Plan a camping trip that will let you spend some time meandering down (or up) Oregon’s scenic Pacific coastline. Four campgrounds are located along the coast and are worthy of themselves for a delightful camp stay, but also offer proximity to great nearby locations and day trips from the coast.
Thousand Trails Seaside is the farthest north camping location so you can start your trip or end your trip here. Of course, don’t miss beautiful Cannon Beach and iconic Haystack Rock when you’re here. The town of Seaside has a 1.5-mile oceanfront promenade great for strolling and people-watching or getting in a nice smooth bike ride. Visit the Lewis and Clark Salt Works and learn about the pair’s salt-making ventures. Feed the seals at the Seaside Aquarium or hike the Tillamook Head National Recreation Trail. A little drive north will put you in Astoria, a town that is a quite a star, having been the backdrop for many movies and television shows. Check out the Oregon Film Museum to learn the history of film and television making in Oregon.
Heading south you can camp at Thousand Trails Pacific City in Cloverdale and spend your days here basking in small town charm. Cloverdale was founded as a dairy farming community and that is still evident. Check out the Tillamook Creamery and take a self-guided tour or a guided Tour & Tasting (tillamook.com) or visit the Nestuca Bay Creamery for some of the best cheese and ice cream you’ll ever have! For hiking, visit Sitka Sedge State Natural Area, which features 3.5 miles of looping trails plus tidal flats, salt water marshes, and plenty of marsh wildlife to view. The Cloverdale Museum of History is a great place to learn the area’s history.
Traveling down the Oregon Coast a bit south of Cloverdale, you’ll find yourself in South Beach, home to Thousand Trails Whalers Rest campground. Area highlights include the nearby city of Newport, which is home to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Yaquina Bay Lighthouse and the Nye Beach area for shopping, dining, and strolling the streets to check out this historic locale. South Beach State Park has a great, broad sandy beach for strolling along the shore plus trails for walking and biking.
Last stop (or first, depending on the direction of your travels) along the coast for our camping experience is Florence, which is where you’ll find Thousand Trails South Jetty for camping and attractions like Sea Lion Caves and Heceta Head Lighthouse, to name a few. Old Town Florence is quite charming and has plenty of shopping, art galleries, museums and is great for antiquing and wine tasting opportunities. From Old Town Florence, you can view the beautiful Gothic arches of the Siuslaw Bridge, a Depression-era (1936) built bridge that spans the Siuslaw River. The Sea Lion Cave, established as a wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary in 1932, is considered the largest sea cave in America.
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- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.