If you’re looking for the perfect getaway from Portland that will take you on a beautiful drive along the Willamette Valley, over the coast range, and along one of the most rugged sections of the Oregon coast, then this town is just the ticket.
Yachats, Oregon, is about a three-hour drive from Portland, which is just about the maximum we’re looking to drive for a day trip. The time in the car is worth it, though, as this underrated gem feels like you’re stepping back to a time before Airbnb and chain touristy shops infiltrated every town along the coast.
How to Spend the Day in Yachats
A morning departure from Portland means you’ll be rolling into town right around lunch. Make a beeline to the Drift Inn, where you can grab a seat outside on their sunny back patio (so long as the weather is cooperating.)
Here, you’ll find standard Oregon coast fare featuring local seafood, all in a funky setting where you can peruse local art.
After lunch, head next door to the Yachats Merchantile, which serves as the town’s gift shop and hardware store and even sells fresh loaves of locally baked sourdough bread.
It is a fun place to explore, as each aisle will have you guessing whether it is full of funky art or toilet plungers.
If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, hop across the street to Dream Machine Coffee. Here, we were treated to one of the best lattes we’ve had in the entire state, let alone the coast.
Explore the Coast
The coastline south of Yachats quickly changes from wide sandy beaches to rugged cliffs and rocky shores that don’t make the best sunbathing spots but do provide other incredible photography and beachcombing opportunities.
Devils Churn
Along the rocky shoreline sits a passage that allows the ocean to flow into the ever-narrowing cliffside, creating a violent churn of water during high tide.
With each passing wave, the waters boil, and it would be hard to imagine anything being able to survive if they were stuck in these waters.
There is a viewpoint to see the churn right off Highway 101 and a short trail down closer to the water for an up-close look.
Thor’s Well
This partially collapsed sea cave sits at the edge of a wide expanse of flat, rocky ground just above sea level. When the waves are large enough, they will crash over the rocks, and the water will flow down into the cave, which, from our point of view, looks like a bottomless pit swallowing up the ocean.
This is an incredibly popular spot for photographers, but be careful as waves can and do crash up over the rocks, washing people and their equipment out to sea.
Neptune State Park
Neptune State Park encompasses a series of pull-offs, each with small rocky beaches perfect for picnics or beachcombing.
This stretch of coast is known as being one of the most productive in the entire state for agate hunters, as the beaches are mostly sand-free, and numerous creeks deposit these stones along the water’s edge.
Making Your Way Back Home
If you’re looking for a little beach relaxation time, there is no shortage of sandy beaches along the drive between Yachats and Newport. Seal Rock is a popular spot for its unique rock formation at the head of the beach, which is home to colonies of sea birds, seals, and sea lions.
Grab Dinner in Newport
The road home will take you through Newport and right past one of the best seafood restaurants on the entire coast. Local Ocean sits right on the harbor waterfront, where you can watch fishing and crabbing boats come and go while you enjoy a dinner that they mostly likely caught.
This Newport institution offers an impressive menu featuring local ingredients, but the one thing you should not miss is their roasted garlic and Dungeness crab soup. We always go with that and whatever is on their specials menu, as these dishes are always creative and feature the best of what the ocean is offering at the moment.
Make it an Overnighter
If you feel like a day trip just isn’t enough (we can’t blame you for feeling that way!) then there are some incredible lodging options in Yachats to choose from.
On the north side of town sits the Overleaf Lodge and Spa which features well appointment rooms with spectacular views of the rocky coastlines that Yachats is so well known for.
If a lodge and spa isn’t quite your style, then throw a tent in your car and grab a camping spot at this forested retreat.
