Oregon Coast Spots With Wicked Cool Sights - and Rooms to View Them

Published 08/29/22 at 5:32 AM PST
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Oregon Coast) – Where ocean views meet superb surroundings; where the charms of the Oregon coast come in natural packages wrapped in the best of manmade accouterments. There are moments you want your incredible views with serious pampering, or at least stellar amenities. You want your cake and to eat it, too? (Above: Yachats, Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Sure. Hence this look at three incredible views along these beaches that are – in the current vernacular – fire. Yet they also come with some grand rooms to check it out from.

The Power and the Nuttiness of Yachats

Whereas much of the central Oregon coast is pure sandy beaches, one area is primarily rocky slabs – and oh, the drama that ensues.

About halfway between Florence and Newport sits Yachats, a tiny town that features wild views in endless abundance. Its beaches are primarily ancient basalt shelves, scraggy and pointy in many spots, with crevices and blowholes, all interspersed with tiny spots of sandy beaches comprised of rather large, coarse grains. Only at the lowest possible wave action level does the place calm down: some set of breakers offshore are always creating a ruckus somewhere along this vast stretch of blackness.

In back of "downtown" lies the largest beach access, with an enormous parking lot and some concrete spots close to the surf - perfect for a picnic by the raging seas of this extraordinary area. The street follows the shoreline for several blocks, with the occasional bench on a perch and beach accesses.

At the northern edges are stretches of the 804 Trail: some of the most untamed parts of any beach town. Here, it's where things really wild. You begin to enter a world of spouting horns both big and small, curious holes that give you a peek into the underside of these rocks, and dozens of other curiosities. When storm watching season comes, it's among the top sights on the entire Oregon coast, where waves rocket into the air after finding nowhere else to go but up, as the manic energy they've gained miles away crashes headlong into those blackened structures.

One of the prime places to view this oceanic chaos is the Adobe Resort, overlooking all this beautiful aquatic madness. The craziest show in the area is built in as there's essentially nothing but oceanfront views. It's a luxury, full-service hotel, with an oceanfront view restaurant as well. You'll find patios or balconies – all leading to this unique watery free-for-all. Some of the units are larger deluxe suites, some have Jacuzzi's and such, and there's even a distinctive set of apartments that are essentially vacation rentals. 1555 HWY 101 N, Yachats, Oregon. (541) 547-3141. Adobe Resort Site.

Seaside Promenade

As you're walking along Seaside's most distinctive, recognizable feature, you're literally walking on history that's 100 years old now. The concrete that's served millions of visitors over the last century has not been changed or replaced – yet. Your great grandparents may well have walked this same pathway, digging the view and sound of the ocean, perhaps munching on hot dogs or some other treat that was under a dollar at the time, and with one of your future grandparents in tow.

Indeed, if you're wondering why the Prom has architecture that's a tad reminiscent of Art Deco, it went up in 1921. The place oozes history along all those beachy wonders, with the tall dune grass listing in the wind and the dunes themselves shifting shapes or spots from time to time. It's a mile and a half of Seaside's loveliest sights, leading from near The Cove to the end of 12th Ave (a beach access where you may find more whole sand dollars than anywhere else).

Along that walkway, just a stone's throw from the Turnaround, there's a set of metal fencing that practically shouts a hello from a distant age. Behind it is a charming little building that seems older than the rest. The Inn at the Prom was actually once a minor mansion sitting along the oceanfront of the then-newly-incorporated north Oregon coast town, and it was there when the first concrete was poured for the Promenade.

Some ten years later it was divided up into apartments, and by the '50s it had become a hotel; about then the comely little cottages that are a legendary part of the Inn at the Prom's experience were built.

Now, the Inn at the Prom's latest incarnation is part beach cottage and part upscale hotel. The interiors are fully modern and so is the paint, but there's still major atmosphere here. It is a bit of a walk back in time – but with your full color TV and wi-fi access still intact. 341 S Prom. Seaside, Oregon. 800-507-2714.  Inn at the Prom Website Here.

Northern Lincoln City

There are parts of this central Oregon coast town that host some incredible views – even if it is only a vast stretch of sand and rather calm beach. A bit hard to find, Lincoln City's NW 26th access is a bit on the unpopulated side, as it's a ways off the beaten path from most of the visitors in the area. There's a sizable stairway leading down to the beach, while the parking lot features a large, rock wall that almost gives the access a castle vibe.

In this stretch, there's often less people than other areas, giving the area some engaging beach cred (like street cred, only lovelier).

Summer brings an expansion of the sands: calmer seas typically add more sands to a beach than they take away. So you get higher sand levels and some slight dune effects these times of year.

Come winter, this place is prime for storms, which can, under extreme circumstance, run right up against that small rise above the beach. Maybe some mammoth waves will even splash the manicured lawn of Pelican Shores Inn.

This exceptional and very modern hotel overlooks all the cajoling to chaotic wave action. Spacious suites provide either balconies or patios that give way to the ocean's expanse. Some units at Pelican Shores Inn have fireplaces, some are larger units with more than one bed, while others are perfect for one or two. 2645 NW Inlet Ave. 800-705-5505. www.pelicanshores.com

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