One of my favorite songs growing up was Phantom Planet's "California." I never thought that one day I would be driving down the 101, just like the song goes.
We took Route 101 all the way into California to see the Redwoods. It was such a beautiful drive. The water is a gorgeous blue color and the mountains are stunning. The Oregon coast is full of life and adventure.
Depending on the time of year, you can plan on whale watching at Depot Bay, starting in late March to watch them migrate. I arrived in Oregon just in time to witness the whales myself. It was a lot of fun!
Heading further south down the coast, you'll stumble upon some amazing sights, such as the Devil's Punchbowl and Thor's Well. Both of these places are all about timing the tide correctly, so keep that in mind when you plan your trip!
The Devil's Punchbowl is INSANE. You can actually walk down and go into the Punchbowl, depending if the tide is low enough. I had a blast walking around exploring! It's unreal.
Not too far from the Devil's Punchbowl is the city of Newport. When you're driving down the Oregon Coast, you can't miss it - easily spotted for the ginormous bridge that towers over the city. Here you'll spot boats, see fabulous sunsets and eat great food.
I've been up and down the Oregon Coast quite a few times now and I try to visit a different city each time I pass through. Hungry and ready for a break, we stopped in Newport for dinner one night. The seafood here is absolutely phenomenal. It is sooooo fresh and delicious! If you're a wino, there's tons of great wine options all along the coast.
Pro tip - try a wine flight and taste more of what Oregon has to offer. I have to say, wine country in the Pacific Northwest is on point!!! You can find tons of awesome places to sample Oregon's finest all along the coast.
Next up on the road trip was Thor's Well. This you want to catch as the tide is coming in. Massive waves come crashing into the coastline and come shooting up through the well over 10 feet into the air! Check out my video below:
If you go when the tide is lower, you'll still see some waves hit, but if you're a daredevil or a thrill-seeker like me, you'll want to catch it when the waves come roaring in before high tide. Huge waves will come crashing up on the side of you as well, so make sure you keep an eye out! Nature will always beat humans. 🙃
The further down the coast I got, the more excited I was to get to California. With our destination for the night almost in sight, we stopped to get some munchies. Great food, great beer, and great company. What more can you ask for?
After dinner, we headed to catch the sunset on the beach. We watched the sun go down over the Pacific Ocean as the we prepared to explore the Redwoods and Crater Lake next. Check out the sun setting over the Crescent City lighthouse:
Loving my road trip? Check out more pictures below:
