Lincoln City, Oregon Vacation Guide: Coastal Sightseeing, All You Need to Know

Published 5/19/24 at 4:35 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Lincoln City, Oregon) – A good seven miles of pristine sands and a variety of attractions make Lincoln City a powerhouse vacation destination for the central Oregon coast. A major casino, a couple of historic theaters, museums, huge discount shopping opportunities coupled with a variety of antiquing and locally owned gift shops of all shapes and colors draw in the vacationers in their own way, but the beaches are the serious highlight. (Above: SW 35th St. Access, Lincoln City. All photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Speaking of which, it's there that you can find glass floats left on the beach to find at least once a day, if not a few dozen times. It depends on the occasion. See the glass floats and schedules

There's a vibrant foodie scene in Lincoln City as well, from more traditional brick 'n mortar restaurants with classic approaches and varying ethnic slants, to the scrumptious forays of food trucks.

Gleneden Beach

Southern Lincoln City: Depending on how you think of it, Gleneden Beach is really where Lincoln City starts. This is a somewhat hidden part of the central Oregon coast that starts all the way back about five miles from Lincoln City's southern tip. More on Gleneden Beach.

After Gleneden's curious beaches, drive north, through some stunning marshland (formerly known as Cutler City), and you'll encounter Taft and the Siletz Bay. This is where seals can be seen in great abundance on the spit at the other side of the bay.

Taft hosts dozens of interesting little eateries and shops, including the glass blowing facility that allows you to blow your own glass float. Take the Digital Walking Tour of Lincoln City - A Glimpse of Each Beach Access

Up the hill you'll encounter the beaches and businesses of the Nelscott district. Some of the more out-of-the-way beach accesses will find you farther from crowds more often (see the Lincoln City Virtual Tour, Map for those).

Mid Town Lincoln City. The soft sand beaches continue but the accesses disappear as high, soaring cliffs take over, and now you approach the Oceanlake and Delake districts. Accesses reappear again near the D River access, one of Lincoln City's most popular beaches. The big outlet store is by the D River as well.

Major oceanfront hotels stand along these cliffs and throughout Lincoln City as well. See the NW 26th St. Access and the Clifftop Drive.

A mile eastward, Devil's Lake is a major recreation attraction for boating, fishing and so much more.

Roads End Area

Northern Lincoln City. Just past midtown you encounter many more oceanfront hotels, motels, shops and fine eateries, and this is where the beach accesses remain low and easy to enter. Several slightly hidden beach accesses lurk here, such as the Grace Hammond (NW 35th) and NW 50th.

Eventually, Lincoln City stops at the Roads End neighborhood, where a major state park and the mammoth cliff structures sit. Some fascinating secrets sit in this area. More at the Lincoln City Virtual Tour, Map.

This district is known as Wecoma Beach. All these districts were separate little towns until 1964, when they voted to become Lincoln City.

Head north of town (sometimes called the Corridor of Mystery) and you'll find the stunning vistas of Cascade Head, and then then the tiny village of Neskowin and its enormous array of hidden beaches, curious sands and fascinating geologic features.

A complete list of beach accesses for Lincoln City is available at the book. Lincoln City, Oregon lodging and vacation rentals are found here, while a list of Lincoln City restaurants and dining options are here.

Lincoln City Sights to See

Siletz Bay is awesome for wildlife viewing or building bonfires or big log structures.

Nelscott beaches feature some interesting large grains of sand and curiously sloped tidelines. From here through to Midtown are long stretches between beach accesses, which can grant you considerable solitude and a buffer from the crowds.

Neskowin Ghost Forest is a handful of scientific wonder

Midtown is the hotspot for nightlife activity in Lincoln City, and the beaches are varied in layout and activities. Agate hunting can be good in spots, depending on conditions. The high cliffs are good for a scenic drive if the weather doesn't cooperate. Dive bars abound in Lincoln City giving its nightlife a gloriously goofy side at times, but there's other types of wateringholes in the less edgy vein or the stellar events at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.

In the Wecoma and Roads End area are the secretive beaches and some slightly unusual features for exploration.

Cascade Head hiking is strenuous and lengthy but legendary and unbeatable in its scenery.

Do not miss the ghost forest of Neskowin – leftovers of a forest that was slowly sunk by a geologic change (not the quake theory. Sorry. Yes, that's sexier but it's just an internet rumor). They are around 2,000 years old.

Hotels in Lincoln City - Where to eat - Lincoln City Maps and Virtual Tours

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