A road trip for two · Aug 1-7, 2026

The Oregon
Coast

San Pablo up the wild coast and home again. Six favorite places, seven unhurried days.

At a glance

The whole trip, one screen

7 days
Aug 1 to 7
6
must-see stops
~1,550
miles · round trip
~$1,175
6 nights lodging
~$265
gas @ 25 mpg
~$1,440
lodging + gas
How long is it?

Seven days, paced to breathe

Duration7 days, 6 nights
Distance~1,550 miles
Driving~39 hrs total, spread out
Longest day~7 hrs (Day 1)
Easiest day~40 min (Day 2)
Home byFri Aug 7, evening
The route

Up the coast, home down I-5

San Pablo ★Crescent CityBrookingsYachatsSeasideTroutdaleAshland
The reason for the trip

Your six, at a glance

01 Fern Canyon
02 Natural Bridges
03 Secret Beach
04 Thor's Well
05 Cannon Beach
06 Multnomah Falls
Chapter one

The Six

STOP 01 · DAY 1

Fern Canyon

Prairie Creek Redwoods · near Orick, CA

Great any time, lushest after rainRough gravel road · shoes that get wet
You need a permit
Gold Bluffs Beach / Fern Canyon day-use permit
$12 per vehicle
Required May 15 to Sep 15. Reserve up to 6 months out, or grab a day-before slot at 9 AM. This is the one gate for Day 1, lock it early.
Reserve at Redwood Parks Conservancy →
What else is here

Around Fern Canyon

Fern Canyon walls
Fern Canyon walls
The canyon creek
The canyon creek
Fern-draped cliffs
Fern-draped cliffs

☕ Eat & drink

Larrupin CafeTrinidadCult Humboldt dinner spot, famed mustard-dill sauce and fall-off-the-bone ribs.View photos ↗
Beachcomber CafeTrinidadCozy indie coffee and pastries, walkable to the little harbor.View photos ↗
Los BagelsArcataJewish-Mexican bakery mashup, grab the chocolate babka "slug."View photos ↗

✦ Peculiar nearby

Trees of MysteryKlamathSkyTrail gondola glides through the canopy past a 49-ft Paul Bunyan.
Roosevelt elk herdsElk PrairieBig wild herds graze roadside, often a few steps from the car.
WWII Radar Station B-71KlamathA coastal bunker disguised as an innocent farmhouse and barn.
STOP 02 · DAY 2

Natural Bridges

Samuel H. Boardman Corridor · near Brookings, OR

Best at golden hour
What else is here

Around Natural Bridges

Natural Bridges
Natural Bridges
Boardman coast
Boardman coast
Natural Bridges Cove
Natural Bridges Cove

☕ Eat & drink

Oxenfrē Public HouseBrookingsQuirky gastropub, craft beer and elevated comfort food.View photos ↗
Barnacle BistroGold BeachFunky counter joint, gourmet burgers and fish tacos.View photos ↗
Port Hole CafeGold BeachIn a historic cannery, hearty seafood and marionberry cobbler.View photos ↗

✦ Peculiar nearby

Arch Rockoff Hwy 101Dramatic offshore rock arch, an easy pull-off viewpoint.
Thunder Rock CoveBoardmanHidden cove with a sea arch and prime whale-watching.
Azalea ParkBrookingsWPA-era stonework and wild azaleas, huge holiday light show.
STOP 03 · DAY 2

Secret Beach

Samuel H. Boardman Corridor · near Brookings, OR

Go at LOW tide + golden hourUnmarked trail · beach vanishes at high tide
What else is here

Around Secret Beach

Secret Beach cove
Secret Beach cove
Boardman cliffs
Boardman cliffs
Whaleshead Beach
Whaleshead Beach

☕ Eat & drink

Gold Beach Coffee & BakeryGold BeachCoffeehouse inside a bookstore-gallery, house scones and Umpqua ice cream.View photos ↗
RedfishPort OrfordOff-the-boat fresh catch with a view, worth the short hop north.View photos ↗
Plus every Brookings spot on the Natural Bridges page, all about 10 minutes south.

✦ Peculiar nearby

Indian Sands TrailBoardmanSurreal wind-sculpted sandstone bluffs and hidden sea arches.
Whaleshead BeachBoardmanOffshore rock that "spouts" like a whale at the right tide.
Prehistoric GardensPort Orford1950s roadside kitsch: 23 life-size dinosaurs in a rainforest ravine.
STOP 04 · DAY 3

Thor's Well

Cape Perpetua · near Yachats, OR

Best at HIGH tide, near sunsetSneaker waves, stay well back
What else is here

Around Thor's Well

Thor's Well
Thor's Well
Cape Perpetua surf
Cape Perpetua surf
The well drains
The well drains

☕ Eat & drink

The Green SalmonYachatsBeloved organic roaster-cafe with house-baked pastries.View photos ↗
Luna Sea Fish HouseYachatsOwner-fisherman serves his own dock-to-plate catch.View photos ↗
Ona RestaurantYachatsUpscale Pacific NW plates on the river mouth, serious cocktails.View photos ↗

✦ Peculiar nearby

Devil's ChurnCape PerpetuaNarrow inlet that explodes seawater on the incoming swell.
Spouting HornCook's ChasmA natural geyser blasts up through a sea-cave roof at mid-tide.
Sea Lion CavesN. of FlorenceElevator into America's largest sea cave, full of wild sea lions.
STOP 05 · DAY 5

Cannon Beach

Haystack Rock · north Oregon coast

Sunrise shoot, ~6:05 AMSleep in Seaside, 10 min away
What else is here

Around Cannon Beach

Haystack Rock
Haystack Rock
Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach
Sea stacks at dusk
Sea stacks at dusk

☕ Eat & drink

Sea Level Bakery + CoffeeCannon BeachScratch croissants, natural-leaven bread, serious espresso.View photos ↗
Osprey CaféSeasideIndie brunch with a Latin twist, the chilaquiles have a following.View photos ↗
Bowpicker Fish & ChipsAstoriaAlbacore fish-and-chips from a docked boat, cash-only cult classic.View photos ↗

✦ Peculiar nearby

Hug Point10 min southLow-tide sea caves, a beach waterfall, and an old wagon road in the cliff.
Ecola State ParkCannon BeachThe Goonies and Point Break bluff, best view over Haystack Rock.
Astoria30 min northGoonies house, the Astoria Column, and a 1913 riverfront trolley.
STOP 06 · DAY 6

Multnomah Falls

Columbia River Gorge · east of Portland

Shoot at dawn, before 9 AM
You need a permit
Multnomah Falls I-84 timed-use permit
$2 per vehicle
Required late May to early September, roughly 9 AM to 6 PM. Books up to 2 weeks ahead. A dawn arrival often beats the window entirely, but reserve one as backup.
Reserve on Recreation.gov →
What else is here

Around Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls
Columbia Gorge
Columbia Gorge
Falls & footbridge
Falls & footbridge

☕ Eat & drink

Sugarpine Drive-InTroutdaleRiverside walk-up, James Beard-nominated wild soft-serve sundaes.View photos ↗
Corbett Country MarketCorbettLocal grocery-deli, the last real food stop before the falls.View photos ↗
Eastwind Drive-InCascade LocksClassic Gorge drive-in, the towering "white pig" cones.View photos ↗

✦ Peculiar nearby

Vista House at Crown PointCorbett1918 Art Nouveau rest-stop on a 733-ft bluff, 30-mile Gorge views.
Herman the SturgeonBonneville HatcheryMeet an 11-ft, 80-something-year-old white sturgeon. Free.
Waterfall corridorHistoric HwyLatourell, Bridal Veil, Wahkeena and Horsetail, strung on one road.
Chapter two

The Plan

Where you'll sleep, eat, and fill the tank.

Where you'll sleep

Six nights, all under $250

Leading picks, vetted on Booking.com and Tripadvisor. Tap Reserve on any card. Total ~$1,175, or ~$1,000 with value picks.

Night 1 · Aug 1

Lighthouse Inn

Crescent City, CA·★★★★ 8.3/10 · 4.2/5$229/night
View from the harbor
View from the harbor
The Lighthouse Inn
The Lighthouse Inn
Front entrance
Front entrance

Central, walk to the beach, best all-round for night one.

Reserve on Booking.com →
Night 2 · Aug 2

Ocean Suites Motel

Brookings, OR·★★★★★ 9.5/10 · 4.7/5$200/night
Deluxe room
Deluxe room
Mini-suite living room
Mini-suite living room
The motel
The motel

By the harbor, clearly the best-rated in town.

Reserve on Booking.com →
Night 3 · Aug 3

Silver Surf Motel

Yachats, OR · oceanfront·8.8/10 · 4.4/5$215/night
Indoor pool
Indoor pool
Front entrance
Front entrance
Queen room
Queen room

Oceanfront, strong reviews on both sites.

Reserve on Booking.com →
Night 4 · Aug 4

Sandy Cove Inn

Seaside, OR·★★★★★ 9.0/10 · 4.5/5$184/night
Sandy Cove Inn
Sandy Cove Inn
Grounds
Grounds
The inn
The inn

Top rated and good value, base for the Cannon Beach sunrise.

Reserve on Booking.com →
Night 5 · Aug 5

McMenamins Edgefield

Troutdale, OR·8.5/10 · brewery + gardens$159/night
The property
The property
Outdoor amphitheater
Outdoor amphitheater
Gardens & grounds
Gardens & grounds

Historic property with on-site pubs, brewery, gardens and a soaking pool.

Reserve on Booking.com →
Night 6 · Aug 6

Best Western Windsor Inn

Ashland, OR·★★★★ 8.5/10 · 4.4/5$188/night
Exterior
Exterior
Lobby
Lobby
Coffee bar
Coffee bar

Reliable and well reviewed, outdoor pool, on the return leg.

Reserve on Booking.com →
Where you'll eat

A few nice dinners, easy the rest

Sit-down Real dinners in Crescent City, Yachats, and Ashland, where you're already stopped for the night.
Grab & go Everywhere else: Safeway, Trader Joe's, Peet's, a deli, or a beach picnic.
Fun stops Tillamook Creamery (cheese + ice cream) and Edgefield's on-site brewery.
Where you'll fuel up

Fill before every long leg

Top off Before Days 1, 3, 6, and 7, the long-drive days.
Good stops Willits/Ukiah · Garberville · Grants Pass · Eugene/Roseburg · Redding.
Tip Rural stations are sparse and close early. Fill up in Oregon, it's cheaper.
Does gas change a lot?

Yes, about 90¢ a gallon

California
$4.76
Oregon
$3.87

So I budget a blended $4.28/gal. Tank up on the Oregon side of the border.

Your fuel budget · interactive

Set your car's numbers

Estimated fuel cost
$265≈ 62 gal
Cost by fuel economy
MPGGalCost
Reading the tides

Two highs, two lows, every day

Tides slide ~50 minutes later each day, it's the moon, not the clock. Check a tide app the night before.
LOW tide Secret Beach · Cannon Beach sunrise is a bonus.
HIGH tide Thor's Well, that's when it "drains."
Pack & watch for

Small list, big difference

CameraND + polarizer, tripod, wide + tele
On your phoneA tide app + offline maps
WearLayers, rain shell, shoes that get wet
Watch forElk, puffins, seals, whales, tide pools
Ready when you are

Let's go.

Route, spots, and hotels are set. Next: tap Reserve on the rooms, and grab the two permits.

Hero photos from your project library · Location galleries via Wikimedia Commons · Hotels via Booking.com & Tripadvisor · Food & nearby via Tripadvisor and local guides · Permit info via NPS & Recreation.gov · Gas via GasPrice.us · Map from US Census geography.