Start at the top of Oregon’s tallest lighthouse, which you can see at the Yaquina Head Outstanding Area. The view you will take in is breathtaking, but reserve some time to explore the intertidal pools as well where you can see starfish sea anemones, mussels and other crustaceans. Continue your ocean exploration at the Hatfield Marine Science Center where your kids will have the opportunity to handle (under supervision) all the creatures you just saw in the tidal pools. The octopus named Sashay is worth the visit all by herself. She is fed three times weekly and unlike others of her kind seems to enjoy putting on a show. There are interactive games and videos to learn about sea life and the aquatic environment. Your visit is free, but be sure to leave a donation.
The Taquina Bay Lighthouse is one of the few on the Pacific coast that has an attached keeper’s cottage, and is now decommissioned but opens to the public with tours available. Depending on when you are here, you may see whales offshore and sea lions sunning themselves on the nearby rocks. If you did not see sea lions at the lighthouse, you may just see them at the docks when you visit Newport’s Historic Bayfront: they are a regular fixture there. Other than the sea lions, the waterfront is a collection of shops, restaurants and galleries; you will also see the fishing boats coming in, which makes for a nice mixture of people and activities.
Still more fish await you at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, a world-class marine educational facility with the emphasis on education: how many other places allow your kids to play dress-up as a mermaid or an octopus? Walk through a glass tunnel and see fish—and sharks!—swimming all around you, and be sure to check out the sea otter feeding. For some unplanned free time, head over to the soft sand of Nye Beach and swim (if cold water does not bother you), run or just hang out. This is one of the more spectacular spots for watching sunsets, and you can get a light dinner at one of the eateries lining the beach area.
The Newport, Oregon hotels listed above are the best place to stay as you enjoy the rugged beauty of the Oregon coast along with the delightful things to see and do in one of its best-loved cities. Book today!