

The much heralded detour to Crater over, we wind our way back to the coast, through the ever present scenic glory that is Oregon. Highway 138 is a spectacular maze of cliffs, rivers and pristine vistas where, as the hour gets later, we find the road virtually our own. An overnight rest in the somewhat more populated town of Roseburg proves something of a challenge in finding a vacancy, but the Windmill Inn comes to our rescue and we sleep nicely in very comfortable beds.

Early we venture to complete our destination arriving near Coos Bay to continue our coastal journey. Backtracking to the north a bit along Highway 1, we want to be sure to see some of the dunes that make up a 45-mile section between Florence and Coos Bay. The Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area has numerous spots to take in some of this beauty, and dune buggies are the prominant attraction.

We get a good morning workout traversing through a wide sandy beach, miraculously lone hikers taking in this riding sport. It crosses our mind to join, but the hike seems sufficient as we continue north a bit up to Wincester Bay.


At the quaint village, we stumble upon a little marina teeming with fresh seafood, boats, and fishermen. We choose to have a quick bite at Griff's and savor a delicious shrimp cobb salad and clam chowder. Al fresco dining overlooking the water adds to the fresh flavors and we are quite thrilled with this spontaenous option.

A stoll through the quaint area after dining is equally enjoyable as we take in this unique spot. It definitely makes it seem worth the backtracking this morning as we turn and head south again toward Bandon-by-the-Sea.

A side trip from Coos Bay takes us directly along the Pacific coast and allows for several stops at state parks. The first is Sunset Bay and though we arrive mid-afternoon, the coved area is a fun walk and definitely worth a peek.

As we continue along this Cape Arago Highway, we find several pull offs and a spattering of connecting hiking trails that access all of the state parks along the route. We venture along a few at different points, all allowing more incredible views. Kayaks are spotted at one cove and the apparent joy they are experiencing is quite evident in their laughter and singing (yes, pirate lore is what we believe we overhear).

As we come upon Shore Acres, the park we're most anxious to explore, we are anything but disappointed. There is so much here we could have easily allowed a full day. We do our best to fit in as much as possible during the couple of hours we have reserved and enjoy every solitary moment. The dramatic drop offs are stunning, and we happen upon a couple who have made their way down the cliffs to the beach and out among one of the many rocks. A picture postcard view.